The Original Sin

by Marius Gabriel

Eden van  Buren lies chained to an iron bedstead in a homemade  cell. Her captor is a handsome tormented young  sculptor who lives alone in the Arizona desert. He  is honest, compassionate, and uninterested in  money. Why then has he kidnapped Eden and demanded  ten million dollars in ransom? And why does he seem  intnet on destroying Eden's mother? The answer  lies in half-century of dseire, brutality, and  betrayal--a dark skein of tangled lives and shameful  secrets that spans three generations and three  continents, from Franco's Spain to the cruel brulaity  of Veitnam, from the haut monde of Bevery Hills to  exotic Costa Brava to the basement of an isolated  house where Eden's captor seeks his ransom  revenge. For he is more than a kidnapper; he is an  avenging angel, and he represents the final piece in a  puzzle of lies and deception that began with. .  .the original sin. A gripping novel of love,  revenge, and redemption, The Original Sin   is a work of stunning intensity and riveting  suspense--a novel that establishes Marius Gabriel as  one of the most exciting new voices in contemporary  fiction.


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Spain, Drama, Mystery, Fiction, Novels

654 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1992

About the author

Marius Gabriel is an international thriller and mystery writer.

Under the pseudonym Madeleine Ker, he wrote over 30 romance novels in the 1980s.

As Marius Gabriel he has written several mystery best-sellers, some of them historical novels.

He has three grown-up children and currently lives in Cairo and London. He is 59.

Reviews

[Diana Stoyanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Единственият начин човек да не изгуби илюзиите си е никога да не пораства. "

Повърхностно е да кажа за тази книга, че е просто страхотна, но това е първата дума, която изплува в съзнанието ми, след като я прочетох. Не! По- скоро е разбиващо-страхотна! Разтърсваща!
Много плътна, наситена творба- на събития, емоции, взаимовръзки. Динамична, покъртителна.

В повечето книги, в които действието се развива в две или повече сюжетни линии, винаги повече ме е впечатлявала тази, която се развива в миналото. Тук обаче и настоящата, и миналата, са вълнуващи и взаимно се допълват, увеличавайки интригата. И в двете се открояват настръхващи приживявания, които те карат да си зададеш въпроса " Как е възможно това?!". Е, възможно е! Човек не може да предположи колко издръжлив може да бъде, докато не му се наложи да премине през някой ужас.
Всичко започва с едно отвличане. Необикновено отвличане, зад което стоят много дълбоки мотиви и силна омраза. Целта му не са просто парите, а причиняване на болка, наказание, възмездие. Авторът разкрива постепенно всички елементи и многократно ме изправяше на нокти от напрежение. Връщаше събитията ту към гражданската война в Испания, ту ни отвеждаше към хипи културата в Щатите.
Историята е много заплетена и интересна, а стилът на Мариус Габриел- брутално- очарователен. През цялото време авторът насочва вниманието към неща, които ме караха да си правя грешни предположения, а всъщност истината се оказа съвсем различна. И я стоварва цялата на финала...

[Ivo Stoyanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Изключителна книга в която няма капчица надежда , сякаш покварата , страха и отчаянието взимат надмощие .
Сюжетната линия лъкатуши и следва съдбата на едно момиче родено преди гражданската война в Испания и нейната история 40 години по-късно ,живота следва безмилостен и логичен ход.Дали тя е готова да се изправи срещу своите страхове и кошмари отново?
Хареса ми много , а краят е непредвидим и тотално неочакван .

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Испанските автори се превръщат в голямата ми книжна страст и Мариус Габриел не прави изключение!

“Плът и кръв” е епична и драматична сага - семейна, историческа, любовна, криминална. Автора разпростира историята на 3 континента в рамките на повече от половин век. Героите на Габриел не са нито черни, нито бели, нито добри, нито лоши - някои ме отвратиха, други ме просълзиха.

Историята започва с отвличането на Идън Ван Бурен - младо момиче, което живее само в Калифорния и постепенно ни връща поколения назад към началото на нейните корени в Испания, докато постепенно не се разплетат всички семейни тайни и не стане ясно защо е похитена и кой всъщност е нейният похитител. Всичко това се случва с прескачания във времето и няколко сюжетни линии, без обаче да оставя читателя объркан.

