Contrition by Robert E. Hirsch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/Religious Theme Reading Level: Adult
Disclosure: I received an ebook copy from Journalstone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer’s Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he’s found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
My Thoughts: Contrition is all about redemption, and a book with strong Catholic themes. I believe those who are looking for darker fiction in the Christian category will particularly enjoy this book; I found it a bit preachy at times, but was unable to deny the fact that it is a strong story, well-written, with outstanding character development and plot flow.
The major theme in the book is about seeking not only forgiveness, but also finding a way to redeem oneself from former sins and failures – expressing contrition for those sins and failures. While I cannot comprehend a loving, forgiving God that would subsequently damn people to eternal torment, the structural basis of the story is sound and follows internal logic. In other words, if you have these beliefs, you will find the story particularly satisfying and enjoyable. Recommended for Christians, particularly those of the Catholic faith, who are looking for a dark fantasy, or those for whom the occasional preachiness will not detract from an engaging dark-fantasy read.
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I like your review. It's certainly a coincidence that we both reviewed books with a spiritual meaning at about the same time.
ReplyDeleteMike
Thanks, Mike - I'm so glad you commented here so I could find my way to your blog and sign up for your giveaway - I've been interested in "The Trinity Game" for a long while now.
DeleteHmm? Interesting. Thanks for the tip, Katy. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDelete-Jimmy
You're welcome, Jimmy - I'm so glad to see you here :-) While I don't comment much on your blog, I've been a subscriber to it for a long while now, and always enjoy your posts :-)
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