The Captive
Summary
The Captive is a classic novella by Christian author Christoph von Schmid. In it, a young, devout Italian man named Anselmo is kidnapped by Algerian pirates and sold to a wealthy Muslim family.
Assessment
The Captive is a short but packed story, covering important topics such as God’s sovereignty during hardship and how He is at work in others (even if we can’t see it). The theological message, as well as von Schmid’s obvious and deep love for Christ, add to what would otherwise be a shallow adventure tale.
Despite covering topics such as kidnapping, enslavement, and near-death experiences, the book is written in a way that is approachable to more sensitive audiences. von Schmid does not go into detail about any of these events and focuses more on the theology he is trying to convey, rather than the action and peril of the story.
Light-o-Meter
Overall — 5 our of 7 Little Lights
Story: 4 out of 7 Little Lights
Prose: 4 out of 7 Little Lights
Quality: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age Appropriateness — Appropriate for intended audiences of middle grade kids.
Talk
Personally, I have a sliiiiiiight love-hate relationship with Christoph von Schmid — but I also know I’m probably not his target audience. His characters tend to be flat, perfect archetypes (even the bad guys), and while the peril he puts them in is significant, he writes it in a way that immediately kills any suspense and intensity. With this, I kind of want to say he is the eighteenth/nineteenth century’s equivalent to a Hallmark Movie writer. On top of that, some of his morals and messages are very much a product of his time and he places what I consider is a little too much emphasis on an ascetic “good Christian” lifestyle.
However…there is absolutely no denying that the man loved Jesus with all of his heart. Each of the stories I’ve read from him are passionate and on fire for our Lord and Savior; seeking to spread the Gospel not out of some kind of perfunctory “thou shalt” but out of what in all regards strikes me as genuine love for his Creator as well as his fellow man. For that I deeply respect his stories and the theology within them.
While all of the above does seem to lend itself to von Schmid’s work as a whole, it all applies to The Captive. It’s a quick, decent read with some good morality and theology to it. I love the overarching message that God is working in the lives of those around you, even if you can’t see it, and that He is willing to redeem your traumas and troubles, turning them into blessings for you and those around you. There is also a solid message about the fact that God is in control of everything; and that He has prepared the way for you. Standing ovation for the theology of this story.
I did still feel that the characters The Captive were a bit flat and there was almost no suspense in the story at all — despite plenty of opportunities to build some. This said, I enjoyed this story much more than A Basket of Flowers; The Captive seemed more complete and focused on the message.
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