First-century Corinth is a city teeming with commerce and charm. It’s also filled with danger and corruption–the perfect setting for Ariadne’s greatest adventure.After years spent living with her mother and oppressive grandfather in Athens, Ariadne runs away to her father’s home in Corinth, only to discover the perilous secret that destroyed his marriage: though a Greek of high birth, Galenos is … is the infamous thief who has been robbing the city’s corrupt of their ill-gotten gains.Desperate to keep him safe, Ariadne risks her good name, her freedom, and the love of the man she adores to become her father’s apprentice. As her unusual athletic ability leads her into dangerous exploits, Ariadne discovers that she secretly revels in playing with fire. But when the wrong person discovers their secret, Ariadne and her father find their future–and very lives–hanging in the balance.When they befriend a Jewish rabbi named Paul, they realize that his radical message challenges everything they’ve fought to build, yet offers something neither dared hope for.Be transported back in time by this gripping tale of adventure, bravery, and redemption, and discover why Debbie Macomber says, “No one brings the Bible to life like Tessa Afshar.”
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This book is AMAZING!!!!
Thief of Corinth (2018) by Tessa Afshar is a FANTASTIC stand-alone novel. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 368 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very busy six-year old at home, this novel took me two days to read. I received a copy of this book in paperback form from the author via her publisher, Tyndale House Publishers. In no way has this influenced my opinion of the story. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give Thief of Corinth 5+++++ STARS. This novel is Biblical Christian Fiction.
Tessa Afshar is one of my most favorite Biblical fiction writers. She has an amazing talent gifted to her by God. Her research is always impeccable. Her writing is flawless. And, her story lines, aside from being fast-paced, high quality, and totally engaging, illuminate the Bible in ways that draw me closer to Jesus. Afshar is a diamond in the Biblical fiction genre.
Divorce is awful. The main character, Ariadne, suffers greatly because of divorce. Lots of novels discuss divorce, but what I really appreciate about Thief of Corinth is that it discusses divorce through the perspective of a daughter. Of all Tessa Afshar’s characters, I relate most to Ariadne and the struggles she goes through because of the dissolution of her parent’s marriage. There is one moment in the novel where Ariadne concludes, “Divorce left nothing the same. It pumped its poison with pinprick precision so that we barely noticed its lingering effects” (90). YES! This quote perfectly illustrates divorce, at least in my mind. Divorce is a poison that infects long after the papers are signed and the parents are separated forever.
My parents divorced when I was 11-years old. That was 26 years ago, yet I still have hang-ups because of it. To this day, I hate moving. I hate living out of a bag — when you are a divorced kid, living out of a bag becomes the norm because you are constantly switching from one parent’s house to the other’s. I hate conflict of any kind, and because of how my parents were with one another, I admit I am not really good at arguing with someone in a productive way. And, the most damaging of all, I hate how divorce broke my family into parts. I have three brothers. One sided with my dad. One sided with my mom. My middle brother and I tried to not side with anyone and just be our parent’s kids, but that always left us feeling like we were being pulled in both directions. It was confusing and frustrating. Honestly, there were some days I wished I belonged to a different family.
Later in the story, Ariadne states, “I felt like I had been through a siege, a mutilating war, and I was on the losing side. My family had shattered, and I did not know how to restore it. I felt it in my bones. This schism could not be repaired” (140-141). She is actually talking about something else at this point, but this notion really put into words exactly how I felt as an 11-year old girl. I know an 11-year old cannot control her parent’s decisions, but I truly felt like there had to have been a way for me to fix my family. I totally get it…divorce happens. Sometimes, divorce is necessary to protect a spouse and/or kids from abuse. No one should ever live in a home where they are being physically and emotionally beaten down. That is not God’s picture of marriage. But, sometimes divorce is not necessary, but done anyway, and a family is destroyed. As a child of divorce, the image Ariadne paints of being through a war is 100% accurate. What I loved so much about Thief of Corinth is that the divorced kid is given a voice. We are never given voices. Things just happen to us and we don’t get a say. We become bargaining chips in family court. I applaud Tessa Afshar for approaching such a tough topic in the respectful and honest manner that she does.
One final item that I really loved about this book is Ariadne’s change from atheism to belief in God. Such a realistic portrayal — it made Ariadne all the more endearing to me. At first, she isn’t sure she buys this “one God, personal relationship” idea. Some members of her family do come to believe in God wholeheartedly, and make appropriate lifestyle changes. Ariadne is not in the same place mentally or emotionally so these lifestyle changes seem radical. At one point she emphatically questions her father saying, “This fresh start you long for is the dictate of some religion? We are going to lose our home and our land for the sake of some hokey God, raised up in who knows what crumbled corner of the empire?” (214). If any of you are cringing because of this quote, know that I cringed too!
