On the Road with the Archangel

Raphael, an archangel who carries human prayers to God, narrates this retelling of an ancient biblical tale from the Book of Tobit. The story follows his earthly mission to aid two troubled families in the ancient Middle East. The first household belongs to Tobit, a Jewish merchant living in exile in Nineveh with his wife Anna. After being blinded in an accident, Tobit struggles with his faith while his wife works to support them. Meanwhile, in a distant city, a young woman named Sarah faces her own trials as seven of her would-be husbands have died mysteriously on their wedding nights. The novel chronicles Raphael's journey as he poses as a human traveler to guide Tobit's son Tobias on a crucial journey, working to solve both families' predicaments. Along the way, he encounters various characters and witnesses the complexity of human nature. Through this reimagining of an apocryphal text, Buechner explores themes of faith, divine intervention, and human resilience in the face of suffering. The narrative provides a meditation on the intersection between the earthly and divine realms.

Readers find this retelling of the Book of Tobit more accessible and human than the biblical source material, while maintaining its spiritual themes. Positive reviews highlight Buechner's humor and ability to make ancient characters feel relatable. Multiple readers noted the balance between faith elements and storytelling. One Goodreads reviewer said "Buechner brings these characters to life with all their flaws and anxieties." Critical reviews mention the pacing feels uneven, with some sections moving too slowly. A few readers found the mix of biblical and contemporary language jarring. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (287 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (31 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (89 ratings) Most who read multiple Buechner books rank this as middle-tier in his bibliography. One Amazon reviewer noted: "Not his strongest work, but still contains his trademark wit and insight into human nature." The book remains somewhat obscure compared to Buechner's other novels, with limited reviews available online.

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★ The narrative is based on the Book of Tobit, an ancient Jewish text found in the Catholic and Orthodox Biblical canon but considered apocryphal by most Protestant denominations. ★ Frederick Buechner was an ordained Presbyterian minister who wrote more than 30 books across multiple genres, including fiction, autobiography, and theology. ★ Raphael is one of only three angels specifically named in the Catholic Biblical canon, alongside Michael and Gabriel, and is known as the angel of healing. ★ The historical setting of the story, the Assyrian empire period (around 700 BCE), was marked by the forced displacement of many Jewish communities, including the deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel. ★ The name "Raphael" comes from Hebrew and means "God has healed," which directly connects to his role in both the original Book of Tobit and Buechner's retelling.