Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

Land of Silence
Author: Tessa Afshar
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Release Date: 2016
Pages: 382
Source: My State Public Library

Synopsis: Before Christ called her daughter . . .

Before she stole healing by touching the hem of his garment . . .

Elianna is a young girl crushed by guilt. After her only brother is killed while in her care, Elianna tries to earn forgiveness by working for her father’s textile trade and caring for her family. When another tragedy places Elianna in sole charge of the business, her talent for design brings enormous success, but never the absolution she longs for. As her world unravels, she breaks off her betrothal to the only man she will ever love. Then illness strikes, isolating Elianna from everyone, stripping everything she has left.

No physician can cure her. No end is in sight. Until she hears whispers of a man whose mere touch can heal. After so many years of suffering and disappointment, is it possible that one man could redeem the wounds of body . . . and soul?

My Review: Land of Silence tells the story of the woman who touched Jesus' garment. Elianna has gone through a series of hardships. Her brother is dead, her father is cold to her, and her betrothal to the man she loves is broken. Yet that is not the last of her hardships. Elianna has an illness that isolated her from everyone. She has been to every capable physician but they cannot cure her. When Elianna hears about the miracles of Jesus of Nazareth, she starts to believe he could heal her body and her soul.

Elianna was a very sympathetic protagonist. She was a woman who was plagued with guilt. Her father’s indifference to her leaves a coldness in her heart. She does not feel that she is worthy of love. Throughout the course of the novel, she learns to forgive herself and be grateful for her loved ones. She must also forgive those who have done her wrong. Therefore, I loved reading how Elianna gradually opens her heart and finds grace.

Overall, this novel is about guilt, friendship, and love. The message of this is to love one another, including your enemy. I love all the characters in this novel, especially Joanna, Chuza, and Ethan. I did think that the villain was unnecessary in the story. Nevertheless, I was moved by Elianna’s poignant and heart-wrenching journey! Land of Silence was a very tough read! There were times I had to put the book down because of the tragedies that occurred in Elianna’s life. However, I found the ending to be very rewarding and was worth all my tears! Land of Silence was a very inspiring and moving read that will enthrall you from the first page! It is definitely a must-read for those who love Christian fiction! I have to say that this novel is one of Mrs. Afshar’s best novels that she has written! I recommend this for fans of The Woman Who Dared Touch Jesus, The Healer’s Touch, and Just One Touch!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Here is a video of the author talking about her book, Land of Silence:

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