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by Kirsti Vilkama
Historical Fiction
121 pages
Meredith Kalamanos’ mother once said, “I think that there is nothing worse in the world than Christians.” Her opinion was shared with most of the Romans of 50 AD, causing the early Christians to be hated, mocked, and persecuted severely in the time that Meredith lived in.
As a Roman patrician’s daughter, Meredith had many doubts about her parents’ religious ways. Once she met Marcus, a Christian, she knew she had found her place in the world. Unfortunately, the Christians were mistreated and Meredith, along with her fellow Christians, had to find a way to avoid persecution and remain in faith.
Meredith was kind and caring. She took the blame when a new slave girl took her mother’s ointment and didn’t agree with her parents’ interests, such as happily watching people being slaughtered for enjoyment. She was also courageous, standing up to the emperor and confessing her faith while knowing the consequences that could follow: imprisonment, torture, and even death. On the other hand, Meredith’s mother was vain and dishonest, making her servants pamper her for hours and get her ready to perform in the theater, an act that patricians were not supposed to do.
While the Romans believed in gods and goddesses, Meredith learned that even some of the most innocent people are prosecuted because the liability needs to be on someone, like during the fire that the emperor started and blamed on the Christians. I learned that one does not need to have everything they want to be happy in life; the Christians living in the slums were more content than the emperor, who lived in great wealth.
The story of Meredith and the Christians makes me see how I can and should be happy with what I have, not always wanting more. It reminds me of Kristityn Yksittäisten Koettelemusten, in which Niina also had to hide her faith from her parents and friends in fear of persecution. We can all learn from the lessons of this story.
- Reviewed by Ashley N.
React to this Review Great Rivers Regional Library
Hennepin County Library
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