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Devotion
April is angry. Only nineteen, she is an elective mute, accused of a religiously motivated atrocity. Dr Finlay Logan is broken. A borderline-suicidal psychologist still reeling from his daughter’s death, he must assess April’s sanity in a world where —ten years after the death of Richard Dawkins — moves have been made to classify religious belief as a form of mental illness. Both April and Finlay struggle to understand what has happened to them, sharing secrets, silence and an inability to deal with the world around them.
Gently unpicking the lives of these two broken characters, Barber offers a psychologically acute and deeply moving exploration of grief. An extraordinary novel from one of the brightest rising stars in fiction.
Gently unpicking the lives of these two broken characters, Barber offers a psychologically acute and deeply moving exploration of grief. An extraordinary novel from one of the brightest rising stars in fiction.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 22, 2015
9 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
About the author
Ros Barber
17 books98 followersNovelist, both historical and speculative fiction. Debut novel The Marlowe Papers (2012) was winner of the Desmond Elliott Prize 2013, joint winner of the Author's Club Best First Novel Award 2013, long-listed for the 2013 Women's Fiction Prize (formerly the Orange Prize).
😀😀😀
Second novel, Devotion (2015) was short-listed for the Encore Award 2015.
📕📕📕Third novel: an epic adventure, currently (spring 2024) being edited.
☠️☠️☠️
Non-fiction: literary history/biography, specialising in Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. Editor and co-author of 30-Second Shakespeare (UK) / Know-it-All Shakespeare (US). Author of Shakespeare: The Evidence and the Coursera MOOC Introduction to Who Wrote Shakespeare.
📚📚📚
Poetry. A collection of poems, Material (2008) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. The title poem features in Faber's Poems of the Decade and is taught in schools in the UK.
🎓🎓🎓
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter for updates, offers and insider info.
😀😀😀
Second novel, Devotion (2015) was short-listed for the Encore Award 2015.
📕📕📕Third novel: an epic adventure, currently (spring 2024) being edited.
☠️☠️☠️
Non-fiction: literary history/biography, specialising in Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. Editor and co-author of 30-Second Shakespeare (UK) / Know-it-All Shakespeare (US). Author of Shakespeare: The Evidence and the Coursera MOOC Introduction to Who Wrote Shakespeare.
📚📚📚
Poetry. A collection of poems, Material (2008) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. The title poem features in Faber's Poems of the Decade and is taught in schools in the UK.
🎓🎓🎓
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter for updates, offers and insider info.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 9, 2015
‘There are no words for this that are comfortable. Say you believe in God to an atheist and you’ll meet with scorn. Some people you speak to will mentally drop your IQ by fifty points. Some will instantly cease to respect you. There is a prevalent belief that faith is delusional…’
Ros Barber, Devotion
“There are no proofs for the existence of the God of Abraham,” said Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972). “There are only witnesses.”
I must admit to a strong bias here, inasmuch as I became convinced a quarter of a century ago that, whatever the relative doctrinal truth of the world’s major religions, there IS a spiritual component to reality, that this material plane is NOT everything there is. So you must take that into account when I say that the final fifty pages of Devotion represent the most thrilling fictional experience I’ve had for many years.
And as a work of fiction, this is very accomplished; a markedly different beast from Ros Barber’s award-winning all-verse The Marlowe Papers, it nevertheless displays a distinctly poetic sensibility in its prose. The prologue, for example, is a piece of wordplay not too far removed from some of the passages in Barber’s first book, almost suggesting a transitional passage between the two. As with (for example) Lawrence Durrell, this can be slightly distracting, as one is aware that this is ‘fine writing’, sometimes to the extent that it pulls one away from the event or emotions being described, but either I or the book (I suspect it was me) settled down very quickly and simply got involved in the story and the characters. It’s already been observed that the central character, Dr Finlay Logan, is not entirely sympathetic, but the book presents him as he is, without overt judgement (he judges himself, which is a different matter; and Barber certainly understands male lust) and in this it reminds me somewhat of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, which enfolded all its characters in a blanket of understanding and compassion. Hence, even the apparently unredeemable April Smith, bus-bombing murderer of several of her peers, is shown to have suffered an ordeal which might reasonably unhinge anyone, even as Logan walks through the enveloping darkness brought on by the death of his daughter.
Simply as a piece of art, then, this is very very good, even if there will be minor aspects of the craft or creation that will trouble some (in my case, not being entirely sure how the posited NetSpex would work, being as far as I can tell far too close to the eyes to be properly focussed on). The characters are well-realised, always the most important factor in allowing a reader to immerse themselves, and the necessarily grim atmosphere is lightened by flashes of humour. And cunningly, Barber, after discussing the wave/particle duality concept of quantum physics, allows herself a similar duality in the novel’s ending, a la Sliding Doors (which accounts for the peculiarity you will spot if you look at the book’s contents page). This may keep those on the non-believing side of the fence from getting irate, as they can choose their own preferred ending – but I know which of the two reverberates most with me.
Simply put, the final section of the book represents one of the finest depictions of what might be called ‘enlightenment’ that I can remember reading. Its impact on me was similar to that of Hesse’s Siddhartha. Anyone who has read Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations With God series will also find much that rings true to them; although, from an objective point of view, Barber leaves the actual existence of ‘God’ open to question (and the book challenges the anthropomorphic conception of a deity from the outset), the attitudes and actions of those who undergo the fictional ‘process’ are echoed in spiritual literature from all ages and all traditions. This is the greatest strength of the book, for me; it brought back to me the sense that the universe is supremely beautiful, even when it doesn’t appear so from our human perspective. Nothing written here diminishes or dismisses human suffering, or shies away from reality (the point is made, once explicitly, and also implicitly by the structure of the book, that what you believe makes no real difference) – it simply places suffering as part of a larger web that has patterns none of us are able to see.
My own spiritual experience is almost non-existent, but I have been able to glimpse, through the (many many many) accounts of others, the great scriptures, and the occasional moment of personal clarity (what Abraham Maslow called Peak Experiences) the possibility of seeing creation as a thing of unalloyed beauty. I believe this to be a truer vision of how things are than the one that is generally accepted. Ros Barber has shown it to me again, when I was on the verge of forgetting, and this, above all, is why I’ll go back to this book again, very soon.
TL:DR If you like well-written fiction – great prose, well-delineated characters, intelligent debate and good structure – then you won’t go far wrong. If you have a background in spiritual exploration, it could be the best piece of fiction you’ve read for a very long time.
Ros Barber, Devotion
“There are no proofs for the existence of the God of Abraham,” said Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972). “There are only witnesses.”
I must admit to a strong bias here, inasmuch as I became convinced a quarter of a century ago that, whatever the relative doctrinal truth of the world’s major religions, there IS a spiritual component to reality, that this material plane is NOT everything there is. So you must take that into account when I say that the final fifty pages of Devotion represent the most thrilling fictional experience I’ve had for many years.
And as a work of fiction, this is very accomplished; a markedly different beast from Ros Barber’s award-winning all-verse The Marlowe Papers, it nevertheless displays a distinctly poetic sensibility in its prose. The prologue, for example, is a piece of wordplay not too far removed from some of the passages in Barber’s first book, almost suggesting a transitional passage between the two. As with (for example) Lawrence Durrell, this can be slightly distracting, as one is aware that this is ‘fine writing’, sometimes to the extent that it pulls one away from the event or emotions being described, but either I or the book (I suspect it was me) settled down very quickly and simply got involved in the story and the characters. It’s already been observed that the central character, Dr Finlay Logan, is not entirely sympathetic, but the book presents him as he is, without overt judgement (he judges himself, which is a different matter; and Barber certainly understands male lust) and in this it reminds me somewhat of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, which enfolded all its characters in a blanket of understanding and compassion. Hence, even the apparently unredeemable April Smith, bus-bombing murderer of several of her peers, is shown to have suffered an ordeal which might reasonably unhinge anyone, even as Logan walks through the enveloping darkness brought on by the death of his daughter.
Simply as a piece of art, then, this is very very good, even if there will be minor aspects of the craft or creation that will trouble some (in my case, not being entirely sure how the posited NetSpex would work, being as far as I can tell far too close to the eyes to be properly focussed on). The characters are well-realised, always the most important factor in allowing a reader to immerse themselves, and the necessarily grim atmosphere is lightened by flashes of humour. And cunningly, Barber, after discussing the wave/particle duality concept of quantum physics, allows herself a similar duality in the novel’s ending, a la Sliding Doors (which accounts for the peculiarity you will spot if you look at the book’s contents page). This may keep those on the non-believing side of the fence from getting irate, as they can choose their own preferred ending – but I know which of the two reverberates most with me.
Simply put, the final section of the book represents one of the finest depictions of what might be called ‘enlightenment’ that I can remember reading. Its impact on me was similar to that of Hesse’s Siddhartha. Anyone who has read Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations With God series will also find much that rings true to them; although, from an objective point of view, Barber leaves the actual existence of ‘God’ open to question (and the book challenges the anthropomorphic conception of a deity from the outset), the attitudes and actions of those who undergo the fictional ‘process’ are echoed in spiritual literature from all ages and all traditions. This is the greatest strength of the book, for me; it brought back to me the sense that the universe is supremely beautiful, even when it doesn’t appear so from our human perspective. Nothing written here diminishes or dismisses human suffering, or shies away from reality (the point is made, once explicitly, and also implicitly by the structure of the book, that what you believe makes no real difference) – it simply places suffering as part of a larger web that has patterns none of us are able to see.
My own spiritual experience is almost non-existent, but I have been able to glimpse, through the (many many many) accounts of others, the great scriptures, and the occasional moment of personal clarity (what Abraham Maslow called Peak Experiences) the possibility of seeing creation as a thing of unalloyed beauty. I believe this to be a truer vision of how things are than the one that is generally accepted. Ros Barber has shown it to me again, when I was on the verge of forgetting, and this, above all, is why I’ll go back to this book again, very soon.
TL:DR If you like well-written fiction – great prose, well-delineated characters, intelligent debate and good structure – then you won’t go far wrong. If you have a background in spiritual exploration, it could be the best piece of fiction you’ve read for a very long time.
December 23, 2018
In the near future, just after the death of Richard Dawkins, moves are afoot to reclassify religious fundamentalism as a form of mental illness. In this climate, Dr Finlay Logan must assess the sanity of April Smith, a ninteen-year-old woman who has committed a religiously motivated act of mass murder. Logan himself is struggling to come to terms with the death of his daughter Flora in a skydiving accident; his grief is threatening to destroy his marriage, as his wife--Flora's stepmother--is increasingly stymied by his inability to communicate his pain. Meanwhile, in the course of investigating April's condition, Logan comes across a charismatic researcher named Gabrielle Salmon, who offers both him and April the chance to undergo a procedure that, she claims, will allow them to experience direct contact with the divine.
The ideas in Devotion are in many ways more compelling than the characters whose actions are meant to express those ideas: Logan is frustrating, selfish and self-pitying, while the events that drove April to murder is at best predictable, at worst a reduction of female pain to an inevitable origin in sexual trauma. I also, as someone who has spent large swathes of my time in church and found some of it profoundly moving, am uncertain about Barber's portrayal of religious faith: it's not offensive, but she writes about it in a way that seems to see only three options: crazed, God-talks-to-me fundamentalism, pure atheism, and a kind of "spiritual-but-not-religious" state that manifests in a vague, fuzzy feeling of one-ness with all life. There are many other ways of experiencing what is generally referred to as the divine, including ways that acknowledge a monotheistic God without assuming a deep personal connection with him/it, and it would have been refreshing to see some more acknowledgment of that; it's still so rare in mainstream literary fiction. Devotion is absolutely worth reading, though, even if it only goes halfway, and I'm slightly surprised that it was never on the Clarke Award shortlist.
