Skip to main content

The Confessions of X by Suzanne M. Wolfe: A Book Review

The Confessions of X
Author: Suzanne M. Wolfe
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Before he became a father of the Christian Church, Augustine of Hippo loved a woman whose name has been lost to history. This is her story.

     She met Augustine in Carthage when she was seventeen. She was the poor daughter of a mosaic-layer; he was a promising student and heir to a fortune. His brilliance and passion intoxicated her, but his social class would be forever beyond her reach. She became his concubine, and by the time he was forced to leave her, she was thirty years old and the mother of his son. And his Confessions show us that he never forgot her. She was the only woman he ever loved.

     In a society in which classes rarely mingle on equal terms, and an unwed mother can lose her son to the burgeoning career of her ambitious lover, this anonymous woman was a first-hand witness to Augustine’s anguished spiritual journey from secretive religious cultist to the celebrated Bishop of Hippo.

     Giving voice to one of history’s most mysterious women, The Confessions of X tells the story of Augustine of Hippo’s nameless lover, their relationship before his famous conversion, and her life after his rise to fame. A tale of womanhood, faith, and class at the end of antiquity, The Confessions of X is more than historical fiction . . . it is a timeless story of love and loss in the shadow of a theological giant.

     My Review: If you’ve read The Confessions of St. Augustine, you will know that it is a story of redemption. His autobiography is highly reminiscent of the parable “The Prodigal Son.” In it, he was lost and strayed far from God and created many sins. Eventually, he found God and changed his way of life. One of these sins was that he took a concubine and remained with her for fifteen years, giving her a son out of wedlock. In The Confessions of X, Augustine’s concubine tells their relationship in her own words. Throughout her novel, she searches for her happiness.

     The protagonist in this story is nameless. Despite her anonymity, she seems to be utterly real. She is the daughter of a mosaic-layer and comes from a poor social class. Her father abandons her, leaving her in the care of her aunt and uncle. When she is a teenager, she meets the young, passionate, and charismatic man, Augustine. She falls passionately in love with him, and runs away to be with him. Because she is of a lower social class than he is, they cannot marry. Still, they live together anyway and have a son. Augustine has a teaching job in Milan. However, because he has a concubine, he cannot advance in his career. In order to give him the job he desperately wants, the protagonist decides to leave him. With her absence, Augustine finds himself free to give his life to God and change his ways.

     The protagonist is really strong. She has suffered much unhappiness in her life. Yet, she finds a way to cope and to go on living. She is very selfless, for she is willing to give up her love for Augustine just so he can be happy. Throughout the novel, she is always seeking her faith. She is constantly asking questions about life. She also asks questions about who she is and what she wants.

     Overall, this novel is about love, courage, choices, sacrifice, loss, and forgiveness. It is about a woman’s quest to find her identity and her happiness. This novel is beautifully written, and the characters are very human. I like how we get to meet some of the saints in this book. I felt that the era had come alive. I recommend this book to anyone interested in St. Augustine’s life, and to those who want to read an emotional, tragic, love story that will impact them after the final page has been read.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) by John Edward Mullen: A Book Review

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) Author: John Edward Mullen Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Western  Publisher: Murders in Time Press Release Date: 2022 Pages: 300 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the winter of 1892, the once-vibrant gold-mining town of Bodie, California is in serious decline.        Nell Doherty, an 18-year-old young woman with a wooden leg, dreams of leaving and becoming a Pinkerton detective.       When a tragic shooting presents her with an opportunity to prove she has the skills needed to work for the Pinkertons, Bodie’s justice of the peace deputizes Nell — over the loud objections of the majority of the town’s residents.      Can she prove them all wrong?       Nell digs in and investigates the shooting, with the help of Rags, her half-Irish, half-Chinese be...

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick: A Book Review

The King’s Jewel Author: Elizabeth Chadwick Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Sphere Release Date: 2023 Pages: 456 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Wales, 1093.      The warm, comfortable family life of young Nesta, daughter of Prince Rhys of Deheubarth, is destroyed when her father is killed and she is taken hostage. Her honour is further tarnished when she is taken as an unwilling concubine by King William's ruthless younger brother Henry, who later ascends the throne under suspicious circumstances.      But it is Nesta's marriage that will really change the course of her life. Gerald FitzWalter, an ambitious young knight, is rewarded for his unwavering loyalty to his new King with Nesta's hand. He is delighted, having always admired her from afar, but Nesta's only comfort is her return to her beloved Wales. There, she cannot help but be tempted by the handsome, charismatic and danger...

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) by Angela Hunt: A Book Review

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) Author: Angela Hunt Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: 2023 Pages: 330 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Synopsis: Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as "the Lydian woman," seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.        Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade-in-arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest enslaved girl of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.     ...