Of Love and Evil Review

Of Love and Evil

Published: 30, November 2010

Author: Anne Rice

Book 2 of 2: The Songs of the Seraphim

Genres: Assassination, Christian, Fiction, Ghost, Historical, Jewish, Literary, Metaphysical, Mystery, Poetry, Psychic, Renaissance, Romance, Suspense, Theory, Thrillers, Time Travel, Vampire, Visionary

Check the summary of this book here:

Of Love and Evil Summary

The Review:

In Anne Rice's novel "Of Love and Evil," Toby O'Dare, a former hitman, is summoned once again by the angel Malchiah and transported back to fifteenth-century Rome, to the land and time of Michelangelo, Raphael, Pope Leo X, and the Medicis. To a period marked by high drama and strife in both the public and private spheres.

This time, Toby is in charge of investigating the case of Vitale, a Jewish man who lives in the house of Antonio, a wealthy gentile. Niccolo, one of Antonio's sons, is terminally ill and dying a slow, painful death, with Vitale suspected of being the perpetrator due to his Jewish heritage.

During this time, the home is also subjected to a powerful metaphysical disruption caused by an enraged dybbuk—a dislocated spirit, or "ghost" for want of a better phrase. It's up to Toby to solve these two puzzles, as well as the actual reason for Niccolo's sickness and the dybbuk's rampage.

It's tough to go much further with this review without revealing too much information. Anne Rice manages to integrate a fascinating mystery thriller into a masterfully crafted, dramatic tale with themes loaded with action, philosophical questions on life, love, spirituality, history, and prejudice, among the many captivating things you should know about this outstanding book. Her superb conciseness is much more visible here than in her second book about Jesus' early life, "Road to Cana."

The author skillfully creates a story with an honest tone that is authentically "biblical." Niccolo's connection with his brother is a significant theme in the story. Also, the would-be killer's technique of choice, poisoning, is an intriguing story device.

It takes a certain sort of killer to select poison as a method of murder, and it tells a lot about them. They don't suffocate their victim with a single, powerful blow or a knife to the throat, as they could. Instead, they systematically inject precise toxic quantities over time.

This not only provides the impression that the victim is dying of a long-term disease, but it also allows the killer to hide in the shadows and see the fatal scheme unfold. Few activities are more terrifying than this...

The concept that evil, or sin—severe wrongs performed against innocents, crimes, discriminatory deeds, and so on—leaves a permanent impression in Anne Rice's Angel Time, and especially here, Is a key aspect of the tale of "Of Love and Evil" from a conceptual standpoint.

There can be no atonement until and until the wicked deed is confronted, dealt with, and set right. The victim of the terrible deed lives on in unrelenting rage until there is closure and salvation.

This story's ghost, or dybbuk, is enraged. Is that ever the case! And with good cause. Redemption is something that must be gained. It can't just be given out without a plan. Only when justice has been served can there be any semblance of peace.

The strength of Anne Rice's works has always been her curious personality. Every one of her novels revolves around a challenging spiritual subject that she has been debating for a long time. "Of Love and Evil" poses an intriguing quandary that is central to Christianity.

What decides whether anything is a good or bad conduct now that we have this new Christian perspective? Could a loving deed that we feel mirrors the spirit of Christ, however, be clearly evil?

This book should appeal to anybody searching for an exciting mystery thriller with human characters who have true flaws, whether or not they are Christians. Furthermore, people of many religious backgrounds face the same spiritual issues as these characters. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, and Agnostics all think about the purpose of our lives.

Despite the fact that our positions appear to be solidified from the outside. We continue to have doubts about the opinions we thought we had established. I was divided between the questions as I read this book, but it's best if you read it first and then figure out the questions and answers for yourself.

This book, in my opinion, is a piece of art, but it is modern art, not a tidy picture, but wide strokes painted with feeling, around the narrative of a foiled assassination plan and an earlier century Jewish ghost, with an unexpected intrusion of the Devil. Toby of Angel Time continues to fulfill specific petitions for the angels as repentance for his prior existence as a mass murderer and executioner.