The ideas in Devotion are in many ways more compelling than the characters whose actions are meant to express those ideas: Logan is frustrating, selfish and self-pitying, while the events that drove April to murder is at best predictable, at worst a reduction of female pain to an inevitable origin in sexual trauma. I also, as someone who has spent large swathes of my time in church and found some of it profoundly moving, am uncertain about Barber's portrayal of religious faith: it's not offensive, but she writes about it in a way that seems to see only three options: crazed, God-talks-to-me fundamentalism, pure atheism, and a kind of "spiritual-but-not-religious" state that manifests in a vague, fuzzy feeling of one-ness with all life. There are many other ways of experiencing what is generally referred to as the divine, including ways that acknowledge a monotheistic God without assuming a deep personal connection with him/it, and it would have been refreshing to see some more acknowledgment of that; it's still so rare in mainstream literary fiction. Devotion is absolutely worth reading, though, even if it only goes halfway, and I'm slightly surprised that it was never on the Clarke Award shortlist.
October 6, 2022
Part of me isn't even sure what I've read. I picked the book up because I was intrigued by the implied relationship between Logan and April, the potential toxicness of it between a man struggling with such massive grief from the loss of his daughter and a girl who has been traumatized and committed an act of murder in revenge. I'm not a very religious person but I was open to reading the book because of the possibility of either of them using faith to either explain their actions or manipulate the other person in some way. But instead, there is a "process" that people can go through that (inadvertently?) makes them believe in God (though said god is not necessarily the one of Christian faith, more so just a sense of appreciation and respect for the world and how lucky we are in the cosmic scheme of things to exist). But it also seems to make people emotionally flat. Nothing can perturb them when they realize intention is part of everything, so even horrible things are wanted by both parties to some degree. It's an interesting thought experiment, but I didn't find it made for plausible or relatable characters.
The whole thing about religion being mental illness was also not nearly as prominent as the book blurb would have you believe, and between the dense writing style and the lack of societal context, it was really hard for me to wrap my head around a possible year/timeline and how exactly society functions in this book as a result. The writing itself is incredible (though it took me several pages to get used to it, my brain is not used to such creatively dense passages anymore) but almost to the point that it makes it hard to follow the actual story those words are trying to tell, what little story there is. Logan is all over the place as a character, and not entirely attributable to his grief, and because he is more or less the main character, it put a bit of a wall up between me and the rest of the characters, and certainly with Logan himself.
The whole thing about religion being mental illness was also not nearly as prominent as the book blurb would have you believe, and between the dense writing style and the lack of societal context, it was really hard for me to wrap my head around a possible year/timeline and how exactly society functions in this book as a result. The writing itself is incredible (though it took me several pages to get used to it, my brain is not used to such creatively dense passages anymore) but almost to the point that it makes it hard to follow the actual story those words are trying to tell, what little story there is. Logan is all over the place as a character, and not entirely attributable to his grief, and because he is more or less the main character, it put a bit of a wall up between me and the rest of the characters, and certainly with Logan himself.
April 9, 2016
This is one of those books that once you read it, you never can forget it. And it will change your life and your perception of the world around you.
This is a story of a criminal psychologist, Finlay Logan, who is struggling with mental issues of his own due to the death of his beloved daughter. The book is written slightly in the future at a time when religious fanaticism is close to being determined to be a form of mental illness. Finlay must decide whether April Smith, a young woman who blew up a bus load of young atheists, is insane. Helping in his endeavor is Gabrielle Salmon, a scientist who has discovered a “process” whereby a patient can have a direct experience with God, thereby eliminating all guilt, shame and sorrow. Ms. Salmon not only claims to be able to connect Finlay and his patient to God but she also tells Finlay that she is in contact with his dead daughter, Flora.
This book raises so many questions about life and death and I think it gives a fascinating view of both. Examined are theories of alternative universes and that words create our reality. While the book is scientifically based, it is very readable and pulls you right into the story. I loved these characters, yes, even Finlay although his history with women certainly wasn’t the best. You have to feel compassion for this very human man with all his faults. There are two alternate endings to this book, which is just perfection due to the book’s theme.
Even if you’re not on a quest for spiritual enlightenment, this book is a delight just from a literary standpoint. It’s so beautifully written and I personally found it to be very uplifting and encouraging. Highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher through LibraryThing in return for an honest review.
This is a story of a criminal psychologist, Finlay Logan, who is struggling with mental issues of his own due to the death of his beloved daughter. The book is written slightly in the future at a time when religious fanaticism is close to being determined to be a form of mental illness. Finlay must decide whether April Smith, a young woman who blew up a bus load of young atheists, is insane. Helping in his endeavor is Gabrielle Salmon, a scientist who has discovered a “process” whereby a patient can have a direct experience with God, thereby eliminating all guilt, shame and sorrow. Ms. Salmon not only claims to be able to connect Finlay and his patient to God but she also tells Finlay that she is in contact with his dead daughter, Flora.
This book raises so many questions about life and death and I think it gives a fascinating view of both. Examined are theories of alternative universes and that words create our reality. While the book is scientifically based, it is very readable and pulls you right into the story. I loved these characters, yes, even Finlay although his history with women certainly wasn’t the best. You have to feel compassion for this very human man with all his faults. There are two alternate endings to this book, which is just perfection due to the book’s theme.
Even if you’re not on a quest for spiritual enlightenment, this book is a delight just from a literary standpoint. It’s so beautifully written and I personally found it to be very uplifting and encouraging. Highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher through LibraryThing in return for an honest review.
