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The Trial of Fallen Angels
Brek Cuttler has it all: a husband she loves, a daughter she adores, a successful law practice. And then one day everything she has ever known disappears. Brek finds herself standing on a deserted train platform, covered in blood. As she tries to comprehend what is happening to her, a man from her past approaches and explains that she has been chosen to join the elite team of lawyers charged with prosecuting and defending souls at the Final Judgment.
As Brek struggles to find her way back to her husband and daughter, she will discover that her first client holds the shocking secret of her fate. That seemingly disparate events during her life have conspired to bring her to a single moment in time that will determine her eternity. And that every act of kindness and cruelty sets in motion things beyond our wildest imaginations.
As Brek struggles to find her way back to her husband and daughter, she will discover that her first client holds the shocking secret of her fate. That seemingly disparate events during her life have conspired to bring her to a single moment in time that will determine her eternity. And that every act of kindness and cruelty sets in motion things beyond our wildest imaginations.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published November 8, 2012
57 people are currently reading
1315 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
January 7, 2013
What I liked:
1- It was a novel look at "life after death".
2- I liked how the story of how Brek died came in bits and pieces. Much like it did to her. We knew about it when she remembered it.
3- The interconnectedness of it all.
What I didn't like:
1- It was so freaking confusing! I know, I know, it is called reading. You are supposed to have to think on it, digest it, marinate on it so to speak, in order to grasp it. But DAMN! It took me too many braincells to figure it out. For example, When she goes in to present her case against Ott, she is all of the sudden the Judge. It took me a bit to realize that the doors that the sculpture (indicating "forgiveness" and "justice") were literal. I thought that they were a piece of the sculpture itself.
2- Which leads me to the second thing I didn't (and still don't) grasp. It was my understanding when Brek was in the judicial seat that she could see the other chambers, and in doing so, saw the other presenters presenting their cases to an empty judicial chair). So, who tells the presenters to stop presenting and that it has been decided (as it has been done throughout the book). And if the cases have been decided, then why do the presenters have to keep presenting them? I get it on the level that the person that they are presenting has chosen forgiveness and they are choosing justice, so in effect, they are arguing to no one. On that level I am fine. What confuses me is that they are told to stop presenting, that the matter has been decided. That leaves one to believe that the case is kaput, yes? Well, not so much. The presenter keeps coming back and doing the same thing, and being told to end the presentation. I don't get it. Maybe I am stupid.
3- Who the hell is Elymas? I don't know or understand his purpose. Yes, he can take people back to the realm of the living to visit their loved ones in dreams. At first I thought he was the evil satan character, but it became muddled for me in the last bit of the book.
4- And the little girl in Shemeya with one arm that is being judged for the sins of her parents....who is she? At first I thought that it was Brek herself. But why would she then be portrayed as a child and still with the amputation. The parents were not responsible for that? Then, I thought that it was Sarah, because in a very real way Brek (her mother) did deliberately stick her arm in the machine. But Sarah was an infant when she died. She wouldn't be a young girl. Again, maybe I am stupid.
5- The entire scene of Cudi Dagh. WTF Are we seeing the interconnectedness of loved ones watching things play out in perpetuity? And then she travels with Noah on the ark?
6- Which leads me into the obsession of Noah. Blah Blah Blah. In some respects, it was an interesting take to think of the story of Noah from God's perspective as opposed to Noah's, but ultimately, it became too murky and weighty for me to even want to follow.
7- Which, in turn, leads me to the annoying preachiness of the entire work. I like the underlying message, but it felt like I was being slammed on the side of my skull after a while. And, it felt like I was reading the bible all over again. I like spirituality, but not when it gets to the point where it feels like a Jehovah Witness trying to convert me.
Overall, the more I thought about this book, the less I liked it.
1- It was a novel look at "life after death".
2- I liked how the story of how Brek died came in bits and pieces. Much like it did to her. We knew about it when she remembered it.
3- The interconnectedness of it all.
What I didn't like:
1- It was so freaking confusing! I know, I know, it is called reading. You are supposed to have to think on it, digest it, marinate on it so to speak, in order to grasp it. But DAMN! It took me too many braincells to figure it out. For example, When she goes in to present her case against Ott, she is all of the sudden the Judge. It took me a bit to realize that the doors that the sculpture (indicating "forgiveness" and "justice") were literal. I thought that they were a piece of the sculpture itself.
2- Which leads me to the second thing I didn't (and still don't) grasp. It was my understanding when Brek was in the judicial seat that she could see the other chambers, and in doing so, saw the other presenters presenting their cases to an empty judicial chair). So, who tells the presenters to stop presenting and that it has been decided (as it has been done throughout the book). And if the cases have been decided, then why do the presenters have to keep presenting them? I get it on the level that the person that they are presenting has chosen forgiveness and they are choosing justice, so in effect, they are arguing to no one. On that level I am fine. What confuses me is that they are told to stop presenting, that the matter has been decided. That leaves one to believe that the case is kaput, yes? Well, not so much. The presenter keeps coming back and doing the same thing, and being told to end the presentation. I don't get it. Maybe I am stupid.
3- Who the hell is Elymas? I don't know or understand his purpose. Yes, he can take people back to the realm of the living to visit their loved ones in dreams. At first I thought he was the evil satan character, but it became muddled for me in the last bit of the book.
4- And the little girl in Shemeya with one arm that is being judged for the sins of her parents....who is she? At first I thought that it was Brek herself. But why would she then be portrayed as a child and still with the amputation. The parents were not responsible for that? Then, I thought that it was Sarah, because in a very real way Brek (her mother) did deliberately stick her arm in the machine. But Sarah was an infant when she died. She wouldn't be a young girl. Again, maybe I am stupid.
5- The entire scene of Cudi Dagh. WTF Are we seeing the interconnectedness of loved ones watching things play out in perpetuity? And then she travels with Noah on the ark?
6- Which leads me into the obsession of Noah. Blah Blah Blah. In some respects, it was an interesting take to think of the story of Noah from God's perspective as opposed to Noah's, but ultimately, it became too murky and weighty for me to even want to follow.
7- Which, in turn, leads me to the annoying preachiness of the entire work. I like the underlying message, but it felt like I was being slammed on the side of my skull after a while. And, it felt like I was reading the bible all over again. I like spirituality, but not when it gets to the point where it feels like a Jehovah Witness trying to convert me.
Overall, the more I thought about this book, the less I liked it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2012
The Trial Of Fallen Angels
By
James Kimmel Jr.
My "in a nutshell" summary...
Justice in the afterlife...what do we really believe...miracles? an afterlife? heaven?
My thoughts after reading this book...
When I first started reading this book I thought of The Lovely Bones...just a little bit. And...after reading this book and thinking about it...I think that it is sort of a spiritual fantasy. My idea of this book is this...you know from the start that Brek is not alive any more...she was a lawyer, a mom, and a wife on her way home from work...we find her at Shemaya Station wondering about the odd spots on her favorite bargain suit. The book is a tale of discovery as Brek relives what happened to her and what she will be doing in her role as attorney for the souls who come to Shemaya Station. Brek first meets Luas...who seems to look like someone she knows...and then her great grandmother as her voyage there begins. Luas appears to be the head attorney and explainer to Brek without giving her too much information.
