Review of CITY of GOD STORIES

[Nati Jiniya]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "CITY of GOD STORIES" by Ven. María de Jesús de Ágreda.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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City of God Stories by Ven. María de Jesús de Agrenda, edited by M. DiMaio and translated by Rev. George J. Blatter, is a chronicle of some of the most important and interesting, lesser-known events from Jesus's life. The original 8 books were first translated into English in 4 volumes by Blatter. DiMaio has now selected the stories and extracted numerous pages to bring forth the shortened version of Blatter's work, making it more easily available for interested readers. The book starts with God's creation, continues with the story of Lucifer, and then starts with the chronicles of the entire life of the Virgin Mary, her parents, and Jesus. The book contains some well-known biblical stories, such as the birth of Jesus, his miracles, crucifixion, relationship with disciples, and so on, but simultaneously many little-known events, such as personal relationships and feelings of the saints. The stories are told thoroughly and provide interesting and valuable accounts of Mary's and Jesus's lives.
Overall, the book was enjoyable. Firstly, the author made sure to sufficiently explain the stories' origin and give credit to the original authors. Secondly, I think the stories were very well chosen. Each of them took part in creating a logical link. Of course, it was evident that some stories were missing parts, but it didn't interfere with its smooth readability. I loved how detailed the accounts were. I got great knowledge from this book, learning more about each character and their characteristics. The editor's notes were also valuable and useful. I must admit that this book is a great trailer for Blatter's work, providing enough information to interest the readers and inspire them to learn more about God. I am delighted with it.
On the contrary, I found several errors in the book and think that it wasn't professionally edited. Also, some passages felt lengthened, but I understood each detail served a purpose, and therefore, I have no complaints about this aspect.
For all the abovementioned qualities, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars, deducting a star for the errors. Otherwise, there are no problems with the book. I think it is a great, perfect piece of work. It is evident how much time, studying, and documentation it would take for the author to gather the proper information and make notes about it. I greatly appreciate DiMaio's work and consider the book very valuable and suitable for audiences of any education in Christianity.

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CITY of GOD STORIES
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[Mark Lazarus]

It sounds like an interesting read for anyone who enjoys exploring religious texts and gaining deeper insights into biblical stories. I like the idea of uncovering lesser-known events from Jesus’s life and understanding the perspectives and emotions of the saints. The fact that it’s a condensed version makes it more accessible, which is appealing. However, knowing that there are noticeable editing errors might be a little distracting. I might consider reading it if I’m in the mood for a reflective and historical dive into Christian narratives, but I’d probably check out some reviews or excerpts first to see how engaging it feels.