November 8, 2015
I found this book intriguing and disturbing to read. I hated the protagonist and the way he used women and broke up relationships for his own gain and really wanted him to suffer! I found the alternative endings strange until I realised what I was reading. I also found the treatment of atheist and theists strange and I wasn't entirely sure what the author thought of religion, or lack of it, by the end. A good read which made me contemplate the point of religion from several view points.
August 27, 2019
Wow I only went and finished this after 3 years!! I need to think about my review though, this book was A Lot.
November 13, 2019
Thought provoking,heart rending,mind boggling.
September 3, 2017
When I started reading devotion, I was afraid I'm not going to like it but it had a very good beginning I got very excited about it. The book is perfectly written, and the idea of faith and religion vs science and reason was very interesting but in the middle of the book, things start to get messy and the storyline started to go everywhere and doesn't stick to anything.
A disappointment.
A disappointment.
May 9, 2017
Love, love, LOVE Ros Barber's writing. So beautifully crafted, such a masterful wordsmith. And a fascinating subject matter too.
July 19, 2025
the dog dies.
January 17, 2020
Review originally published in SFX magazine, issue 265 (October 2015). 1.5 stars.
--
Why do bad things happen?
The Marlowe Papers author Barber isn’t the first to tackle this, and won’t be the last. That she does so through quantum theory and neuroscience might sound intriguing, but unfortunately the result is more messianic muddle than profound persuasion.
After a busload of atheist students is bombed, psychologist Finlay has to assess the bomber, April. The question isn’t if she did it, but why; many believe her case proves religious fervour should be reclassified as insanity. Meanwhile, pseudo-science research on shooting electrical currents through the brain is giving people spiritual experiences and leaving them happier versions of themselves (possibly because it wipes half their memories).
Ultimately, the novel seems to conclude, positive thinking is the key. We shape the world with our thoughts, see, so if we think nice things and stop worrying, everything will be awesome. And never mind the victims in all this, because we’re all connected and death doesn’t matter. “Think of the good done in the name of those who die early,” April tells Finlay; “the charities and foundations that people set up.” Spectacular; who cares about actual suffering, if it inspires those who witness it to be better people?
--
Why do bad things happen?
The Marlowe Papers author Barber isn’t the first to tackle this, and won’t be the last. That she does so through quantum theory and neuroscience might sound intriguing, but unfortunately the result is more messianic muddle than profound persuasion.
After a busload of atheist students is bombed, psychologist Finlay has to assess the bomber, April. The question isn’t if she did it, but why; many believe her case proves religious fervour should be reclassified as insanity. Meanwhile, pseudo-science research on shooting electrical currents through the brain is giving people spiritual experiences and leaving them happier versions of themselves (possibly because it wipes half their memories).
Ultimately, the novel seems to conclude, positive thinking is the key. We shape the world with our thoughts, see, so if we think nice things and stop worrying, everything will be awesome. And never mind the victims in all this, because we’re all connected and death doesn’t matter. “Think of the good done in the name of those who die early,” April tells Finlay; “the charities and foundations that people set up.” Spectacular; who cares about actual suffering, if it inspires those who witness it to be better people?
October 16, 2025
a great read in and of itself with depths of meaning everywhere you look if you want to (or not as the case may be!)
Just love Ros’s work. She is a poet by nature and so not a word is out of place. She is also just a really great story teller with an amazing eye for detail and for bringing characters alive. If you have not read her work give it a try. I promise you you won’t be disappointed.
Just love Ros’s work. She is a poet by nature and so not a word is out of place. She is also just a really great story teller with an amazing eye for detail and for bringing characters alive. If you have not read her work give it a try. I promise you you won’t be disappointed.
Read
February 20, 2021what's the worst book you've ever read and why is it devotion by ros barber?
August 27, 2015
April is angry. Dr Finlay Logan is broken.
Only nineteen, April is an elective mute, accused of a religiously motivated atrocity. Logan, a borderline suicidal criminal psychologist, must assess her sanity in a world where - ten years after the death of Richard Dawkins - moves have been made to classify religious fundamentalism as a form of mental illness. Asking fundamental questions about the nature of reality, Barber skillfully explores the balance between the emotional and rational sides of human experience.
The wonderful Oneworld Publications sent me this gorgeous looking book - check them out, they have a fantastic range of books!
The story itself is certainly interesting, and the blurb pulled me in instantly as it was unlike anything I had read before. It cleverly dances on the line between religion and faith and psychology and reasoning - two arguments I find extremely interesting. It plays with the ideas of destiny and chance, and how these can often shape how our lives play out.
The book is split in to 6 parts, each with numerous sub chapters that relate to different parts of the story:
Prologue
Atheists
1. Biology
Left | Hole | Salmon | Reality | Surface | That | Contract | Lost | Found | Accident | Lodger | Trees | Gone | Beans | Song
2. Psychology
Alarm | Scrambled | Peace | Panini | Beastly | Epiphany | Acts | Stalk | Observation | Static | Interpretations | Wisdoms | Determined | Noodles | Compassion | Professional | Semi-transparent
3a. Chemistry
Reflected | Clinical | Turkey | Things | Bonds | Medication | Without | Off | Frozen | Floored | Deer | Perfume | Mad | Remembered | Breakers
3b. Physics
Through | Particular | Peculiar | Appreciation | Presence | April | Meditation | Revelations | Headaches | Ghost | Alert | Court | Achilles
Epilogue
Opening
The novel is set in the near future (so pop culture references are still quite relevant to the reader), with London still in a state of fear over terrorism, but as the story plays out we realise that the fundamentalist Christians are really the ones to be fearful of. We're pulled into a post-Dawkins world, with many of his views and arguments being brought to the forefront of the story and challenging the reader continuously about what the real answer to life is.
