Shelly's Book Blog

Two of Elizabeth George Speare's books won the Newbery Medal. Since I had already read The Witch of Blackbird Pond, I decided to read The Bronze Bow as well. Speare really is an incredible storyteller. The Bronze Bow is set in the time of Jesus, and the main character is an 18-year-old Galilean man named Daniel bar Jamin. As the story opens, we learn that he has seen his father crucified to death, and he is nursing an all-consuming hatred for the Romans who were responsible. He had run away from the blacksmith to whom he had been apprenticed five years previously, and in that time has been living in the mountains near his village with a band of outlaws. Throughout the novel, Daniel's hatred for the Romans consumes him and seems to direct almost everything he does.

Daniel's grandmother dies, leaving him to care for his younger sister, Leah, who appears to be suffering from some sort of mental illness and has not left the house for years. Daniel is forced to delay his plans for taking revenge against the Romans. Meanwhile, Jesus is developing a tremendous following, but his preaching does not sit well with Daniel's plans. The question of whether Daniel can ever overcome the hatred that has ruled his life for so many years drives the narrative to a most satisfying conclusion. I really liked this book!