Review of Acts of Hope
Posted: 31 Dec 2021, 14:56
[Following is a volunteer review of "Acts of Hope" by Martin Elsant.]
Martin Elsant's Acts of Hope takes place in the 16th century, when the Spanish Inquisition was targeting anyone who did not have strong, scrupulous ties to Catholicism. As readers dive into this historical fiction, they will feel a deep connection with the characters and their fate as they fight against the tyranny of the Holy Catholic Church. Elsant doesn’t simply detail how the Jews were persecuted in the Inquisition and their oppression, but also how devout Catholics became victims of the atrocious Holy Order. Following multiple characters, Acts of Hope continues the story of Maria Lopes’ exodus from Portugal to find her Jewish heritage, a parallel to her lost-love Aristides’ pursuit of a pure Christ in a blemished church. Both characters are led by their faith to act, transporting Jews to safety in Tiberias, Israel. The history of the Inquisition depicted is fraught with violence and suffering, but the hope in the hearts of the people fighting for religious freedom lives on in this historical portrayal.
Acts of Hope is set centuries earlier, but the message is relevant for modern Christians. As Chico from the novel says, "your love for Jesus and the principles of his ministry should be the basis for your feelings toward his Church, not the failings of individual Church members" (Martin, 258). Elsant’s ability to honestly present the horrific facts of the Inquisition while revealing the threads of hope and redemption results in a novel that is not just historical, but inspirational.
Readers will thoroughly enjoy picking up this novel. They will enjoy stepping into the world of the main characters and all the people they work alongside to save Jews being persecuted throughout Europe. Maria Lopes is a strong character who has an honest reflection of her doubts throughout the novel when it comes to faith and expressions of faith. By the end, many characters, along with Maria, prove their true faith in their brave actions to protect their faith. I admired how Elsant took peripheral characters and made them well-rounded characters in the brief roles they had to play. The plotline had a cohesive acclivity towards the climax and just enough resolution to satisfy while keeping the author hooked for the final book of the trilogy.
The only aspects of the book I did not enjoy were some gory, violent scenes that were unexpected and extreme in their description. I felt the author could’ve been more restrained with a few scenes, but overall it was realistic and warranted violence in response to atrocities against humans.
Based on my strong enjoyment of the adventurous plot, the aspects of faith, and the character development, I want to rate Acts of Hope by Martin Elsant 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction and learning about major events in history while enjoying a possible storyline. Readers who enjoy reading about how the oppressed fight back against their oppressors should pick up this book. Because of the instances of intense violence and adult themes, I do not recommend this novel to anyone under 18.
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Acts of Hope
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Martin Elsant's Acts of Hope takes place in the 16th century, when the Spanish Inquisition was targeting anyone who did not have strong, scrupulous ties to Catholicism. As readers dive into this historical fiction, they will feel a deep connection with the characters and their fate as they fight against the tyranny of the Holy Catholic Church. Elsant doesn’t simply detail how the Jews were persecuted in the Inquisition and their oppression, but also how devout Catholics became victims of the atrocious Holy Order. Following multiple characters, Acts of Hope continues the story of Maria Lopes’ exodus from Portugal to find her Jewish heritage, a parallel to her lost-love Aristides’ pursuit of a pure Christ in a blemished church. Both characters are led by their faith to act, transporting Jews to safety in Tiberias, Israel. The history of the Inquisition depicted is fraught with violence and suffering, but the hope in the hearts of the people fighting for religious freedom lives on in this historical portrayal.
Acts of Hope is set centuries earlier, but the message is relevant for modern Christians. As Chico from the novel says, "your love for Jesus and the principles of his ministry should be the basis for your feelings toward his Church, not the failings of individual Church members" (Martin, 258). Elsant’s ability to honestly present the horrific facts of the Inquisition while revealing the threads of hope and redemption results in a novel that is not just historical, but inspirational.
Readers will thoroughly enjoy picking up this novel. They will enjoy stepping into the world of the main characters and all the people they work alongside to save Jews being persecuted throughout Europe. Maria Lopes is a strong character who has an honest reflection of her doubts throughout the novel when it comes to faith and expressions of faith. By the end, many characters, along with Maria, prove their true faith in their brave actions to protect their faith. I admired how Elsant took peripheral characters and made them well-rounded characters in the brief roles they had to play. The plotline had a cohesive acclivity towards the climax and just enough resolution to satisfy while keeping the author hooked for the final book of the trilogy.
The only aspects of the book I did not enjoy were some gory, violent scenes that were unexpected and extreme in their description. I felt the author could’ve been more restrained with a few scenes, but overall it was realistic and warranted violence in response to atrocities against humans.
Based on my strong enjoyment of the adventurous plot, the aspects of faith, and the character development, I want to rate Acts of Hope by Martin Elsant 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction and learning about major events in history while enjoying a possible storyline. Readers who enjoy reading about how the oppressed fight back against their oppressors should pick up this book. Because of the instances of intense violence and adult themes, I do not recommend this novel to anyone under 18.
******
Acts of Hope
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon