Publisher: Lascaux Media
Author Website: http://www.glenncooperbooks.com
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Synopsis:
Elisabetta Celestino was one of Professor De Stefano's brightest pupils, delving into the unearthed catacombs to find more proof of the early Christian Church near the outskirts of Rome until she was viciously attacked. She turned to the Church to heal her wounds, physically and mentally. Her entire life became a routine of prayer and devotion until ten years later when her professor showed up on her doorstep a second time.
After the Pope's death and a cave-in at an excavation site unearthed much of the area and unsettling discoveries, she found herself back on the trail she wanted to explore years earlier. When strange accidents and shadowy figures began following her, it became clear something more sinister was at work and trying to keep her from the truth. Elisabetta must find the answers before her time runs out. Can she thwart the unseen evil before disaster strikes the city? Can she solve the mysteries in time?
Review:
The book was included in a special invite from NetGalley along with two other books by the author. I've already reviewed one earlier this year (The Resurrection Maker: A Thriller). While the two books were written by the same author, they were separate stories and covered different mythologies and symbolism. This particular book centered around the theme of good versus evil and spanned centuries from pre-Christian Rome to 16th Century England to modern times. It was easy to tell there would be good guys and bad guys from the beginning of the book, but as the story continued, the lines became blurred. The only constant was Elisabetta and her faith.
Much of the book focused on Elisabetta and her intimate knowledge of pre-Christian societies of Rome. Initially she and her professor pushed to excavate a section of unearthed burial grounds outside of the city. With a swift denial from the Vatican, her whole life changed. She put her focus and energy into helping others in a different manner. Very quickly did her life change once again when it became apparent that she was the only person who could interpret what was unearthed. The discoveries set into motion a chain of events that no one could've imagined or control. Each of the characters, whether primary or secondary, possessed a distinct personality and had something physical that set them apart. This helped to keep all the characters straight as their names sometimes sounded alike. One particular group of people had such a distinct characteristic that it shocked any and all who discovered the difference.
Changes happened quickly at times. Other changes came about through elaborately laid plans that took weeks, sometimes months or years, to come to fruition. Since the book covered different eras, there needed to be a common thread linking them all together. The author did a really good job of taking these different moments in history and uniting them through one of the most common themes - good versus evil. On one side of the aisle was the Vatican and all the goodness that it could represent. Lurking in the shadows of the other side was a secret society which embraced its uniqueness and its lack of empathy for anything or anyone. Their main goal was to gain and hold onto as much power as possible in order to bring about the destruction of their greatest enemy - the Church.
Now, this book wasn't a simple rehashing of good guys fighting bad guys. It delved deeper into the history of signs, symbols and written works that were long speculated to hold secrets within their innocent pages. I liked how the author wove different times in history together without it seeming disjointed. I knew that the book would be a wild ride with many twists and turns, deaths and even opening a few Pandora's boxes. But throughout the book, I was impressed by the main character's firm grip on her faith and how dedicated she was to maintaining that grip despite whatever came her way. Believe me, a lot was thrown at her. Yet she continued to believe. I can't say that I agree with everything she did, but I did admire her for that fact. If you love twisted tales through history that impact the way we live today or simply want a good thriller to keep you awake at night, put this book on your to-read list.
The Devil Will Come by Glenn Cooper is currently available in hardcover, paperback or digital (Kindle) formats from many online retailers. The following link will take you to the book's Amazon page for purchase.
The Devil Will Come by Glenn Cooper
No comments:
Post a Comment