“Amora by Grant Hallstrom is a story that, while fictional, is based on the factual story of the noblewoman who was the inspiration behind the petition of Justin Martyrn to the Roman Senate. It puts Roman politics and decidedly Christian themes on a collision course that will absolutely grip the reader. It tells the story of Amora and her husband Leo, who serve the Emperor and the hierarchy of the Romans. Leo is a hardworking Patrician man who made a lot of sacrifices by being patient to choose one of the best women available for marriage, Amora, whom he married when she was a young woman. As tragedy seeps into the household, the bonds between them are tested, and their normal lives are questioned.
The main characters, Amora and Leo, represent the two sides of the world, which are good and evil, respectively. At first, the story starts by describing the love between the two, showing their devotion to one another and to their society. Things got a lot worse when tragedy struck, as this began the downward spiraling of their relationship. The story depicts love and forgiveness when compared to Roman immorality, hatred, and brutality. The descent into evil and darkness culminates at the apex of the story. There are also some side characters who ease the mind of the reader with their refreshing love and the gradual development of it.
There are a lot of positives to take from the book. At its very best, the book in its entirety contains diverse emotions ranging from love to disgust to happiness, sadness, and pity. In this rollercoaster of emotions, the book manages to instill a lot of good morals in an individual, ranging from love to forgiveness to sincerity to kindness and lots more. The unpredictability of the book stands out a lot, making it a book with a lot of twists that make you contemplate as well as anticipate the new page you are about to open. All the roles of the side characters were fulfilled because I worried that with the multitude of characters, the author wouldn’t be able to do so.
One thing I found a bit disliking is the length of the book. I felt that with the way the story was told, it could have been cut shorter by a few chapters. This does not in any way affect my rating of the book, which is five out of five stars. The book was exceptionally well edited, as I found no errors throughout reading it.
I would like to recommend the book to people who enjoy history while exploring some of the complex themes of emotions and relationships. This is also a good, thought-provoking book. This is also definitely for people coping with grief and heartbreak who, I hope, can find peace and closure within the confines of the book. Finally, people who enjoy historical fiction will also find this to their satisfaction. Overall, anyone seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read will find Amora a compelling choice. This is definitely ‘top shelf’ reading material.”
5 out of 5 stars
by Adekeye Hassan musab
