Tuesday, November 7, 2017

ETERNAL LIFE by Dara Horn

ETERNAL LIFE  by Dara Horn
So – was this a good book? It asks so many questions and doesn’t give many answers.  The clear take away is: Be careful what you ask for – you might get it! 

What would it be like to never die? To always return as an eighteen year old when one “life” is ended? What if this was punishment for sin? How many times can a person reinvent themselves and adapt to changing values, science, language, culture, etc, etc. Those are some of the questions this novel tries to answer.  Rachel, a complex character born in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, lives in the pages of this book for centuries as does her co-sinner and lover.  A basic knowledge of Bible history and a smattering of knowledge of the Jewish faith will help the reader grasp the nuances of the tale.  When we meet Rachel in this current age, Rachel is desperate to die – permanently.  

The book is well written, the characters are strong and sympathetic, the situation – well – that is a problem.  First, the God who loves people, and is the God Rachel knows, wouldn’t condemn a penitent to an eternal punishment.  The premise the plot is based on is false.  Second, the probability of one person finding another in ancient times, or even in modern times, is minimal.  So Rachel and Elazar would be unlikely to keep meeting. However, the questions the book asks are important to ponder.

So – suspend belief and enjoy the writing and the characters. It is fiction after all!

4 of 5 stars

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