Review & Giveaway: Eleos by D.R. Bell


Eleos by D.R. Bell

Publication Date: October 23, 2018
eBook & Paperback; 460 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


The discovery of a valise of old letters written to his Armenian grandfather from an Auschwitz survivor starts Avi Arutiyan on an odyssey to uncover the mystery surrounding his grandfather’s unsolved death. From the killing fields of Anatolia to the trial of Adolf Eichmann, Avi’s quest opens a door into intersecting paths and dark secrets of three families, stretching back to 1915.

​How do these things happen time and again: the Holocaust was preceded by the Armenian Genocide, and followed by the killing fields of Cambodia, Rwanda, and Bosnia. Who were the people behind them? Eleos is a story of saviors and murderers, of bystanders and of those that don't fall into an easy-to-classify category. Hopefully the book can serve as a reminder to protect our own humanity, because ultimately the battlefield is inside all of us.

"Bell masterfully combines his mystery story with an unflinching look at the 20th century's bleakest tragedies. A beautiful . . . challengingly complex tale of the ramifications of history." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Eleos offers no easy answers, no pat approaches. Perhaps this is the novel's greatest challenge to its readers, as well as its finest attribute. D. R. Bell crafts a set of circumstances that involve the protagonist in a sifting of blame, historical examination, and family attitudes, drawing in readers with a scenario that at first seems relatively black and white; then immersing them in decisions and outcomes that are satisfyingly complex. ... Holocausts can happen again, but as long as stories such as Eleos capture the progression of events with an eye to explaining how logic and action led to disaster, future generations at least have a road map to avoid the pitfalls that lead in these directions." -- Diane Donovan, Donovan's Literary Services; Editor, California Bookwatch

Available on Amazon


Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Let me just start this review off by confessing that there is no way it will do justice to the incredible book that is ELEOS by D.R. Bell. I will try to convey my feelings as best as possible and try not to overly-gush.

In no way was I prepared for how hard this book would hit me. I've read hundreds of WWII and Holocaust books and ELEOS is the one that truly opened my eyes to the horrors and the injustices that occurred during, and then continued after the camps were liberated and throughout the Nazi trials. I learned so much from this book. My husband sure got an earful too as I would read out loud multiple passages or facts from the book. I like to highlight in my eReader as I read - whether it be interesting facts or beautiful quotes, and I swear almost every page there is something highlighted or noted.

It's strange to say that a book about such awful atrocities can be beautiful but it's the writing the makes it so. Bell has an amazing talent for storytelling. When I read Historical Fiction I feel like we honor them by bearing witness to their story and their lives, and what happened to them, and ELEOS did that masterfully. I cannot imagine the amount of research that went into the writing of this book. Bell was able to convey all of that but without making it heavy-handed and presenting it in a fascinating way.

This is a book that once you read it you will never forget it. I could not love Bell's writing more and look forward to more historicals from him. Highly, highly recommended.

About the Author

I didn't plan to become a writer. A few years ago, a friend's death prompted me to ask what would be the one thing I regret not doing. I've always been an avid reader but have not had the courage to write. And I made a New Year resolution to write a book. That's how The Great Game came about. I try to write about serious topics but wrap them into an action-filled story. While all my books are entirely fictional, each of them carries a Commentary how the fiction is rooted in facts and realities of current events.

The first three books - The Metronome, The Great Game, and The Outer Circle - form a trilogy, where the lives the seemingly unconnected characters intersect against the backdrop of a turbulent power game between United States, China, and Russia. Unfortunately, some of the events described there are now happening in real life.

Marshland is a detective story set in modern Los Angeles, focused on the impact that internet and social media can have on our lives and their potential for unscrupulous abuse by those in power.

The latest project, Eleos, is a historic fiction set primarily during the time of the Eichmann's trial. In a way, it's a personal investigation into how events like the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide become possible.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 15
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, July 16
Review at Just a Girl and Her Books

Wednesday, July 17
Guest Post at Gwendalyn_Books_

Thursday, July 18
Review at my.boys.mom

Friday, July 19
Review at Cennin's Book Review

Monday, July 22
Feature at Comet Readings

Tuesday, July 23
Excerpt at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Wednesday, July 24
Review at RW Bookclub Goodreads

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away one eBook and one paperback copy of ELEOS! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 24th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Eleos


No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts with Thumbnails
 

Passages to the Past
All rights reserved © 2013

Custom Blog Design by Blogger Boutique

Blogger Boutique