This is such a book of discovery that I really am not able to tell you much about what happened. I found this book to be sort of comforting. You die however you die and you immediately begin a new adventure...not a life but sort of little episodes of understanding that either open your heart or forever close it. The book was about forgiveness and when you read the author's story you will truly understand why. There is history in this book interwoven with stories and sadness and compassion and hatred and meandering back to forgiveness or something like a ...seeing the light kind of experience. At Shemaya Station you see souls and you see what you are ready to see. Brek was happy and sad and finally accepting of her destiny.
What I loved about this book...
The author weaves a stark yet beautiful story. I want to believe that there is a Shemaya Station where the baddest of the bad can find forgiveness. And yet this book was sad...everyone I met was dead...as happy as they can be...they were still no longer living.
What I did not love...
This will just be me...I know it was so much a part of the story but the sad horrific things people do...broke my heart. I had to think about this for a long time.
Final thoughts...
Do not think this is a Lovely Bones kind of story. It is so very different. If you are looking for an enlightening story with reality and hope and a bit of fantasy tossed in...you will find it in this book.
By
James Kimmel Jr.
My "in a nutshell" summary...
Justice in the afterlife...what do we really believe...miracles? an afterlife? heaven?
My thoughts after reading this book...
When I first started reading this book I thought of The Lovely Bones...just a little bit. And...after reading this book and thinking about it...I think that it is sort of a spiritual fantasy. My idea of this book is this...you know from the start that Brek is not alive any more...she was a lawyer, a mom, and a wife on her way home from work...we find her at Shemaya Station wondering about the odd spots on her favorite bargain suit. The book is a tale of discovery as Brek relives what happened to her and what she will be doing in her role as attorney for the souls who come to Shemaya Station. Brek first meets Luas...who seems to look like someone she knows...and then her great grandmother as her voyage there begins. Luas appears to be the head attorney and explainer to Brek without giving her too much information.
This is such a book of discovery that I really am not able to tell you much about what happened. I found this book to be sort of comforting. You die however you die and you immediately begin a new adventure...not a life but sort of little episodes of understanding that either open your heart or forever close it. The book was about forgiveness and when you read the author's story you will truly understand why. There is history in this book interwoven with stories and sadness and compassion and hatred and meandering back to forgiveness or something like a ...seeing the light kind of experience. At Shemaya Station you see souls and you see what you are ready to see. Brek was happy and sad and finally accepting of her destiny.
What I loved about this book...
The author weaves a stark yet beautiful story. I want to believe that there is a Shemaya Station where the baddest of the bad can find forgiveness. And yet this book was sad...everyone I met was dead...as happy as they can be...they were still no longer living.
What I did not love...
This will just be me...I know it was so much a part of the story but the sad horrific things people do...broke my heart. I had to think about this for a long time.
Final thoughts...
Do not think this is a Lovely Bones kind of story. It is so very different. If you are looking for an enlightening story with reality and hope and a bit of fantasy tossed in...you will find it in this book.
November 20, 2013
I picked up this book on a whim on a trip to the library and am really glad I did. An original storyline interwoven with great characters and plot. A book that reveals (perhaps) the secrets of that day when we will all face God and give account for every thought, word and deed in our lives. It's a twisting tale, has everything a good book should and I like a book that makes me think and ponder it's message, and I did. Highly recommended.
April 19, 2022
početna dobra ideja pretvorila se u skup likova (ponešto i povijesnih) i događaja koji nisu sasvim jasno povezani, a niti konačno rješenje nije baš čisto ni uvjerljivo. umjesto mnoštva likova povezanih začkuljastim putovima, radije bih da je autor u središte stavio manje njih i onda isprepleo smislenu priču o after-lifeu. pokušavajući ostati religijski neutralan (nije mu baš pošlo za rukom...), koncept boga predstavlja kao biće u kojem čuči jedno jedino pitanje: "pravda" ili "oprost"? to uistinu jest vječno aktualno pitanje i istina je da se često ta dva pojma kose jedno s drugim i u tom smislu ostavlja prostora za razmišljanje. na žalost, cijela plejada likova nespretno provedenih prije je oduzela, nego dodala vrijednost i snagu djelu.
March 10, 2016
Seemed like a good story from the blurb, but sadly it turned out not to be. :(
November 8, 2012
I didn’t really know what to expect from this novel - from the premise it sounded like a mixture of fantasy and mystery. And even now, after finishing it, categorizing it into a genre still proves rather difficult. Kimmel explores a lot of big themes here in his fictional debut - justice, forgiveness, truth, good, evil and the interconnected nature of humanity. The book deals with religion, too, but in a vague and rather non-specific Christian way (though Judaism and Islamic faiths also play a part). This rather undefined spiritual aspect seems to be Kimmel’s attempts to avoid his fantastical Shemaya from offending any readers and to appeal to as many different religions as possible.
The story itself that these issues are wrapped around is that of thirty-year-old Brek Abigail Cuttler. This young lawyer/wife/mother arrives abruptly at an abandoned train platform and her afterlife unravels from there. Slowly, Brek comes to term with all the histories and lives of others that led not only to her own life, but to her untimely death. Kimmel throws in a lot of connections (but your disbelief should already be suspended from the very premise), leading to many surprises as the complete story unfolds. A surprising amount of World War II history is included throughout the novel, too.
Kimmel’s prose describes a vast and ever-shifting setting his Shemaya (there’s even a visit to Tara!), along with the intimate details of the lives of many characters. The clear writing prevents confusion and allows readers to be swept along with Brek’s journey. It is a tragic story, but beautiful and completely captivating. Kimmel captures Brek’s point-of-view very convincingly and manages to evoke plenty of empathy for nearly all of the characters introduced. It is a strange and wonderful novel and one that completely took me by surprise. I certainly hope Kimmel continues on as a writer of fiction - I am very curious to see what he writes next!
The story itself that these issues are wrapped around is that of thirty-year-old Brek Abigail Cuttler. This young lawyer/wife/mother arrives abruptly at an abandoned train platform and her afterlife unravels from there. Slowly, Brek comes to term with all the histories and lives of others that led not only to her own life, but to her untimely death. Kimmel throws in a lot of connections (but your disbelief should already be suspended from the very premise), leading to many surprises as the complete story unfolds. A surprising amount of World War II history is included throughout the novel, too.
Kimmel’s prose describes a vast and ever-shifting setting his Shemaya (there’s even a visit to Tara!), along with the intimate details of the lives of many characters. The clear writing prevents confusion and allows readers to be swept along with Brek’s journey. It is a tragic story, but beautiful and completely captivating. Kimmel captures Brek’s point-of-view very convincingly and manages to evoke plenty of empathy for nearly all of the characters introduced. It is a strange and wonderful novel and one that completely took me by surprise. I certainly hope Kimmel continues on as a writer of fiction - I am very curious to see what he writes next!
October 28, 2012
Wow! This book blew me away. It was quite the mind bender and it has taken me several days to settle down enough to review it. This would be an excellent book club discussion as I am sure many of the concepts and people in the book would provide excellent fodder for discussion.
