Genre: Thriller/Historical/Legal
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I do not generally choose to read fictionalized Holocaust-themed books, but this one had enough buzz going on around it that I decided to give it a try. The first part of the book took place in Treblinka and was quite troubling, but it was not as s graphically written as many before it. It is the story of a Jewish boy and an army officer whose paths cross in Treblinka and then again many years later.
The first quarter of the book takes us through the thoughts and actions of these two men...Lodzi Ashstein, a Jewish teen who is taken from his home, and Janich Heiss, a member of Hitler's elite, who tortured Lodzi for sport. The second quarter follows their escape from Germany and the lives that they lived in America. The second half of the book takes place many years later, and it is where we meet Thaddeus Murfee, a defense attorney living in Chicago. This is actually the seventh in the Thaddeus Murfee series, and those who follow him will enjoy seeing him in action.
When Thaddeus meets Lodzi, he is drawn to the survivor's story and the reader is lucky enough to watch a well written court case play out. Ellsworth's characters are always interesting, and I find myself emotionally invested in each part of the story. There is a sub plot that reintroduces Turquoise, Murfee's adopted daughter who played a big role in a previous book. Both story lines introduced thought-provoking questions that kept me thinking deep into the night.
Unspeakable Prayers is definitely a worthwhile read. Its mix of history and current legal cases is done in a way that keeps the reader engaged throughout. If you like a book that challenges your ideas of right and wrong than this should definitely make your list.
- Beverly
Publisher - Subjudica House
Date of Publication - January 27, 2015
The first quarter of the book takes us through the thoughts and actions of these two men...Lodzi Ashstein, a Jewish teen who is taken from his home, and Janich Heiss, a member of Hitler's elite, who tortured Lodzi for sport. The second quarter follows their escape from Germany and the lives that they lived in America. The second half of the book takes place many years later, and it is where we meet Thaddeus Murfee, a defense attorney living in Chicago. This is actually the seventh in the Thaddeus Murfee series, and those who follow him will enjoy seeing him in action.
When Thaddeus meets Lodzi, he is drawn to the survivor's story and the reader is lucky enough to watch a well written court case play out. Ellsworth's characters are always interesting, and I find myself emotionally invested in each part of the story. There is a sub plot that reintroduces Turquoise, Murfee's adopted daughter who played a big role in a previous book. Both story lines introduced thought-provoking questions that kept me thinking deep into the night.
Unspeakable Prayers is definitely a worthwhile read. Its mix of history and current legal cases is done in a way that keeps the reader engaged throughout. If you like a book that challenges your ideas of right and wrong than this should definitely make your list.
- Beverly
Publisher - Subjudica House
Date of Publication - January 27, 2015