All of this could only make sense in the hands of a writer like Anne Rice. As far as I can tell, she's been decoding vampires for years, so the realm of Angels and Demons appears to be a natural progression.

She leaves us hanging at the conclusion; just as Toby is about to go to confession and have a lovely reunion with God and his Catholicism, a link from his CIA days emerges as a young stranger asking inquiries - the end!

This is the most apparent lead-in to a sequel I've ever seen, yet it works - I was waiting for the third chapter, but it never arrived; at the very least, the tale was finished.

Final Thoughts:

Anne Rice's books never fail to put me in a trance while I'm reading them or after I've finished them. The want to keep reading her writings usually strikes you like a sudden longing for a cup of hot coffee or a piece of rich chocolate.

Her books are braided into a complicated web of gorgeous design that includes multiple important spiritual truths on every page.

Her latest installment “Of Love and Evil” in the "Songs of the Seraphim" series sticks to the tried-and-true format of her previous works. This isn't meant to be construed as a critique. Her combination of intriguing writing, first-person viewpoints of a solitary personality, and rich historical settings, in fact, brings her books to a very high degree of excellence.

I've read all her books and her works leave a mark of enormous fascination that is impossible to remove. Instead, the reader is only interested in reading the next book in one of her numerous series or conducting a study into some of the fascinating historical, spiritual, or philosophical issues discussed in her writings.

Yes, it was a tiny book, but it was to the point with no fillers, and I was surprised by some readers who were unhappy with the size. I'm not sure what people want; if Anne Rice writes a thousand-page book, they don't like it and complain that it's too lengthy; if she produces a short book, they complain that it's too short; please just make up your minds.

Synopsis:

“The second book in this nationally bestselling series is a gripping metaphysical thriller in which angels partner up with assassins, from the author of Interview with the Vampire.

Barely recovered from his previous divine mission, former contract killer Toby O'Dare is once again summoned by the angel Malchiah to investigate the poisoning of a prominent nobleman and stop the haunting of a diabolical dybbuk. Together, they travel back to fifteenth-century Italy—the age of Michelangelo, the Holy Inquisition, and Pope Leo X—and this time Malchiah has Toby pose as a lute player sent to charm and calm this troublesome spirit. But Toby soon discovers that he is in the midst of plots and counterplots, surrounded on all sides by increasingly dangerous threats as the veil of ecclesiastical terror closes in around him.”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Angel Time, Anne Rice, Back In Time, Book In The Series, Century England, Century Rome, Contract Killer, Guardian Angel, Hit Man, Love And Evil, Lucky The Fox, Main Character, Mayfair Witches, Mission Inn, New Orleans, Right Man, Seraphim Series, Songs Of The Seraphim, Ten Years, Toby O Dare, Toby Odare, Vampire Chronicles

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

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Interview with the Vampire (1994) (R)

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Angel Time Review

Angel Time

Published: 27, October 2009

Author: Anne Rice

Book 1 of 2: The Songs of the Seraphim

Genres: Assassination, Christian, Fiction, Historical, Jewish, Metaphysical, Poetry, Psychic, Suspense, Thrillers, Vampire, Visionary

Check the summary of this book here:

Angel Time Summary

The Review:

In Angel Time, Anne Rice has done it again! Despite the fact that the protagonist in this work and its sequel is a ruthless assassin, the author immerses us in his world and makes us sympathize with him. Toby O'Dare, alias Lucky the Fox, is a tortured soul struggling to reconcile his spiritual sensitivity with his ruthless profession.

When a Seraphim takes him from such a life and sends him to work actually on the side of the angels, we typically rejoice. Anne Rice's portrayals of life in a remote time and place are meticulously researched and fascinating, as they always are.