The book raises many questions about the concept of justice. Is justice better or forgiveness? Does our legal system really provide justice? Who must forgive?
The issues are highlighted as Brek, recently departed is in the afterlife and becomes an attorney for the deceased. She must first watch some other trails, but they are of individuals that have had an known or unknown impact in some way on her own life. Brek is somewhat angry about the way that the cases are presented for trial feeling only one side of the individuals lives are presented. But what happens when you must put someone on trial who has hurt you or your family? Do you feel the same way about justice then?
Without giving away the story line, my recommendation is just read it! It a well written book that raises a lot of excellent questions.
Reader received a complimentary copy from Library Thing Early Reviewers Program.
The book raises many questions about the concept of justice. Is justice better or forgiveness? Does our legal system really provide justice? Who must forgive?
The issues are highlighted as Brek, recently departed is in the afterlife and becomes an attorney for the deceased. She must first watch some other trails, but they are of individuals that have had an known or unknown impact in some way on her own life. Brek is somewhat angry about the way that the cases are presented for trial feeling only one side of the individuals lives are presented. But what happens when you must put someone on trial who has hurt you or your family? Do you feel the same way about justice then?
Without giving away the story line, my recommendation is just read it! It a well written book that raises a lot of excellent questions.
Reader received a complimentary copy from Library Thing Early Reviewers Program.
September 3, 2012
I won this book on goodreads' giveaway. It's a great book; gave me lots to think about. I've read it twice since i got it!
Brek's life is just fine- or so she thinks. Her law practise is going well and her husband just did a fantastic job bringing down an educator who was funneling schools' cash to a Nazi Supremist group. Her little baby girl is adorable. The family's biggest problem is getting to the day care center on time to pick Sarah up before the 6 pm deadline and the $5./ min. pick-up fee begins.
Driving home from the daycare one night (Brek just made it by 6pm), she finds herself bloody and without her daughter sitting in an abandoned train station. What just happened? Brek's memory refuses to tell her anything beyond stopping at the store for some milk.
Luas shows up and tells Brek she is in Shemaya because she is dead and now she will be a lawyer to present souls at the Final Judgement of God. She is taken to her Nana's house to rest and recouperate and get acclimatized to her new life.
Brek refuses to believe she is dead, but at the same time is glad her daughter isn't with her- so IF she's dead, at least she knows her daughter is safely alive. She misses her husband Bo so much.
Nana tells her that the people she will meet will help her figure out what happened to get her here or help her to get ready to 'move on'.
Brek reviews her memories of her life, including why she lost one arm and why she is SO interested in justice- both for herself and for others. Justice is THE most important thing on earth- or in heaven... or is it?
Brek discovers that she can feel other souls' memories and experience their thots and feelings at the time of an event. The problem is, is that most people aren't saints (who go directly to heaven, without needing the judgement) or horrific people ( who go directly to hell, no lawyers needed there, either) but people who have done both good and bad things. The lawyers are needed to present each soul's case before God. So people have a 'fair' trial. Brek discovers tho, that many cases don't show both the good and the bad of a soul's life, but just the bad. She doesn't think that is fair and is determined to be an impartial attorney...until she meets her first client.
The book is full of questions about the usefulness of 'justice'/ punishments, revenge and retaliation and forgiveness.
Great story, fast-paced, with real-world implications. Biblical stories and references are used in a thot-provoking manner to make the reader (as well as Brek) think about their own views of justice, mercy and forgiveness.
My only complaint is that the book binding didn't hold together very well. Hopefully that will be corrected before they go for publication!
Brek's life is just fine- or so she thinks. Her law practise is going well and her husband just did a fantastic job bringing down an educator who was funneling schools' cash to a Nazi Supremist group. Her little baby girl is adorable. The family's biggest problem is getting to the day care center on time to pick Sarah up before the 6 pm deadline and the $5./ min. pick-up fee begins.
Driving home from the daycare one night (Brek just made it by 6pm), she finds herself bloody and without her daughter sitting in an abandoned train station. What just happened? Brek's memory refuses to tell her anything beyond stopping at the store for some milk.
Luas shows up and tells Brek she is in Shemaya because she is dead and now she will be a lawyer to present souls at the Final Judgement of God. She is taken to her Nana's house to rest and recouperate and get acclimatized to her new life.
Brek refuses to believe she is dead, but at the same time is glad her daughter isn't with her- so IF she's dead, at least she knows her daughter is safely alive. She misses her husband Bo so much.
Nana tells her that the people she will meet will help her figure out what happened to get her here or help her to get ready to 'move on'.
Brek reviews her memories of her life, including why she lost one arm and why she is SO interested in justice- both for herself and for others. Justice is THE most important thing on earth- or in heaven... or is it?
Brek discovers that she can feel other souls' memories and experience their thots and feelings at the time of an event. The problem is, is that most people aren't saints (who go directly to heaven, without needing the judgement) or horrific people ( who go directly to hell, no lawyers needed there, either) but people who have done both good and bad things. The lawyers are needed to present each soul's case before God. So people have a 'fair' trial. Brek discovers tho, that many cases don't show both the good and the bad of a soul's life, but just the bad. She doesn't think that is fair and is determined to be an impartial attorney...until she meets her first client.
The book is full of questions about the usefulness of 'justice'/ punishments, revenge and retaliation and forgiveness.
Great story, fast-paced, with real-world implications. Biblical stories and references are used in a thot-provoking manner to make the reader (as well as Brek) think about their own views of justice, mercy and forgiveness.
My only complaint is that the book binding didn't hold together very well. Hopefully that will be corrected before they go for publication!
January 13, 2013
I really liked the first part of this book, was really interesting, but omg it just turned horribly confusing and a bore to read, it seemed to just go off the rails and i didnt even end up caring that i didnt understand half of what was going on, just became determined to finish it for the sake of it. I cant even describe how pointless and weird half of it became with the Ark, and the idea surrounding judgement just went WAY too far and i got sick of hearing about it. I think this book has a very specific audience, its got alot of religious undertones but also has some very different views on the afterlife.
December 27, 2013
2/23/13:
Absolutely magnificent! This is the rare book that reaches down into your soul, touches it, and brings you back up with it. Beautifully written, with incredibly well-defined characters, a diverse set of stories contributing to its direction, and a conclusion that should shake you.
One review said..." a heady combination of the movie “What Dreams May Come,” John Grisham’s best work, and Dante’s” Divine Comedy.”" That's a start, but it doesn't do justice (pun intended) to its subject. Perhaps because the description captures some of the atmosphere and the headiness of the topics, stories and focus, it fits, though.
I have seen complaints about the book being too spiritual - it's spiritual, but that's not a complaint. How can it not be spiritual when it explores our final appearance before our Creator? Instead, please accept it with an open mind and heart, and if you don't want to read it for its faith, read it for its writing and its non-secular message. It's an incredibly important one.
Only one complaint, and it's minor - the character names are contrived and unreal. It seems as if some lawyer [yeah, huh?] was trying to avoid the need for the "Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental." disclaimer.
Please - read it!
A minor spoiler is below - the real message of the book...