The story starts with Dr. Finlay Logan, the novels main protagonist, and an insight to how he got to the position he is in now and also introduces the reader to how his daughter, Flora, came to be ("His daughter's conception was a thoughtless act.").
Logan is a psychologist who is still struggling to come to terms with his daughters death (Spoiler alert!!) and who has been tasked with providing a witness testimony for the case of April Smith, a young woman who is connected to a religiously motivated mass murder of a bus of children (chilling, I know!).
April is on a determined path, during her time in the asylum she resides in, to punish atheists and this is seen in her rantings and also in her scrawling on the wall of her room.
We are introduced to Dr. Gabrielle Salmon, a charming and warm scientist who has been working on some very interesting consciousness studies in which she describes God as being a feeling that can be induced.
I won't give too much more away as you should give it a read and find out for yourself.
On reaching the epilogue, I was initially confused as I felt I had read this part already, but interestingly, Ros has included the beginning of the story at the end to help round off the story and assist the reader in making sense of what has happened. It's very cleverly done, and I found it brought a lot of things into perspective for me.
I enjoyed this book and the various different psychological elements to it really sucked me in and left me with food for thought, that's for sure. However, I did come away feeling like the novel overall wasn't as enlightening as I thought it might be, it actually left me feeling a little disheartened at the thought of a near-future world that we could find ourselves in (for this reason, my review rating might be seen as a little unfair, I understand). There were some really fantastic points in the book, but for me I feel it could have pushed itself just a little further to have been a really incredible story.
That being said, I still enjoyed reading it, and would certainly recommend it if you're after something a little more thought-provoking on your commute to work.
Only nineteen, April is an elective mute, accused of a religiously motivated atrocity. Logan, a borderline suicidal criminal psychologist, must assess her sanity in a world where - ten years after the death of Richard Dawkins - moves have been made to classify religious fundamentalism as a form of mental illness. Asking fundamental questions about the nature of reality, Barber skillfully explores the balance between the emotional and rational sides of human experience.
The wonderful Oneworld Publications sent me this gorgeous looking book - check them out, they have a fantastic range of books!
The story itself is certainly interesting, and the blurb pulled me in instantly as it was unlike anything I had read before. It cleverly dances on the line between religion and faith and psychology and reasoning - two arguments I find extremely interesting. It plays with the ideas of destiny and chance, and how these can often shape how our lives play out.
The book is split in to 6 parts, each with numerous sub chapters that relate to different parts of the story:
Prologue
Atheists
1. Biology
Left | Hole | Salmon | Reality | Surface | That | Contract | Lost | Found | Accident | Lodger | Trees | Gone | Beans | Song
2. Psychology
Alarm | Scrambled | Peace | Panini | Beastly | Epiphany | Acts | Stalk | Observation | Static | Interpretations | Wisdoms | Determined | Noodles | Compassion | Professional | Semi-transparent
3a. Chemistry
Reflected | Clinical | Turkey | Things | Bonds | Medication | Without | Off | Frozen | Floored | Deer | Perfume | Mad | Remembered | Breakers
3b. Physics
Through | Particular | Peculiar | Appreciation | Presence | April | Meditation | Revelations | Headaches | Ghost | Alert | Court | Achilles
Epilogue
Opening
The novel is set in the near future (so pop culture references are still quite relevant to the reader), with London still in a state of fear over terrorism, but as the story plays out we realise that the fundamentalist Christians are really the ones to be fearful of. We're pulled into a post-Dawkins world, with many of his views and arguments being brought to the forefront of the story and challenging the reader continuously about what the real answer to life is.
The story starts with Dr. Finlay Logan, the novels main protagonist, and an insight to how he got to the position he is in now and also introduces the reader to how his daughter, Flora, came to be ("His daughter's conception was a thoughtless act.").
Logan is a psychologist who is still struggling to come to terms with his daughters death (Spoiler alert!!) and who has been tasked with providing a witness testimony for the case of April Smith, a young woman who is connected to a religiously motivated mass murder of a bus of children (chilling, I know!).
April is on a determined path, during her time in the asylum she resides in, to punish atheists and this is seen in her rantings and also in her scrawling on the wall of her room.
We are introduced to Dr. Gabrielle Salmon, a charming and warm scientist who has been working on some very interesting consciousness studies in which she describes God as being a feeling that can be induced.
I won't give too much more away as you should give it a read and find out for yourself.
On reaching the epilogue, I was initially confused as I felt I had read this part already, but interestingly, Ros has included the beginning of the story at the end to help round off the story and assist the reader in making sense of what has happened. It's very cleverly done, and I found it brought a lot of things into perspective for me.
I enjoyed this book and the various different psychological elements to it really sucked me in and left me with food for thought, that's for sure. However, I did come away feeling like the novel overall wasn't as enlightening as I thought it might be, it actually left me feeling a little disheartened at the thought of a near-future world that we could find ourselves in (for this reason, my review rating might be seen as a little unfair, I understand). There were some really fantastic points in the book, but for me I feel it could have pushed itself just a little further to have been a really incredible story.
That being said, I still enjoyed reading it, and would certainly recommend it if you're after something a little more thought-provoking on your commute to work.
October 15, 2016
I loved 'The Marlowe Papers' so was really looking forward to reading this. The first 2/3rds of the book are very good but it peters out during the last third and I was disappointed with it overall. A shame.
February 5, 2018
A fantastic book...IF you have an open mind and love for psychology.
