Customer Reviews

Saints and Villains

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a heavily biographical novel about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a noted German theologian and martyr. This book gives significant insight into Bonhoeffer's personality and to the events that shaped him. It also paints a grim picture of the onset of World War II and the mentality of Germany and England at the time. This book shows Bonhoeffer's human side as well as the strong character for which he is famous. It clearly outlines the struggles he went through on his faith journey, and the fortitude with which he faced prison and death for his beliefs. This is an emminently readable book, and I highly recommend it. It was one of those books you hate to see end.

This book is several things. First, it is the story of a heroic man's struggle to do his part to fight the evil that he knew existed in Germany during World War Two. Second, it is a story of a boy growing into a man, imperfections and all. Third, it is about the development of one man's soul and sense of purpose. Finally, it is the story of Germany, of a country as it descends into an abyss.

The book is extremely well written. It introduces us to an "inside" view of Hitler's rise to power and Germany's response to it. We meet our hero as a boy, and watch as he grows into a man. We follow him through school, through his search for self and meaning. The main character is undoubtedly a hero, but not in a story-book sense. He is - like all of us - not a perfect being. He has trouble with relationships. He has fear - great fear. He has uncertainty. But that makes his heroism all the more striking.

Bonhoffer is from a very wealthy, famous German family. He is safe - had he sat back and kept quiet, there is little doubt that he would have made it through the war untouched. Yet, he rises to the occasion. The story is fascinating in its unique perspective - this man, from this very German family, gives us a glimpse of how Germany descended into insanity. We watch as he struggles with his own doubts, his own feelings of frustration and anger, and as he struggles with doing what is right versus fighting against his own country and government. It is simply gripping to read.

The writing is clear and crisp and filled with meaning. The story literally flows... you will find yourself unable to put the book down. Read this book and watch and as an incredible man faces danger and fear, and rises above it. A great read!

Great introduction into the life of a facinating man, but seriously lacking in portraying an acurate sense of his beliefs. Read "Letters and Papers from Prison" to find out how this modern man really understood the connection between a truly Christ centered life while living through the nadir of human existence as represented by Nazi Germany. I don't believe that this book comes close to understanding Bonhoeffer's theology and faith. Giardina seems to filter his theology through a 90's social/cultural perspective. What's left is only a shallow portrayal of this man of faith. The value of the book to me is that it made me want to know more. Still, it was a very good read, providing an interesting sense of the insidiouness of Nazism in Germany in the 1930s. Check out the Bonhoeffer home page for more about this modern saint.

Denise Giardina's Saints and Villains portrays the life and struggle of the German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, against the Nazi regime. While effective in parts- - particularly well-written are the prison scenes- - one encounters a Bonhoeffer completely devoid of any "heroic" qualities: he stumbles and bumbles his way through seminaries, through lecture-halls, through his pastorates, through his personal relationships, and into a conspiracy to kill Hitler. He writes nothing that anybody can understand; he gives lectures that make no impression on students; his preaching is dull, depressing, and ignored. Instead of being one of the driving forces behind the Confessing Church Movement, he is little more than a minor figure, a gadfly- - given to emotional outbursts, rather than complex, profoundly reasoned arguments. Indeed, most troubling is G.'s depiction of Bonhoeffer as a theologian: she has him spout a few cliches from The Cost of Discipleship, The Ethics, and The Letters and Papers- - with very little reflection. Amazingly, in her portrayal of B.'s spiritual conflicts, she manages to have him, rarely, if ever, say anything about his beliefs about Christ - - a rather surprising omission in light of B.'s extensive writings on the subject. Likewise, other than one passing mention, Karl Barth- - a leading figure in B.'s development as a theologian, and driving force in the Confessing Church- - is absent. Rheinhold Niebuhr appears as a foul-mouthed cynic. In reading G.'s novel, the greatest influence on Bonhoeffer as pastor and thinker, is a fictional composite, the African-American preacher, Fred Bishop- - who is shown leaving behind his church to go down in silicate mines in W. Virginia; dying as an alcoholic in a mine-explosion To be sure, Bonhoeffer is noted for his social-activism, but it is also clear that there was a profound and deep belief- - particularly in the Suffering and Saving Christ- - that motivated it. In the end, one has a despairing, doubting, and dubious Bonhoeffer- - which may very well reflect the author's reading of her subject; but it is one that also needs to be greatly supplemented by B.'s own writings, and the accounts of those who knew him. This caveat is needed, in light of the author's and publisher's intention that Saints and Villains become part of a "Reading Discussion Group".

Giardina has taken only a few liberties with history and has produced a riveting account of a "good German" in the Hitler era. I could hardly put it down while reading, and was prompted to further research about both Bonhoeffer and the Hawk's Nest incident afterwards. I have visited Germany and have friends there, and I have often thought about what it was like to live during that dreadful time. Another aspect of the story is the way it underlines the importance of family in forging and reinforcing values. Highly recommended reading.

"Saints and Villians" is a beautifully written historical fiction set in Germany during the years immediately prior to and including the Nazi period. It is the story of Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who was one of the few who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazis. The story was as exciting as any adventure novel. As the Nazis came to power, the author details the gradual loss of freedoms and increasing oppression of the Jews, immersing the reader in a story made that more devastating because it actually happened. Detrich is pictured as a very believable hero, with plenty of human weaknesses, having doubts and making mistakes along the way. In my opinion, that makes him even more admirable. A love story, plenty of bad guys, a few good guys struggling to prevail against unspeakable evil....all combines to make this novel into one of the best books I've read in a long time.

I bought this book because I had some knowledge of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and because I've read several Ballantine's Readers Circle novels and found them all to be interesting, challenging, and worth my time. Saints and Villains has made me think again about Jews and their place in European history. I have known of the Holocaust since I was a small child, but this novel made me think about day-to-day life as Hitler grew from being a fringe leader (like Pat Buchanan), frightening no one, to the leader of a warring empire, sometimes seeming unstoppable. It's hard to imagine a time in which Hitler seemed unstoppable, but I think we all must, if we can, in order to understand how fear made average people do uncommonly evil things--and, like Pastor Bonhoeffer, uncommonly good.

I wanted to read something that portrayed a German who lived through World War II and took action against the evil of his time. This book does a good job of portraying the difficulties Hitler's German opponents faced. They couldn't get assistance from the British (and were actually disdained as traitors!) and found the early German military victories, one after another, made Hitler more and more popular and harder to dispose of. Bonhoeffer was a human saint, principled yet afraid. This book is a good introduction and made me want to learn more about Bonhoeffer. I am now reading his "Letters and Papers from Prison".

This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. The story is rich and complex, with a cast of characters, both real and fictional, that are interwoven througout the story. This book will really make you think, and put a lot of everyday problems we all have into perspective. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an incredibly courageous man--physically and spiritually.

I highly recommend this book--it's moral fiber will stay with you for years to come.

This book does a really great job of enfleshing and enlivening an individual who is usually seen as a modern day saint. In this book, the author protrays Dietrich Bonhoeffer, warts and all, and still shows him to be someone who inspires the greatest admiration. Additionally, Ms. Giardina truly captures the essence of the Hitler regime and its effect on both the innocent and the less than. She also provides a seemingly realistic view of WWII from a rarely seen perspective, those Germans who loved God and their country but despised their leader. The parallels of America's dealing with race relations of that time with Germany's treatment of the Jews was another interesting aspect of the novel. One wonders how he or she would respond in the same circumstances. Don't shy away from it because of it's religious subject matter. This is a great book for all, religious persuasion notwithstanding.