The Catholic Book Club discussion

7. When Warda’s life hangs in the balance, she makes the observation: ‘Death makes villains of us all’. How far is fear the motivating factor in the many acts of treachery and betrayal in the book?

It is usual to have fear when the people arrive your home and kidnap you. You lost everything especially the most important your faith. The turkishs and the muslims were a menace for this reason we expelled the moorishes from Spain (1609) because they colaborated with the turkishs none harbor of the mediterranean were totally safe. In the 15th produced carnages as the happened in Otronto with deaths, and banished people and the belongings looted.

I think self-preservation is part of human nature. And while it's not preferred or correct, it's natural for people to lash out when they're hurt or scared. I can only imagine the depth of the fear that would come from being kidnapped in the night and forced into a life of slavery.

That being said, I think it's interesting that each character acts in a different way. Warda lashes out and hates herself for what she does. Omar uses his power (and Warda's fear) as a weapon, but has no courage himself, so he quickly turns to lies and begging to save himself. Reis and Salvatore use cruelty towards others as a way of masking their fear--deep down, they are just as afraid as anyone else.

This a horror situation to be kidnaped by this people and the situation of the women here is terribly bad.