Absolutely magnificent! This is the rare book that reaches down into your soul, touches it, and brings you back up with it. Beautifully written, with incredibly well-defined characters, a diverse set of stories contributing to its direction, and a conclusion that should shake you.
One review said..." a heady combination of the movie “What Dreams May Come,” John Grisham’s best work, and Dante’s” Divine Comedy.”" That's a start, but it doesn't do justice (pun intended) to its subject. Perhaps because the description captures some of the atmosphere and the headiness of the topics, stories and focus, it fits, though.
I have seen complaints about the book being too spiritual - it's spiritual, but that's not a complaint. How can it not be spiritual when it explores our final appearance before our Creator? Instead, please accept it with an open mind and heart, and if you don't want to read it for its faith, read it for its writing and its non-secular message. It's an incredibly important one.
Only one complaint, and it's minor - the character names are contrived and unreal. It seems as if some lawyer [yeah, huh?] was trying to avoid the need for the "Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental." disclaimer.
Please - read it!
A minor spoiler is below - the real message of the book...
12/27/13:
I just finished my second reading of The Trial of Fallen Angels, this time as an audiobook. It's definitely one of my top-ten favorite books of all time, and I find I got a lot more out of it the second time around.
October 11, 2019
I’m not sure how to rate this book. It was a philosophical thriller of sorts. “During the afterlife in the courtroom at the Final Judgement, what would it be like to be a lawyer who represents souls in this celestial courtroom? And what if a lawyer was asked to represent the soul of his or her own murderer at the Final Judgement? Would there be any room for the inconceivable possibility of forgiveness?”
November 20, 2012
was just OK-- kind of weird story- tied to religion & about a woman who's died and wakes up in the afterlife - where judgements are made- and is looking back on her life and the lifes of all those intertwined with hers----(the way the story flowed it felt to me like the author had previously tried hallucinegetic drugs)
May 28, 2020
Asi by som túto knihu prirovnala ku Chatrči. Zamyslenie nad tým, čo je po smrti, akýsi súd s dušami, spravodlivosť, či odpustenie, pomsta či láska? Hlavná hrdinka je právničkou, nevie že zomrela, no objavila sa na stanici, kde ju sprevádzajú tí, ktorým počas života dôverovala. No stretáva aj iné duše... Jej úlohou je predstaviť najdôležitejšie momenty života svojho klienta, no keď sa s ním stretne, stane sa, že ju ten cudzí život pohltí, vníma ho ako svoj. Ako inak pochopiť človeka s jeho dobrými či zlými rozhodnutiami... musí len ich prežiť. A teda boli tu silné momenty, zo súčasnosti, ale aj z druhej svetovej vojny, brutálne, našťastie nie veľmi popisné, no príšerné. A mali teda následky aj neskôr...
Nebudem sa ku knihe vracať, ale bola zaujímavá.
Nebudem sa ku knihe vracať, ale bola zaujímavá.
November 10, 2012
10/1/12 - Won this book on First Reads/Goodreads.
10/18/12 - Received this book today.
11/9/12 - This book really gets 4.5 and almost 5 stars from me. It was very intriguing, thought provoking and gripping. It would have been an unqualified 5 stars, but for one thing -- I kept getting lost in the spiritual/philosophical stuff. It was over the top and confusing for me. Not the actual Biblical references, but the more bizarre concepts, like (to name a few) going to visit the people she knows sitting in monks' clothing in Cudi Dagh on laptops and then Gautama with his sphere sculpture. It has to be a little more concrete for me a lot of times. For the most part, those specific instances were few and the majority of the book deals with the plot.
The concept of this book is very unique and thought provoking -- what happens after we die and go to our final judgement? Brek finds herself bleeding on a platform in a train station and can't remember why. It turns out no one who comes here after death does (though it seems everyone who comes here dies tragically, not sure what happens to people who die of natural causes) and that begins their journey in Shemaya, finding out why they died and participating in the trials of others who have died to assist them in obtaining their final judgement. But Brek soon finds out the concept of justice she has studied her whole mortal life takes on an entirely new meaning in Shemaya. For one, all the trials she sees seem to only portray the bad things people did in their lives and none of the good, so how can God give them a fair trial if that's all He sees? As she's struggling with this concept, she's also struggling to deal with her own death and to remember how it occurred and missing her husband and daughter. She also is confronted with the events that caused her right arm to be traumatically amputated as a child.
The book also deals with the connectivity of people, as each character Brek is introduced to in Shemaya connects back to one another and herself in some way (with a few minor exceptions) and how events in our lives and our own choices and actions affect those of others around us. Brek is introduced to people she knew on earth in the opposite manner in which she knew them on earth (negative or positive) and must learn of their back stories and other qualities that she never knew on earth. Then, she is presented, in the end, with the ultimate choice (justice or forgiveness) and the revelation that, in order to reach her own final judgement, the choice rests not in God's hands but in hers. I did find it odd, though, that Luas and Haissem, who seem to have been there for centuries, have not grasped the concept that Brek seems to by the end of the book in her much shorter time in Shemaya.
The author is Quaker (and a lawyer, hence the legal aspects of the book) but deals with the religious and other issues in this book (World War II and the Holocaust) from a Jewish perspective, as well as Episcopalian and even Catholic views at times. Maybe some of his Quaker views show through, though I'm not familiar with their beliefs. The story of Noah and the flood and rainbows features prominently in the book. There were a few aspects of WWII that I was unaware of (the Israel connection) and it seems like more and more books these days seem to have some connection to that time period, and there were also some aspects of the white supremacist and Palestinian conflicts and ideals, again, all connecting the characters.
I actually struggled with the concept of Shemaya at first, as it goes against my own religious beliefs of what the afterlife would be like; however, by the time the purpose of Shemaya is revealed at the end of the book, I was able to accept the concept more, though, again, I was surprised by the "leaders" directing Brek and other newly arrived characters through the book who hadn't grasped the concept so they could move on.
The ending is left slightly hanging. Brek's choice isn't directly spelled out for us, but I think it is implied, if I grasped it correctly; and there is a great lesson to be learned from this book and I hope I can remember it in my own life from this point on.
Content: Scenes dealing with murder and rape (slightly graphic at times, not at others), both in WWII and modern times. No language that I can remember. If there was, it was probably only mild.
10/18/12 - Received this book today.
11/9/12 - This book really gets 4.5 and almost 5 stars from me. It was very intriguing, thought provoking and gripping. It would have been an unqualified 5 stars, but for one thing -- I kept getting lost in the spiritual/philosophical stuff. It was over the top and confusing for me. Not the actual Biblical references, but the more bizarre concepts, like (to name a few) going to visit the people she knows sitting in monks' clothing in Cudi Dagh on laptops and then Gautama with his sphere sculpture. It has to be a little more concrete for me a lot of times. For the most part, those specific instances were few and the majority of the book deals with the plot.
