Review of "Iscariot"

Awesome, awesome, awesome book by Tosca Lee that gives an account of the life of Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus. Full summary can be found here. Formal review:

Judas Iscariot, also known as the man who betrayed Jesus, has been vilified for a very long time. Because he was a traitor and did such a horrible deed, few people have dared to look past the deed to the man himself and try to see the humanity in him. Few people have dared to wonder if perhaps he was, in many ways, like us ourselves. There may be a passing remark about having pitied him a little, a murmured word of sympathy, but in the end people find it hard to see him as human because of how evil the thing he did was.

What if he made a huge mistake? What if he wasn't some traitorous man who wanted Jesus dead the whole time, but a man who loved Jesus and followed him? What if he what he did was simply because he was scared? These questions are just some of those that Tosca Lee causes us to ask ourselves as we embark on a journey through the life of the man who betrayed Jesus. As we follow someone who was flawed, frightened, and desperately trying to do the right thing--someone that we can find in all of us if we search our hearts a little.

If you have any preconceived notions of Judas and the kind of man he was, I suggest that you let them go as you take this achingly beautiful plunge through his tragic, hard life as he struggles with hopes, dreams and fears just as so many of us do today. You will find yourself able to relate to him in many instances--his insecurities, his needs, the way he desperately tries to be loyal... how completely and truly human he is.

This novel not only changes the views we've had for centuries on Judas, but also those we've had for Jesus Christ. We see the way He tries to make us understand, and the way He loves us unconditionally, and wants so desperately to show us the truth in an age when people refuse to see it.

Reading this will cause you to rethink everything you know, not only about religious icons but about yourself as well. Tosca Lee crafts everything perfectly, from the stunning commencement to the striking conclusion. Rich, detailed prose gives us the feeling of actually being there, of being beside Jesus Himself and hearing His loving parables that He tries so desperately to make us understand.

This is not a tale of betrayal and horror as one may expect when thinking of the life of Judas Iscariot, but a tale of love and the tragic beauty of life. You will not leave this tale unscathed; it will surely remain in your heart and just as it will remain in mine for years to come, and it will change the way you look at things forever. 

I'm very glad to have won this book in Goodreads First Reads giveaway. For any fans of historical fiction and/or biographies, I'd recommend this book. I found it especially beautiful perhaps because I'm Catholic, but I believe that anyone can enjoy it, religious or not. It has some wonderful messages and morals.

Final Verdict: 8.8/10

Happy Reading!
~Amber