The descriptions of Lisbon, the Inquisition and the earthquake which destroyed the city (providentially for Our Hero)are the reason that I gave this book two stars rather than one. That is the good stuff.The not so good stuff - the revenge/retribution/atonement mashup that is the plot, and the superhero protagonist with two - count 'em two - damsels in distress to rescue. And a little girl. Major melodrama and a fair bit of swashbuckling (able to take out six heavily armed Inquisition thugs in less than a minute - SHAZAM!) and pretty corny. Another fantastic book of historical fiction from David Liss. A story of revenge against the Portuguese Inquisition, the book takes place in the Lisbon of the mid 1700's just prior to the Great Lisbon earthquake and tsunami. The main character, a young man orphaned by the inquisition and smuggled to England, returns in disguise years later to find the love he left behind and to seek revenge for the execution of his parents. However, it is also a story about a man seeking atonement and absolution for the guilt he feels as the sole survivor of the family and for the violent life he has led since leaving Portugal. It is a world in which the Inquisition holds nearly unlimited power to arrest, torture and kill citizens and foreigners alike in its effort to preserve "the one true faith". There is danger around every corner for the young man and along the way he is duped, betrayed, and nearly killed, but he also finds his moral center and his reason for living once again. It has an exciting, attention grabbing beginning and a shocking plot twist 3/4 of the way through the book which re-invigorates the plot and brings the story to a thrilling conclusion. At the midway point of the book, my interest flagged briefly, but the plot twist and the final surprising revelations make for a wonderful, thrilling conclusion. If you like historical fiction or thrillers generally, this is a great read. I've read three or four of Liss's books now and while most are quite good, I found this one particularly compelling - perhaps the best yet.
Do You like book Day Of Atonement (2014)?
Good historical novel with the Portuguese Inquisition as a back drop.
—jen_myers21
Great historical fiction. Looking forward to the next David Liss.
—janicelin
Another swashbuckling tale in the Liss tradition. A good read.
—Sue
Quick read. Thrilling but unbelievable at times.
—hawa123
