Temptation...

Finished this (finally) this weekend...

Whenever I had a chance I was reading – but it’s a very intense book and sometimes was best doled out in small doses...

I am torn about what to say here. In some ways this book made me very angry. In other ways it was one of the most enlightening reads I have had in my life.

The light that was shed on Jesus as a man is fresh, and searing at the same time – you almost feel as if your soul is being held to the fire.

I can totally understand (and similarly condemn) the church’s (Catholic) view on this book. I believe any Christian would be well served reading this novel.

Kazantzakis was incredibly ahead of his time and a very brave man – I don’t want to give away too much though (just in case any of you ARE going to read this book). However in his approach – not only to Christ’s all too real ‘humanness’ but also on the way the betrayal was handled and, on his creation of Christ’s ‘last temptation’ - all swirl together (realistically/and horrifically ), culminating in real moments of soul searching for the reader.

I’d love to talk more in depth about this book and I am hoping to do so, on a much more intense level. I’d love to hear some other opinions from people who have read this book and/or those who fancy themselves ‘scholarly’ in such pursuits – hell (LOL) I’d LOVE to talk to one of our priests about this book.

At any rate…some of the most breath-takingly beautiful passages I have ever read in my life are contained within the pages of this book – I highly recommend this to all of you – be prepared to be challenged and made rather uncomfortable (especially if you consider yourself a Christian).

A beintot mes amis
Colette