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A review by raygersh
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
5.0
There are very few books that I would actually call life-changing. I have my favorite novels, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt the impact as acutely as I do now, following my journey through this novel. For years I have been told that A Voice in the Wind is a masterpiece of Christian Fiction and I continuously avoided reading it knowing it was mostly historical fiction and romance, two genres that I tend to hate on. Deciding I could avoid it no longer, I finally picked up this hefty novel and am so glad that I did.
At just about 500 pages, it is a lengthy endeavor and initially I was annoyed that this book is so long. But slowly I started to become enamored with all of the attention Francine Rivers paid to the details of life in Rome during the time period. Living in such a rich period of history that is so vastly different from our own, each of the characters’ lifestyles and motivations only make sense within their context. In addition to the historical detail, there is also such vivid characterization of the four main characters. The length of the novel feels justified when I look at the span of their lives and the weight of the events that unfold throughout the book. In a lot of ways the plot is not the conventional formula. It could be described as meandering and plotless, but also so much is happening (this is the type of novel that would be adapted to a TV series, not a movie). I could see how this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I came to love it.
I really am not a crier but there were multiple instances during my reading that I felt like I had to pause for a moment and hold back tears. At times, they were heartbroken tears, caused by the depravity of the lifestyles in Ancient Rome. Most of the time, however, they were tears of joy at the fulfillment I saw. This is a beautiful depiction of a life reliant on God as the Prince of Peace.
This novel is definitely not perfect, but I loved it so much regardless. I think the only thing I find slightly unsettling is that Hadassah, one of the protagonists, shows essentially no faults. Hadassah maintains extraordinary resolve and devotion to her faith in Jesus. This is what draws other characters to her and is central to her as a character, but she is nonetheless still human. I fear this portrayal provides the incorrect vantage point that Christians no longer struggle with sin. Sadly, we are all still susceptible to our flaws, still plagued by entirely human emotions.
Overall: My heart is full, God is good, and I guess I have to dive right in to the sequel.
At just about 500 pages, it is a lengthy endeavor and initially I was annoyed that this book is so long. But slowly I started to become enamored with all of the attention Francine Rivers paid to the details of life in Rome during the time period. Living in such a rich period of history that is so vastly different from our own, each of the characters’ lifestyles and motivations only make sense within their context. In addition to the historical detail, there is also such vivid characterization of the four main characters. The length of the novel feels justified when I look at the span of their lives and the weight of the events that unfold throughout the book. In a lot of ways the plot is not the conventional formula. It could be described as meandering and plotless, but also so much is happening (this is the type of novel that would be adapted to a TV series, not a movie). I could see how this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I came to love it.
I really am not a crier but there were multiple instances during my reading that I felt like I had to pause for a moment and hold back tears. At times, they were heartbroken tears, caused by the depravity of the lifestyles in Ancient Rome. Most of the time, however, they were tears of joy at the fulfillment I saw. This is a beautiful depiction of a life reliant on God as the Prince of Peace.
This novel is definitely not perfect, but I loved it so much regardless. I think the only thing I find slightly unsettling is that Hadassah, one of the protagonists, shows essentially no faults. Hadassah maintains extraordinary resolve and devotion to her faith in Jesus. This is what draws other characters to her and is central to her as a character, but she is nonetheless still human. I fear this portrayal provides the incorrect vantage point that Christians no longer struggle with sin. Sadly, we are all still susceptible to our flaws, still plagued by entirely human emotions.
Overall: My heart is full, God is good, and I guess I have to dive right in to the sequel.