I have been Ariadne. Four years ago, my husband came to me with new Biblical insight. He was excited and wanted to share it with me. It would mean some lifestyle changes for us. I was exactly like Ariadne. At first, I questioned my husband as if he had lost his mind. I was upset, irate, and didn’t want anything to do with his blasphemy. God worked on my heart and I heard my husband out. Then I did some Bible study of my own and came to the same conclusions as my husband. We made the appropriate lifestyle changes and now our relationship with God is stronger than ever. But I fought it hard, like Ariadne, at first. I liked my life the way it was, but like Ariadne, I realized that my life was being lived for me and not for God.
Thief of Corinth is another home-run by Tessa Afshar. It is a highly engaging, fast-paced, compelling novel. The characters are realistic and well written. The romance is sweet and satisfying. The themes are timely, and the story made me turn to my Bible to reread parts of Acts, which I now see in a whole new way. Thief of Corinth is an excellent novel that I highly, highly recommend.
Brilliant and beautifully written, bringing the land and times of the Bible to life, Afshar weaves a compelling tale of a woman’s broken heart, deep need, and her journey to the Christ who forever changes her. A masterful story that reveals more of ourselves than we might imagine.
This was an inspiring story that took me into the fascinating life of a girl with trials and struggles who lived in a time long ago. It was so interesting to get a glimpse of what life was like back then and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to it on audible and the narration was fantastic.
For lovers of historical fiction from the Roman era. Great to learn much about daily life in Corinth nearly 2000 years ago. Loved the relationship between the siblings.
Lots of drama but the last third of the book was full of wisdom and showed the practical day to day decisions that being a follower of Jesus means.
Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar is a book that gifted me with entertainment, a message to ponder, and enough tension to keep my attention all the way through. Set in the ancient city of Corinth, Afshar delighted me with witty dialogue, multi-faceted characters, and a sense of adventure. Having read her previous books, I knew I was in for a treat with this one. And while I felt this book carried a more lighthearted tone that the previous ones, I was in no way short changed. In fact, I think the main character of Ariadne is now my favorite of all Afshar’s heroines. I was enthralled with Afshar’s masterful weaving of ancient history, a powerful message of forgiveness, and clever plot twists. Her writing ability ensures I will come back for more. I highly recommend all of Afshar’s books. Her writing does not disappoint, but leaves you hungry for more!
I received this book from the publisher and am giving my honest review.
Tessa Afshar is an amazing author and draws you deeply into all her stories and holds you there breathlessly. Her books are full of inspiration, hope and faith.
LOVED this story! From the first time she walked on the page to her bittersweet “Hopeful-Ever-After” ending, heroine Ariadne grabbed me, and I could do nothing but follow her on this journey 🙂 She reminded me of some special young people in my life and maybe, in a few small ways, of my own history. Powerful storytelling & beautiful writing! So, so good!!!
Thief of Corinth is an exciting, thoughtful, poignant must-read. For me, Ariadne has become my Bible-times Anne of Green Gables or Jo March. I ordered a copy of this book for my classroom & look forward to introducing my students to her.
The only good thing about finishing this book is that it has been out for a while. So I’m hoping the next Tessa Afshar novel will be coming soon. AND dare I hope that we will have some closure for Theo?? Yes, I know he’s not real but still . . . 🙂
One of the best books I’ve read this year.
Long life story to God, Paul
Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar is a Biblical fiction novel set in first century Corinth when Paul was first preaching the gospel there.
When Ariadne discovers that her father is a notorious thief, hunted by the authorities, she is desperate enough to keep him safe that she would join him in his thievery. But when a new Jewish Rabbi comes to town, they both begin to wonder if they can begin a new way of life.
I loved Thief of Corinth! It was so interesting! It is the story of how a young woman becomes a thief — from her talent of climbing trees to training for the new women’s division of the olympics. The characters had depth, and the story was memorable and integrated with cultural details.
I appreciated how the characters met Paul and became believers, although I think the quote of Paul’s letter at the end was used a bit out of context. As a recent Bible college graduate, I know that there is a lot more depth that could have been pulled from the Bible about the church in Corinth, and I wish the author would have used that a little more. But it’s still a great story and does include some detail.
I really enjoyed Thief of Corinth and hope you will too!
I received a complementary copy of this book from the author. All options are my own, and I was not compensated for sharing them.
