The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy

“...a heart-warming, somewhat traumatic journey into the world of spirituality and the human condition. I was deeply touched by The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy. Author Richard Robbins presents a compelling case for more empathy in this world through his wonderful characters of Hana and Josefa. Hana’s childhood trauma was powerful enough to have broken many women but she was able to put it all behind her and move on in an increasingly violent environment, to create a simple, yet immensely satisfying life for herself and her daughter. The character’s muteness after the trauma served as a constant reminder of the pain and suffering she had experienced, plus it allowed the author to explore the aspects of communication between humans that transcends the spoken word. For me, this was what lifted the story above others in the genre.

The descriptive passages especially in the first part of the book were redolent with the beauty and the horror of Hana’s home country of Guatemala. As a reader, I felt instantly transported to the lush Guatemalan rainforests and their immense diversity of flora and fauna. The overarching theme of the narrative is that of love, redemption, and, of course, empathy, and the story absolutely reinforces those qualities through the life of both Hana and Josepha. I particularly was drawn to the concept of the universality of spirituality and that salvation lies not in the hands of any or all religions but actually inside ourselves. This is a beautiful, touching, and redeeming tale that I can highly recommend to everyone. When as a reader you feel better inside for having read a book, you know the author has achieved his or her goal. This is such a book.”

“Like the simple faith aspired to in The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy by Richard Robbins, the story moves with basic grace as a young Guatemalan girl experiences first the raw violence of a seemingly forsaken world, then an apparently guided journey – like a spiritual pilgrimage of engagement – toward the birth of a daughter who might, in turn, be the world’s next savior. This tale is told with heartfelt belief, but also with an unswerving directness that feels preordained, lending to the book an aura of religiosity relevant to the hybrid teachings of the Maya/Catholic merging, and appealing to the contemporary Christian message of love and kindness. The narrative is presented more like a truncated spiritual message than any deep plunge into the murkier depths of authentic faith.”

“...a thoughtful take on an age-old theme.”