Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Thief of Glory: A Novel by Sigmund Brouwer

Book Description:  A boy coming of age in a time of war…
the love that inspires him to survive.
 For ten year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows—his frail, troubled mother. 
Amidst starvation, brutality, sacrifice and generosity, Jeremiah draws on all of his courage and cunning to fill in the gap for his mother. Life in the camps is made more tolerable as Jeremiah’s boyhood infatuation with his close friend Laura deepens into a friendship from which they both draw strength. 
When the darkest sides of humanity threaten to overwhelm Jeremiah and Laura, they reach for God’s light and grace, shining through his people. Time and war will test their fortitude and the only thing that will bring them safely to the other side is the most enduring bond of all.

My Thoughts:  This is the first book that I've read by Sigmund Brouwer...what a read!  To be honest the title caught my attention...Thief of Glory...Who steals glory and can glory be stolen?  What is glory?
Another war story...tissue alert!
It seems that ten year-old Jeremiah is quite a responsible young man.  This is his story of survival and faith!  Jeremiah sees more than the present he sees beyond the dust and dirt the strife and anger.  
Jeremiah's mother seems to be rather self centered and non responsive...can't deal with life.  Jeremiah also becomes the parent and it seems that his mother becomes the child. But there are surprises along this journey of life.
Jeremiah makes a friendship with a girl he knows, Laura.  He and Laura become close friends when their families are placed in camps.  Friendships help people survive!
It seems that starvation, brutality, death and unkindness can actually make some people stronger and able to survive.  Such seems to be the case of Jeremiah and Laura.
Quite a read!
*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook/Multnomah*
  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: WaterBrook Press (August 19, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307446492
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307446497

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