Perpetua: A Bride, a Martyr, a Passion

by Amy Rachel Peterson

Perpetua is a historical novel based on the real life and death of a young Roman noblewoman. Perpetua was martyred in the amphitheater of Carthage in 203 AD, but kept a diary of her arrest and time in prison. While many martyrs were poor or illiterate, Perpetua was neither. A new mother, a noblewoman, wealthy, highly educated she had much to lose, and she chose to give it all away for the privilege of dying for Jesus. The novel expands her diary to include the less than three years between her conversion and her execution.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Faith, Fiction, Christian, Historical, Spirituality

394 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

Amy Rachel Peterson studied history at Wheaton College (IL). Born in California during the Jesus Movement, her first years were spent in Christian communal houses and her growing years in the dense, urban environment of Chicago. She is a writer, editor, and Christian publishing professional in Kansas City. Amy's gaze on the eternal gives her a deep vision to see the Lamb's bride "love His appearing." She writes to draw people into the power and hope of truly knowing God.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perpetua was by far, the BEST book I have read in 2015, and one of the top five I have EVER read. It is a profoundly moving biography/novel of the life of the first female Christian martyr. Amy Peterson's writing is excellent, as she tells the story of the girl who finds Christ and develops her faith in the city of Carthage, known to hate Christians. Perpetua's faith is tested time and again as she must choose Jesus over family, friends, etc. Yet this woman also finds joy, a loving husband, a faith community and all that is good and holy as she embraces her new life.

Still, as the story comes to a climax, the young wife and mother realizes she has been chosen for martyrdom. We read of how she learns to say good bye to those she loves most, her time under arrest and in prison, her father's desperate attempts to get her to recant, and more.

The book is based on Perpetua's actual diaries, as well as other early Church writings about her death in Carthage's Arena, other writings of Christians' lives at that time, along with the author's excellent abilities to weave a plausible storyline around it all. Cannot recommend this highly enough.

[Shiloh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book challenges me in so many ways. We pray for the power of His resurrection, but not the fellowship of His sufferings. If for some reason if we face suffering, we resent and question God instead of embracing it and rejoicing in it. This story truely is full of passion. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on her diaries.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas is begging to be novelized, or otherwise adapted, but unfortunately I didn't love this particular execution of it. I didn't hate it, nor would I discourage a curious reader from it, but I don't wholeheartedly recommend it. If you're looking for a solid adaptation of the Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas, I'd recommend Perpetua's Journey by Jennifer Rea and Liz Clarke, which is a graphic novel.

While Peterson captures the world of Roman Africa pretty well, early Christian spirituality reads a lot like contemporary American evangelical spirituality in Perpetua. Certain elements of the novel seemed to be glosses for contemporary issues such as child sacrifice, which did happen in Carthage around that time, being a commentary on abortion. The subtitle ("A Bride, a Martyr, a Passion") betrays Peterson's interpretation of Perpetua as more of a bride than a matron, which feels very uneven when stepping into the final portion of the novel, which is a slightly modernized version of the Passion with some fictional additions. This final portion was, unfortunately, not even the best part of the novel. The Passion is so rich, with physical details and emotions and all that good stuff, but it felt flat. Perpetua's voice there didn't feel fluid with the rest of the novel, though much of the Passion is written in Vibia Perpetua's own voice.

Plenty of everyday Latin words are used, for clothing and eating and locations and the like, but I think they should have been replaced with English equivalents in most places, or at least footnoted at the bottom of the page or in a glossary rather than making the reader flip to the end of the chapter for a definition.

Going into Perpetua, I knew it would be a difficult read for me, because I have my own interpretation of the Passion. And I have the benefit of 17 years' worth of new research on the Passion that Peterson did not have when publishing this novel. Some of her choices that I did not Vibe With I also did not judge too harshly such as making Saturus her husband, even though one would think Perpetua would have mentioned he was her husband in her own diary; Perpetua having visions on a regular basis even though her diary is clear that she asked for visions preceding her death because of her status as a martyr; knowing Tertullian personally and switching congregations. Other choices really disappointed me such as minimizing Perpetua's physical pain from being separated from her unweaned son, which she openly discusses in the Passion; downplaying her relationship with her father, though he is a major part of the real Perpetua's diary and is clearly very close to his daughter; making Perpetua thirsty for her own martyr's blood immediately after conversion.

All in all, I am grateful that Peterson wrote this book and has made Perpetua more well-known to the church today, but...there was so much lacking in the execution for me. It's...fine. The novel avoids being purity fiction at key places, though it doesn't avoid it altogether. The novel is also way too long, yet doesn't spend nearly enough time on the actual martyrdom portion of the text. It's a conversion story/Christian romance, not one that brought martyrdom to life for me.

