Quick Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts
Saving My Assassin is a gripping and thrilling memoir about a young lawyer in Communist Romania who fought against all odds to find and proclaim TRUTH.
Virginia, coming from what we would consider an abusive home, determined not to be the victim no matter what life brought her. And life sure brought her some extremely hard blows—from knowing nothing about who her real parents were and why she didn’t fit in, to hardships throughout law school, to countless interrogations by the Securitate, to a marriage that was falling apart, to persecution for her faith, to being seconds from death multiple times. This book will have you on the edge of your seat almost the entire time, and it just keeps getting better and better.
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“This book will have you on the edge of your seat almost the entire time, and it just keeps getting better and better.”
As the book was drawing to a close, I found myself still with so many questions. But then, just when I though the book was done, the ending just kept going on and on. There was the “Epilogue,” and then a “Final Note from the Author,” and then an “Afterward” (which completely brought me to tears and an ultimate feeling of how good God is!). I was listening to the audiobook, so each one of these “extras” were such a pleasant surprise that I didn’t know were coming.
The greatest surprise of all was the Q & A with Virginia at the end of the book. (This was not included in the audiobook, so make sure you look at the eBook or hard copy to read these.) As I was reading through, I was left asking a lot of questions, and almost every single one was answered in this section.
Virginia’s life is a crystal-clear picture of God’s awesome providence over both a single life and that of an entire country. God’s power, protection, and involvement in her life is both inspiring and convicting. It was reminiscent of the story of Esther, “For such a time as this.”
I lose interest quickly in slow-moving books, and this one is anything but. There were a couple chapters that got very long, but not enough to deter me from finishing. In fact, it was so good, that it has moved up to probably one of my top 5 favorite reads of all time, and it is one I will be recommending over and over again to everyone. It is one I deem a MUST READ.
Favorite Quotes
I love books that begin each chapter with an amazing quote. Besides several amazing quotes of her own, Virginia did not disappoint in pulling some excellent quotes from others as well, which she placed strategically at the beginning of each chapter as a sort of introduction. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book.
“The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity.”
~Seneca
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my choices.”
~Stephen R. Covey
“This was God’s battle, and I was his tool!”
~Virginia Prodan
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
~Harriet Beecher Stowe
“From this moment on, my life will be dedicated to pursuing and speaking the truth, no matter the cost.”
~Virginia Prodan
“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”
~Franklin D Roosevelt
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
~Albert Einstein
Key Takeaways
Everyone will get something different from a book…I get that, and yet it is almost impossible to put into words what this book did to my heart.
For starters, I was so convicted about how important it is for me to REALLY KNOW THE BIBLE. What if I get put into a similar situation? How quickly would verses come to mind when I need them? Well, I can tell you one thing, they won’t if they’re not there. I must do more! I must study more! I must meditate more! I must memorize more!
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“Freedom is a gift from God, and it is so precious to those who don’t have it. That is why it is our responsibility to stand up and protect that freedom if someone ever tries to take it away from us.”
— Virginia Prodan
Secondly, her little girl, Andrea, stood for the truth of God’s Word to her teacher and in front of all her classmates. When confronted about it by Andrea’s teacher, here is what Virginia thought, “My heart swelled with joy upon hearing Andrea’s words. Not only was she solid in her faith, but to openly challenge the falsehood of the day’s lesson showed great courage and conviction on her part. As a parent and a Christian, I could not have been more proud.” This really smote my heart. How solid is my little girl in her faith? Would she be willing at such a young age to defend what she believes? Does she even know how to defend what she holds dear? Am I doing my job as a parent to teach her God’s Word…to teach her that nothing else matters but obeying God? Does she really know what God expects of her? Sigh. So much work to do!
Lastly, this book, especially reading it at a time of such unrest in our country, has made me PROUD to be an American. It has encouraged me to be willing to stand up for the freedoms we hold dear in our country. It has taught me to be a true patriot. I love America, I have always loved America, but after reading this book, I feel ready more than ever to fight for her, to fight for us, to fight for my children and grandchildren, to fight for a nation whose God is the Lord! In Virginia’s words, “Freedom is a gift from God, and it is so precious to those who don’t have it. That is why it is our responsibility to stand up and protect that freedom if someone ever tries to take it away from us.” Will you stand up for your freedoms?
Christian Beliefs
Once Virginia received Christ as her Savior, she began attending a Baptist church. Baptist beliefs and doctrines are mentioned throughout the book as well as multiple quotes from the Bible.
Other Belief Systems
Communism, although not necessarily a religion, could certainly be referred to as a belief system. Although the point of the book is to defy Communism, Virginia does a thorough job explaining it, and giving a clear picture of what life is like living under a Communist Regime.
Profanity & Violence
The Securitate were rough on people, especially Christians. There was a time where Virginia had her head beat against a desk multiple times and blood was flowing. It is not graphic, but it does give a good picture of what times were like.
Sexual Content
None
Where Can I Find Saving My Assassin for the Best Price?
Both the eBook and audiobook are FREE on Hoopla here!
The lowest price for a new soft cover I found at Walmart here.
Find on Audible here. (It is included in with your audible membership, so don’t waste a credit!)
Find on Amazon here.
Be sure to check your online secondhand bookstores like Thriftbooks or ABE Books.
If you liked this title, you may also like:
God Knows My Size by Harvey Yoder. (Soviet Union)
Children of the Storm by Natasha Vins. (Soviet Union)
Torchured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand. (Romania) Available on Hoopla
The Pastor’s Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand. (Romania) Available on Hoopla. *Language! See my full review on my book list!
The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken. (All over the place…including the Soviet Union and China.) Available on Hoopla. *TOP FAVORITE! Full review coming soon.
Other Media You Might Be Interested In
Interview with Virginia Prodan on YouTube.
The Printing by Bob Jones University. A historical drama shedding light on Communism in the Soviet Union during the Cold War Era. (If you don’t want to purchase the DVD, you can watch it on Prime here.)
The Richard Wurmbrand Story. A Torchlighters Video. (You can also find it for free on Hoopla.)
The Insanity of God Documentary. (I haven’t watched, but it’s definitely on my list.)
I hope each of these stories will prick your heart just as they have done to mine! Happy Reading!
Most of the links here are Amazon affiliate links. If used to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you! So THANK YOU!