Before beginning the review I must confess to all the readers that I am an atheist at heart.
That does not mean I hate religion. I do hate it for all the acts of violence n rubbishness ppl get involved into. Fanatics are always dangerous n religions mostly provide happy breeding grounds...
As I see it ppl who are sane n positive are also religious. I know a lot of good ppl who are religious, its just the application n the mob culture of it which defies its purpose.
So I endeavoured to read this novel by Erich Segal which promised to take me in to holy depths of baptismal chasms...
The three characters who find themselves engulfed in a struggle of love, traditions, faith, freedom n lust make up the central characters of the story
Danny(Daniel Luria): He is the only son of the Rabbi Rav Moses Luria. Right from childhood he is living under the shadows of his father n his towering persona not only in the family but also in his Jewish congregation. A child whose destiny is tied to his fathers footsteps n his struggle to free himself while he discovers life with a radical point of view. the fine line between sin n the reproach for the family pressure gradually fades ... eventually though he finds himself searching his peace on paternal path.
Deborah Luria: Elder Sister of Daniel. a girl who is abandoned by his father very painfully(for both). finds hereself yearning for the love of a christian boy.gradually as she matures she realises her freedom n later becomes a devout scholar of jewish practices. reunites with father who accepts her gladly after being betrayed by his son.
Timothy Hogan: A man with a childhood of hooliganism n an unsuccesful love affair with the Jewish princess. the angry young boy who hates the world bcos of his illegimate status n a mad mother, is converted by the local church minister to follow the path of god. the remaining novel deals with conflict between his love for deborah n his faith upon the divine path he has chosen for himself.
The other characters are also important n are really well written. u can get bored a bit by the details of religious practices , but I find it not only entertaining but also educational ...
The story has been written in a lucid style. especially the parts which deal with the struggle of Daniel n his estranged relations with his father are very touching.
Thats all to it. If u have patience read the book n may be u will like it.....