Определено имаше доста брутални и отблъскващи моменти - кръвосмесителните връзки са нещо, което ме потресе, а елемента с хероиновата зависимост ме накара да оставя книгата за няколко дни и да прочета друга.
Те обаче са част от историята и я правят такава каквато е - епична.

Стилът на Мариус Габриел е разкошен, а книгата е страхотна. Препоръчвам горещо.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best trashy-smart-history buff-romance beach read ever!! I first read this book as teen and still read it from time to time. This author is so underated but he is brillant with the suspense and will keep you page turning into the midnight hours. If you liked Pan's Labryinth (The film) or are at all into the Spanish civil war period- you must read this!

[Vesela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Една изключително мащабна сага (любовна, историческа и всякаква), обхващаща времеви период от почти един век.
Сюжетните линии са няколко и умело се преплитат с връщания във времето. . Действието/действията се развива/т и в Испания от периода преди и по време на Гражданската война, и в пустинна Аризона, и във джунглите на Виетнам по време на войната, и в Барселона от 70-те години на миналия век, и в Мексико ... Дори и фестивала в Удсток и хипи-културата със своите антивоенни настроения са намерили своето място тук.
Без да съм някаква пуританка, но частта с "плътта" ми дойде прекалено , да не кажа прекомерно "плътна". Еротичните, кръвосмесителни и лесбийски сцени ми дойдоха в повече, както и детайлно засегнатата тематика за накотиците и преодоляването на наркотичната зависимост.
Но не мога да отрека, че романът е любопитно четиво , цяла епопея направо... Мисля, че бих го препоръчала умерено.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книгата е от онези работещи комбинации между сгъстен исторически фон и плътни и драматични семейни отношения, които ме карат да се замисля както за “световните проблеми”, така и за скритите къчета на сърцето, които рядко признаваме и пред себе си.

Общественото неравенство в Испания в началото на 20-ти век води до възникването на едно крайно необичайно семейство. Защото семейството си е семейство, независимо как се стига до него. Цинизмът на аристокрацията, стремежът към прогрес на малцина “аутсайдери”, скотският живот на безимотните селяни, хвърчащите из въздуха радикални леви и десни идеи от епохата подпалват отдавна тлеещия фитил на испанската гражданска война и участието на главната героиня в нея, с всички добри и лоши последици от това. А после идва фашизмът на Франко, и съдбата и става все по-непредвидима.

Много десетилетия след това и на един океан разстояние едно богато и - като цяло вече свършено и безполезно за себе си и околните - богато момиче е отвлечено от похитител с необичайни мотиви, и тръгва по пътя на изцелението си, повличайки и своя похитител (тогава чух за първи път за “студена пуйка”.)

Характерите са гранични, но на мен страхотно ми допаднаха, защото къде, ако не на границата между старо и ново, добро и зло, минало и бъдеще, омраза и любов, отмъщение и прошка, ще видим цялата неподправена истина за себе си, почти насила изкарана на бял свят? Изборите им са тежки, но често неизбежни и още по-често не това, което са си представяли за правилно.

“Кой съм аз” често е труден отговор и варира във времето и обстоятелствата. Тук Габриел го е разчепкал без грам розовина. Това е единствената му книга, която истински ми е харесала (другите са някакви по-стандартни трилъри и драми), и си заслужи всеки ред.

[Dawnice · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're capable of putting your own judgements aside you will love this book! It keeps you guessing, keeps you curious so you cant put it down and keeps your heart & mind challenged! The story moves between characters and eras of their life which you might think would be frustrating in a story line but instead each of those chapters pull you in individually so you don't want to stop! I give it a four out of five only because this book would not be for everyone.

[Bookmaniac70 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually books of that genre are not my cup of tea but for unknown reasons I requested this one via Titletrader.com and decided to give it a try. It begins with a kidnapping and ends with a happy reconciliation. Betrayal,dirty family secrets,war and a couple of love stories garnish this dish according to the mass taste:-)). But it was intriguing and in fact I enjoyed it.It has 689p. and I finished it in two days which is a pretty good speed.

