Between Love and Honor

By: Alexandra Lapierre, Jane Lizop - translator

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1839, after decades of conflict, the Russian army and the Muslims of Chechnya are on the verge of a truce. To prove his commitment to peace, warrior chief Imam Shamil offers a hostage: his son, Jamal Eddin. But once the truce is signed, the Russians spirit Jamal Eddin back to Russia, where Czar Nicholas “adopts” the boy.

Immersed in imperial court life, Jamal Eddin matures into the consummate courtier. Still, he maintains his Muslim faith - until he falls in love with a beautiful Russian aristocrat. To marry her, Jamal Eddin must convert to Christianity, a sacrifice he is prepared to make. But his devotion to his bride will be pitted against his duty to his homeland when Jamal Eddin is called to take his rightful place leading the Muslims.

Based on a true story, this sweeping historical novel chronicles the coming-of-age of a young man torn by impossible choices wrought by love and conflicting loyalties.

©2012 Alexandra Lapierre (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Real Stories of Real People

Would you listen to Between Love and Honor again? Why?

Anyone who has interest in Chetnya will find this book a must-read. I have read several recent books on the Chetnyen wars of 1994 and 2004 and the main character's in Alexandra Lapierre's, "Between, Love and Honor" are usually referred to by name.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course, I liked Jamil. His story is heart wrenching yet filled with loyalty and integrity.
It is a true story of life, of people who struggle, of war, of love and in this case injustice.

Which scene was your favorite?

One of the best parts of "Between Love and Honor" is that we were able to have a birds-eye
view of both sides motives, dilemmas, and reasoning for the war they waged on one another.

If you could rename Between Love and Honor, what would you call it?

The title says exactly what the story culminates into - a decision that is made by Jamil to forsake the love of his life to save the lives of captive women and children. It is written by the woman that Jamil forsakes for honor.

Historically Interesting if nothing else.

What did you like best about Between Love and Honor? What did you like least?

This book brought my attention to an area of history that I was unaware of before.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Anticlimactic, but then it was based on reality, so a Hollywood ending wasn't expected.

Enjoyable and Intriguing

What made the experience of listening to Between Love and Honor the most enjoyable?

The narrator's inflection.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Between Love and Honor?

Jamal Eddin witnessing his grandmother's beating and trying to make sense of it.

What does Nick Podehl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pronounciation of words unfamiliar to me.

If you could take any character from Between Love and Honor out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Imal Shamil, to understand why his holy war was more important than his son.

Any additional comments?

Thought this might be a romance novel, very glad it was not.

Between Love and Honor

The son was more honorable and manly than his father. Sometimes a child can give excellent advice.

it's predictive but well worth the journey

You wonder as you start how can this happen, how can a family give up a child knowing it has happened before and the outcome. Some how you are drawn in by, "maybe not this time".... yet the curiosity gets you and step by step yout are drawn in. Great story, that's how you get drawn in.

Don't bother!

What disappointed you about Between Love and Honor?

I gave up on this book about 3 hours into it. I tried to hang in there, hoping it would improve, but it seemed to be just one religious "rant" after another with respect to Allah. It just never ended and not being a religious fanatic, it definitely did not appeal to me... left me with a headache before finally deleting this. The idea is very interesting, but it just bogs down in too much religious dialog, praising Allah and praying constantly. Pity. Just as something starts to happen and you hope it might progress, it goes backwards again.

What was most disappointing about Alexandra Lapierre’s story?

Too much religious "rant" and doesn't progress.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Nick Podehl?

Yes, he did a good job with the very poor material he had to work with.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Total disappointment....bored with the endless religious rant.

Any additional comments?

I would not recommend this book to anyone I know. It's the first audiobook I've purchased that I actually deleted from my listening device.

Horrible reader.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I love this era and the history and had high hopes. But the reader is so awful with no training and the constant downward inflection that I kept falling asleep.

What was most disappointing about Alexandra Lapierre’s story?

Hard to tell since the reader was so awful. I got so lost, maybe editing would help. Impossible to finish it.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Nick Podehl?

Stick to modern stuff "dude".

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. How do I return it?

I gave up

Keep a notebook by your listening device for this one. I got so lost in the odd names and the convoluted histories that it became a chore to listen. So I gave up by the 6th chapter. Be warned: lots of details, and many characters, unlikeable as well.

Story lost in the details

I began reading this audio book, but finally abandoned it for the text version because I was missing too many details. At the end of my Kindle edition, the publisher included a two page glossary and a fifteen page last of main characters and places. Can you imagine how difficult to follow a story without those resources at your finger tips?

In retrospect, I opine that the author relied too heavily upon detailed naming and neglected the flow of the story. Too bad.

It didn't do it for me.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I know this book got great reviews but I just couldn't get into it. It was a slog to get into and after about 5 hours I just had to give up. The narrator is fine but I found the story not the least bit interesting.