Review of If the World Hates You

[Ruth Naomi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "If the World Hates You" by A B Lawson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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If the World Hates You by A B Lawson is a historic fiction read, yet biblical in so many aspects. The story follows two good friends, Jacob and Marcus. Jacob is a scribe and also in love with Judith, another man’s slave. Marcus is married, but his wife and son are in Rome; their marriage was arranged by his father. By virtue of this, their marriage is alienated. He feels the need to fix their relationship.

Being a scribe, Jacob is entrusted with authoring a Christian gospel amidst the merciless and violent Roman rule. Domitian, the emperor, rules with an iron fist, and all his orders must be followed, lest you face dire consequences. Will good prevail amidst all the evil happening? Better still, will Jacob’s work go to completion with such a cruel emperor in power? Will he take the necessary steps towards his feelings for Judith?

I enjoyed several things about the book. Firstly, dialogues among characters were captivating. Those of Jacob and Marcus stood out mostly. Also, there’s a disparity among the people; some are maids, others are scribes, soldiers, deacons, etc. Maids bow before their masters and soldiers before their superiors. This is always typical of historical fiction, and Lawson does it with prowess. Liberal-minded readers will appreciate the tale.

This book contains ruthless characters, and often the scenes turn bloody. There’s an instance where males had to be killed, and when a child’s skull is sliced into halves and brains shoot across the ground, I held my breath. I felt like this was closely connected to the biblical story of killing all the first-born males in the Old Testament. The graphic violence could pose a formidable challenge for some audiences.

Some names employed by the author are hard to comprehend. I had a hard time trying to pronounce them. As a result, the author should have included a glossary of terms at the beginning or end of the publication. It’d have been a helpful reference for readers. That’s what I despised about the book.

I discovered a number of errors; therefore, the installment could use another round of editing. There are scattered profane words and erotic content. Consequently, I’d not recommend it to readers below the age of 18 years. With the increment of complex words that had me seeking their meanings, I was often detracted from the tale. Therefore, I rate it three out of four stars. I recommend it to historical fiction fans.

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If the World Hates You
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[Kavita Shah]

It's Biblical and has historical aspects in mind. I don't think I'll enjoy reading it much. Thank you for a great review!

[The frant1c reader]

I always appreciate a good historical fiction! Some of the elements sound a bit mainstream to me nevertheless I would give it a try. Nice review!

[Amy Luman]

I don’t usually go for historical fiction. This, however, sounds like something that I would really enjoy. The time period fascinates me.

[Urvashi Tripathi]

I don't know why but after reading the name of this book I thought I'll be non fictional but I liked the plot. Reading about Jacob and Judith will be exciting. I don't like bloody scenes much and as you mentioned that child scene, it gonna be disturbing for me. I'm adding this book in my TBR. Thank you for the amazing review.

[Chukwuebuka Ifedigbo]

I love this book and your review is great. However, since this is a general book, it will be better if the author uses less complex words as the reviewer had mentioned.

[Becca Olsson]

I’m glad the author could capture the characters and their dynamics so well. Thanks for the great review