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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Swords of Silence in Books

Feb 3, 2020  
The Swords of Silence
The Swords of Silence
Shaun Curry | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2886479579">The Swords of Silence</a> - ★★★

<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-20.png"/>;

I was born and raised in a country where religion is sacred. I was surrounded with Christianity all my life. However, while I have learned lessons of love, respect and hope, I am not a believer. I do believe that we need to be kind to each other, respect each other and hope for a better tomorrow, but I don't believe there is a God out there who decides our faith. My review is based on how I felt while reading and I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion and should be respected for that.

The Swords of Silence features father Joaquim, who moves to Japan in the 1620's, to share the religion of Christ. However, the brutal regime in Japan forbids any other religion than Buddhism. The Shogun is determined there is no more Christianity in his country. Throughout the book, we follow Joaquim's journey, where he manages to get captured and escapes several times, with the help of God.

<b><i>This book perfectly captures the regime in Japan during this time.</i></b>

The true terror and the brutal punishments if you ever dare make a mistake. The world of no mercy. But this book is also a product of divine inspiration and has great elements some of us consider fantasy.

<b>Many of the scenes in The Swords of Silence that featured escaping were unrealistic and resembled the Bible stories.</b> We had walking on water, moving of mountains and a big storm in the sea that only affects the enemy ship, even though they are only metres away from father Joaquim's ship.

There is one scene though, that I was absolutely in awe with, and that was the scene with the duels. As a person who trained karate all my life and is very familiar with the rules of a duel, honour, respect and combat in martial arts - this scene was perfectly set and accurate. It brought all the emotions and it was brutally realistic. And it is because of this scene that I will give this book three stars.

The Swords of Silence is a great book, and I love the fact that the author captured moments in history that were true and brutal, and not many people in the world know about. A story that will make people aware of what was happening in the past. Even though I am not a believer in God, I stand by that people shouldn't be mistreated, bullied, or in this case - brutally murdered for what they believe in. Everyone has the right to believe in anything they believe in.

If this book was more realistic with the events and scenes, I would have given it five stars for the message it shares with the world.

<b><i>True fact: Around 1% of the population in Japan claims Christian belief or affiliation. Most large Christian denominations are repressed in Japan today.</i></b>

Thank you to LoveReading UK, the publisher Harper Collins UK and the author, Shaun Curry, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All the Bright Places in Books

Feb 8, 2018  
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places
Jennifer Niven | 2015 | Children, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.8 (24 Ratings)
Book Rating
Theodore is a quirky teen whose life has been troubled by sadness. His parents are divorced and Theo's recent past has been marked by dark patches, what he thinks of as a deep sleep, where he zones out from depression and sadness. He finds himself thinking often of suicide. One day, while on the ledge of their school's Bell Tower, Theo comes across Violet. Violet's life has changed drastically since the death of her older sister in a car accident. She's not so sure about life lately, either. So Theo lets everyone at school think Violet "saved" him on that Tower, when it's really him who talks her down. The two form an unlikely friendship and embark on a school project, documenting the "natural wonders" of their home state of Indiana. But do Violet and Finch realize the sadness each is dealing with?

Oh how I wanted to like this book. I'd heard so many good things about it, and it was compared to [b:Eleanor & Park|15745753|Eleanor & Park|Rainbow Rowell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341952742s/15745753.jpg|17225055], which I adore. But whereas Eleanor and Park each felt so real, these characters didn't always come across as true, versus caricatures. I did find myself caring, often deeply, for Violet, and I liked Finch, but he changed his personality types so often -- it was hard to relate to his character. I'm glad the book covered the topic of mental illness, but its portrayal was odd sometimes. I almost worry that it glorified mental illness and suicidal thoughts somehow (hard to explain without too many spoilers).

Also, Theo and Violet seem to fall for each other awfully quickly. Why does this happen so often in YA novels? Am I just a jaded adult now (entirely possible)? Also a huge issue - where are the freaking adults in this book, and why don't they help Violet and Finch? Kids and teens shouldn't feel that mental illness is something they need to deal with alone. I also think truly portraying Finch's "deep sleep" and how that affected him could have done wonders for showing the effects and ills of mental illness on teens.

Overall, this book certainly had its lovely moments. Violet and Finch are touching characters in many ways. As I said, I really liked Violet - her character really grows on you. Niven's writing is beautiful at times, and the teens' school project is an interesting touch. This was also hard for me to read, having experienced mental illness and suicide in my family. I think it was worth reading, but it didn't completely live up to my expectations.