Although I read this one almost a year ago, it has stayed with me — high praise from someone who reads a couple books a week. Maybe because I had just met the author, Tessa Afshar, at a conference and she was so delightful, I had to read her book on the plane on my way home. Even if you don’t have the pleasure of meeting Tessa yourself, do get a copy of this book and read it. It’s a beautiful depiction of the beginnings of the church in first-century Corinth, as well as an action-filled story of love, danger, and family ties.
Tessa Afshar brings the Bible to life with her fictional plots. In Thief of Corinth, the reader gets to run through the moonlit streets of ancient Corinth with Ariadne. Ariadne is one of my favorite characters in any book that I have ever read. From a young age, Ariadne sought out adventure with her brothers by her side. She’s not the ordinary girl, wanting to wear pretty clothes or impress others. Instead she runs and trains for athletic competitions.
Ariadne faces many struggles in her life. Her parents separation, a demanding grandfather, her father’s secret identity, and a challenging relationship with her foster brother, Theo, shapes Ariadne into the defiant young woman she becomes.
After Ariadne’s father’s secret identity is revealed, the family faces broken ties, blackmail, and the possibility of losing everything they own. When her brother brings Paul to their home, Ariadne see’s for the first time what it truly means to love and be loved.
Ariadne is lovable from the first pages of the book, but her character development throughout the story turns her into a friend to be cherished.
I absolutely loved this book! Like all Tessa’s books, it is set in Bible times with characters you read about in the Bible scattered through the book. I loved the journey of Ariadne, the main character, and the emotions every decision she made evoked. The writing was so good that it was like being pulled into the story and living it alongside them (took hours of walking around in a daze after finishing it to find my way back to reality…). It made me laugh, it made me cry but more than anything, it stirred my heart and made me want to go back and not only read it again the second I finished it but also pull out my Bible and re-read the stories of Dionysus and others mentioned in it. I especially loved the way Paul (the apostle) was portrayed. Though Ariadne and her family aren’t found in the Bible, the descriptions of Ephesus and their lives within it really brought the Bible to life for me.
Solid story, very polished writing, quite a good book! Immediately bought Tessa’s newest after finishing.
I wasn’t thinking in biblical terms when I started reading this book until a familiar name came up. Then more pieces fell into place. I loved the twists, turns, and surprises in this book. God’s redemption is so great!
I read this book when it released and then recently listened to the audiobook. It’s a great story worth revisiting.
Ariadne flees Athens with her adopted brother, Theo, to Corinth after years of living with her controlling mother and grandfather. Ariadne is more at ease in Corinth, yet still feels out of place at home with her father, then she discovers the secret that drove a wedge of separation between her parents.
Ariadne is loyal to her father and brothers, but she struggles to fit in with the other young women of Corinth, instead distinguishing herself as an athlete, and educating the younger girls. She is stubborn and knows her mind, she carries the burden of her broken family, and is incredibly loyal to her family. I loved her friendship with Claudia the Younger, and her devotion to her father and brothers.
Ms. Afshar brings the First Century to life, showing the customs common in Corinth and Athens at that time and the contrast that it cast with Christianity. It’s so easy to not think about how different life would have been back then and what it might have been like culturally and the preconceptions they carried due to their background and worldview, Ms Afshar realistically brings that world to life so that we can understand today what they were up against.
Ms. Afshar brings the characters to life so realistically, with little details and subtle body language that gives them complexity and depth. Theo was one of my favorites, deeply bonded with Ariadne as a child, he becomes a man with a complex unknown history, beating the odds of the situation of his birth. I was thrilled to find out that the next book is his story!
Overall, a masterful tale set against First Century Corinth before Paul’s visits, showing how Christ changes everything. Ariadne struggles with her burden of guilt and worthiness, along with her family’s financial woes and brokenness. Ariadne is a strong heroine, stubborn, courageous, vulnerable, I connected with her instantly. The story was riveting and eye-opening, it helped me understand just a little of what First Century Corinth might have been like, I didn’t want to put the book down. Filled with friendship, family, danger, drama, adventure, thrilling acts, faith, romance, and more, it is an utterly enjoyable read. Highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Tessa has once again made Scripture come alive with natural and engaging dialogue paired with vivid descriptions of first century Greece. Although most of her characters are fictitious, the author has woven in the lives of Priscilla, Aquila and the apostle Paul in a seamless and believable manner, revealing how powerful love and forgiveness can transform the heart and soul of a self-absorbed young woman. Will we see Ariadne’s continuing story in Tessa Afshar’s next novel?
I’ve just found this author and I’ve read all of her books but two. I will be reading them also. All of them are inspiring, faith builders based on people in the Bible and she makes a story out of it and brings them to life.
Great story around the true words of The Bible/