The concept of this book is very unique and thought provoking -- what happens after we die and go to our final judgement? Brek finds herself bleeding on a platform in a train station and can't remember why. It turns out no one who comes here after death does (though it seems everyone who comes here dies tragically, not sure what happens to people who die of natural causes) and that begins their journey in Shemaya, finding out why they died and participating in the trials of others who have died to assist them in obtaining their final judgement. But Brek soon finds out the concept of justice she has studied her whole mortal life takes on an entirely new meaning in Shemaya. For one, all the trials she sees seem to only portray the bad things people did in their lives and none of the good, so how can God give them a fair trial if that's all He sees? As she's struggling with this concept, she's also struggling to deal with her own death and to remember how it occurred and missing her husband and daughter. She also is confronted with the events that caused her right arm to be traumatically amputated as a child.
The book also deals with the connectivity of people, as each character Brek is introduced to in Shemaya connects back to one another and herself in some way (with a few minor exceptions) and how events in our lives and our own choices and actions affect those of others around us. Brek is introduced to people she knew on earth in the opposite manner in which she knew them on earth (negative or positive) and must learn of their back stories and other qualities that she never knew on earth. Then, she is presented, in the end, with the ultimate choice (justice or forgiveness) and the revelation that, in order to reach her own final judgement, the choice rests not in God's hands but in hers. I did find it odd, though, that Luas and Haissem, who seem to have been there for centuries, have not grasped the concept that Brek seems to by the end of the book in her much shorter time in Shemaya.
The author is Quaker (and a lawyer, hence the legal aspects of the book) but deals with the religious and other issues in this book (World War II and the Holocaust) from a Jewish perspective, as well as Episcopalian and even Catholic views at times. Maybe some of his Quaker views show through, though I'm not familiar with their beliefs. The story of Noah and the flood and rainbows features prominently in the book. There were a few aspects of WWII that I was unaware of (the Israel connection) and it seems like more and more books these days seem to have some connection to that time period, and there were also some aspects of the white supremacist and Palestinian conflicts and ideals, again, all connecting the characters.
I actually struggled with the concept of Shemaya at first, as it goes against my own religious beliefs of what the afterlife would be like; however, by the time the purpose of Shemaya is revealed at the end of the book, I was able to accept the concept more, though, again, I was surprised by the "leaders" directing Brek and other newly arrived characters through the book who hadn't grasped the concept so they could move on.
The ending is left slightly hanging. Brek's choice isn't directly spelled out for us, but I think it is implied, if I grasped it correctly; and there is a great lesson to be learned from this book and I hope I can remember it in my own life from this point on.
Content: Scenes dealing with murder and rape (slightly graphic at times, not at others), both in WWII and modern times. No language that I can remember. If there was, it was probably only mild.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2019
There is so much the author seems to be trying to accomplish in this book that at times, I felt a bit lost. As, of course, is the main character as she tries to make the transition between life and death. As with such a story, there are numerous themes addressed – none of them small or unimportant. Life, death, justice, retribution, forgiveness, love, loss, grief…the list goes on.
The concept of an afterlife judicial system is an interesting one, especially as it takes place in a modern framework. Not at the pearly gates, but in a governmental type building, with offices and lawyers.
“We do not deal here with bodhisattvas or saints, caitiffs or fiends. The conclusions for them are foregone, the judgments obvious and unassailable. Our concern in the Courtroom is for the rest of humanity – the good people who sometimes cheat, the bad who sometimes do good, the billions who fail to sacrifice everything to become priests or prophets but resisted the temptation to become demons or demigods.”
The main character, Brek Cuttler, travels a long road beyond her life. She grieves for those she left behind, and goes through periods of denial and does her best to delay the inevitable. She explores, as she is able, this new form of her existence. She is able to experience all that the world she knew has to offer – mountains, the North and South Poles, villas, casinos, beaches and deserts. But…
“…I was alone everywhere I went – on the beaches, in the villas, on the planes, in the casinos. I had nobody to share my good fortune with or even to envy me from afar. I imagined that this must be how God felt before creating humanity. Could there be any greater sorrow in all the universe than having all of this and no one to share it with? As I traveled alone from one wonder of the world to another, from ocean to desert to mountain, I came to understand why God would have been willing to risk everything – even rejection, suffering and war, as Luas had said – for the joy of hearing just one breathless human being say, “Oh my God…look at that!”
And this book is all about that – the idea that we are nothing without others. Without anyone to love or be loved by, to laugh with, to feel grief for, to talk to, to learn from…life is empty. And it is our interaction with others that define who we are, who we have chosen to be and how we will be judged. By ourselves, by other humans…and possibly by a creator.
This is a book about the choices we make. Not only those in our own lives, but in regards to the lives of others. What we forgive and whether we are forgiven. How the smallest (and largest) of our actions alter our paths and create our destiny.
The concept of an afterlife judicial system is an interesting one, especially as it takes place in a modern framework. Not at the pearly gates, but in a governmental type building, with offices and lawyers.
“We do not deal here with bodhisattvas or saints, caitiffs or fiends. The conclusions for them are foregone, the judgments obvious and unassailable. Our concern in the Courtroom is for the rest of humanity – the good people who sometimes cheat, the bad who sometimes do good, the billions who fail to sacrifice everything to become priests or prophets but resisted the temptation to become demons or demigods.”
The main character, Brek Cuttler, travels a long road beyond her life. She grieves for those she left behind, and goes through periods of denial and does her best to delay the inevitable. She explores, as she is able, this new form of her existence. She is able to experience all that the world she knew has to offer – mountains, the North and South Poles, villas, casinos, beaches and deserts. But…
“…I was alone everywhere I went – on the beaches, in the villas, on the planes, in the casinos. I had nobody to share my good fortune with or even to envy me from afar. I imagined that this must be how God felt before creating humanity. Could there be any greater sorrow in all the universe than having all of this and no one to share it with? As I traveled alone from one wonder of the world to another, from ocean to desert to mountain, I came to understand why God would have been willing to risk everything – even rejection, suffering and war, as Luas had said – for the joy of hearing just one breathless human being say, “Oh my God…look at that!”
And this book is all about that – the idea that we are nothing without others. Without anyone to love or be loved by, to laugh with, to feel grief for, to talk to, to learn from…life is empty. And it is our interaction with others that define who we are, who we have chosen to be and how we will be judged. By ourselves, by other humans…and possibly by a creator.
This is a book about the choices we make. Not only those in our own lives, but in regards to the lives of others. What we forgive and whether we are forgiven. How the smallest (and largest) of our actions alter our paths and create our destiny.
March 3, 2014
3,5*
Občas u mňa nastane chvíľa, keď si doslova potrebujem prečítať niečo úplne iné, iný žáner, iný príbeh, iný pohľad či postoj autora. Kniha Posledný súd takou bola od začiatku do konca.
Veľmi ťažko sa mi napokon hodnotila hviezdičkami, občas by si zaslúžila aj plný počet, občas len tú jedinú, dokonca som mala slabú chvíľku v ktorej som chcela knihu úplne odložiť, našťastie som tak neurobila.
Avšak v konečnom dôsledku som rada, že som si ju mohla prečítať.
Som rada, keď kniha núti k zamysleniu, táto mala pasáže hodné hlbokého zamyslenia, doslova až prehodnotenia zažitých právd či postojov.
