Title: Mosaic
Author: Chris Aslan
Pages: 352
Buy Link: Publisher
Synopsis:
“When a pot breaks, it’s useless; at best there might be a shard that you can use to scoop grain. But what about a broken life? What about me? I feel so fragmented. Can I be repaired somehow? How do I live with the hate I feel towards those I’m supposed to be closest to? My life is in pieces and I don’t know what to do…”
Will one tragic event leave friendship and family ties irrevocably broken? And how will a historical Middle Eastern mountain community deal with news of a miracle worker? Is he too good to be true?
REVIEW
This book is the story of a young girl’s journey, from the highest village on the side of the Many Peaked Mountain to life as a merchant in Damascus. It is also the story of her spiritual journey, from not being very religious to earnestly following Yeshua, the Teacher. This comes after she witnesses miracles, and also after she herself is delivered from unforgiveness and hatred. I enjoyed reading about village life in the snow-clad mountains, about a Great Lake and Blood City. I quickly caught on to the epic stories that gave Aslan his inspiration and enjoyed seeing him bring them to life. This is a story about friendship and trust, and lives restored and transformed. I like the “mosaic” metaphor in particular, as we see people from all situations in life, rich and poor, good and bad, accepted by the powerful yet humble Saviour of the world, the Son of Man.
I am uncertain if I would recommend this book. I can’t quite put my finger on why but I found the intimate scenes in this book slightly difficult to read. I think that would be the reason for putting me off recommending this book in particular. The author has a good understanding of human nature and we, as readers, feel what the characters are feeling and therefore this book may work better for different people. I enjoyed the farming scenes greatly. In them, we get a real feeling of how hard it is to make a living in such extremely hard conditions, and how close-knit the community is until they are split in two. The book is graphic in parts, which may offend some, but I feel that it demonstrates how very basic life was at the time. I enjoyed ‘Mosaic’ and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction.
Thank you to the publisher Lion Hudson for inviting me to be a part of this Promotional Blog Tour and for providing the complimentary copy for review through NetGalley.
About the Author
Chris Aslan spent his childhood in Turkey and Lebanon, and much of his adult life in Central Asia. He is a writer, a lecturer on art and textiles, and a leader of tours to Central Asia. He is the author of Alabaster and Mosaic.
HerBookishObsession 