Toby is a figure that makes us rejoice at his seeming absolution of innumerable misdeeds in his past life, and we eagerly anticipate the next chapter of his exploits, similar to Lestat in Memnoch the Devil.

This time, Anne Rice's primary character is an angel, namely a seraph. When you put the divine creature, in all its beauty and perfection, next to a professional assassin, you get a powerful, mind-blowing novel that tackles themes like faith and sin, anger and forgiveness, the futility of good and the necessity of evil, all mingling together in a single chance to give up your past and start a new life.

Angel Time is a book for people of all faiths. It's a remarkable novel about the atonement that's nearly difficult to put down. Tony O'Dare has had a difficult upbringing. He had numerous siblings and his mother was an alcoholic.

He did everything he could to assist the family. But then something terrible happened, and his life would never be the same. He takes on the role of assassin. He works for a man named 'The Right Man,' who orders hits, and Tony, also known as 'Lucky,' utilizes poison needles.

Tony is nothing but a shell. He's completely hopeless. His dreams are no longer alive. He's basically a walking corpse. The straw that broke the camel's back came after a strike he made in a spot close to his heart.

Despite everything he's been through, he's never lost faith. Anne Rice's prose is stunning, and the writing of the Angel Time, which transports Tony and the angel, is both beautiful and magical. It's convincing and elegant.

First and foremost, Angel Time has the advantage of being a short and easy read. It's simple, yet it's chock-full of historical information and nuggets. Anne Rice's preoccupation with Catholic Monasticism is also prominent throughout the story, in addition to her deep knowledge of the world of Angelic intervention.

I found it fascinating to read about the various forms of education that a monk may study and impart in the course of their dedication. Anne Rice's description of the interaction between Jews and Christians in the middle Ages (and presumably an accurate picture of subsequent centuries) was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

It only goes to show that no matter how religious you are, you are still a human being. Even though Christianity was the dominant religion at the time, monks, priests, and monarchs relied on the knowledge of Judaism to transmit their wisdom.

It's always reassuring to believe that everyone has a guardian angel looking over them, always attempting to communicate with humanity. In a time when Christian hope is hard to come by, here is yet another lovely story of redemption and Christian hope.

If you're interested in learning more about angels, I strongly suggest Billy Graham's book "Angels," which gives a biblical explanation of God's messengers. William Young's "The Shack" is also quite similar in its portrayal of how salvation may be found even in the darkest of situations.

Angel Time by Anne Rice starts with her trademark vivid imagery, which makes the reader feel as though they can see and feel every element she's describing. In this example, she's talking about the Mission Inn in Riverside, California, and I don't think there's a better place to get a better recommendation than here.

Then we learn about Toby O'Dare, the book's primary character and our lute-loving anti-hero, and his tumultuous life. His is a damaged soul if ever there was one, yet, like she has done so many times before, she manages to elicit pity or at the very least empathy for someone who kills on a regular basis and excels at it by detailing in great detail the events that led to him being who he is.

In a strange sense, this novel reminded me of Interview with the Vampire. Only the main character, the Angel, and another character, who has a significant role in the narrative to tell, are the narrators, and they are the ones who put everything together.

It's also amazing how Anne Rice can transport a reader back in time and write about it in a way that's just as plausible and realistic as when she's writing about our own reality.

I've read all of Anne Rice's books and have never been dissatisfied. Her stories draw you in and surround you, whether they are about vampires, witches, the life of Jesus, her own hardships, or angels. This novel will not disappoint Anne Rice lovers. I hadn't given my guardian angel much consideration in years. This book helped me remember that my angel is real and always at my side.

This novel included an Angel visit, but I got the impression it was more like her vampire and witches stories than her most recent, which focuses on Jesus and her version of his life. Those who like her vampire novels will likely appreciate this fantasy featuring angels.

Final Thoughts:

It is a fantastic read for both believers and those who wonder if their lives have any meaning. It was a fascinating read. Insightful and thought-provoking. I highlighted key points that I wanted to go over again and again, but instead of doing so, I read it from beginning to end.

