While the book was at times a bit slow moving, especially in the beginning, the overall story was memorable and moving. Bob had such character and faith in God that helped him to endure the disappointment of a forced career change, courage in a precarious undercover work in a violent and oppressive communist country/city, and hope and gratitude in a depraved and damaging captivity in a Soviet prison.

It is amazing how Bob was able to keep an attitude of grace, thankfulness, strength, and love despite how much oppression, harm and awful environment he endured. It was the epitome of “love your neighbor” in action. I am completely sure that that level of finding something to be thankful for and loving others is what got him thru that without being completely hopeless or give in to the horrible treatment. And even more so, that he was able to show one of his captors, who should have been his enemy, that kind of love and gratitude in the midst of that, which brought him to the Lord in the end. Man... what an example.

As for the writing itself, it was just slower, a bit dry and more drawn out than I’d prefer. I probably would have given it 3 stars if not for the great content of Bob’s experience and how much I admire him from it. The first quarter I got pretty bored but the rest picked up more. I could have done without the intro details at the beginning of the chapters also. They really weren’t very relevant to the story and didn’t really lend all that much to the theme in general. Often I struggled to figure out what they had to do with anything, and or what they were trying to convey being out of context like that.

Also, at the beginning of the book, the author listed a “chart of characters” for both real and fictional characters. But the list was so arbitrary it was odd. At first I thought it was important but then characters that were barely mentioned once or twice made it to the list, and major characters - even Luisa, one of the main ones, Murdock, etc - weren’t even mentioned at all. I would think it’d have just been better to omit it if it was going to be that random, because I kept going back to it trying to figure out what I was missing before realizing I wasn’t.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️’s rounded up. I loved all the concepts of this - interracial relationships in the 1860’s, a refreshing honesty and transparency between the characters, the friendships between the women, and not giving up on the people you love. While some of the storyline was a little simple and predictable, it had some added complexities and history that was really enjoyable.

Although fairly predictable, and sad, I enjoyed the story. It was well written and showed how much secrets and lies and bitterness shatters families, even when it seems there are valid reasons for it.

Loved it. It moved slow enough to give you time to think and guess about what really happened with Aliscia and her story, but fast enough, and with enough twists that I never got bored. And I didn’t see the end coming. Really great!

I realize I’m in the minority on my rating but I just didn’t like Evelyn in the book at all. The writing was great and the book was interesting, don’t get me wrong, but Evelyn’s character - and just about everyone else in the book - was willing to do anything and everything for the sake of ambition and fame, and no matter the cost to anyone else or who lost out because of her choices.

I get that that’s probably completely accurate of Hollywood, but I prefer stories of women who advocate for themselves and each other without tearing others down or reducing themselves to what their body can manipulate for them. Even her biography for Monique was her being honest after she was dead and had nothing to lose or risk. To the end she was completely self-serving. Just not my favorite.