Customer Reviews

The Color of Blood (A William Abrahams Book)

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I was lucky to have found this out-of-print Booker Prize nominated title in a second hand bookshop. I was attracted to its setting in an unidentified Eastern bloc country and its tale of political intrigue involving the Church and the State. It also has at its centre the fascinating character of Cardinal Bem whose faith is fully tested as he battles dark forces threatening to unleash chaos on his tension fraught country. The plot moves at a frenetic pace which leaves you breathless. I found myself in the midst of an attempted assasination within the first pages of the novel and propelled into a plot which twists and turns and doesn't let go until the last shocking word is spilled. The ending had a sense of inevitability about it - you could smell it coming. I finished the book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. Moore's cracker paced thriller makes an excellent read. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Though he is a cardinal, Bem has successfully managed to avoid the sin of pride, and is attempting to do the will of his god, within his church. Surrounded by gentle and religious people, immersed in the day-to-day details of his regime, he is totally unprepared for the sudden intrusion of personal violence in his life. An attempt is made on his life, followed by his kidnapping and incarceration. Suddenly, he finds himself struggling against hidden enemies, and struggling to find and feel the will of his god.

This is perhaps the most taut and action-packed of any Brian Moore novels. Right down to the last word, this book will keep you riveted and straining. And in Cardinal Bem, Moore has perhaps created one of his most simply admirable and likeable protagonists ever. But he lacks none of the inner honesty and complexity that mark Moore's protagonists. In addition to being an incredibly suspenseful thriller, the book is as emotive and thought-provoking as anyone could ask. It is a beauty.

Color of Blood is one of the more exciting books that I have read in a long time. The main character, Cardinal Bem, demonstrates to the reader his struggle of being on the run from those who look suspicious, which includes almost anyone. A good book to read when you want suspense with a surprise ending.

I have to admit that the area of organized religious hierarchies and their trappings is not one I am very interested in. That said, I felt that this book failed for me in several ways: 1. I didn't feel for the characters 2. Thus, when the characters were in danger, I did not feel any suspense. 3. I didn't care about the pre-1989 Soviet bloc country or the religious organization inside of that country, further reducing my interest in the outcome. 4. The internal religious moral arguments the main character has with himself are represented by short and summary resolutions - this topic (and others) don't seem to be explored, as much as thrown out and discarded. 5. The detail was very sparse, and I wasn't drawn into the setting.

After finishing the book, I felt as though I had wasted my time.