This
review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained
therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to
copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions.
Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.com
& Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's
Exalted Permission.
Title: His Sombre Rivals
Series: -----
Author: Edward Payson Roe
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Classic
Pages: 297
Synopsis:
Graham and Hilland, two young men meet at a German university and
become fast friends. Unbeknownst to either of them, they fall in love
with the same woman in America, Grace. Instead of letting this come
between them all, they act like adults and Graham does not allow his
heart to dictate his life.
The American civil war is breaking out and Graham makes it his job to
look after Hilland for Grace's sake. Sadly, the vicissitudes of war
take their toll. Grace loses her faith in God and Graham does all he
can to support her.
Grace has a complete breakdown and the only way that Graham can take
care of her is to marry her with her father's permission. She eventually
recovers, they are married in spirit as well as in name and little girl
comes of their union.
Sadly, once again Grace and Graham are faced with another death, but
this time, instead of turning to despair and hopelessness, they are
turned back to God and His love for them in the face of an apparently
uncaring universe.
My Thoughts:
This could turn into a long review replete with personal anecdotes
for my own personal recollections. So proceed with that knowledge in
mind.
This book was recommended to me by my former highschool teacher and I
have to say, I am thankful she did. This book is the best book I've
read this year and it will be very hard to read a book that is more
solid, more enjoyable, more well done than this. The above synopsis
pretty much tells the entire book. The "Sombre Rivals" of the title are
not other men, but simply Death & Grief.
The main things that drew me when reading this book was the manly
friendship of Graham and Hilland and then the Redemptive power of God to
draw His children back to Him even when they've turned from Him.
Manly Friendship.
Part I:
The type of selfless, manly love displayed between Graham and Hilland
is something that most men today desperately need but lack. Worldwide
abuse of strength has led to a worldwide breakdown in just what it means
to be a man. Couple that with the American ideal of Rugged
Individualism and you have men who are looked down upon while believing
they must be Islands of Self-Sufficency. Men need other men to recharge
and reaffirm their Manliness. But it isn't happening today for so many
reasons.
So to read about this was like drinking a tall cool glass of lemonade after having been in the desert for years without water.
Part II:
The dynamics between Graham, Hilland and Grace.
Graham and Hilland showed a strength of character and friendship when
dealing with Grace that just floored me. Hilland never knows that
Graham was desperately in love and Graham does not allow his thwarted
love to poison his friendship with Hilland or with Grace. He does not
turn petty and while he retreats for a bit, he comes back and becomes an
even firmer friend to Hilland than before. Putting his life in danger
to save Hilland so that Grace won't have to fight the spectres of Death
& Grief.
When I was in college there was a girl that I really liked, a lot.
But it was obvious that she liked another guy and he happened to be a
good friend of mine. Sadly, I didn't react quite as well as Graham. It
didn't tear our friendship apart, but it put a strain on it that allowed
for an eventual breakdown of friendship. Losing a friend, even if you
are choosing that, is a bad thing. So I can understand Graham's feelings
and to see him NOT allow that to influence him was just superb!
Redemption:
I am a devout Christian and that is why I am delving into the following. It means a lot to me.
The attempt to answer why God allows Evil is called Theodicy. This is
something I have struggled with ever since my little sister got
leukemia when I was 10 or 11. That was the first time I realized that
there were different kinds of suffering and some of them had nothing to
do with our behaviors or action. I've actually just reserved a book at
my local library that is only about this issue, thanks to
Joel and
his great Review.
Roe doesn't go deeply into this, but he does slightly in regards to
Redemption. If God is truly omniscient and we are broken, fallen
creatures [including our minds and intellects] then it follows that we
will not always understand the means and the ways He uses to draw us
back to Him.
Graham had never had faith in God. He was a product of a german
university and was an avowed materialist. Grace had a general faith from
her mother, but nothing that had taken root in her heart. When Hilland
died, Grace lost her faith as it had no basis. It takes the faith of a
former slave and the death of Grace and Graham's first daughter to bring
them to God and to accept His intervention in their lives.
That can turn people off quicker than you can say boo. "Why would a
good God allow..."is a question asked by the atheist, the agnostic and
the devout. In my stronger moments I can answer that with full assurance
of God's goodness AND His greatness. In my weaker moments I scream it
at God and am very much like Job in my questioning. I found Roe's answer
to be simple yet enlightening and enough for a person who is honestly
asking. No one who is screaming that question at God in pain will be
able to hear an answer, yet. Everything in it's right time and place.
But the answer is there.
To summarize this section, Roe does an excellent job of showing why
God allows the Sombre Rivals of Grief & Death to stalk humanity.
In Ending:
This book is the best I've read this year. It is not something I'd
want to read when I want action. However, when I want something
contemplative, deep and sold, the ideas put forth are perfect.
Quite possibly the Best Book I'll Read in 2015.
This
review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained
therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to
copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions.
Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.com
& Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's
Exalted Permission.
