England
13th Century
Mark of the Cross
Back of the Book:
Phillip de Tollard, the illegitimate son of a powerful English lord, is sheltered by his father but given no claim to an inheritance. Gareth, the legitimate son, is cruel and abusive to his stepbrother. When their father suddenly dies, Gareth falsely accuses Philip, and he escapes with only his life to begin wandering as a fugitive and mercenary.
Philip and his longtime friend Beatrice have come to love each other, and she awaits his return, fervently hoping circumstances will change. But when she finds herself at the mercy of Gareth, who will stop at nothing to acquire her estate, she strikes a most grievous bargain.
Bitter and angry, Philip devises a dangerous plan for vengeance. But love and hate both have consequences, and he must face the truth that God will not be ignored.
My Review:
Hmmm... What to say... I liked the book, but I was also frustrated with the book. This is not a short book--448 pages. It seemed to drag on and on when I was only half-way through. I understand that all of the things that happened in the book were useful for advancing the story, but I didn’t find myself particularly drawn into reading about them.
I was very sad through most of the book. Nothing good ever seemed to happen to the characters. It was just one bad thing after another. I was starting to get depressed with the way things were going. Were Philip and Beatrice ever going to be together?
However, I did think it was good to write a book that showed the fact that bad choices cause bad events. What you do (or don’t do) has far reaching consequences for more than just you, and those consequences can last for decades. Only when you turn to God and seek His will you find the inner peace and clear conscious you need.
I did enjoy parts of the book, though. I liked the action sequences. Judith also did a good job at helping the reader understand what the characters are feeling. Her writing style was very clear and easy to read. Plus, the book was not predictable at all, and the end result was pleasant. So I’m glad I read the book. It was a nice way to pass the time and did make me think about what would happen if you ignore God.