Príbeh právničky Brek, s ktorou prežívame jej posmrtný život v Súdnej sieni a na stanici Šemaja, ktorá sa stala akýmsi prestupným bodom pre duše zomrelých, z vás nespraví len pasívnych čitateľov.
Brek spoznávame v okamihu, keď sa ocitne na tejto stanici a nechápe, čo sa jej vlastne prihodilo.
Mŕtvi spochybnňujú neodvolateľnosť svojej smrti. Buď neveríme, že sme zomreli, alebo sa snažíme nájsť spôsob ako to zvrátiť.
Postupným spoznávaním, odkrývaním udalostí, ktoré vlastne viedli k jej smrti a ktoré siahajú do ďalekej minulosti dávno pred jej narodením, sa dozvedáme zaujímavý (a musím povedať, že perfektne premyslený) príbeh jedného života. Podobných ľudských príbehov je na stanici na tisíce. Brek sa má stať jednou z Predstavovateľov duší čakajúcich na Posledný súd, splynúť s ich spomienkami na životné udalosti a činy, aby pochopila ich konanie.
Hádam si nemyslíš, že by Boh dopustil, aby duše stáli na Poslednom súde samy? Tu je v stávke viac, zlatko. Celá večnosť.
Autor v knihe vytvoril zaujímavú "prestupnú stanicu" pre duše. Páčilo sa mi tam :) každá duša si mohla dopriať, po čom len túžila, navštevovala miesta, ktoré poznala dokonale za života ale mohla sa dostať na miesta, o ktorých len snívala... avšak všade bolo pusto, bola tam sama. Už nemohla vidieť svojich blízkych, navštíviť ich v ich životoch pokračujúcich "na zemi".
Prečo má Brek obhajovať, či predstavovať práve tie duše, ktoré jej pridelili a k čomu má ona samotná dospieť, sa rozuzlí až na posledných stránkach príbehu. Nestíhala som sa čudovať.
Krásne myšlienky.
Nutné zamyslenie, inak to nešlo.
Famózny záver, asi si ho prečítam ešte raz...
Myšlienka z knihy, ktorá sa mi páčila:
"Láska je bezvýhradná iba vtedy, dcéra moja, keď zahŕňa aj to, čo si ju najmenej zaslúži. Ešte stále nechápeš, že spravodlivosť je presný opak všetkého, čím je láska, a všetkého, čím si ty. Do Božieho kráľovstva možno vstúpiť iba prostredníctvom odpustenia."
Občas u mňa nastane chvíľa, keď si doslova potrebujem prečítať niečo úplne iné, iný žáner, iný príbeh, iný pohľad či postoj autora. Kniha Posledný súd takou bola od začiatku do konca.
Veľmi ťažko sa mi napokon hodnotila hviezdičkami, občas by si zaslúžila aj plný počet, občas len tú jedinú, dokonca som mala slabú chvíľku v ktorej som chcela knihu úplne odložiť, našťastie som tak neurobila.
Avšak v konečnom dôsledku som rada, že som si ju mohla prečítať.
Som rada, keď kniha núti k zamysleniu, táto mala pasáže hodné hlbokého zamyslenia, doslova až prehodnotenia zažitých právd či postojov.
Príbeh právničky Brek, s ktorou prežívame jej posmrtný život v Súdnej sieni a na stanici Šemaja, ktorá sa stala akýmsi prestupným bodom pre duše zomrelých, z vás nespraví len pasívnych čitateľov.
Brek spoznávame v okamihu, keď sa ocitne na tejto stanici a nechápe, čo sa jej vlastne prihodilo.
Mŕtvi spochybnňujú neodvolateľnosť svojej smrti. Buď neveríme, že sme zomreli, alebo sa snažíme nájsť spôsob ako to zvrátiť.
Postupným spoznávaním, odkrývaním udalostí, ktoré vlastne viedli k jej smrti a ktoré siahajú do ďalekej minulosti dávno pred jej narodením, sa dozvedáme zaujímavý (a musím povedať, že perfektne premyslený) príbeh jedného života. Podobných ľudských príbehov je na stanici na tisíce. Brek sa má stať jednou z Predstavovateľov duší čakajúcich na Posledný súd, splynúť s ich spomienkami na životné udalosti a činy, aby pochopila ich konanie.
Hádam si nemyslíš, že by Boh dopustil, aby duše stáli na Poslednom súde samy? Tu je v stávke viac, zlatko. Celá večnosť.
Autor v knihe vytvoril zaujímavú "prestupnú stanicu" pre duše. Páčilo sa mi tam :) každá duša si mohla dopriať, po čom len túžila, navštevovala miesta, ktoré poznala dokonale za života ale mohla sa dostať na miesta, o ktorých len snívala... avšak všade bolo pusto, bola tam sama. Už nemohla vidieť svojich blízkych, navštíviť ich v ich životoch pokračujúcich "na zemi".
Prečo má Brek obhajovať, či predstavovať práve tie duše, ktoré jej pridelili a k čomu má ona samotná dospieť, sa rozuzlí až na posledných stránkach príbehu. Nestíhala som sa čudovať.
Krásne myšlienky.
Nutné zamyslenie, inak to nešlo.
Famózny záver, asi si ho prečítam ešte raz...
Myšlienka z knihy, ktorá sa mi páčila:
"Láska je bezvýhradná iba vtedy, dcéra moja, keď zahŕňa aj to, čo si ju najmenej zaslúži. Ešte stále nechápeš, že spravodlivosť je presný opak všetkého, čím je láska, a všetkého, čím si ty. Do Božieho kráľovstva možno vstúpiť iba prostredníctvom odpustenia."
November 16, 2012
The Trial of Fallen Angels is James Kimmel Jr.'s first fiction book.
Brek Cuttler awakes in a train station. She's sitting on a bench in her favourite 'power lawyer' suit. The station is deserted. Her suit is covered in blood. She is sure she is dreaming when a man comes along and welcomes her to Shemaya. She struggles to remember who she is and what she was doing before she arrived at this station. Inevitability, she discover that the man Luas is right - she is dead. And she has a job to do in Shemaya....
"You don't think God would allow souls to face the Final Judgment alone, do you? Even murderers on earth have a lawyer to represent them, and the outcomes of those trials are only temporary. The stakes are higher here, dear. All of eternity."
As Brek begins presenting the memories of the dead, she begins to realize that the acts and events of each person have also played a part in her own life and are part of her own final choice and presentation.
Kimmel explores the themes of justice and forgiveness in The Trial of Fallen Angels with a keen eye and much thought. Kimmel has presented his philosophical viewpoints cloaked in a mystery. When this book was pitched to me for review, I wasn't fully aware of how much emphasis was placed on spirituality. I felt that the characters were used only a vehicle to carry the message, so I never really bought into Brek. As God is the Judge, this is somewhat limiting for believers of other faiths or non believers, although I do think Kimmel's views are extremely intriguing and applicable to anyone.
So while it was an interesting read, I did find it slow in parts and ended up skimming by the end to get to the conclusion.
Kimmell "is a lawyer and advocate who focuses on the intersections of law and spirituality and law and psychology."
The Trial of Fallen Angels would be an excellent selection for a book club, sure to engender lots of discussion.
