Review: Enjoyable
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 12, 2014
Lazarus by Jason Akley is based on the tragic Oedipus trilogy written by Sophocles.  For those of you who have not read it, Oedipus is a tragic tale where a family’s response to prophecy leads to a son killing his father and marrying his mother.  In Lazarus we again see how poor choices in one generation can have consequences in many generations to come.  While the tale can feel a bit long at times, as we follow the Charters/Roman family through their lives, their many mistakes have a profound effect on the reader.In Lazarus you can see the Charters/Roman story from its roots with settlement in North Carolina in 1695 after escaping Huguenot oppression all the way to 2008 when members of the family commit suicide.  The fact that Akley chooses to change writing styles as new characters become the story tellers I think is very fitting.  While it can at times make the story confusing, it lends well to illustrating the complex nature of this family as well as illustrating the passage of time.  By using first person, third person, and emails to present the story the reader can see when the stories perspective has shifted.  If you get lost by the wide array of characters and the expansive time frame covered, use the reference located in the back of the book, it will help you clear things up.