runkefer's review against another edition
2.0
I was very interested in the history and the setting, but the characters were cartoonish. There were a lot of fight scenes which reminded me of the old Batman show where 20 bad guys came at the hero one at a time. Some nuance would have been welcomed. The romantic part of the story was pretty clunky as well. Not great writing, but if you're looking for a comic book about the Portuguese Inquisition, this may be for you.
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
3.5
This is touted as a Benjamin Weaver novel but Weaver appears only in a cameo at the end. This story takes place thirty years after we last saw Weaver and is narrated by a boy - now a man - whom he mentored.
The boy, Sebastian Foxx, grew up as a New Christian in Lisbon at a time when the Inquisition was winding down yet was still dangerous and formidable. “New Christians” was the name Jews had to take when they’d been forcibly converted to Catholicism in the 17th Century. The conversions having happened several generations in the past, the current New Christians are indeed Catholics, having no memory of their forbidden Jewish heritage. Despite that, they face the suspicion and discrimination of their Old Christian neighbors.
Sebastian finds himself in London at the age of 13, frightened, bereft, angry, and orphaned. He grows into a man shaped by anger and, at the age of 23, sneaks away to Lisbon to exact revenge on the Inquisition priest who sent his parents to their deaths.
Once in Lisbon, nothing goes according to plan, Sebastian is thwarted by friend and enemy alike. His deception of being a Protestant Englishman instead of a reviled Jew returning to the land of his birth is in danger of being revealed.
Some suspension of disbelief is necessary - about his appearance being so successfully deceptive and his fighting skills being so deadly - but that doesn’t detract from the story. As in his well-researched books of 18th Century London, Liss brings the city of Lisbon to life with his details.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction who like some action thrown in.
The boy, Sebastian Foxx, grew up as a New Christian in Lisbon at a time when the Inquisition was winding down yet was still dangerous and formidable. “New Christians” was the name Jews had to take when they’d been forcibly converted to Catholicism in the 17th Century. The conversions having happened several generations in the past, the current New Christians are indeed Catholics, having no memory of their forbidden Jewish heritage. Despite that, they face the suspicion and discrimination of their Old Christian neighbors.
Sebastian finds himself in London at the age of 13, frightened, bereft, angry, and orphaned. He grows into a man shaped by anger and, at the age of 23, sneaks away to Lisbon to exact revenge on the Inquisition priest who sent his parents to their deaths.
Once in Lisbon, nothing goes according to plan, Sebastian is thwarted by friend and enemy alike. His deception of being a Protestant Englishman instead of a reviled Jew returning to the land of his birth is in danger of being revealed.
Some suspension of disbelief is necessary - about his appearance being so successfully deceptive and his fighting skills being so deadly - but that doesn’t detract from the story. As in his well-researched books of 18th Century London, Liss brings the city of Lisbon to life with his details.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction who like some action thrown in.
ansate's review against another edition
4.0
David Liss has fully transformed into someone who writes action movies in a historical context. (I would suggest who would star in the movie, but the plot also relies heavily on the naivete of someone who is under 25) The setting is fascinating and well researched. 1770s Lisbon is now somewhere I can imagine, and give you some differences from the rest of 18th century Europe. [return][return]HERE THERE BE SPOILERS[return][return][return]The action movie ness of it takes away the suspense. You KNOW he's going to win every fight. You KNOW that even though things get as bad as possible, he's going to make his way out of it. [return][return]This is not a condemnation - it makes it a faster read and a bit of a fun ride. I wouldn't have finished it last night if I hadn't wondered HOW he was going to fix everything in the last 75 pages. (And I've read every Jack Reacher book, I have nothing against action novels.) [return][return]But this is a bit of a change for David Liss, unless my memory is faulty - I thought I remembered more complex protagonists, with more thoughtful approaches to problem solving.
molacher's review against another edition
I was really surprised this was not a continuation of Weaver’s story and feel like I missed a huge chunk of time. He was married with children? The Portugal story was interesting and not one I knew a lot about so that was enjoyable.
jessreadthis's review
4.0
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads program for free in exchange for my honest review of the book.
So I read this book in two days because I couldn't put this book down. Household chores, dinner, and social interactions were all suspended as I was swept into this book. What a terrific story! This was my first David Liss book and I will be sure to check out others by him.
