Title: Jacobus: A Eunuch’s Faith Book 3: Life’s Decisions
Author: Paul Trittin
Publisher: Clever Publication
ISBN: 978-1989942291
Pages: 324
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Hollywood Book Reviews
There is no doubt that throughout all of civilized human history, the debate about homosexuality and its place in our society has been one of the most vocal, angry, and hard-fought debates we’ve experienced. The fight for equality and acceptance for the LGBTQ community is one that has and still is being fought today, and one of the big divides comes from the religious community, especially in the United States. Some in religious circles believe a higher power wouldn’t make a person gay and then condemn them, while others hold to the strict passages within their religious texts as proof it is wrong. As Jon Meacham once said, “If a person is homosexual by nature – that is, if one’s sexuality is as intrinsic a part of one’s identity as gender or skin color – then society can no more deny a gay person access to the secular rights and religious sacraments because of his homosexuality than it can reinstate Jim Crow.”
In author Paul Trittin’s Jacobus: A Eunuch’s Faith Book 3: Life’s Decisions, the author takes on the controversial debate of homosexuality within the context of religion through the third book in his historical fiction series. The series follows Jacobus, who as a young Jewish boy was apprenticed at the age of 14, (then the legal age of manhood), as a boat builder in the family-owned shipping company his father had. Now part of the labor force, Jacobus learns through his own experiences as a “born eunuch” or homosexual man, the needs and love that families within the slave labor of his family’s company and becomes part of the growing movement started by Jesus of Nazareth. Through the
book, the author hopes to showcase how Jesus recognized the three types of “eunuchs,” and unlike others not only accepted them, but showed their contributions to society as a whole as marked in the Book of Matthew.
This is a super creative and detailed look into the divide so many put between faith and love through a very tumultuous period of history. The exploration of this incredibly complex topic, through not only a historical lens but one rooted in faith, as well really did a great job of connecting readers and in becoming thought provoking in nature. The author did an incredible job of capturing the tone and atmosphere of the times, and the dialogue between the characters definitely felt natural and connected to the history of the narrative.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy historical fiction reads, especially those who like historical fiction which blends in faith-based narratives and incorporates themes and lessons of the LGBTQ community into those religious stories. Although not religious myself, as a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community and historical fiction, I enjoyed the authors message of mending the divide between faith and love, and trying to find middle ground for people of both communities to come together and share while also exploring such a rich historical time period.
A memorable, rich, and emotionally-charged narrative, author Paul Trittin’s Jacobus: A Eunuch’s Faith Book 3: Life’s Decisions is a must-read historical fiction novel. The concept of love and faith in a historical setting has always been a fan favorite genre, and the fact that the book explores love through an LGBTQ-lens while also showcasing the persecution and hardships faced by the community within a religious-run world made the events and experiences of the protagonist so profound and engaging.