A friend loaned me this book with a couple others, and I loved the cover so much I read it first. She didn't tell me it was self-published by one of her friends so I went into it expecting a real novel! It's a good joke now, but I was confused for awhile. The writing is boring and a bit like the girl took a thesaurus and tried to sound intelligent, but it was cute because I think she was trying to write a masterpiece. The girl sounds like she was about 15 or 16 when she wrote this so it shows some promise and I hope she can edit it a bit as she grows older.

A friend loaned me this book with a couple others, and I loved the cover so much I read it first. She didn't tell me it was self-published by one of her friends so I went into it expecting a real novel! It's a good joke now, but I was confused for awhile. The writing is boring and a bit like the girl took a thesaurus and tried to sound intelligent, but it was cute because I think she was trying to write a masterpiece. The girl sounds like she was about 15 or 16 when she wrote this so it shows some promise and I hope she can edit it a bit as she grows older.

My eyes feasted on each and every word, and my mind, heart, and soul were filled. I really do love a good read. I finally got over that: "This is a girl, writing this!" God has given you a gift. As I read on, I enjoyed the story. The "cast" became real. I could "see" and "feel," almost taste, many things. You did a good job digging into history and references to "flesh out" the story. You have a great imagination. "Claudia" stands on its own. Two of my friends -- avid readers of Christian fiction -- agree with me. Start a new novel soon. Congratulations and thank you. I'm sure glad you love to write.

How often do we overlook the emotions of a well-loved tale simply because we've read it so many times? I'm guilty of such an offense, and for the greatest book ever written: The Bible. We know these stories so well that they no longer impress or touch our hearts. We need to be reawakened to the majesty of these actual events that took place in ages past. Which is why we need authors like Charity Bishop and novels like "Claudia." She wrote this book from the heart, bringing every ounce of love she possesses to the surface. Jesus walked the earth, as did Pilate and Claudia. They were real people, and this novel brings their character to the forefront. You will most likely view Pilate in a completely new light by the end. Perhaps he wasn't as twisted as we have come to believe; but a man caught between conflicts. Charity weaves a story of historical proportion, retaining the Biblical balance with her unique touch. The plot is heartwarming, never failing to bring real emotion to the surface. It takes you back to the physical time of Jesus Christ, and you almost feel as if you are walking down the same halls as he once did. The Crucifixtion of Christ and the days previous are all too real. You come to know the Son of God on another level. It is the level of a believer's love for her Savior. An exquisite novel, "Claudia" never fails to make me laugh or weep. This book deserves its well-earned place in Biblical fiction.