GO DOWN TO SILENCE: A NOVEL
G.K. Belliveau
Multnomah Publishers
April 2001
ISBN 1-576-73736-5
Inspirational fiction

Hearing that his old friend Pierre is dying, Jacob Horowitz decides to go to Belgium to see him. Before he can do this, he must make peace with his estranged sons and reconcile himself with his past. Through flashbacks, the reader sees his life as he hid from the Germans during World War II. His memories lead you through the pain of losing his entire family, the terror of fleeing the Nazis, and the divided feelings he has about his religion. He is torn between the Christianity of those who save his life and the Judaism of his heritage. In the present, we share the rocky road to forgiveness between father and son.

For me, this was a difficult book for two reasons. The first is that I have a hard time reading flashbacks, however, readers who are not bothered by this should not find this an impediment. Second, it was very disturbing, even horrifying to see the reality of the human monsters we call Nazis. The cruel world of Jacob's memories easily equals the most shocking things seen on today's news. You can not help but be touched and repulsed by his nightmare.

 

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

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