Customer Reviews

Wings of Refuge

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lynn Austin does a great job of blending the lives of Abby, Hannah, and Leah into a story of the power of hate and the even stronger power of forgiveness. She accomplishes this by putting you right into the lives of each of these women through a series of "flashbacks" throughout the story. At first this bothered me (I'm not a "dream sequence fan!") but as the book progressed I realized that it was the best way to tell each story. When you experience the hurt with them, you can also experience the joy and peace that forgiveness brings.

For people interested in history of the Holy Lands, this covers the Roman invasions to present day conflicts. The descriptions of the wars and the prejudice are accurate give insight that we don't get from the news. I learned a lot, after I stopped skimming those parts! They are important to help you know the characters - and how forgivess was hard for them and those they love.

An excellent choice for you who love historial fiction, as well as you romance-only readers. This books shows that everyone needs to be forgiven - and sometimes forgiving ourselves is hardest of all. A second wonderful book by Lynn Austin.

This is the story of Abby's summer in Israel at an archealogical dig. This is also the story of Leah, one of the early Christians; the story of Hannah, an archealogist; and the story of Ari & Rachel, Hannah's daughter. These are women with brave love stories and historical elements that withstand the test of time.

Abby has just been rocked by the betrayal of her husband's infidelity. She tries to escape from it all by going to Israel. There she meets Hannah and Ari. But as in everything, not all is as it seems.

Ms. Austin weaves the historical stories throughout the narrative very well. The reader is pulled into every story. I found myself tearing up at various points because the stories were so moving.

This is a novel about forgiveness and the lesson that you can't run from your pain--you have to face it. And the characters in the story face their own pain and learn to live again.

The story pulls you into the holy land and what it would actually be like to go on a dig. It has todays' people with todays' problems, and compares it to ancient times, and we see how similar each generation is. It explains how Jesus became the ulitmate sacrifice for all the world. I ended up falling in love with each of the characters. It has a wonderful ending.

What a powerful novel that weaves the Israeli/Palestine conflict and the lives that are affected by terrorism. Abigail MacLeod needed time to think away from her husband and children so she joined an archaeology team on a dig in Israel. Before she can even leave the airport, a man whom she just met is murdered. The suspense, as the murder investigation continues, rap around the archaeology team of Dr Hannah Rahov and son-in-law Dr Ari Bazak. Through a bizarre set of events, Abby learns what is true forgiveness. Without forgiveness, the heart can find no peace and contentment. Hannah & Ari had to learn the same lessons as they live in a terror torn country where they lost loved ones. This book is a treasured addition to my library collection.

This is an captivating book in that it manages to really convey the problems of the Middles East within its pages. That also makes it a hard book at times - it is definitely depressing. While the ending shows promise for Abby, she is the only one. Hannah, Ari, Rachel, Leah, Ben...its tragedy upon tragedy. Which unfortunately is true of the Middle East, so I think it is an important message for us to hear. There is also an important message of faith and forgiveness in this book and helps us to see the layers of problems we have built in society - and why peace in the Middle East is such a distant dream.

Abby leaves the United States to go on an archeological dig in the Holy Land. She is filing for divorce after her husband's infidelity, and hopes the month-long trip will help her come to grips with reality. On the plane she befriends a kindly Israeli man sitting next to her. He is shot and dies in her arms at the airport. Under suspicion by the Israeli government, she goes on the dig.

Abby meets and instantly likes Hannah, the leader of the group. As artifacts are uncovered, the story flashes back to 46 A.D., showing the life of Leah, who will become one of the early Christians. We are also shown the past of Hannah and her family. The book moves seamlessly and brilliantly from one to another. The overall theme is how love and forgiveness are essential through difficult times and events.

The plot of the story is good; there are twists, turns and surprises to keep you turning the pages. At the same time, the characterization is superb. You will care about each person in this book. The ending is great. Reading Wings of Refuge is like taking part in the story. I really loved this book and plan to read everything that Lynn Austin has written!

This novel has an amazing depth of history and spiritual insight that cannot be fully comprehended with one reading. Whether it is the story of Abby an American Schoolteacher, Hannah an Israeli archaeologist, or Leah a new testament servant girl and Yeshua believer, the theme is very clear- God sent his son to forgive everyone of their sins. However, we too must forgive in order to receive this wonderful gift.
The book is filled with memorable quotes. My favorite being, "We are those individual stones in God's design. . . The master artist cuts us and shapes us so that we each fit into place."

This was the 5th Lynn Austin book I read in a row, and my least favorite of them all. Somehow the flashbacks of 2000 years became a bit tedious to me, with no actual familial connection as was the case in the other books of hers that I read. There were some story-lines of a more violent nature , in keeping with the actual history of the geographical area which is the setting of the book. Those seemed too close to actual events of the age we now live in to be enjoyable reading for me. I read similar things in the news everyday. There were, of course, instances of ultimately redeemed lives and situations, which were commendable and in keeping with her usual writing. In spite of those instances, however, I personally wouldn't choose to read another one like it.

Lynn Austin's book, Wings of Refuge demonstrates peace between ethnic factions in print. She masterfully draws the reader into the heart of the Israeli and Palestinian people in a way that no news media can picture. Her reluctant protagonist, an angry Christian, becomes a catalyst between the two opposing factions. Austin shows how only through the redemption of Christ can there be unity among mankind. A great read that might be shared with non-Christians of all ethnic backgrounds.

Fantastic! I don't usually read Historical Fiction, but I'm so glad I read this one. The book is actually the stories of 3 different women, and spans time periods from 46 AD to 1999. The setting is Israel, and there is intrigue, romance, history, politics, and religion in each of the stories of the women. Each story is interwoven with the others, to become one wonderful book! Words can not convey how captivating and compelling the women's lives are.

Abby MacCleod is a teacher, on the verge of divorce, who volunteers for a trip to Israel to work on an archaeological dig. Right off the bat, she gets more than she bargained for, when a kind, older gentleman is shot and dies in her arms.

Hannah Rahov is the woman in charge of Abby's dig. She is older than Abby, and walks with two canes. Her cousin is the man who was murdered. Her story comes to light in bits and pieces, and we eventually learn about her life and her family, and what caused her injury.

Ari Bazak is a mystery in himself. A good looking middle aged man, he is reserved and cold most of the time, but his knowledge and passion for archaeology is great. And he wears a gun underneath his loose fitting shirt.

Leah's story unfolds as Hannah, Abby, Ari and others on the dig, unearth relics and treasures from times long passed. Her life is filled with saddness, but also with great love.

I was sorry to finish reading about these characters. I loved them all, and loved all the characters/people who were a part of their lives; husbands, children etc. I even cried while reading a couple of times! So there's your proof of how involved I was with all of it!

And,on top of everything else, I learned a lot about Jewish history, culture, and spiritual beliefs. What a rich heritage the Jewish people have! And from reading this book, I truly felt as tho I was in Israel too, walking beside these woman and sharing their lives.
I loved this book!
Oh, really?? :/
:D