Release Day!!! ♥ Happy Book Birthday!!!
Thief of Corinth (2018) by Tessa Afshar is a FANTASTIC stand-alone novel. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 368 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very busy six-year old at home, this novel took me two days to read. I received a copy of this book in paperback form from the author via her publisher, Tyndale House Publishers. In no way has this influenced my opinion of the story. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give Thief of Corinth 5+++++ STARS. This novel is Biblical Christian Fiction.
Tessa Afshar is one of my most favorite Biblical fiction writers. She has an amazing talent gifted to her by God. Her research is always impeccable. Her writing is flawless. And, her story lines, aside from being fast-paced, high quality, and totally engaging, illuminate the Bible in ways that draw me closer to Jesus. Afshar is a diamond in the Biblical fiction genre.
Divorce is awful. The main character, Ariadne, suffers greatly because of divorce. Lots of novels discuss divorce, but what I really appreciate about Thief of Corinth is that it discusses divorce through the perspective of a daughter. Of all Tessa Afshar’s characters, I relate most to Ariadne and the struggles she goes through because of the dissolution of her parent’s marriage. There is one moment in the novel where Ariadne concludes, “Divorce left nothing the same. It pumped its poison with pinprick precision so that we barely noticed its lingering effects” (90). YES! This quote perfectly illustrates divorce, at least in my mind. Divorce is a poison that infects long after the papers are signed and the parents are separated forever.
My parents divorced when I was 11-years old. That was 26 years ago, yet I still have hang-ups because of it. To this day, I hate moving. I hate living out of a bag — when you are a divorced kid, living out of a bag becomes the norm because you are constantly switching from one parent’s house to the other’s. I hate conflict of any kind, and because of how my parents were with one another, I admit I am not really good at arguing with someone in a productive way. And, the most damaging of all, I hate how divorce broke my family into parts. I have three brothers. One sided with my dad. One sided with my mom. My middle brother and I tried to not side with anyone and just be our parent’s kids, but that always left us feeling like we were being pulled in both directions. It was confusing and frustrating. Honestly, there were some days I wished I belonged to a different family.
Later in the story, Ariadne states, “I felt like I had been through a siege, a mutilating war, and I was on the losing side. My family had shattered, and I did not know how to restore it. I felt it in my bones. This schism could not be repaired” (140-141). She is actually talking about something else at this point, but this notion really put into words exactly how I felt as an 11-year old girl. I know an 11-year old cannot control her parent’s decisions, but I truly felt like there had to have been a way for me to fix my family. I totally get it…divorce happens. Sometimes, divorce is necessary to protect a spouse and/or kids from abuse. No one should ever live in a home where they are being physically and emotionally beaten down. That is not God’s picture of marriage. But, sometimes divorce is not necessary, but done anyway, and a family is destroyed. As a child of divorce, the image Ariadne paints of being through a war is 100% accurate. What I loved so much about Thief of Corinth is that the divorced kid is given a voice. We are never given voices. Things just happen to us and we don’t get a say. We become bargaining chips in family court. I applaud Tessa Afshar for approaching such a tough topic in the respectful and honest manner that she does.
One final item that I really loved about this book is Ariadne’s change from atheism to belief in God. Such a realistic portrayal — it made Ariadne all the more endearing to me. At first, she isn’t sure she buys this “one God, personal relationship” idea. Some members of her family do come to believe in God wholeheartedly, and make appropriate lifestyle changes. Ariadne is not in the same place mentally or emotionally so these lifestyle changes seem radical. At one point she emphatically questions her father saying, “This fresh start you long for is the dictate of some religion? We are going to lose our home and our land for the sake of some hokey God, raised up in who knows what crumbled corner of the empire?” (214). If any of you are cringing because of this quote, know that I cringed too!
I have been Ariadne. Four years ago, my husband came to me with new Biblical insight. He was excited and wanted to share it with me. It would mean some lifestyle changes for us. I was exactly like Ariadne. At first, I questioned my husband as if he had lost his mind. I was upset, irate, and didn’t want anything to do with his blasphemy. God worked on my heart and I heard my husband out. Then I did some Bible study of my own and came to the same conclusions as my husband. We made the appropriate lifestyle changes and now our relationship with God is stronger than ever. But I fought it hard, like Ariadne, at first. I liked my life the way it was, but like Ariadne, I realized that my life was being lived for me and not for God.
Thief of Corinth is another home-run by Tessa Afshar. It is a highly engaging, fast-paced, compelling novel. The characters are realistic and well written. The romance is sweet and satisfying. The themes are timely, and the story made me turn to my Bible to reread parts of Acts, which I now see in a whole new way. Thief of Corinth is an excellent novel that I highly, highly recommend.
I am giving away ONE (1) paperback ARC of Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afhsar. The giveaway begins today, 8-7-18 at 5:00 am (PST) and ends on Friday, 8-10-18 at 12:00 pm (PST). To enter, click on the Rafflecopter link below. Good luck!
I Have not read any of Tessa’s novels before.
You’re in for a treat, Darlene. Tessa’s an amazing story teller!
I haven’t read any yet. But I received Bread of Angels for an online book club. It will be our September read. Looking forward to it!
Thank you for your wonderful and heartfelt review on “Thief of Corinth” by Tessa Afshar. This definitely sounds like a book that I would enjoy reading. I am placing it on my TBR list and would really love the opportunity to read it.
Sorry forgot to mention that I have never read any of this authors books YET.
Thanks so much for commenting, Lual! I hope you do get to read one of Tessa’s books soon. She’s amazing!
I love how you are able to share your deepest connections to stories, even when those memories are painful. I’m sorry you had to grow up in the middle of a divorce. It’s a sad reality that’s unfortunately become commonplace today. It’s interesting how the books we love are the ones we are able to connect with the most, even when those connections can be painful. I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s definitely on my TBR. Thanks for sharing your review!
Thank you for your compliment. 😃 They say write what you know! Lol.
I hope you do get to read this soon. It’s so good.
PS – I haven’t read any of her books before, but I have wanted to for awhile!
Maybe begin with Land of Silence. It’s a stand alone. It’s brilliant.
I actually have The Land of Silence and Bread of Angels but haven’t gotten to them yet. Need to soon!!!