Review of The Secret of My Triumph Over Evil Chaos and Pain

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Secret of My Triumph Over Evil Chaos and Pain" by Hector Rivera.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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At the end of 2011, Hector Rivera was arrested and put in prison by the FBI for numerous crimes against the United States. While imprisoned, Hector saw law enforcement severely abuse prisoners; this abuse horrified Hector to the core. After accepting that he was not leaving for a while, he started putting his faith in God and asking Mother Mary to ask Jesus for mercy. Hector spent most of his time reading the Bible, praying, and saying the rosary. How does Hector keep a positive attitude through all of his travesties? Does he ever get his life back on track? Find out in The Secret of My Triumph Over Evil, Chaos, and Pain.

I loved how honest the author was about his situation and what he witnessed. Even when he had to deal with a life-threatening illness, Hector stayed thankful for what he had. Death, severe beatings, and rape were all things he had to hear about or see for himself as well, but he kept on staying faithful and hopeful for his future release. Hope and faith were his consistencies during his imprisonment.

However, this was the only thing I enjoyed about the book. Hector had an attitude that came off as elitist many times throughout the book. An example of this is when his family was abused by law enforcement officials not long after he went to jail. Hector said they had no right to treat his family the way they did. I agree with the author; the law enforcement officials should not have been abusive towards his wife and children. However, he did not seem sorry for getting his family into this situation. Even his attitude towards his family did not seem apologetic once he was able to see them. This entitlement left a sour taste in my mouth.

Social issues are mentioned numerous times in the book but are out of place. In one part of the book, the author encourages readers to say no to gay marriage, abortion, and other social issues. I asked myself what these issues had to do with the author and his imprisonment. There is another instance in the book stating Christian beliefs about sin and death are wrong, and anyone who believes these things is going to hell. Even though there are Bible verses in this book, those who have Christian beliefs may not like these statements about Christianity. The attitudes towards those with different opinions and beliefs left me disgusted and in pure disbelief about what I read.

I award The Secret of My Triumph Over Evil, Chaos, and Pain 2 out of 4 stars because of the negatives I mentioned above. The attitude and opinions of the author affected my enjoyment of this book significantly, which is why I cannot award this title with a higher score. The book did not get the lowest score because it was well edited and told intriguing details about how the author handled his imprisonment. Even though this is not a book I would read again, I recommend it to readers who have been in prison or dealt with immigration officials. Readers who support LGBTQ communities, have religious beliefs other than Catholicism, or believe in equal rights for women should steer clear of this book.

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The Secret of My Triumph Over Evil Chaos and Pain
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[Alice Fu]

Thank you for writing this review! Although this book originally looked interesting, I definitely have a bias against it given all the aspects you mentioned such as the negative attitude and anti-LGBTQ propaganda. I might still read it because I am interested in seeing what type of events happen behind closed doors to those who have done wrong in the world, but the chance of me enjoying the book has definitely been significantly lowered

[Blessing Odii]

I can't wait to find out what Hector Rivera did to get into prison.

[Rita Nuncia]

This is not my type of book. Therefore I think I will pass on this but nice work with the review.

[Ajiboye Shola]

The book will be interesting to see. hectors life will be a lesson for many who may find themselves in such situations. i will love to read the book.

[Elijah Enocent]

The book seem to be rich in content and themes, but I will pass it till maybe next year. The review was great.

[Pauline Parnell]

I guess everyone has a story to tell. I commend Hector for telling us about his abuse and his family's abuse from the authorities. I agree that should not have happened. From the review, I realized there seemed to be much that you do not like. I hate to judge others so I will refrain from doing so. Instead, I will simply read the book for myself and see. Thanks for the review.

[Mbenma Esther 080]

This is another book I would love to keep reading. Awesome review.

[Aisha Yakub]

I'll like to find out more about Hector's life. This should be a great read. Thank you for the review.

[Kehinde Hussein]

I look forward to finding out how Hector lives through this. I like his steadfast faith too. Great review!