November 19, 2015
Bessacarr Readers' Group:
Intriguing, thought-provoking, engaging, complicated and skilfully written. A novel which explores the effects of grief, especially its effects on the mind. It also questions ideas about love, death and the existence of God. The writing is at times vivid and poetic, describing things with such precision. It looks at how destiny and chance determines the course of our life, through the paranoia and confusion going through Logan's mind after the untimely death of his daughter, Flora, in a sky-diving accident. Dr Finlay Logan, a criminal psychologist, is struggling to come to terms with his loss and feels his grief is driving him 'mad'. There are similarities between Logan's private life and his work where he is working with April, a young religious fanatic who has blown up a bus murdering 15 of her fellow students, members of an atheist society. Logan believes that the new discovery by Dr Salmon, a scientist specialising in consciousness studies could help both April and himself to gain inner spiritual peace. The novel explores the ideas of a parallel universe, hence the two possible endings and even the last chapter suggests other possible paths. It is too complex a novel to write briefly about, you need to read it carefully to understand the ideas conveyed by the author, who at times plays 'Devil's Advocate'. If it is your type of novel, you will find it interesting and engrossing and it will be challenging and will reinforce your own thinking. A psychological novel that explores the power of language even in its title 'Devotion'. The book produced a lively and interesting debate at the Bessacarr Readers' Group with most people finding it a good, if disturbing read and awarded marks between 7 and 10, with most at the upper end. One member gave it 5.
Mary Wood (8/10)
This nook was a fascinating, if difficult read and some of the concepts were. For me, difficult to understand. On the whole I felt sad about the life that April had experienced, first with her dysfunctional mother and then at the hands of a group of 'boys' who had raped her. However, the fact that she killed several young people (who were involved in this) was inexcusable. The main character, Finlay, is seriously damaged by grief over his daughter's death and whilst reporting on April comes across a fellow professional who might have the answer for both of them. Interesting, engrossing, but a little depressing.
Brenda Marsden (7/10)
The plot: Suicidal psychologist preparing defence case for 19 year-old bomber.
A very believable insight into mental illness. Showing how the brain copes with unpalatable events it can't or will not make sense of. I was hooked right from the beginning with the extract from April's journal, with very descriptive language. Logan has various problems with relationships and he's able to explain these from a professional point of view, but it takes the intervention by Dr Salmon when he is at the height of paranoia to bring peace (is it a belief in God?). His relationship with his daughter was not as amiable as he leads you to believe. April has had an unfortunate childhood, when she is gand raped and becomes an elective mute. I felt extremely sorry for her, even after the terrible bus bombing. I was interested in religion being classified as a mental illness and a little disturbing as I am a believer. I will definitely read another book by this author.
Deb Mullins (10/10)
The book cover didn't entice me, nor the synopsis on the inside cover. The subject was disturbing and bordering on fantasy. It certainly wasn't a pleasant read, dealing with death, suicidal tendencies, murder, rape etc etc. I thought that Jules was the one sane person until she decided to have an affair with a locum doctor. The story explored life after death, the existence of God, ways of coping with loss and coming to terms with what life deals out. It was not the sort of book I like to read but it did have some interesting bits. I wouldn't read another book by this author and though it was well written , the subject didn't really interest me.
Linda Birkinshaw (5/10)
Intriguing, thought-provoking, engaging, complicated and skilfully written. A novel which explores the effects of grief, especially its effects on the mind. It also questions ideas about love, death and the existence of God. The writing is at times vivid and poetic, describing things with such precision. It looks at how destiny and chance determines the course of our life, through the paranoia and confusion going through Logan's mind after the untimely death of his daughter, Flora, in a sky-diving accident. Dr Finlay Logan, a criminal psychologist, is struggling to come to terms with his loss and feels his grief is driving him 'mad'. There are similarities between Logan's private life and his work where he is working with April, a young religious fanatic who has blown up a bus murdering 15 of her fellow students, members of an atheist society. Logan believes that the new discovery by Dr Salmon, a scientist specialising in consciousness studies could help both April and himself to gain inner spiritual peace. The novel explores the ideas of a parallel universe, hence the two possible endings and even the last chapter suggests other possible paths. It is too complex a novel to write briefly about, you need to read it carefully to understand the ideas conveyed by the author, who at times plays 'Devil's Advocate'. If it is your type of novel, you will find it interesting and engrossing and it will be challenging and will reinforce your own thinking. A psychological novel that explores the power of language even in its title 'Devotion'. The book produced a lively and interesting debate at the Bessacarr Readers' Group with most people finding it a good, if disturbing read and awarded marks between 7 and 10, with most at the upper end. One member gave it 5.
Mary Wood (8/10)
This nook was a fascinating, if difficult read and some of the concepts were. For me, difficult to understand. On the whole I felt sad about the life that April had experienced, first with her dysfunctional mother and then at the hands of a group of 'boys' who had raped her. However, the fact that she killed several young people (who were involved in this) was inexcusable. The main character, Finlay, is seriously damaged by grief over his daughter's death and whilst reporting on April comes across a fellow professional who might have the answer for both of them. Interesting, engrossing, but a little depressing.
Brenda Marsden (7/10)
The plot: Suicidal psychologist preparing defence case for 19 year-old bomber.
A very believable insight into mental illness. Showing how the brain copes with unpalatable events it can't or will not make sense of. I was hooked right from the beginning with the extract from April's journal, with very descriptive language. Logan has various problems with relationships and he's able to explain these from a professional point of view, but it takes the intervention by Dr Salmon when he is at the height of paranoia to bring peace (is it a belief in God?). His relationship with his daughter was not as amiable as he leads you to believe. April has had an unfortunate childhood, when she is gand raped and becomes an elective mute. I felt extremely sorry for her, even after the terrible bus bombing. I was interested in religion being classified as a mental illness and a little disturbing as I am a believer. I will definitely read another book by this author.
Deb Mullins (10/10)
The book cover didn't entice me, nor the synopsis on the inside cover. The subject was disturbing and bordering on fantasy. It certainly wasn't a pleasant read, dealing with death, suicidal tendencies, murder, rape etc etc. I thought that Jules was the one sane person until she decided to have an affair with a locum doctor. The story explored life after death, the existence of God, ways of coping with loss and coming to terms with what life deals out. It was not the sort of book I like to read but it did have some interesting bits. I wouldn't read another book by this author and though it was well written , the subject didn't really interest me.
