Review of They Labor in Vain

[Mayang Bature]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "They Labor in Vain" by Michael David Szillat.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Michael David Szillat wrote the novel They Labor in Vain. Greg was a guy who had unexpectedly reached rock bottom in his life. This story follows Greg as he picks up the pieces of his life while still attempting to make sense of why God allowed this to happen, from heartbreak to financial losses and much more heartbreak.

Throughout the novel, I felt a wide range of emotions. The author was able to make the novel relatable by referencing real-life examples while still keeping the fiction entertaining. Despite the fact that Greg led a really dull life, I loved reading about it. I was always curious about his next move because he made some awful mistakes on occasion, which is usual even among people in the real world.

Greg is an interesting character. When he discovered that he was being falsely accused of embezzlement at his workplace, he decided to conduct his own investigations. He kept his cool during this time, and I admire him for it. Greg was portrayed as a smart guy, and the author maintained that trait throughout the story. There were no discrepancies in the account regarding that well-organized quality, and I liked that. The narrative became even more intriguing as Greg tried to figure out how far this conspiracy extended. Unraveling the mystery was what kept me reading the novel. I made some educated guesses and was thrilled whenever the tale played out the way I predicted. That was a lot of fun.

There were some aspects of this novel that I did not enjoy. To begin, this was a Christian work, thus there were some Christian themes. This wasn't the issue; it was how it was done. Everyone around Greg seemed to be pushing Christianity down his neck. I believe the characters may have had a greater impact if they had been more subtle in their approach. Another issue I had was with the book's editing. I discovered a few literary problems, notably a lack of proper spacing whenever there was a transition in scenery. This influenced my reading since, in the absence of the correct spacing, I assumed it was the same scene and attempted to blend the subjects of discussion, ultimately resulting in annoying confusion. In addition, the paragraphs were indented inconsistently throughout the novel. That appeared to be the consequence of careless editing.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It excelled as a mystery novel but struggled in the religious aspect, which the author clearly sought to achieve as well. I give it four out of five stars. Because of the flaws I mentioned above, I deducted one point from its perfect rating. This book would appeal to anyone who appreciates mystery stories and is also Christian.

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They Labor in Vain
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[Charles Ashinze]

I like the message of picking up the pieces of one's life present in this book. Also, I'm intrigued by the use of mystery in this book. The author should get the book professionally edited and it should have a perfect rating.

[Ajibola Gabriel]

Seems like Greg had it hard and the people in his life didn't exactly help. Having so many heartbreaks can be hard on a person, especially when financial issues are added. Nice review.

[Mayang Bature]

Seems like Greg had it hard and the people in his life didn't exactly help. Having so many heartbreaks can be hard on a person, especially when financial issues are added. Nice review.

Yeah. The strength he showed during his rough patch was very inspiring. Thought he would break but he didn't.

[Elina Tshabalala]

It would be nice to see how Greg went about putting his life back on track. Thanks for the review!

[Ajibola Gabriel]

Seems like Greg had it hard and the people in his life didn't exactly help. Having so many heartbreaks can be hard on a person, especially when financial issues are added. Nice review.

Yeah. The strength he showed during his rough patch was very inspiring. Thought he would break but he didn't.

I am glad he didn’t break. Thank you for throwing more light in that.

[NetMassimo]

The mystery seems intriguing with Greg needing to investigate to clear his own name but I understand being annoyed when a religious message really gets pushed down the reader's throat, which is something that puts me off. Regardless, thank you for your great review!