The Day of Atonement starts out during the Inquisition time period in Portugal. Learning event for me- I wasn't even aware there was a major Inquisition time period in Portugal or the heinous acts of betrayal, torture, theft, all in the name of the Church. Sebastao Raposa is thirteen and is already learning the capricious ways of the world and girls. He is a "New Christian" which are former Jews which have converted to Christianity. His father knows the roving eye of the Inquisition stops at nothing to claim what wealth and revenge it can from New Christians or others it feels challenges the hierarchy it has established in Lisbon. He quietly lays plans for his family to escape Portugal, until he is betrayed and taken by the Inquisition. Sebastao's mother has him secreted away to England where he grows to adulthood as a thieftaker. Newly christened, Sebastian Foxx has harbored ten years of anger towards the priest that was instrumental in the murder of his parents by the Inquisition and will seek his revenge.
This was an eloquent story full of intrigues and danger as Sebastian navigates the seedy dealings and agreements that mark the corruption of Lisbon. He slowly builds his plan towards the destruction of the priest that killed his parents and perhaps the entire Inquisition. Sebastian soon learns how dangerous and undertaking this is as he becomes uncertain who is friend or foe. the ending was exquisite... Sebastian finally understands what it means to care about something greater than self or his anger. He experiences fear and longing. Great book!
aditurbo's review
4.0
Not as great as the Benjamin Weaver novels but still very enjoyable. The plot is most suspenseful, though the revenge line is a little implausible at times. What I loved most was reading about the history of Portuguese inquisition and the famous Lisbon earthquake - it was simply fascinating. I felt deeply for people who had to live in constant mortal fear under such a totalitarian and cruel regime. Waiting for the next one by Liss.
abookishtype's review
5.0
In 1745, Lisbon is still in the firm grip of the Inquisition. (The Portuguese Inquisition was not officially disbanded until 1821.) Families that have been converted for generations are still persecuted as "Judaizers." Of course, most people are arrested by the Inquisition for other reasons: denouncers getting revenge or seeking profit, victims of torture giving up names to escape further punishment, or people arrested to get leverage on other people. Lisbon is a pit of vipers. Arrest could happen any moment, but it still comes as a shock to Sebastião Raposa when his father is taken by the Inquisition. His mother calls in a last favor to get Sebastião on a packet boat to England. He never sees them again. David Liss's The Day of Atonement is Sebastião's tale of revenge against the people who destroyed his family...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
joyfilledwander's review
3.0
This book was read for my 2016 Reading Challenge Around the World in 80 Books
I can’t believe how long it took me to finish this book! Partly, I blame myself, but partly I blame David Liss as well. I was really excited to read this book based on it’s premise. And there was such a narrative that should have moved this story along at lightning speed. And maybe for some people, it did. But I was not one of those people. I crawled through this story. I had to renew my loan at the library. I kept telling myself to finish it because I already said I had started it on my blog. But I can’t really explain why this book took me so long.
The Day of Atonement is the story of Sebastian Foxx, or as he once was called Sebastião Raposa. Sebastião escapes Portugal as a child during the height of the Inquisition, and builds a new life in England. But in his heart, he knows he must return to Portugal and avenge, or maybe atone, those who destroyed his childhood. He reunites with former foes and friends, past loves and new flames, and the plot wavers on. I guess I didn’t like all the twists and turns Sebastião’s storyline takes. He came to Portugal for one specific reason. And then he gets caught up in other people’s drama that I kept rolling my eyes over. There were too many coincidences and happenstances for me. But maybe it was just me.
I can’t believe how long it took me to finish this book! Partly, I blame myself, but partly I blame David Liss as well. I was really excited to read this book based on it’s premise. And there was such a narrative that should have moved this story along at lightning speed. And maybe for some people, it did. But I was not one of those people. I crawled through this story. I had to renew my loan at the library. I kept telling myself to finish it because I already said I had started it on my blog. But I can’t really explain why this book took me so long.
The Day of Atonement is the story of Sebastian Foxx, or as he once was called Sebastião Raposa. Sebastião escapes Portugal as a child during the height of the Inquisition, and builds a new life in England. But in his heart, he knows he must return to Portugal and avenge, or maybe atone, those who destroyed his childhood. He reunites with former foes and friends, past loves and new flames, and the plot wavers on. I guess I didn’t like all the twists and turns Sebastião’s storyline takes. He came to Portugal for one specific reason. And then he gets caught up in other people’s drama that I kept rolling my eyes over. There were too many coincidences and happenstances for me. But maybe it was just me.
shelfdetermined's review against another edition
2.0
*I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.*
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
beth_p_w's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know too much about this period of Jewish history, so I'm happy to learn more, and happy to return to the 18th century with a protege of Liss's Benjamin Weaver. It's such an interesting time, and the ambiguous morality of the central character draws productively on its complexity. The book is not a work of history -- I wouldn't want it to be -- but the place and time in which it is set are vital to Sebastian's story.