Linda Birkinshaw (5/10)
November 8, 2015
For the first time when writing a review, it’s taken me a long time to formulate what I thought about it and what the ending actually meant.
It was probably my fault and the fact that I was reading little bits here and there, but I didn’t get that it had alternative endings until about an hour after I have finished reading it! I don’t tend to take much attention of the chapter names or in this case numbers (A & B). I don’t know why I hadn’t worked it out before because I was like ‘haven’t they already done this’ and ‘what happened to Achilles(the dog)’?
So back with sensible head on. Devotion is a book about traditional medicine (anti-depressants) and non-traditional methods (mumbo jumbo, finding God through an MRI scan etc.).
In honesty, I did enjoy the majority of the book; it was just when it got to the point where ending option B kicked in it just got plain weird. I know this is fiction, I just like those books which seem believable to start with, to stay that way.
*SPOILER ALERT*
So of course, I sided with the way it ended with traditional medicine, although sad, sometimes in life, we have to just take it, learn from it and move on. Although I did cry at the loss of the dog.
I think that given that I had to think about this and the themes running through the book, I’m sure the author should be satisfied as this is probably what she intended.
I’m still at a loss as to whether I liked this book or not, thus a 3 star has been given. I’m sure we’ll have lots to discuss at our next book group.
It was probably my fault and the fact that I was reading little bits here and there, but I didn’t get that it had alternative endings until about an hour after I have finished reading it! I don’t tend to take much attention of the chapter names or in this case numbers (A & B). I don’t know why I hadn’t worked it out before because I was like ‘haven’t they already done this’ and ‘what happened to Achilles(the dog)’?
So back with sensible head on. Devotion is a book about traditional medicine (anti-depressants) and non-traditional methods (mumbo jumbo, finding God through an MRI scan etc.).
In honesty, I did enjoy the majority of the book; it was just when it got to the point where ending option B kicked in it just got plain weird. I know this is fiction, I just like those books which seem believable to start with, to stay that way.
*SPOILER ALERT*
So of course, I sided with the way it ended with traditional medicine, although sad, sometimes in life, we have to just take it, learn from it and move on. Although I did cry at the loss of the dog.
I think that given that I had to think about this and the themes running through the book, I’m sure the author should be satisfied as this is probably what she intended.
I’m still at a loss as to whether I liked this book or not, thus a 3 star has been given. I’m sure we’ll have lots to discuss at our next book group.
Read
July 25, 2016oh gosh. this book was so, so perfectly written. the poetry was absurdly good. and it's possible the narrative colluded to tear apart the appalling philosophy it could be seen to defend. but i'm not sure.
the characters were perfectly realised, and each scene was so fraught, so precise. but.
i'm not sure it follows from quantum physics that we control reality. i'm not sure the book was even trying to argue that. i'm not entirely sure the book wasn't pointing out how vile and disturbing the philosophy so many of the characters spouted was. but the point is i wasn't sure. the fault may be with me. the fault may not.
the philosophy i'm talking about is the theory of attraction. it goes by many names, none of which i remember. the theory that everything we say or think draws those aspects of life towards us. that, essentially, we get what we have asked for. and when this is directly addressed gabrielle dances around the question. she says that maybe death isn't a bad thing. she doesn't address the other horrors we might ask for.
and possibly i'm too obtuse to see that the book completely destroys the arguments for the theory. but see them i don't, and therefore i couldn't wholeheartedly love this book. there's something very ugly at the heart of it. and possibly it's there to show us that ugliness. possibly it's there to say that that ugliness maybe isn't so ugly after all.
the characters were perfectly realised, and each scene was so fraught, so precise. but.
i'm not sure it follows from quantum physics that we control reality. i'm not sure the book was even trying to argue that. i'm not entirely sure the book wasn't pointing out how vile and disturbing the philosophy so many of the characters spouted was. but the point is i wasn't sure. the fault may be with me. the fault may not.
the philosophy i'm talking about is the theory of attraction. it goes by many names, none of which i remember. the theory that everything we say or think draws those aspects of life towards us. that, essentially, we get what we have asked for. and when this is directly addressed gabrielle dances around the question. she says that maybe death isn't a bad thing. she doesn't address the other horrors we might ask for.
and possibly i'm too obtuse to see that the book completely destroys the arguments for the theory. but see them i don't, and therefore i couldn't wholeheartedly love this book. there's something very ugly at the heart of it. and possibly it's there to show us that ugliness. possibly it's there to say that that ugliness maybe isn't so ugly after all.
November 12, 2016
Ros Barber's debut was incredible (The Marlowe Papers) and I was always going to look for her name with interest. The synopsis of this was just as intriguing as her first, but for different reasons.
Told in a more typical prose style, it's still an original work, especially the central premise. The world has moved on after Richard Dawkins and religious fundamentalism is not only a minority view but is classified as dangerous and a mental illness, much in the same way as homosexuality was in the recent past.
April is a young woman accused of a religiously-motivated atrocity, Dr Logan the psychologist assigned to assess her well-being and culpability. He has issues of his own, after his daughter's death.
We look back both at April's past and the doctor's, how they got to the mindsets they have today.
I found the idea fascinating, as one of many possible worlds, and enjoyed the book, though it did veer off at the end and lose me a little.
Excellent premise, and a writer of great talent.
With thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy, sent for review purposes.
Told in a more typical prose style, it's still an original work, especially the central premise. The world has moved on after Richard Dawkins and religious fundamentalism is not only a minority view but is classified as dangerous and a mental illness, much in the same way as homosexuality was in the recent past.
April is a young woman accused of a religiously-motivated atrocity, Dr Logan the psychologist assigned to assess her well-being and culpability. He has issues of his own, after his daughter's death.
