The Priest's Graveyard - Ted Dekker

“Judge not or else you’ll be judged.”

Rating:



Summary:
On the surface, it’s the story of a man who bestows judgment on those whom the law will not touch—on those who commit the worst crimes and get away with it. He gives them the option to repent or suffer the consequences, which would most likely be death.

On the surface, it’s the story of a victim of one of these crimes who follows the priest’s path and seeks revenge for the crime against her.

On the surface, it’s a thrilling novel that captivates the reader with its riveting characters and plot about revenge and justice that gives you your book high from the first page to the last.

But that’s just on the surface.

Analysis:
The Priest’s Graveyard is a remarkable story about life and death, love and hate, and mercy and justice. If you experienced something terrible, how would you react if the authorities did nothing about it? Personally, I probably would have been right beside the woman taking vengeance out on the perpetrator.

Once again, Ted Dekker created a compelling story that kept me glued to the pages. He managed to construct personal characters who think, feel, and suffer just like everyone else. Written in first person from the woman’s perspective, The Priest’s Graveyard forges a bond between the reader and the story. My heart broke when hers broke.

But most importantly, this book teaches you something if you are willing to listen: “Judge not or else you’ll be judged.” Throughout the book, Danny judges others for their crimes, but he is as guilty as they were. His problem is that he realizes this far too late.

This book was one of Dekker’s best-written books for its highly intense and fast- paced storyline. From the first page, I was addicted and desperate to find out how it progressed. I devoured it. The only downside was how suddenly it ended. I was literally on edge until the last pages, but then it stopped so abruptly. I felt as if there should have been a few more pages to help take me off of the high.

Overall, it is an excellent book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a suspense-filled novel.