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The Judas Tree - Cronin

I was through just a couple of pages into the book and I knew it would be a tragedy. Many times I tried to stop reading, fearing an ending so shattering that it could upset me terribly. But curiosity got better of the fear ; curiosity to know about David Moray , an orphan whose childhood was a complete misery and hardship, who in a moment of confusion, chose money over love, betrayed the woman he loved for another with money..

He had everything going right for him but he failed. Why? Was it because he wanted more out of life - see better places, live in grand houses, move about with the nobility, collect great artworks, have a lot of money to spend ? was he too ambitious ? was he just an opportunist? No..no..no, none of these. It was because he was too sensitive; tried to be good to everyone, he let others do his thinking for him. There is a saying in Malayalam which probably befits him – ‘Shuddhan dhustante phalam cheyyum’.

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