Book Review: In A Bubble Of Time, by Susy Matthew

In A Bubble Of Time is a period novel written by an Indian origin Malaysian author based in Bengaluru, which is set in Judea, during the time of Jesus Christ. Historical fiction carries the tag of fiction, but it requires an extraordinary amount of background research to get it right. Further, the creator needs to also spin a good yarn without messing with historical facts. So, I was quite skeptical when I started reading Susy Matthew’s In A Bubble Of Time. By the time, I was mid-way through, I realized that I was reading a masterpiece, one on par with The Robe.

In A Bubble Of Time is a feminist novel. Its protagonist Deborah is a woman far ahead of her time. A Jewess who hobnobs with the elites of Caesarea, Derorah fights back against cruel fate after her wheeler-dealer father forces her to marry Daniel, a Jewish freedom fighter (against Roman tyranny) and a traditional male chauvinist pig. Deborah’s meeting with Marcus, a Roman officer, could be called destiny. Marcus isn’t your typical Roman and he wins Deborah’s heart. Do the lovers manage to beat the mores and ethos of those times and be together? Do please read this excellent novel to find out. 

In A Bubble Of Time is a beautifully crafted historical novel. Matthew must have done an extraordinary amount of research to get the historical settings right. From page one, I was effortlessly transported back in time and I could imagine myself in the fields of Judea and in the streets of Ceasarea and Jerusalem. It is generally accepted that many of the events mentioned in the New Testament, such as the census taken by Augustus Caesar did take place, though it’s no one’s case that the Bible is a history book. Some of the characters in the New Testament are well-known historical characters. However, some events like Herod’s Massacre Of The Infants may not have taken place at all. In Matthew’s hands, all her characters, whether they really existed or not, come to life. Herod is diabolically clever and Salome is indeed a schemer. Chuza and Joanna, Bartimaeus, Barabbas, Herodias, the Centurion and his servant and many others find a place. The Zealots and the Pharisees are alive and kicking In A Bubble Of Time, which  starts off around the time of Jesus’s birth and concludes just after his death.

Matthew gets the relationship between Rome and Judea just right. Ruled by Herod, a Client King, Jews could follow their customs and the High Priest Caiaphas and his council handled the day-to-day affairs of the people, with the Roman Procurator Sabinus and the Prefect Pontius Pilate, who both lived in Ceasarea, not interfering much. However, In A Bubble Of Time goes a bit beyond history. For example, Barabbas is not  a mere thief (who was meant to be crucified, but was set free by Pontius Pilate as per custom, though innocent Jesus was much more deserving of the customary Passover pardon), but a Jewish rebel who fights the Romans, steals from rich travellers and gives to the poor.

In A Bubble Of Time is a work of fiction. Many of the characters are undoubtedly fictional and so-well crafted. If Deborah is a feminist, Joanna is cut from an old rock and is very conversative and traditional. However, both women, though poles apart, are very real. Elkanah, a crippled beggar, who lived in the vicinity of the Jerusalem temple, took care of the footwear of devotees and was healed by Peter and John after Jesus’s death, is, to the best of my knowledge, not named in the Bible. However, Matthew not only names him after the father of the famous Samuel who lived many centuries before Jesus, but also makes him a three-dimensional human being with anger, pride, jealousy, arrogance and much more. To be honest, Matthew does this with all her characters In A Bubble Of Time.

In A Bubble Of Time is a Christian novel. The Author’s Note makes it clear that Matthew is a believer who drew on her Christian faith to write the first draft of this beautiful book over four years.

Matthew writes in simple, unadorned English, which makes the 630-page tome easy to read.  Her descriptions of crucifixions are in particular excruciatingly beautiful - pun intended. In A Bubble Of Time was published in 2012. I don’t think In A Bubble Of Time has got the publicity and recognition that it deserves. Yet.  Do please read this excellent novel to find out if you agree with my assessment.