We look back both at April's past and the doctor's, how they got to the mindsets they have today.
I found the idea fascinating, as one of many possible worlds, and enjoyed the book, though it did veer off at the end and lose me a little.
Excellent premise, and a writer of great talent.
With thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy, sent for review purposes.
August 6, 2017
It was beautiful and like reading poetry. Amazing.
October 3, 2015
It is a well written story; I especially liked the description of the dog's relationship (devotion really) to her mistress. I eventually figured out that chapters 3a and 3b were actually two different endings/paths to the story (admittedly after a little backtracking!). The idea of being able to change a person through experimental treatment was chilling and I enjoyed this part of the story. The book is well named - devotion isn't just about religion but devotion to a daughter, job, the name of a perfume etc. However, I gave it two starts (for the writing and style) as I hated the main character, really hated him. He caused so much destruction/devestation that I wondered if he was the one who was actually sectioned and everything that happened in the book was in his head. I also felt the son suddenly vanished from the story for no aparrent reason as did Merriweather.
July 11, 2016
I recently read Don De Lillo's Zero K and I couldn't stop drawing comparisons with Devotion as I read Ros Barber's work. I much preferred Devotion, and my comparison is/was based on the similarity in both books focusing on death and philosophies of what sits outside and beyond the physical journey that we all experience in our lives.
I don't think I understood all of Ros Barber's reflections on "The Process"; but that's my ignorance, and not the writers very smooth prose.
Logan was a character who fascinated. Apart from, ironically, his relationship with Dr Salmon, I found him compellingly realistic as a flawed hero. More F.Scott Fitzgerald's Dick Diver than any character I've read about for a long time.
A very interesting read, and I'm only surprised that this book hasn't been picked up by more readers yet.
I don't think I understood all of Ros Barber's reflections on "The Process"; but that's my ignorance, and not the writers very smooth prose.
Logan was a character who fascinated. Apart from, ironically, his relationship with Dr Salmon, I found him compellingly realistic as a flawed hero. More F.Scott Fitzgerald's Dick Diver than any character I've read about for a long time.
A very interesting read, and I'm only surprised that this book hasn't been picked up by more readers yet.
April 11, 2016
Thought-provoking may be an understatement for this book. Finlay, a psychologist, is dealing with a lot- his new patient, April, whom he will have to testify about in court as to her level of sanity; his marriage and its state of stability; his grief from past loss... he's got some baggage. Enter Dr. Salmon and her revolutionary "process". Does it prove the existence of God?
This book makes no suppositions about what is true and what is not, which I appreciate. It presents alternating theories, in the guise of fiction, but without the push of agenda. Do our thoughts have influence over what happens to us in a definitive way? Or are we just along for the ride? The story took a little while to get into, but once immersed, I really enjoyed watching things play out.
This book makes no suppositions about what is true and what is not, which I appreciate. It presents alternating theories, in the guise of fiction, but without the push of agenda. Do our thoughts have influence over what happens to us in a definitive way? Or are we just along for the ride? The story took a little while to get into, but once immersed, I really enjoyed watching things play out.
October 3, 2015
Devotion is a beautifully written and intelligent novel full of Ros Barber's exquisitely poetic prose and as gripping as any thriller. A forensic psychologist, his family and a high profile client are the main characters in a novel that manages to look at emotion, reason, psychology, religion, mental health, science and more and is virtually impossible to put down. The reader is provoked, educated and stimulated while enjoying a great story with a brilliantly clever ending. It fizzes with ideas, suggestions and theses leaving the reader with much to consider. I have so many things I'd like to discuss with fellow readers I can't wait for our next book group meeting. Bravo Ros Barber!
May 9, 2016
Wow! Barber has a way with words and hooked me immediately into this novel of unexpected pain and enlightenment. I found myself deep in to Logan’s mine and troubled train of thought wanting to stop him here and encourage him there. Caring very deeply for this terribly distressed man on the brink of losing his mind while trying to help a young woman escape prison by reason of her own dark and deadly insanity, I could not put this book down.
“Then a miracle happens…” Caught between science and religion, who truly understands reality? I will be thinking about this quandary far from today.
An advanced copy of this book was provided for an honest review.
“Then a miracle happens…” Caught between science and religion, who truly understands reality? I will be thinking about this quandary far from today.
An advanced copy of this book was provided for an honest review.
January 30, 2017
The blurb of this book drew me in but it really wasn't what I was expecting. I feel like it is a missed opportunity to really explore the idea of religious beliefs becoming classified as a mental disorder, instead we just hear about Dr Logan and his extremely depressing life. I did like the idea of the 'process' and the philosophical questions that threw up but it just sounded like the author was really into mindfulness and wanted to make sure everyone knew about it! I found it a bit of a slog, it definitely didn't grip me and the writing style was too abstract and 'poetic' for my liking.
July 14, 2016
Definitely thought provoking. Reminded me of the age old argument of how much in control of we in our lives, versus the laid out plans of another higher ordered being, and whether our lives develop to become our own self-fulfilling prophecies. Not exactly sure how much agree with either routes laid out by the author (spoiler alert about 2 parallel endings). If there is one thing I may agree about, it is the awe we have for the unknowns in life. May we learn to handle it with respect.
May 14, 2016
I saw by the reviews that this book has garnered many stars. I did not like it at all. In fact I only got half way through then stopped. I find this writing style very disjointed and hard to read. Just not for me. The subject matter is most intriguing, but just couldn't get through it. I will pass this on to my book club girls to get their opinion as well.
April 18, 2016
This is an interesting listen. Fantastically written. Very dark, very deep and incredibly thought provoking.
Covering the topics of religion and mental illness and the violation of the human body.
Not a light read.
Covering the topics of religion and mental illness and the violation of the human body.
Not a light read.
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