I could empathize with Lucky the Fox because the character felt so real. This book will appeal to everyone who enjoys intelligent reading. As soon as I completed this book, I started reading the following one, "Of Love and Evil."

I really suggest this book to everyone, whether you are a firm believer in God or don't believe at all. Like all of her works, the plot is brilliantly written and linked, and you will leave with more intellectual capability, as she always teaches as well as thoroughly delights.

Angel Time, as predicted, has an open conclusion, as Toby's experiences are not yet complete. Toby's journey to atonement is likely to be as lengthy as his misdeeds have made it, which means the Seraph will provide him with several opportunities to aid mankind and answer the most difficult pleas. 

Overall, Anne Rice has written a wonderful story that will have the reader thoroughly engrossed and anxious to learn everything there is to know about Toby O'Dare, a complicated and tortured character.

Synopsis:

“NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A divinely thrilling series about an assassin with the choice to turn from darkness to light—from the author of Interview with the Vampire

It’s the present day. Toby O’Dare—aka Lucky the Fox—is a contract killer on assignment once again. He’s a soulless soul, a dead man walking. His nightmarish world of lone and lethal missions is disrupted when a mysterious stranger, a seraph, offers him a chance to save rather than destroy lives. O’Dare, who long ago dreamt of being a priest, seizes his chance. Now he is carried back through the ages to thirteenth-century England, to dark realms where children suddenly die or disappear, and accusations of ritual murder have been made against Jews. Here O’Dare begins his perilous quest for salvation, a journey of danger and flight, loyalty and betrayal, selflessness and love.”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Anne Rice, Century England, Guardian Angel, Hit Man, Lucky The Fox, Mayfair Witches, Mission Inn, New Orleans, Right Man, Songs Of The Seraphim, Toby Odare, Vampire Chronicles

Rating: 85/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

https://rebrand.ly/Angel-Time-Kindle

Free With Free Audible Trial

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Interview with the Vampire (1994) (R)

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Queen of the Damned (2002) (R)

https://rebrand.ly/Queen_of_the_Damned_2002_R

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Greenlights

Published: 20, October 2020

Author: Matthew McConaughey

Genres: Memoir, philosophy, poetry, Biographies, Religion & Spirituality, Men's, Self-Help

This is the first book written by the already famous and established artist Matthew McConaughey and it is not just for his fans. I think everyone needs to read this because it is a mash-up of many things and styles, he tells us about his life, his stories, his views and basically it is a man’s story that every man must-read. The reader is going to get a lot of lessons about life from this adventure that is an actual life story of the author.

For a long time I never even noticed who is the man on the cover of this book and what it is all about because I thought it is some politician and never read the name of the book and author until I was told by a friend to check this book.

I loved the adventurous life story about a man and his dog that was traveling and going on expeditions instead of living like other Hollywood celebrities. I think he is very open and admits a lot of stuff that many may never even talk about.

I know some people may hate it to the point of not even finishing it because of the way the author told the truth about his childhood and the things he was taught to do, I am a very open-minded person and I can understand that but some people don’t get it, because they never lived a life like that, so only hate it if you never lied, cheated or did nothing wrong in your life or your parents never fought. I think I already gave some points from the book by discussing this matter so no more spoilers.

I loved the audio version a lot because it was narrated by the author himself and you are going to love it also. I am sharing the link to Audible and if you are a new member, you can get the audio of this book for free with a free one-month trial of audible.

Synopsis:

“#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Over two million copies sold! From the Academy Award®–winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN

“Unflinchingly honest and remarkably candid, Matthew McConaughey’s book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did—and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand.”—Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.

Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges—how to get relative with the inevitable—you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greenlights.”

So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far. This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops.

Hopefully, it’s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot’s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears.

It’s a love letter. To life.

It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.

Good luck.”

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the book here:

https://amzn.to/3nCNg4H

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