Brek Cuttler awakes in a train station. She's sitting on a bench in her favourite 'power lawyer' suit. The station is deserted. Her suit is covered in blood. She is sure she is dreaming when a man comes along and welcomes her to Shemaya. She struggles to remember who she is and what she was doing before she arrived at this station. Inevitability, she discover that the man Luas is right - she is dead. And she has a job to do in Shemaya....
"You don't think God would allow souls to face the Final Judgment alone, do you? Even murderers on earth have a lawyer to represent them, and the outcomes of those trials are only temporary. The stakes are higher here, dear. All of eternity."
As Brek begins presenting the memories of the dead, she begins to realize that the acts and events of each person have also played a part in her own life and are part of her own final choice and presentation.
Kimmel explores the themes of justice and forgiveness in The Trial of Fallen Angels with a keen eye and much thought. Kimmel has presented his philosophical viewpoints cloaked in a mystery. When this book was pitched to me for review, I wasn't fully aware of how much emphasis was placed on spirituality. I felt that the characters were used only a vehicle to carry the message, so I never really bought into Brek. As God is the Judge, this is somewhat limiting for believers of other faiths or non believers, although I do think Kimmel's views are extremely intriguing and applicable to anyone.
So while it was an interesting read, I did find it slow in parts and ended up skimming by the end to get to the conclusion.
Kimmell "is a lawyer and advocate who focuses on the intersections of law and spirituality and law and psychology."
The Trial of Fallen Angels would be an excellent selection for a book club, sure to engender lots of discussion.
March 2, 2013
The Trial of Fallen Angels is certainly a page-turner, but as I approached the end, the "love is all/forgive your enemy/turn the other cheek" was a bit too much for me. There are crimes that cannot be forgiven, in my opinion, and yes, violence returned with violence is usually unproductive, but to suggest that there is no act deserving of punishment, even the ultimate punishment, simply doesn't sit well with me, and I found the ending of the novel quite unsatisfying. The flashbacks during which the central character is "seeing/experiencing" the lives of others is fascinating, but the philosophy that gradually culminates in the final couple of chapters made me wish I had't picked up the book in the first place. I don't hold grudges, don't seek revenge, but on the other hand, nothing truly terrible has ever happened to me in this life. For the victim to forgive the suicide bomber, the murderer/rapist,, the torturere...no thank you. I don't believe I could do it. I remember saying when my children were young that if anyone deliberately murdered, tortured them, I could cheerfully pick up a gun and kill the murderer...I still feel that way about my children and grandchildren, and if my life were forfeit afterwords, so be it. The novel offers the reader a "big idea" to contemplate, but it's one I've thought about before in my life, and I have not reached the same conclusion as the author.
February 3, 2014
You wake up dead in the afterlife. There are lawyers.
Normally you'd conclude that you weren't in Heaven. However
this one-armed, young mother is, was, an attorney and as she
adapts to her new surroundings, she's tasked with representing
various characters that crossed through her life in a
soul court of sorts.
Taking place in current times, the story threads its way back
to World War II with tales of Germans hiding Jews, black market
GIs, the Russian Army, and who is really guilty? and of what?
So yes, as the title implies, there is a theme of justice and
existence and while I kept expecting to run into a dense
discussion it's treated fairly lightly and the story keeps moving.
Perhaps it's me, but I suspect contemporary novels are written
with the big screen and special effects in mind. Various scenes
often come across as half screenplay, half novel, including a
kidnapping, which while exciting, feels right out of an NYPD
Blue episode.
My wife picked this book up in an airport bookstore and
it definitely is a story that keeps your interest on an
airplane or perhaps as a 'beach read. I enjoyed this
good ol' page turner.
December 21, 2012
The premise of this book was intriguing to me: dead people in the afterlife, on trial to defend their lives. The lives of the main character, her murderer, and some of the others whose defense she witnesses, are all intertwined in unexpected ways, and people are not as black and white as they seem. I did like the point made at the end, that mercy and love should triumph over justice, but overall the book was a little disappointing, just a big, weird, kind of incoherent fantasy of what an afterlife would be like. It didn't hold water philosophically or theologically, in my opinion. Some readers might not mind that; they might enjoy the fantasy and feel satisfied that a point was made. But, for me, if a book promises to have a philosophical premise, even portrayed fictionally, then that premise should be consistent and well-developed and have some internal logic. It should make sense in some way, or I'm disappointed. I didn't think this portrayal of the afterlife made any sense. It was all hippy-dippy and kind of sloppy.
June 25, 2013
Well, this is certainly an odd book and as it turns out, I loved it. I picked it off the library shelf last Friday when I went in, and I started it that night. And I finished it in two days!
It is very imaginative. The author is a lawyer, with a practice that focuses on the intersection of law and spirituality and on helping people with mental illnesses and addiction. He is a practicing Quaker now. This is his first novel, and apparently it took him a decade to write. And you know what? It was worth it.
The central character is a 30-something successful lawyer with a husband and a child. The first chapter is so captivating that I was instantly dragged into this book. It is a meditation on justice, forgiveness, spirituality (not religion in any form). If you like novels that involve the metaphysical, not 'real' world, leaving much to your imagination, then this is for you.
I have taken care not to spoil anything about this novel. But what I would LOVE LOVE LOVE....is to have a conversation about this book when some of you have read it. What did you think? let's talk!
It is very imaginative. The author is a lawyer, with a practice that focuses on the intersection of law and spirituality and on helping people with mental illnesses and addiction. He is a practicing Quaker now. This is his first novel, and apparently it took him a decade to write. And you know what? It was worth it.
The central character is a 30-something successful lawyer with a husband and a child. The first chapter is so captivating that I was instantly dragged into this book. It is a meditation on justice, forgiveness, spirituality (not religion in any form). If you like novels that involve the metaphysical, not 'real' world, leaving much to your imagination, then this is for you.
I have taken care not to spoil anything about this novel. But what I would LOVE LOVE LOVE....is to have a conversation about this book when some of you have read it. What did you think? let's talk!
April 23, 2018
TAk tento druhy literatury ma velmi bavi :slight_smile:. Som fascinovana knihami o druhom svete, o Bohu, a tato kniha sa mi pacila ovela ovela viac ako Chatrc.
A o co ide? Hl. hrdinka Brek sa zrazu ocitne na stanici Semaja a zisti, ze zomrela. Nevie ako,a nevie preco. Je v soku. V zivote bola advokatkou a preto ju poziadaju, aby zastupovala duse pred poslednym sudom do vecnosti. Pribehy tych dusi su navzajom poprepletane a ona sa zisti, ze odsudit dusu nie je take jednoznacne. Lebo co je dolezitejsie, odpustenie ci spravodlivost?
A toto bolo v celom romane hlavny motiv. Napr aj Boh. To, ze na nas poslal potopu a vsetkych zabil, to bolo laskave ci spravodlive? Je to velmi zaujimavo rozoberane a pacil sa mi autorov uhol pohladu, ze ta duha na konci potopy nebol Bozi znak toho, ze uz to nikdy nespravi, ale symbol Noemovho odpustenia Bohu.