Content warnings: it's a martyr story about ancient Rome.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book that I put aside not too long after starting and didn’t pick it back up for a while. But once I picked it back up, I could hardly put down and was in tears at the end. This book has moved me and deepened my faith. It has given me a new understanding of loving Jesus, and of the beauty and freedom of death. I highly recommend it.

[Courtney Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has moved me in so many ways. I had never heard of Perpetua, the martyr, until I read this book. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this and put myself in my early-Christian sister’s shoes, so to say. This novel brought the early church to life in my mind and heart. I feel I can even better connect with Bible passages discussing persecution in the New Testament after reading Perpetua. In particular, the narrative surrounding her conversion was beautiful, devastating, and emotionally overwhelming to read. There are so, so many impactful points in the story.
I would definitely recommend this book. Wow!

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fictional backstory of Ss. Perpetua and Felicity [the later called herein Felicitas]. The last chapter and I felt the best part of the book was a description of their martyrdoms, "ad bestias". I wonder if this last was taken from the primary source, on these two women. Writing style seemed different, otherwise the novel was too saccharine and preachy for my taste.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so cool to read about what life might have been like in 3rd century Rome! Perpetua was such a great example of a woman of faith! Sometimes this novel was difficult to follow as it has lots of dialogue and flashbacks/foreshadowing, but overall a great read! :)

[Emmie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story idea but very cheesy in execution.

[Brenda Lei · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of us in Christ, I cannot imagine having an encounter with this book and walking away unchanged by its contents, that of the life of Perpetua and the lives of the brothers and sisters walking the same path as she. Never in my years of reading have I cried so bitterly as I have whilst reading this. Never in my years of reading have I felt my heart physically skip as many beats in both angst and joy alongside the rhythms of the characters as I have alongside these saints. I am left undone. My heart grieves that which I have experienced in this book, the true unity of the called of the Lord, for I see and experience it not in our current generations, and I long for it so. Forgive me, Lord. Forgive us, your Body. My heart rejoices for the path set before my spiritual ancestors, and rejoices for the example they are to those of us still in the race. Oh, what shallow faith I have! I am undone. Truly.

Spectacular. You must read it. And you must let it infiltrate your heart. Let it challenge your mind. You will not walk away unchanged.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love the way this was written. I found the dialogue particularly two-dimensional and corny, for lack of a better word. The reason for my three star-rating is that I think the author does a great job of imagining--and recreating, based on Perpetua's writing--what it would have been like to go from Roman aristocracy to martyrdom in the colosseum. To leave behind one's newborn child, heartbroken parents, and friends. I certainly hadn't spent much time pondering what was the reality for so many people who laid the way for the Faith today. For this insight, I give it this rating.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story that brought me a lot of encouragement and conviction. The only reasons I didn't give it five stars were: major copy editing oversights, and a tendency toward wordiness that was sometimes laborious to plow through. But I highly recommend!

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I was inspired and encouraged by the story and its characters, especially knowing how much of it is founded in fact. I would definitely read this book again.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical fiction based on Perpetua, a wealthy woman of Carthage in ancient Rome during the first century A. D. who was martyred for her faith and refused to recant even when her newborn would have been restored if she had.

I LOVED everything about this book -- except the miniscule font that the book was printed in. The author did an amazing job with historical accuracy in the details of life in this ancient city and the tensions and struggles in the different social stations. The book is written as the author imagined Perpetua's spiritual journey from before her conversion to the moment of her death.

The author also included many issues of that time that would eventually lead to some of the creeds. She included Tertullian's influence, the books of the Bible available at that time, speaking in a known tongue at baptism, prophecy that was according to Scripture, visions, etc. that were consistent with the early church. The book is drenched with Scripture verses and the cost of following Jesus.

⚠️Child sacrifice description as part of her story before conversion

[Madeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on Goodreads reviews, this books is adored by most of its readers. I WISH I felt the same! This book took me almost a month to finish and honestly shocked I made it through. I think there is a lot of potential here and I wonder if there are other adaptations out there that are better?

My main complaint is that it was wayyyy too long.

Something happened only about every 50 pages and the rest of it was her prayers, visions, and acceptance of her impending death (over and over and over again).

There were parts of the book that were very moving (Tumi’s death, her conversion to Christianity, marrying Saturus, finding out about her Grandma, Felicitis, etc). As a new mom the most emotional part was when Perpetua was thrown into jail and she knew that her baby refused goat’s milk and was starving. I could picture her pain for her baby! This was only briefly mentioned though and then the author moved onto pages and pages of more visions.

I wish I was the editor of this book and I could cut out entire chapters. Then I might recommend this book to others!

[Adah B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I love Perpetua’s story, but not the way this author presents it. Amy Rachel Peterson doesn’t shy away from discussing all the sin that was rampant in these times, but I think at times she is too explicit, which carries over into the romance being too explicit. I tried taking a break from this book and then coming back to skim it and skip the uncomfortable parts, but my break was too long and I found when I tried reading it again that, already knowing how Perpetua’s story ends, I wasn’t interested enough anymore to finish a book I was only going to skim anyway, especially because this is a novel and not a strictly true account. Maybe I’ll try again sometime in the future, but for now I’ll wait.