[Anette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wealthy, cultivated Mercedes Eduard seems to have everything money can buy, but her serene life in Costa Brava is abruptly shattered when she receives a photograph of her daughter--half- naked and chained to a bed. On the back of the photo is a note: GO TO THE POLICE AND SHE DIES.

This is no ordinary kidnapping. Its roots go back beyond the Spanish Civil War to an original sin which has shadowed three generations and now links its heirs in a twisted chain of revenge.

I bought this Kindle book because the writer is a friend of a friend, and was a little nervous since I am not a big fan of war stories.... but I was blown away. Even though is goes back and forth between time and continents, I could not put this book down. Just when you think you know where it is going, the writer does an about turn and blows your socks off.

A brilliant read, and cannot wait to get stuck into his other books!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you take away one thing from this book, it's that nothing is black & white. The saga that unfolds on these pages lives deep inside the many shades of gray. I was grabbed by this story from very early on and stayed hooked until the very last word.

*I received this free as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a review*

[V. Pain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book because it held a saga... It was what I imagine soap opera watchers become enamored with. Knowing all the emotions culminating within your heroine, and then knowing her decision... I am getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it. This book opened my eyes to the phrase "more than what meets the eyes".

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

this books left me breathless! the blend of present and past was beautiful, definately recommend.

[Frances Smythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an epic family saga and a wonderful story with twists and turns in the plot over several generations of one rather disjointed family. As I reached the end of the book I noticed myself reading much slower as I didn't want the story to end ... and what an ending made even more memorable by Marius Gabriel's beautiful prose. If you are looking for just one book to take away on a beach holiday, take this one - its luxuriously long and and one you can really get lost in.....Marius Gabriel

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I first read it many, many years ago when I was in 9th grade. Even at that age, it was able to keep my interest through the whole book. I don't ever remember a point in the book when I felt the story had slowed or weakened.

[S, Buckingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a masterpiece of intrigue! I enjoyed it greatly and recommend it highly to anyone who wants a gripping read. The plot is brilliant, completely unexpected. This book will have you breathless with suspense!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books i ever read

[Vicky D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was slow at times, but it did have great historical perspective of 20th century Spain. When the pace picked up and the story started to explode, it was pretty shockingly compelling. I enjoyed it much more than The Designer, but I do love Gabriel's knack for fleshing out all the characters little by little to draw you in.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Original Sin is an amazing family saga spanning three generations of women, beginning in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and climaxing in 1970s Arizona. It is a tale of family secrets, tragedy, war, passion, obsession, addiction, kidnapping, love, money, shame and redemption. This is the book that made me a Marius Gabriel fan. The first time I read it, in my late teens 10+ years ago, it utterly blew me away. This time around, too, I didn’t want it to end. It’s a shame that Mr. Gabriel is no longer writing novels.

[Arily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was vicious! Yet it had me enthralled and I didn't want to put it down. The characters were so vile in some areas that it made me think of how it wasn't a fairy tale story, these were actual people who sinned and made a mess of things. Even if it was a bit vulgar, I really enjoyed reading this book.

[susan abson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indescribably brilliant

This book grips you at every level. There are so many different threads I feel like I have read and enjoyed several books at once. There is so much power in this story, love hate, deception, redemption and self discovery to name a few. This would be an excellent book club choice. I can't read enough of this authors books.

[Haya · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top ten ever- will always have a place of pride on my bookshelf- history, intrigue, money, sex and power- can't go wrong with that!

[Malys · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book thrice and would recommended it to my friends. This book will always have a special place in my heart, I love it.

[Kali Kupenova · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way he described the life of the junkie was breathtaking. I couldn't leave the book until I read it - harsh and in the meantime lovely and beautiful.

[NatalyaVqs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very hot and steamy, characters crawl under your skin, lots of plot twists against the historic background of Spanish civil war, an exciting read! Loved loved loved the inadvertent rehab interlude.

[Venelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book, an extraordinary story.

[Dani Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

After completing another Gabriel novel, I am still a fan! Can this man ever go wrong with his complicated and unique plot scenarios? It took me much longer to read than previous novel, not because it was a struggle to get through, but because it was like reading three novels in one. Fantastic plot spanning generations with wonderful writing and dynamic characters, many you love to hate.