Roman sa postupne rozbieha, a zaver bol pre mna sokujuci, najma to, co sa stalo s dcerkou.
Roman odporucam hlavne tym, ktore mate rady filozoficke romany, aj napinave, alebo aj tym, ktore mate nejake nedoriesene veci s inymi ludmi.
A o co ide? Hl. hrdinka Brek sa zrazu ocitne na stanici Semaja a zisti, ze zomrela. Nevie ako,a nevie preco. Je v soku. V zivote bola advokatkou a preto ju poziadaju, aby zastupovala duse pred poslednym sudom do vecnosti. Pribehy tych dusi su navzajom poprepletane a ona sa zisti, ze odsudit dusu nie je take jednoznacne. Lebo co je dolezitejsie, odpustenie ci spravodlivost?
A toto bolo v celom romane hlavny motiv. Napr aj Boh. To, ze na nas poslal potopu a vsetkych zabil, to bolo laskave ci spravodlive? Je to velmi zaujimavo rozoberane a pacil sa mi autorov uhol pohladu, ze ta duha na konci potopy nebol Bozi znak toho, ze uz to nikdy nespravi, ale symbol Noemovho odpustenia Bohu.
Roman sa postupne rozbieha, a zaver bol pre mna sokujuci, najma to, co sa stalo s dcerkou.
Roman odporucam hlavne tym, ktore mate rady filozoficke romany, aj napinave, alebo aj tym, ktore mate nejake nedoriesene veci s inymi ludmi.
January 9, 2013
I want to say first off thank you to libraything.com for choosing me as a winner of this early uncorrected proof for review. It need's no fixing because I felt it was perfect. Was so blown away by this book which deals with the hereafter and the journey to choose "justice" or "forgiveness" when all is said and done. I do not want to give away the entire story so I will just say that it has a bit of mystery, suspense, history, all rolled into intense spirituality. This book kept me up at night late wanting to know what was to come. A page turner that brought out all human emotions in me. I cried sad tears but I also cried happy tears which very seldom happens to me with reading. This is one of those books that has touched me so much that I will recommend it to all readers out there. IT IS A MUST! I will be buying a final print for sure to keep in my library and will read it again!
October 20, 2013
3.5 stars - The only way I can think to describe this book is that it is a good story but told in a bizarre way. There were times when I felt like I was lost and didn't follow what certain events or characters had to do with the overall storyline, but everything and everyone ties together at different points throughout the book. By reading the jacket, I never had a clue that the Holocaust was such a big underlying theme. It's definitely one that makes you think long and hard about how justice can affect people and the true meaning of forgiveness.
May 25, 2014
Wow. What a book. This is a novel about a woman who is dead and who wants desperately to be back with her family. The only part of the book that I got lost (not in a good way) in was toward the end when there's a lot happening; climbing up the mountain to the shack in the storm and seeing people looking at monitors, etc that whole part is weird. Of course it made me think how unrandom life really is, and also really made me think about my life and my choices so far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2017
I read the first 60 pages and the gripping page-turner became too philosophical for me--maybe I would be interested at a different point in my life....
Fellow book club friends were disappointed by the ending; others stated the book would be better as a novel withOUT the philosophy.
Fellow book club friends were disappointed by the ending; others stated the book would be better as a novel withOUT the philosophy.
January 4, 2013
The Shack, but way better. Much to chew on with this one. Delayed reading it but had a hard time putting down once I started.
July 26, 2013
Zvláštní kniha... Hodně zvláštní.
December 8, 2025
Bin enttäuscht. Es war fad, Dinge die eigentlich von vornherein klar waren wurden unnötig lange verschwiegen. Habe mich auf ein absurdes und eventuell schwarzhumoriges Buch gefreut, war mir dann viel zu gottlastig, chaotisch und tryhard ernst.
Ich fand die Beschreibung des Buches sehr schlecht, laut der die Geschichte nicht so persönlich und auf das eigene Leben bezogen sein würde und es mehr um die wirkliche Vertretung verschiedener Personen gehen würde.
Wie genau das Leben nach dem Tod laut Kimmel funktioniert, kann ich nur annehmen (Durch die Beurteilung, der Person, die einem das größte Leid angetan hat, soll man lernen, sich selbst gerecht zu beurteilen, d.h. sich zu vergeben? Wie bitte existieren Personen nach dem Tod, macht zu Beginn jeder das gleiche durch, dann Paradies mit Family and Friends bzw. Unterstützung neu verstorbener Nahestehender?).
Dass der zweite Weltkrieg ein so großes Thema war, hat mich enttäuscht, den es gibt schon fast zu viele Bücher über dieses Thema, es gibt nichts Neues mehr, das gesagt werden muss.
Das Buch war aber trotzdem irgendwie spannend, habe teilweise richtig mitgefiebert, allerdings insgesamt für sehr viel kürzere Zeit als jene, in der ich mich anstrengen musste, um durch die verworrenen und unnötigen Teile zu kommen. Es versucht viel zu viel zu sein und wird dadurch zu Nichts, Erzählstränge werden fallen gelasseb.
Ich fand die Beschreibung des Buches sehr schlecht, laut der die Geschichte nicht so persönlich und auf das eigene Leben bezogen sein würde und es mehr um die wirkliche Vertretung verschiedener Personen gehen würde.
Wie genau das Leben nach dem Tod laut Kimmel funktioniert, kann ich nur annehmen (Durch die Beurteilung, der Person, die einem das größte Leid angetan hat, soll man lernen, sich selbst gerecht zu beurteilen, d.h. sich zu vergeben? Wie bitte existieren Personen nach dem Tod, macht zu Beginn jeder das gleiche durch, dann Paradies mit Family and Friends bzw. Unterstützung neu verstorbener Nahestehender?).
Dass der zweite Weltkrieg ein so großes Thema war, hat mich enttäuscht, den es gibt schon fast zu viele Bücher über dieses Thema, es gibt nichts Neues mehr, das gesagt werden muss.
Das Buch war aber trotzdem irgendwie spannend, habe teilweise richtig mitgefiebert, allerdings insgesamt für sehr viel kürzere Zeit als jene, in der ich mich anstrengen musste, um durch die verworrenen und unnötigen Teile zu kommen. Es versucht viel zu viel zu sein und wird dadurch zu Nichts, Erzählstränge werden fallen gelasseb.
October 23, 2020
I don't even know where to begin. The premise of this book is so interesting but the execution was an entire flop. There were so many convoluted stories that intertwined with others, characters that were easily forgotten, and the plot seemed so lost in this narrative.
The main character seems like a bitch and didn't understand the difference between justice and love, despite being a lawyer in her life. I'm not even sure what the outcome was by the end of it.
The author seemed to know there were an abundance of characters since he consistently had to remind who characters were in relation to the main character.
Overall, I hated reading this book and I just wanted to find out how Brek died and it took way too long to get there.
The main character seems like a bitch and didn't understand the difference between justice and love, despite being a lawyer in her life. I'm not even sure what the outcome was by the end of it.
The author seemed to know there were an abundance of characters since he consistently had to remind who characters were in relation to the main character.
Overall, I hated reading this book and I just wanted to find out how Brek died and it took way too long to get there.
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