Review of Shattered Trust: The Death of Moses

[Angela Macdonald 1]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shattered Trust: The Death of Moses" by Larry S. Milner MD, LD, MLS.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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I would give Shattered Trust: The Death of Moses by Larry S. Milner three out of five stars.

My very first impression of the paperback book, which I feel I must note in this review, is just how much of a tome it is. It has a reassuring weight in the hands that speaks of hard work and dedication. Given that and the promise of a true look into ‘Divine Justice’ and its relationship to Moses’ story, I was eager to dive in to see what I would learn. To provide a brief summary of the book before diving in further, Shattered Trust: The Death of Moses is a deep dive into the biblical story of Moses and the journey he took the Hebrews on to the Promised Land. It examines the reasoning behind his not being allowed into the Promised Land at the end of that journey, hypothesizing it is not for the widely accepted reasoning otherwise given. To this end, it examines the nature of ‘Divine Justice’, and its relationship not just to Moses, but to other biblical figures such as Abraham. Other biblical tales are also referenced in depth, and I’ll speak a bit more about these later in this review.

Reading this book felt rather like being back at university and taking out a new book of interest from its library. I wanted to see how Milner made his arguments regarding the reasoning behind Moses being disallowed access to the Promised Land, and gain some insight into his views on the Written Torah. While not religious myself, I still desire to understand the views of others (especially, in this case, regarding the concept and nature of justice), so this book still appealed to me regardless of my lack of belief in the subject matter. I believe it might also appeal to others seeking understanding of religion, justice, and the points of view of others despite its seemingly niche target demographic. However, I must acknowledge that it appears to be primarily aimed at those of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths, and warn that the conclusions the book draws are likely to be divisive, perhaps even inflammatory, within those faiths due to the ways in which the figures of Moses and Abraham are presented throughout the text.

It is clear from the beginning of the book that Milner is well-read. There is at least one citation on nearly every page (often, there is more than one) referencing Shakespeare’s plays, the Bible and the Torah, philosophers, poets, musicians, academic writers, politicians, and various other texts and authors. This gives the book a permeating feeling of academic weight and authority. It is well-researched and thoroughly put together to present Milner’s views on religion and religious figures to the reader. It is incredibly detailed and covers the content it references meticulously. Milner has certainly poured his heart and soul into the pages, and I award the book a star for that passion alone. It is a fascinating read that provides the deep dive into Milner’s views on ‘Divine Justice’ promised by the book’s summary.

However, I must point out before bringing this review to a close that Milner does describe biblical stories in his book that contain content that may be upsetting for some readers (in particular, the described deaths of women, the references to the deaths of children, and the descriptions of rape/sexual assault). This could come as a distressing surprise to some readers, as this content, bar the reference to Moses’ use of the death penalty in the blurb, is not suggested to be included prior to its appearance in the text. It is the reference to severe rape within the text that has prompted me to give this book a high sexual content rating. There are also references to the Holocaust and examples of anti-Semitism that might cause distress. It is this content that has prompted me to remove one star from the book as I do not feel it was sufficiently telegraphed to the reader prior to them beginning the book. I have also removed a second star as I found that the editing did leave something to be desired with various mistakes present throughout the book. There were also some very long run-on sentences within the text that made it an extra challenging read on occasion.

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to those studying religion in depth, those of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths despite the arguments Milner’s conclusions might cause, and those curious about history and the beliefs of others. I would strictly keep this book to its intended adult audience due to its content and the academic manner it is written in.

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Shattered Trust: The Death of Moses
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[Maria Loukaidou]

I liked your review.