Review of The Life and Loves of Saint Columba

[Chinemezu Okafor]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Life and Loves of Saint Columba" by Tim Hetherington.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Saint Columba, the third patron of Ireland, is seen as a holy man who has decided to cut out all physical and emotional desires to serve God and spread the gospel to as many as possible. He was from a royal family but denied himself all riches and glory attributed to royal blood to live like a peasant. He left the loft bed for the bare bed with a stone as a pillow; he left the grand meals for frugal meals, just enough to keep him alive. He gave up the satisfaction heterosexual men gain from women for a life of abstinence and gave a band of monks a chance at a family, or did he?

Tim Hetherington tells us the story of this man who performs miracles and sees prophesies that come to pass. He tells of his zeal for God, the church, and the poor. He speaks of one who is thought to be perfect, preaching and doing all he preaches. He hears of the struggles and temptations of a man who has decided to serve God and learn of his flaws.

The book The Life and Loves of Saint Columba by Tim Hetherington is a well-detailed account of this man's life. There is nothing I love more than a well-detailed book, a book that leaves nothing unexplained or unmentioned. I must say Tim Hetherington did a fantastic job. In addition to the above, The characterization was also well delivered. Though there were numerous characters, I never lost track of any. With the way the author explained the characters, their actions, and why they took actions, we could not help but be endeared to the characters.

Furthermore, I would like to draw attention to the interlude between the chapters. Here the author does not only give us something to think of and come to a conclusion through our rationality, but he also airs his views on the matter. He also lets us know what is truly documented in history and what he speculates or imagines; hence we are not led to believe what is not facts. Finally, the suspense and the story plot were chronological but were filled with cliffhangers. I feared for the protagonist and other characters, and I flipped pages with keen anticipation. Thus, I was never bored reading this book.

Frankly, I didn't find any negative aspects of this book. The book was professionally edited. My rating of this book is five out of five stars because of all the positive aspects I explained above. Since I found no negative aspects, I have no reason to deduct a star from my rating.

If you love history and biography, then this book is a must-read for you. If you intend to go to a convent, then you have to read this book, and finally, if you are a Christian, then I encourage you to read this book.

******
The Life and Loves of Saint Columba
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon