In a small square within walking distance of Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, a mother and her young daughter are enjoying one another’s company while sharing an ice cream cone. Suddenly, two men attack, and a family is fractured. Another unholy act has tainted this holy city.
Now, it is up to two lawyers from Atlanta—Hana Abboud, a Christian Arab Israeli, and Jakob Brodsky, a Russian-American Jew—to make the terrorists pay for the wrongs they have done.
Chosen People, by Robert Whitlow, is an action-packed, suspenseful novel that takes readers on two journeys: one from America to Israel. From the comfort of our recliners, we are transported to the golden city of Jerusalem and witness its Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures. Many of the book’s characters, both major and minor, are “brought to life,” and we commiserate with them through sorrow and strife and celebrate with them in love and joy. We are also passengers on a spiritual journey. Through their faith in God and their trust in each other, Hana and Jakob learn who they are and whom they are meant to be.
Although I enjoyed much of this book, there were a few instances where the dialogue was too evangelical for my taste. It felt as if the author were standing on the pulpit proselytizing, sometimes subtly and sometimes heavy-handedly. Although I identify myself as Christian, every time the writer tried to convince readers that the only path to God is through Christ, I found myself flipping the pages to get back to the suspense.
Despite its occasional preachiness, I would recommend Chosen People to anyone who enjoys reading legal thrillers (e.g. John Grisham’s books) or, of course, Christian fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers through Booklook Bloggers. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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