The Reincarnationist, by M.J. Rose
The Down and Dirty
Photojournalist Josh Ryder has survived a terrorist bombing in Rome. While his physical injuries have healed, his mind has not. Why is he remembering a life that isn't his? Why is he remembering a life that happened in Ancient Rome?
As Josh tries desperately to get to the bottom of his own crisis, he becomes embroiled in a search for ancient artifacts that could be the key to understanding the mysteries of his own mind. Unfotunately, he's not the only one interested in these artifacts and the race is on.
The Lit Crit
First and foremost, although this novel is frequently billed as historical fiction, A Reader's Respite wouldn't exactly categorize it as such. Rather, it is a thriller with historical elements. Flashbacks of previous lives is what provides the historical context in this novel and while the flashbacks are a large part of the novel and provide a storyline of their own, it is the present day thriller that makes up the bulk of The Reincarnationist.
M.J. Rose is particularly adept at weaving past and present together. Her research into different theories of reincarnation is impeccable and it shows.
That said, The Reincarnationist suffers from what A Reader's Respite likes to call character overpopulation. The abundance of characters leads to occassional confusion and also prevents any one character from becoming completely developed.
All 9f that, though, is easily forgiven for those who enjoy a well-researched novel with a unique premise and The Reincarnationist certainly fits that bill.
Our Recommendation
This is a fairly tight thriller with historical aspects to it, but more interesting are the reincarnation theories that woven into the tale. In our opinion, those theories and the research alone make this one worth reading.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a review of M.J. Rose's follow-up novel, The Memorist and a giveaway.
You knew A Reader's Respite couldn't just read one without the other.
Title: The Reincarnationist
Author: M.J. Rose
ISBN-13: 978-0778325765
464 pages
Publisher: MIRA
Date: October 1, 2008 (reprint edition)
Reviews in Blogland:
SciFiGuy.ca
Wordella Writes
The Inside Cover
Diary of an Eccentric
You've GOTTA Read This!
Thrillers
Bitten by Books
Barbara Martin
