From the primitive ruggedness of the Amazon rainforest to the privileged society of New York, three generations experience triumph and tragedy in this saga of loyalty, corruption, greed . . . but one woman has the power to change it all.
In 1907, Julian Welch and Alan Reid meet by chance in the jungles of the Amazon attracted by the riches of the rubber boom. Pioneers in an era of uncertainty, … in an era of uncertainty, they form an unlikely alliance and establish the foundation for a successful empire, Reid & Welch. However, with Julian’s death, the empire is left to Alan, as is the responsibility for Julian’s newborn daughter, Christel.
Yet for Christel, there’s no growing up as a privileged heiress. Instead, Alan subjects her to a life few endure, much less overcome. Through her will to survive and being as uncompromising as she is beautiful, Christel puts the horrors of her past behind her and begins to build a seemingly bright future. But when the success built on corruption starts to crumble, Christel will be forced to address the past or pay for the sins of the fathers.
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Thank you Iread Book Tours and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
A Goddess Among Men
By: Daniel Davidsohn
*Please note there are darker themes of sexual abuse and possible triggers in the book.*
REVIEW
Can we first talk about the gorgeous cover of A Goddess Among Men? I love it because the colors and conveyance are perfect.
Now, some thoughts about this book which has left me at a loss for words. As deep and dark as the Amazon at the heart of the story, this narrative explores some disturbing and unsettling aspects of one young woman’s life. Christel Reid Welch is born into an unimaginable situation, and the horrors of her day to day life are accepted as normal because Christel knows nothing else. From a very young age, Christel is sexually abused and used as a sort of spy, trained to use her body for any task that her “owners” assign. To Christel, this is normal, but the time comes when she begins to question everything.
“…something wasn’t right. There was an urge to break through that sacred barrier she knew existed between her and those not involved in this…”
To understand how Christel got to this point, you must go back to her father, Julian Welch. Fresh off the boat from England to the Amazon, Julian has come to make his fortune and gain a measure of success. Fate places Alan Reid, a Texan, in Julian’s path, thus beginning a relationship that lives on through Julian’s daughter, Christel. Alan and Julian make a fortune in rubber in the Amazon. Like two sides of a coin, Julian is honest, kind and giving while Alan is ruthless, untrustworthy and selfish. From the moment Alan appeared in the story, I disliked him. He seemed to radiate evil, lies, hate and treachery.
“…Alan couldn’t find an opening in his soul for the beautiful side of life.”
Julian, conversely, struck me as a good person with rotten luck. He marries an Amazon woman and loves her more than anything. They have decades of a happy marriage, and move to New York in the process. But, luck is never on Julian’s side, and his health is failing. A doctor appointment confirms the worst.
“Julian would never forget that day…It was as if all the stars of hell perfectly aligned over his head, and the angels of luck went missing. ”
A bit later, on his deathbed, Julian entrusts his newborn daughter, Christel, to Alan. This is how Christel ended up as she has. In order to break free, she must learn where she really came from and the reality of the situation. Julian was a wealthy man in partnership with Alan, and Christel is his heir. How will she claim what is rightfully hers? Although it begins with Julian and Alan, this story is Christel’s. Her life as an heiress and a woman is remarkable, but it is also terrible at times. Christel survives the darkest evils of humanity to become a beacon of light and hope.
A Goddess Among Men is truly impossible to put down. This is the type of story I didn’t want to end. The characters were so alive, authentic and well drawn that they became my constant companions. The story completely occupied my mind while I was reading it and will not be soon forgotten. I cannot recommend this book enough. Read it!
A Goddess Among Men is my first introduction to the talents of Daniel Davidsohn. The first thing that attracted me to this book is the intriguing and gorgeous cover. I do have to admit that in the beginning of reading, I had a hard time getting through the first fifty pages. Once I was able to catch on as to what was going on, I was able to keep reading and not want to put it down. I thought it was a really good read.
In A Goddess Among Men, readers will find a variety of genres and subjects. I has a lot that I enjoy reading in a book, such as, history, adventure, action, mystery and drama. The setting was unique that I found to be fascinating and refreshing. The author details the surroundings so well, I felt like I was right there. The plot had some twists and turns that I would not have ever predicted would happen. My favorite character was by far Christel. She was such a strong woman for her time. I admired her bravery and courage throughout. I think many readers would be able to relate to her and what she had gone through. I know I felt that way. I enjoyed getting to know her and her family.
I am giving A Goddess Among Men four and a half stars. I would be interested in reading more books by Daniel Davidsohn in the future. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy historical fiction.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I had not read any books by this author before, so opened A Goddess Among Men with curiosity. Would I enjoy it? The answer was a yes. While A Goddess Among Men is categorized as a family saga, historical fiction and thriller, at it’s core I would say underneath it all, it’s a classic story of good versus evil. It also shows the grey area so many of us walk in despite our best intentions.
Julian Welch is a young man with a good soul and honest intentions. Alan Reid is an opportunistic, controlling self-centered, amoral person looking for riches and willing to do anything to anyone to reach his goals. They connect when Julian arrives in the Amazon attracted by the promise of riches. These 2 opposites become business partners and create an empire.
Once rich, Julian uses his money for philanthropy until the day he dies. Alan, however, continues to look for ways to control and use others to his advantage, including Julian’s new baby daughter – Christel. She becomes a much abused pawn in his international dealings. Then one day she walks away and steps into her power. She chooses a path for the business that takes it in a philanthropic direction. She marries the love of her life and has a son who she adores. But the business’s dark past comes back to haunt her in the end.
This story encompasses 3 generations and 3 continents, always complex, yet does it without becoming an enormous tome. The story flows easily and at just the right pace, with just the right amount of time spent at each step along the way. There are dark times here. One night I struggled to sleep worrying about Christel as a baby and the evil Alan had planned for this innocent. How is that for drawing a reader in?
A great read. I’m going to have to check out some of Davidsohn’s other titles.