Review: The Rendezvous – Sarah Isaias

Title: The Rendezvous
Author: Sarah Isaias
Published: February 2017
ISBN: 9781532321900
Format: Paperback
Pages: 428
Genre: Political Thriller

Synopsis
Embarking on a dangerous quest for the physical and metaphysical origins of the world’s great religious traditions, this modern love story follows a Muslim poet and a Jewish physician in the global search for a poem they believe to be the key to humanity’s redemption. After traveling the world and facing off against shadowy conspirators and violent extremists, they discover a truth that is powerfully simple yet never more urgent.

Review
After seeing the movie starring Stana Katic and Raza Jaffrey, I couldn’t wait to read the book that had inspired it. I knew the book focuses more on the religion aspect than the movie does, and while I don’t usually read books revolving around religion, I really enjoyed it. Once I’d started reading, I couldn’t put it down.

The Rendezvous, originally published in 2011 as “A New Song”, tells the story of Rachel Roseman, a Jewish doctor, and Yakub Al-Shadi, a Muslim man, who search for an ancient poem that is the key to humanity’s redemption. The book combines religion with romance and adventure.

One of the things that stood out to me, is the unconventional characters. It’s refreshing to see a Muslim man portrayed as a romantic hero, and the author does a nice job of bringing people from different religions together. Right from the start the book brings up some interesting points about religion and how sacred texts can be interpreted in different ways.

My favourite character in the book is Rachel. She’s incredibly kind, she’s been through a lot and she’s easy to relate to. I also loved the romantic relationship between Rachel and Yakub, although I did miss some of the banter that I’d seen in the movie.

The Rendezvous is a beautifully written and thought provoking book. It is a story of hope and a must read for everyone.