Official Review: All the Evils by Stefan Vucak
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maroki13
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Official Review: All the Evils by Stefan Vucak
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "All the Evils" by Stefan Vucak.]
2 out of 4 stars
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All the Evils by Stefan Vucak is a crime fiction thriller set in the present day. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, bustling Rome, the beginning of the story unfolds through the eyes of one of the main characters, Paulini Garbaldi.
Paulini Garbaldi, who describes himself as "a scientist and a priest," is a priest who works as an anthropologist in the Vatican's secret archives. In the course of his work, he discovers an ancient papyrus tract that not only rocks his already tremulous faith, but could change the Catholic Church forever. As Garbaldi reflects, "no matter how much he tried to deny it to himself, the inescapable reality was that he doubted the truth of his faith."
Uncertain about what to do with the tract, Garbaldi turns to old friends and new allies to help him wade through the possibilities and implications of the situation. This journey takes him to Boston, where he further explores his faith and thinks through the implications of the tract, not only for himself, but for millions of fellow believers around the world. Meanwhile, the church is aware of the tract's existence and aware that Garbaldi has it in his possession, and they will stop at nothing (including murder) to get it back. This leads to a tale of deception, set-ups, intrigue, and ultimately, a decision.
From the beginning, it was obvious to me that the author did a tremendous amount of research about the history of the Catholic Church. Having very little knowledge about the history of the church, I appreciate not only the facts, but the historical context and foundation it builds for this present day story. In addition, it helped me grasp the huge implications the papyrus tract has for the church, and thus understand the Church's motives and actions throughout the book.
My favorite thing about the book is both the premise (what would happen if everything we believed in was proven wrong by a new discovery?) and the beautiful, descriptive writing. Having never been to Rome, the detailed descriptions of the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and way of life went a long way in helping me imagine myself walking those very same streets.
My least favorite part about the book is the character development. While the characters themselves are likable, their portrayal at times seemed a bit unrealistic. Their relationships seem rushed, and their reactions and ability to shift emotions seem exaggerated, much like actors in a live performance who are trying too hard to express the correct emotion.
Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I rated it higher than a 1 because it was beautifully descriptive and caused me to pause and reflect on my beliefs. I rated it lower than a 3 because, while it held my interest and I wanted to reach the conclusion, I didn't find the characters very believable and disliked many of their interactions. I think this book would appeal to people who like a combination of crime and historical fiction works. It would probably not be a good read for people who avoid books that question faith.
******
All the Evils
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2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
All the Evils by Stefan Vucak is a crime fiction thriller set in the present day. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, bustling Rome, the beginning of the story unfolds through the eyes of one of the main characters, Paulini Garbaldi.
Paulini Garbaldi, who describes himself as "a scientist and a priest," is a priest who works as an anthropologist in the Vatican's secret archives. In the course of his work, he discovers an ancient papyrus tract that not only rocks his already tremulous faith, but could change the Catholic Church forever. As Garbaldi reflects, "no matter how much he tried to deny it to himself, the inescapable reality was that he doubted the truth of his faith."
Uncertain about what to do with the tract, Garbaldi turns to old friends and new allies to help him wade through the possibilities and implications of the situation. This journey takes him to Boston, where he further explores his faith and thinks through the implications of the tract, not only for himself, but for millions of fellow believers around the world. Meanwhile, the church is aware of the tract's existence and aware that Garbaldi has it in his possession, and they will stop at nothing (including murder) to get it back. This leads to a tale of deception, set-ups, intrigue, and ultimately, a decision.
From the beginning, it was obvious to me that the author did a tremendous amount of research about the history of the Catholic Church. Having very little knowledge about the history of the church, I appreciate not only the facts, but the historical context and foundation it builds for this present day story. In addition, it helped me grasp the huge implications the papyrus tract has for the church, and thus understand the Church's motives and actions throughout the book.
My favorite thing about the book is both the premise (what would happen if everything we believed in was proven wrong by a new discovery?) and the beautiful, descriptive writing. Having never been to Rome, the detailed descriptions of the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and way of life went a long way in helping me imagine myself walking those very same streets.
My least favorite part about the book is the character development. While the characters themselves are likable, their portrayal at times seemed a bit unrealistic. Their relationships seem rushed, and their reactions and ability to shift emotions seem exaggerated, much like actors in a live performance who are trying too hard to express the correct emotion.
Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I rated it higher than a 1 because it was beautifully descriptive and caused me to pause and reflect on my beliefs. I rated it lower than a 3 because, while it held my interest and I wanted to reach the conclusion, I didn't find the characters very believable and disliked many of their interactions. I think this book would appeal to people who like a combination of crime and historical fiction works. It would probably not be a good read for people who avoid books that question faith.
******
All the Evils
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Barnes and Noble | on Smashwords
Like maroki13's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Whispers from the East" by Amie Ali
