Book: A Voice in the Wind

I am a fan of Francine Rivers, and up until now, had read quite a few of her books. I've actually had a copy of this one for years, and haven't gotten around to reading it. I tried once or twice before, but it was a "slow starter" and I just couldn't get into it. A month or two ago, as I was running short on fresh reading material, I picked it up again. And I can't figure out why I waited so long.

With a bit more patience, I would have discovered this was not an exception to Rivers' ability to weave a good tale with strong, distinctive characters, and enjoyable to read. Set in the early Roman empire, sometime not long after Christ's death and the fall of Jerusalem, we meet characters from various backgrounds who find themselves struggling to find their way in Rome.

Hadassah, a slave from Jerusalem and a Christian, quietly and humbly serves her spoiled mistress Julia and her family. Julia's brother seeks the wealth Rome has to offer despite his father's wish that he take over the family business. Atretes, captured in Germania, is a slave of the fighting arena, forced to kill or be killed in vain, as he serves as entertainment in Rome's insatiable thirst for blood.

Each makes decisions that affect their own lives and those around them, until at the end, their stories are intertwined, and the heartbreaking choices of one threaten all of them. As soon as I finished reading, I requested the second book in the series from the library, I will look forward to it arriving!

A Voice in the Wind
by Francine Rivers -- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/