- a young man runs away from his abusive employer, joins an outlaw band, and constantly fuels his rage against the people who killed his parents
- forced to move back to town to become his anxiety-ridden sister’s main caregiver, Daniel increasingly interacts with people who follow a local rabbi named Jesus
- convo: a few mentions of whippings, mentions a slave being naked except for a loincloth, a girl is called possessed*, a relative dies, some men feel no guilt in attacking travelers, young people briefly hold hands, wine mentioned
- language: x1 stupid
Type: historical fiction chapter book
Ages: 11-16
Author: Elizabeth George Speare
* Daniel’s only sibling, a younger sister, is said to be possessed. However, it becomes more clear over time that this is describing an extreme case of anxiety. She is fearful of people and of them seeing her at all, so she stays in the house always.
This is written from such a unique perspective and was captivating from the very start. The moment we jump into the story is about five years after Daniel ran away from his apprenticeship. He is no less angry at the Romans for the brutal way they killed his parents than he was when it happened and is always thinking of revenge.
Speare balances this with the secondary story line about his sister, Leah. Later on, she shows some improvement because of a few changes they made in their home and relationships. She begins to blossom, but there are unfortunate setbacks. Big brother Daniel grows in his sense of responsibility and increasingly considers Leah’s needs.
Meanwhile, Daniel keeps hearing about this Jesus man who is healing people and teaching wonderful things. He eventually has the privilege to meet him face to face. Daniel struggles with understanding Jesus’s message (in the main case, how love is stronger than hate), thinks deeply on things, ponders why not all are healed, and more. His internal struggle will be relevant to most readers.
I was on my guard for extra-biblical content and was so grateful that Speare stayed within her bounds. The words she put in Jesus’s mouth were actual Scripture verses, and she tread that situation carefully.
The ending is so very sweet and satisfying. You’ll find lives are forever changed–the characters’ and your own!