[Sarah Slack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick review is this: the book's story and message is wonderful in every way. The writing is my favorite aspect, eloquent and poetic, yet the pace and challenging vocabulary allowed me to set the book down a time or two too long. If I had to write a lengthy review, I would --with many grateful words-- commend the book's approach to God, His love and the character's overwhelming love for Him. And THAT is written in every page and worth every minute.

[Adriana Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I cannot give this book ten stars? Oh, why? I just read its last pages. I did not do anything else in my free time last days, but read it. I felt this book page by page and I am so sorry I have finished it. I wanted more.
What a story ... I would never forget it.

If you need an encouragement for your faith, if you want to know deeper the early Church. This book is for you, for your soul. You will not be the same after you finish it.

[Jaleesa Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novel for anyone interested in the life of this saint. Slow going at times but well worth the effort to finish. Well researched but not dry. Be prepared to stand side by side with Perpetua as she goes from nobility to martyr.

[Megan Spaulding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Probably the most impactful book I read this year. It challenged my faith and opened my eyes to life in Rome in the early church, and gives me a better understanding to cultural context around the time of scripture.

[Jaclyn Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give Perpetua 6 stars I would. Her life and love for the Lord is such a beautiful testimony, even to the end. Her story is such a needed reminder of what is means to belong to the Lord and give everything for Him because He has already given everything for us on the cross.

[Rebecca Pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read in a loooong time. This book really encouraged my relationship with Jesus and I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much while reading a book. It is a tragic story that propelled me to be bold in my love for Christ. MUST READ!

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply amazing. One of the best books I've ever read.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. This book is AWESOME!!!
I love love love it!!!

[Annly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book that every Christian woman should read.

[Brianna]

Fantastic! it really helped put my faith into perspective.

[Jessie McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perpetua's story has inspired me greatly and really put some things into perspective regarding my walk with the Lord. I have encouraged several people to read this, and have re-read this myself.

[CAROL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. The text of the book was AWFUL. so small, it made reading very hard.

For the DOK bookclub on 8/13/2025

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to start by saying that I am really glad that I read this book. I had never heard about Perpetua and I enjoyed learning about her and her experience with conversion and eventually martyrdom. I found the character's personal growth inspiring throughout the book and loved how the Gospel changed the way she thought about life in general and in particulars...especially about the importance every living person has to the Savior. I liked the social aspects of this book, the conversations with former friends and with her husband. Perpetua is a fantastic example of the type of change that can be acheived through living and loving the Savior.
I only had a few items that I didnt like about this book. I thought that the descriptive narratives were really LONG and tedious. I had a hard time with the phrase of "lover" or "husband" when talking about the Savior. In some passages, the feelings Perpetua had for Jesus were almost sexual and inappropriate. And finally the characters almost seemed to wish for martyrdom - in a "if only I could prove myself to Him by death" kind of way. Martyrdom was romanticized and sought after and that just didnt really sit well with me. In the end, Perpetua does finally decide that life (and her family and child) are worth living for and therefore stops "daydreaming" about and "wishing for" martyrdom...but then is put in the situation unwillingly.
Again. I am really glad I read this book and I think that not everyone would be as sensitive about these few concerns that I had.

[Hana Jun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon reading this for the second time, I really like the concept of this historical fiction. More than 200 years after the death of Jesus of Nazare, the narrator, Perpetua, becomes a Christian in Carthage, a city of the Roman Empire, where the new emperor has banned the religion.
So yes, the plot line is really interesting. Written by a history major, the novel gives a real taste of the time during Roman rule. The historical facts (ex. names of clothing and house rooms) are described in exact detail, but at times the narration can be confusing to follow. For instance, the author can jump from Mother standing in the hallway to a friend arranging flowers back to a "she" (Mother) saying, "Is it time for dinner?"
Overall, I did like the book for how it portrayed an interesting time in history.

[Pamela_b_lawrencemsn.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book I pulled from a book exchange shelf, and I'm glad I did. Based on the diary of Perpetua, a Christian martyr at the beginning of the 3rd century. Not for everyone because of the content. I enjoyed it because it is well-written, because reading a first person narrative about choosing martyrdom is fascinating, and because I sensed that the author was constructing the work the way stone carvers prepared gargoyles on Gothic cathedrals, reverentially but expecting no acknowledgment in return. Also, even though the work is targeted to an already devout Christian audience, those not in the choir can still learn about early Christianity and its struggles, as well the motivation for such a dramatic choice. Not four or five stars because it's not one of my favorite books ever, but three for the thoughtful and engaging presentation.