Incredible, thought-provoking historical novel~
I look again at the five words I used to introduce my review and find they don't even come close to explaining the depth and impact of this story. I have read other works of fiction by Francine Rivers and have found them all to be well above average.
I agree with another reviewer, in that this book is not for a young audience nor is it for the faint of heart. The book is filled to the brim with the worst of human nature. If one ever doubted that human beings without God are depraved, one doesn't need to look further than this book. The descriptions of the human heart's insatiable desire for sin are, unfortunately, all too accurate. And the parallels between the Roman culture in 70 A.D. and our current culture, not only in the United States, but in most of Western Europe are too obvious to ignore.
The main character is Hadassah, a young Jewish girl who has been sold into slavery after the destruction of Jerusalem, but the remaining characters are well-developed. Decimus and Phoebe Valerian are wealthy Roman citizens who purchase Hadassah as a slave for Julia, their petulant, strong-willed, fifteen-year-old daughter. Their son Marcus, several years older than Julia, is shrewd in business and handsome enough to attract the most beautiful girls, not hesitating to enjoy their intimate company until he gets bored and moves on to his next conquest. Marcus and Julia both have grown up surrounded by the debauchery of Rome and do not understand their parent's objections as they both, each in their own way, serve themselves without regard for others.
Although a Jew, Hadassah is a Christian, and we watch as her faith grows stronger with each page turn, through all her fears and failures as she continues to cry out to God, praying for the family she serves. She tries in vain to help her mistress, Julia, as she defiantly propels herself down a dark path of destruction. As the story progresses, Marcus finds himself irresistibly drawn to Hadassah as she selflessly and willingly serves not only Julia, but the entire family. I also can't neglect to mention Atertes, the young German captured by Roman soldiers and taken as a slave, trained to be a gladiator, and now fighting for his freedom with blood on his hands and heart.
After finishing this book, I immediately, and I do mean immediately, downloaded the remaining two books in the Mark of the Lion Series. When you make the wise decision to pick this book up, make sure you get the other two as well. If not, have your keys and wallet handy, ready to drive to the nearest bookstore the very second you read the last word on the last page. Woe to you if you finish the book at night when they are all closed. You will not want to wait for the store to open the next morning!
(I was given a copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review, but was not required to give a positive review.)
