This book is Christian Historical Fiction.
“Can you see air you breathe? Can you see the force that moves the tides or changes the seasons or sends the birds to a winter haven?” Her eyes welled. “Can Rome with all its knowledge be so foolish? Oh Marcus, you can’t carve God in stone. You can’t limit him to a temple. You can’t imprison him on a mountaintop. Heaven is his throne; earth, his footstool. Everything you see is his. Empires will rise and empires will fall. Only God prevails.”
Where do I even begin with this breathtaking book? It had everything you want in a novel. Its based on the events that surrounded the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans, and things that were happening in the Roman Empire at the time. Including the bloodshed that happened at the Coliseums.
We get introduced to our main character, the sweet, loving Hadassah in the heart of the destruction happening in Jerusalem. If she doesn’t make you want to be a better person/Christian, then you’re crazy! Her story will inspire you, and help you look at others differently. At least, it did for me.
“Unless we have something worth dying for, Atretes, we’ve nothing worth living for.”
Atretes is a German warrior that gets captured to become a gladiator of Rome. He’s basically described as a blonde Apollo, so soak that in for a sec.
HE’S ATTRACTIVE OKAY?
More than that though, his story is also very inspiring. He has to learn, face enormous trails (some literally), and find out what his destiny is.
“The only way he could have her was to shatter this stubborn faith of hers. In doing so, would he shatter her? “What has this god of yours ever really done for you?” She stood very still for a long moment, her back to him. “Everything.”
We then meet The Valerian family who happen to be the masters that take in Hadassah as their new servant. Even though they find her homely, and small, there is something about her that doesn’t just draw Phoebe to her, but Marcus senses something as well.
THIS IS WHEN THINGS GET GOOD PEOPLE.
The one thing I absolutely loved about this book, was that Francine didn’t shy away from the horrible things Romans would do to not just their slaves and gladiators, but to each other. Julia, Marcus’s young sister is the perfect example of this.
There are moments where I was so angry at certain characters in this story. I just wanted to yell and scream, and strangle them! My stomach was clenched up tight almost throughout this entire book, you guys…
That’s when you know you have found something special.
I’m not going to give anything else away, because you need to just read this book to feel exactly what I’m talking about, but HOLY MOLY. I balled like a little baby several times while reading this stunning novel. There is action, romance, and so much more!
I haven’t read any Christian fiction like this before, and I honestly recommend this to everyone! Even if you aren’t Christian because the characters and the story itself, is just BEAUTIFUL.
This was possibly one of my top reads of the year! 5/5✨ for sure!
The Infernal Queen 