A review by eely225
Christ Recrucified by Nikos Kazantzakis

5.0

The author's style seems, to me, inseperable from that of Dostoyevsky. The difference, however, is that while Dostoyevsky's works usually traverse from darkness to a modicum of light and redemption, Kazantzakis' book starts in the light and shows that when light is fully pursued, it often leads to darkness. The theme, as I see it, is one of conversion. A few characters are compelled, almost by forces outside themselves, to take a fresh look at the life of Jesus and to take it seriously. They quickly find, however, that a life honestly lived in pursuit of the the Gospel makes them enemies of their families, the state, and even the church. Kazantzakis is not so naive that he makes the convert's experience a universal good; it is tempered by implicit warnings that constant spiritual reawakening can lead to destruction as well. But the brunt of his criticism clearly lies with rich individuals and institutions that follow the Gospel of a homeless man, Jesus. It is a deep, thought out picture of hypocrisy that certainly hasn't lost relevance for its age.