Tathea

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful but bequiling
Review: As an enthusiastic Anne Perry fan, I jerked this book up as fast as I could when I saw it in the "New Books" section of the library. It was a little difficult to get into but the beautiful descriptive language and fantasy lands snagged me. The imagery is easily seen as an aligory of Judaeo-Christian themes. However, I must caution readers that there are very definite doctrinal themes that are definitely those of the Mormon Church or the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. These differences are what distances it from orthodox Biblical Christianity and the reader should be aware of this before reading this book. I will not be reading the sequels.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: I found this book by chance in our local library. I found it to be very thought provoking and remarkable. Powerful in it's simplicity and consistancy. It is lengthy and there were times when I would have liked more depth of characters, however I found it's pages magical. I looked at my own life differently and on some occasions was moved to tears.

I haven't read any of Anne Perry's other books, am not really a mystery fan or fantasy. I would barely consider this either...it is a journey, a story, one that needs telling. The simplicity of the truths written and the very believable situations and story moved me. I was most pleasantly surprised. It is deep, and sometimes I chose to put the book down till I could give more of my attention to it, though I read it in a week.

I highly reccomend it to anyone who wants to know their own spirit better, or who questions or wonders about God and Love.

Rating:
Summary: An Unfortunate Experience
Review: 'Tathea' is boring and difficult to understand. I'm trying not to write negative reviews, but I want to save others from making the same mistake I did.

The story has no natural plotline. It's all forced. The character of Tathea overcomes one difficulty only to be faced with another. The supporting characters come and go rapidly. Their names are so similar that it's nearly impossible to distinguish one from another (Surprisingly, this detracts from the story. Many times I found myself wondering who a particular character is, then realized it didn't matter and skipped over it.)

Perry's characters didn't ring true. Tathea's one true friend suddenly rejects her teachings, corrupting doctrine for his own gain. I don't buy it. Characters come to believe Tathea too easily. They disagree, but then suddenly, within the span of a few pages, they're her staunchest supporters.

I've never read an Anne Perry book before. I see from previous reviews that this isn't a representation of her entire body of work. I'm more reluctant to give her another shot, but I'm sure that some day I will.

Rating:
Summary: Perry's work is different, yet admirable
Review: I think I can understand why some people would feel this book is a disappointment. It isn't a mystery and it is on an entirely different plane than most of Ms. Perry's books. It also explores different spiritual ideas and meanings that some people may have difficulty grasping. Admitedly, I am a Mormon and found the ideas expressed realitivly easy to follow (not that this is a manual of Mormonism, but many of the philosophys are the same.) I went to a book signing of Ms.Perry's a few days ago and decided to purchase the audio book of Tathea because she reads it herself and I could listen to her wonderful voice and accent for hours. The sad part is that before she signed it,she made sure that I was aware that it was not a mystery so I "wouldn't be terribly disappointed." She shouldn't have worried. I had a wonderful experience. It is full of more inner passion and meaning than her other books. It IS a very different book than she usually publishes, but I like it for that. I buy Anne Perry's books for her rich descriptions, unusual character names(world's #1 Aunt Vespasia fan), and her vivid imagry. All of these things are found in Tathea. If you are the type of person who doesn't enjoy change (like only wanting to hear a bands old hits instead of new material) you will probably be disappointed. If you like Anne Perry's books, but won't have your heart broken that the characters aren't all drinking tea and eating hot meat and onion pies wrapped in newspaper on the streets of Victorian London, give this a try,if only to gain a different perspective.

Rating:
Summary: Change of Pace Falls Flat
Review: I have read and loved all of Anne Perry's books. Her characters are well drawn and fascinating. The story lines are always interesting and intriguing. Ta-thea is none of the above. Although the first few chapters were bearable, it was a battle to get through the rest of this lugubrious tome. The story of the "saint" and her travels was repetitious and flat. The ultimate insult-it was BORING!

Rating:
Summary: Entirely the Journey
Review: I read these reviews a couple of days ago and it really made me sad. I adore Ann Perry and have loved her books for years. I feel like the Pitts are part of the family and I really feel that some of the reviews are unfair. I picked up Tathea in the Mormon book store and talked to the proprietor. She said that Perry had just joined the church and was really caught up in the experience of joining and wrote this book during that time.I agree that this isn't your typical Ann Perry. But just because she didn't write the genre in which everyone has pigeonholed her doesn't mean it's a bad book. It's just different. And, actually, all of Perry's books, Pitt and Monk, are about the "journey". If you want to get from point "A" to point "B" read Patricia Cornwell but if you're in the mood for a lovely journey Perry's the one.I didn't get this (or even see it) in the mainstream bookstore and so I went in with entirely different expectations, which may be why I liked it.

Rating:
Summary: Perry's book not recommended
Review: I was given this book as a gift. I was immediately intrigued by the cover and by what was described on the back of the book jacket. Unfortunately, as I began reading it, I was very disappointed.

The language of the book is very simplistic and hardly descriptive at all. As I read it, it became a chore to move on to the next break in the book so I could set it down and do something else. The storyline jumps everywhere, leaving the reader with a plot he or she can hardly care about. I found that I did not care at all about what was going on.

The only reason I was able to finish the book was because it was a gift and I did it out of politeness. There is nothing very interesting about it. As I was finishing it, I began skimming it and skipping giant sections until I could find something better.

Finally, it was with great disdain that Perry injected her book with a not-so-subtle treatise on her personal religious philosophy. Allegory is indeed a lost art, and this book is redeemable only because it is a good example of just how lost it is. The entire back section is devoted to spelling out Mormon doctrinal points - none of which I explicitly disagred with, but which were so obvious that I began to feel very badly about the state of literature today. I am only a high school senior, but I feel confident in saying that yes, I could write a better book.

It is too bad, because the original idea was not bad. C. S. Lewis wrote many books with religion (Christianity) woven into the storyline. But then again, Lewis was a masterful and descriptive writer. Perry is not.

Rating:
Summary: Perry's try to write the" book of her life" a sad failure
Review: I have read every single book that Anne Perry has written and am greatful for all the pleasuable hours of reading that she has afforded me. For that reason I am sad to relate how disappointed I was with Tathea. It was painfully clear that this book was very special to Perry . It was her attempt to elucidate her philosophy of good verses evil as well as her personal understanding of God. Ufortunately instead of leading us to an understanding through metaphor,plot ,allegory etc.,Perry lays it on us with all the sublty of a t.v.commmercial. Perry's historical fiction is pleasently enertaining, well researched,and enjoyable to read on the whole. Perry is not able to write that one great book. That book that we all perhaps have within us. Not many writers can translate this into print for others to read. I applaud Anne Perry for trying. I could tell that this was very important to her and in respect for all the hours of enjoyment that she has given me I tried to complete the book. Sadly I could not.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: I have always loved books written by Mrs. Perry but Thatea was a disappointment... I agree with previous reviewers that it comes out as a big christian propaganda.I was expecting a work of fictionnal fantasy not a tormented spiritual journey,using a relativelly tortuous story line for endoctrinement. I will still read Mrs. Perry and will even "give a shot"to her next fantasy book. She is really a great writer!

Rating:
Summary: Hard to finish
Review: The story in the first part of the book was interesting. However, I found the remainder of the book repetitive, and I had to force myself to finish. I kept thinking there would be more to the story and that it would take a different turn. The message the book gives, however, is important.