The Spanish Brothers
by Deborah Alcock
A gripping story of two young bothers, Juan and Carlos, in Spain during the Inquisition. The two were devoted to each other, and from the time that they were but boys, they had planned and fancied how they would find their father, who had been lost and was believed dead long ago. They wondered at the phrase carved in glass by their father's hand,
"El Dorado
Yo hé trovado"
"I have found El Dorado"
They dreamed of what the great treasure he had found had been.
The brothers grew up, Carlos, the younger and more delicate of the two, went into training to be a Catholic priest, Juan to be a soldier. Carlos was well taught in the Catholic faith, and on the verge of becoming a priest when he met Juliano Hernandez, whose influence would change him forever. Juliano was not a Catholic, but a follower a Christ, part of those who were chosen to suffer for His name. Julian gave Carlos a Spanish New Testament, which was very scarce and dangerous to have on one's keeping. After reading the Testament in his language, Carlos' eyes were opened to the Truth and he was truly changed.
The storm clouds were gathering over the little band of Christians in Seville, and growing ever blacker. Soon, the rain began to fall. Carlos is seized by the Alguazils and taken away…
Written in 1898, this amazing story chronicles the lives of Juan and Carlos, though fictional characters, their suffering and trials are very real, many records tell of countless similar circumstances. The Inquisition, the Question, the Auto-de-fé… Those heroic men and women stood firm in the face of great persecution, a light much stronger than the darkness around them shined, and they were conquerors! An excellent story! On reading it, our present troubles are lost, not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to come. I recommend to all!
NOTICE: Some readers may not find it to be as exciting as they had expected in the beginning and will be tempted to peek at the end of the book, DO NOT! The end is well worth waiting for!
Those of you who are familiar with the quote below my name on the forums maybe be interested to know that it came from this book.
"My country is there
Beyond the star pricked with the last peak of snow." ~E.B. Browning
~ Star Dust
A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
reviewed by Elizabeth Niebel
Set amidst the turmoil of the corrupt governments of England and France, this story begins in 1775 with the release of Alexandre Manette who has unjustly been in prison for the past eighteen years. He is reunited with his eighteen-year-old daughter, Lucie Manette, who believed herself an orphan. Though Monsieur Manette gladly adjusts to leading a normal life again, he is haunted by the thought of something he cannot remember.
Charles Darnay is a French heir to much wealth, which he does not claim, due to the means by which it was acquired. Rather, he has chosen to earn his living by teaching, and in kindnesses to others, attempt to repair the wrongs incurred by his family. In one such instance of kindness, he meets the Manettes; their acquaintance grows into friendship throughout further meetings. Darnay's renunciation of wealth and position in France, donning a false name in England, and traffic between the two countries, cause each country to either dislike him or suspect him of treason. All of these things lead to tenuous situations for Charles Darnay.
Sidney Carton is a barrister of England, who, though very bright, is in general, bored with life. He is envious of Mr. Darnay because he holds the affection of the beautiful Miss Lucie Manette. Can he reconcile his love for Miss Manette, and his dislike of Mr. Darnay?
Aside from the characters already mentioned, A Tale of Two Cities contains wine shop keepers who lust for revenge on their French oppressors, a messenger for a bank who robs graves at night, Lucie Manette's opinionated but faithful servant and friend, and various other characters, all intricate to Charles Dickens.
Although this redemptive narrative is about people, it is also a tale of two cities, London and Paris, before and during the French revolution. It is a tale of loss and of gain, of violence and of peace, of revenge and of love. Perhaps it is best described in its opening words "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".
~ Elizabeth Niebel
Thank you, Elizabeth, for this great review! If anyone else would like to send us reviews of classic literature with Christian values, drop us a message at our Contact page! All reviews are subject to filtration.
~ GlobeReacher
My Mates and I by Mrs. O.F. Walton
A young man like many others, Charlie Wescott had the outward appearances of a Christian, but his heart was not in it. He longed for change, to see more of the world. Against his parents' wishes, Charlie decided to go to London to find work, and there he did see some of the world, and the types of people that thrive in it. Though he resisted temptation and peer pressure for a while, he soon fell into bad company. While thus he continued, even news of his mother's death and prayers for her boy who she knew was going wrong would not change his heart, but God knew how to reach him.
When working one terrible day, the support Charlie was standing on gave way…
Through the story of Charlie, Mrs. O.F. Walton tells of the danger of sin, rebellion and conformity to the world, and of how willing God is to receive us back if we turn to him. Some of the character traits it teaches are humility, discretion, love and forgiveness. Great book for teenage boys.
~ Star Dust
Welcome to Classic Christian Literature! This website will be a collection of reviews
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