*Spoilers (Summary for My Benefit)*
Mercedes Eduards is born during the rise of the Spanish Civil War. Her mother was raped by the son of a wealthy business man and to hide the shame, she is married off to the town cripple. Mercedes adoptive father is an anarchist (communist) and instills these controversial ideas in Mercedes. From a young age she also shows the brutality of her biological father, almost killing a school bully with a rock. As a teenager she becomes the sexual desire of that biological dirt bag of a father.

Thirty years later, Mercedes' daughter, a heroin addict, has been kidnapped; the ransom for her release, 5 million dollars. Gabriel also shares horrific stories about a young man named Joel. Joel is tortured by his adoptive parents and has grown to hate his biological mother, Mercedes Eduards. Joel's revenge, to kidnap her daughter Eden, bent to show Mercedes how terrible of a mother she is to both her children.

Returning to the Spanish Civil War, Mercedes is compelled to action after the murder of her lesbian lover. Engaged in the horrors of warfare she falls in love with an American resistance fighter. When it is clear the communists will lose, she plans to head to America with her resistance fighter, however he is killed in the final stretches. Alone and under government warrants, Mercedes is offered a saving grace by her biological father Gerard, who has lost his other child and now obsesses over Mercedes.

Eden goes through withdrawal in the cell her captor has made for her. Watching her suffer and caring for her, Joel falls in love with Eden, who returns the feeling. The reader is aware that they are half siblings as is Joel who goes as far as possible with Eden, a very hot and steamy part of the novel, but wrong so wrong.

Eden becomes sick and Joel must go through with the ransom. He finally meets his mother, Mercedes. Assuming that Joel is the product of Mercedes love affair with the American resistance fighter, Joel asks about Mercedes' decision to give him to his abusive adoptive parents. Mercedes drops the bombshell of Joel's father being Gerard, he's a product of incest.

Eden has recovered and Mercedes realizes what's important in life. Eden returns to Joel, whether as a sibling, friend or lover the reader will never know. Incest played a large roll in this novel. I'm not sure where Gabriel's head was at in the design for this story but it made for a fascinating tale.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story. Mercedes is wealthy beyond belief but not happy. The story is told in flashbacks but they appear as though they are happening now. It is an interesting way to tell a very complicated family story. Eden is a spoiled daughter of Mercedes and Dominic. She becomes a drug addict living in California. She is saved by a stranger she has never met through a bizarre event. A kidnapping to seek revenge of Eden’s mother for a wrong she did 30 years earlier. There is incest, wars, a bit of Spanish history before WWII and lots of material that you can’t figure out as you read but you are compelled to keep reading because the writing is so good and the story is so deep. You really can’t figure any of it out until the very end and that is the sign of a good writer. I will be reading more of Mr. Gabriel’s stories. I already have four books lined up. May even give his early romance novels a look. He is excellent.

[E. Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly my most disappointing read of the year, which makes me sad because this book held such nostalgia for me as a teenager. I picked it up again after having never finished it and...oy. I hated the heroine Mercedes so much from her treatment of the nun who falls in love with her to the dismissal of the horrific treatment the son she abandoned went through. Her describing Sean as the 'love of her life' after he essentially rapes her while hating an innocent child born of the rape by her father made me livid. To say nothing of how she lies to Joel at the end telling him the woman he fell in love with was dead...God I hated the heroine so much and am glad Joel and Eden basically told Mercedes to go fk herself and lived their lives together.

[Maggie Barrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, Brutal and Beautiful

This is the fifth book of Marius Gabriel’s I have read... and will not be the last. He writes such strong prose that I find myself going back and reading passages over and over again, savoring their flavors. So far Wars in Spain, Germany, Paris and the world appear as strong central characters in his work, forging new paths, new decisions and not always as expected. He introduces topics not generally discussed in polite society, not to shock, but it does in its honesty.

I highly recommend Mr Gabriel’s work to any passionate reader looking for an unexpected journey of discovery.

[Stela Radeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

The manner the story is presented to the reader - going from past to present - is quite intriguing. The plot is really captivating although there are disturbing characters and situations...
When the story between Eden and her kidnapper started to take completely unexpected direction I couldn't put down the book and I was hoping that the Happy end between them would somehow be possible.

It's the second book I read from this author and I think won't be the last one.