OBSESSED [2006] By Ted Dekker
My Review 3.5 Stars (Rounded To 4 Stars)
I finished reading this novel last night (December 1st), and in the spirit of full disclosure I have been if not an ardent fan, at least a steady fan of Dekker's who had loved several of his books, including Adam (2008), Boneman's Daughters (2009), The Bride Collector (2010), The Priest's Graveyard (2011), and The Sanctuary (2012). Having said that, this earlier work OBSESSED (2006) was not in the same league. It did not meet my (admittedly high) expectations of this truly talented author who had repeatedly demonstrated his ability to write one outstanding psychological thriller after another beginning in the latter part of the first decade of the 2000's. I would have to say that being a Ted Dekker fan, I feel it was worth reading, but I would place it at the bottom of the list of his works that I have previously read (including a few (like Blink) that I didn't mention above because I really liked it but it was not on par with the others). If you are not already a Ted Dekker fan, I wouldn't recommend you read it. The main reason is because Ted Dekker really IS an amazing writer and I would not want any reader to base what this author is capable of creating based upon this particular book.
TED DEKKER was not a famous New York Times bestselling author at the time he wrote and published OBSESSED. I was fortunate enough to have discovered him fairly early on and loved his novels. Dekker's wheelhouse is thrillers that combine intriguing, riveting plots with incredible if not frightening and chilling confrontations between good and evil. Predictably I fully expected that this early novel would be consistent with his other works. Not so much.
First of all, OBSESSED is at its core pretty much pure historical fiction. There wasn't a spiritual plot to the novel that I could see, and similarly there was also the disappointing absence of the supernatural component that was suggested to be prominent in the story line as well. The protagonist in the novel is Stephen, a Jewish orphan who immigrated to the United States and achieved the American Dream by the time he was in his 30's. His closest friend is perhaps a man known by those close to him as "Rabbi", but he ascribes to the Christian faith. Stephen does not accept his Jewish heritage and in fact, strives to "put the past behind him" (i.e. the Holocaust) and move forward. His character is depicted as basically an optimist, impetuous, spontaneous, and enjoying his life in America as a secular capitalist. One day Stephen learns that his birth mother was a local affluent Jewish recluse (Rachel Spritzer) who has died and donated her possessions to the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles. He finds out through an interesting connection with a rare art and heirloom dealer that he may be the heir to the world famous, legendary "Stones of David", the collection worth a hundred million dollars.
Stephen visits the former home of his birth mother in his capacity as a realtor, and accidentally stumbles upon what is later revealed to be a floor safe concealed cleverly in the boiler room of the basement. He is able to find a photograph of Ruth, the mother of Esther, in his mother's belongings. He becomes "obsessed" with accessing the floor safe to retrieve what he thinks of as his treasure, but gradually Stephen is equally "obsessed" with the photograph of Ruth. The narrative follows the path of Stephen's obsession as he is pitted against the son of a Nazi commandant named Roth Braun (who purchases the house before Stephen can retrieve the contents of the floor safe).
Fortunately, this work of historical fiction seamlessly transitions from modern day Los Angeles circa 1973 to a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. The author's depiction of what life was like in a Nazi work camp for three young Jewish women in particular is both fascinating and heart-wrenching. These women (Ruth, Martha, and Rachel) and their experiences at the hands of a sadistic murderer (Roth's father Gerhard) form the foundation for the plot that unfolds nearly three decades later as Gerhard's son Roth and the son of a concentration camp survivor (Stephen) match wills to fulfill their own very different obsessions.
As a reader, I was simply unable to "connect" with Stephen, the hero of the tale. I didn't perceive him to be particularly sympathetic, although he did accept the love of his late mother's dog (albeit not immediately). I found it frankly incredible that his obsession for obtaining the untold riches of the Stones Of David (believed to be in the floor safe in the basement) would transform him into the nut case that he became as a result of the obsession. More incredible still, his fixation on the photo of Ruth was not plausible. It recalled the plight of Christopher Reeve's character in the film Somewhere In Time. Keep in mind that his "obsession(s)" did not stem from any religious beliefs on his part. Therefore we must accept that a successful realtor who is intelligent and responsible would well "wig out" as a result of the aforementioned revelations.
The despicable Nazi Roth Braun was driven by an evil obsession (a certain damning journal and the priceless "Stones of David" neither the main "prize"). He was far more believable as a caricature of evil incarnate. The occult angle of this novel was loosely based upon the reports that Hitler was prone to dabbling in the occult, as were members of his high command. Commandant Gerhard was a "believer" in the occult and the power to harvest souls. Hundreds of Jewish female prisoners died at his hands using what was referred to as the ritual of the red scarf. His 12-year old son Roth is converted wholly and enthusiastically to belief in the devil and what power could be obtained through the black arts. Although he is believable in the role of a ruthless narcissistic sociopath who was willing to do anything to deliver "the goods" to Satan, there was nothing "supernatural" about the shenanigans that I could see.
One could argue that there was spirituality displayed at the conclusion of the novel, but the triumph of good over evil felt more like an anticlimax or a sigh rather than a thunderous victory. Finally, on a positive note, the portions of the novel that were set in the horror of the concentration camp were riveting and powerful. Additionally I would have to give the author kudos for his ability to evoke such a wide range of emotions. I literally laughed out loud at the sheer comedic idiocy of Stephen's actions and his attempts to breach the security of the evil Germans to access the safe. Conversely, the scenes in the Nazi work camps made me shed tears on several occasions. I would give this book 3.5 Stars. It's a well written piece of historical fiction but is not on par with any of his other works that I have been privy to reading.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Mass Market Paperback
"Please retry" | $59.60 | $34.90 |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $33.97 | $11.95 |
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
$17.30
Get it Dec 18 - 22
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
RosieB
Great book! Love all of Ted Dekker's books
Reviewed in Canada on February 25, 2016
Judy D.
Arrived in very good condition and I am happy to have it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2016
