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Fatherless
An intensely human tour of the great spiritual battles in the US Catholic church during the late 20th century. Brian Gail takes us out into the "trenches" and shows what life was like for Catholics good and bad during this critical time. This book is a great opportunity for Catholics to take hold of who they really are. Meticulously researched, brilliantly crafted, Fatherless takes the reader on an unforgettable journey inside Fortune 500 boardrooms and Madison Avenue screening rooms, behind one-way mirrors in America's heartland and two-way screens in church confessionals, to the very peak of Ireland's highest mountain and inside the papal dining room of John Paul II in Rome.
It is the searing journey to the center of conscience, however, that marks Fatherless as the signature Catholic novel of its generation. In its pages we meet flesh and blood characters - noble and flawed, driven and seeking; each struggling to achieve the American Dream ... discovering instead a uniquely
It is the searing journey to the center of conscience, however, that marks Fatherless as the signature Catholic novel of its generation. In its pages we meet flesh and blood characters - noble and flawed, driven and seeking; each struggling to achieve the American Dream ... discovering instead a uniquely
542 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 13, 2012
I read about one fiction book per year, but I'm sure glad I made this the one! This is Part I of a trilogy originally titled "The American Tragedy," so I look forward to reading parts 2 and 3.
Set in the 1980s, the main character is a young Catholic priest who is struggling to meet the true needs of his flock. The story tracks the journey of three different parishioners who are battling three different claws within the culture of death. I think this book dives into the fall of our culture with more breadth than a non-fiction book could. Additionally, Fatherless cuts deeply into two core issues: contraception and pornography. (Btw, the author did his homework, for sure!)
This book is also a light way to learn about Blessed John Paul II's teachings on "Theology of the Body." It should be required summer reading for every Catholic, or anyone else seeking the truth about the evil forces behind today's destructive American culture.
Bravo, Mr. Gail!
Set in the 1980s, the main character is a young Catholic priest who is struggling to meet the true needs of his flock. The story tracks the journey of three different parishioners who are battling three different claws within the culture of death. I think this book dives into the fall of our culture with more breadth than a non-fiction book could. Additionally, Fatherless cuts deeply into two core issues: contraception and pornography. (Btw, the author did his homework, for sure!)
This book is also a light way to learn about Blessed John Paul II's teachings on "Theology of the Body." It should be required summer reading for every Catholic, or anyone else seeking the truth about the evil forces behind today's destructive American culture.
Bravo, Mr. Gail!
April 5, 2012
I picked this up reading all the acclaim and rave reviews about it and was really looking forward to it. After all, it’s Catholic fiction. However, I gave it three stars and found myself a bit disappointed. The story does keep moving and there are many parts that are compelling and thought-provoking. I had the sensation of being a bit preached to throughout, and I felt like it could have been about half as long and twice as effective. Nevertheless, I’ll be reading the other two books in the series (Motherless and Childless), so don’t think I didn’t enjoy reading it enough to continue. Three stars doesn’t make it a must-read in my categorizing, but it is worthwhile and better than drivel.
December 5, 2010
This was a great read and an interesting, relevant assortment of issues. The characters dealt with realistic situations and had to make choices about whether they would follow the faith heroically, or if they would give in in some way to the pressures of modern society. Their struggles and those of their priest were presented as real struggles -- very human.
The priest's trip to Rome was especially moving for me. Something about those encounters filled *my* heart with hope and love.
The priest's trip to Rome was especially moving for me. Something about those encounters filled *my* heart with hope and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2012
Really struggled to get into it. Then just wanted to know what was going to happen but this really proceeded slowly for me. I think I just didn't get much of the male humor or world maybe. But it is an important book. Almost like a historical fiction. We all need to go through this transformation. Especially in this age.
June 29, 2010
The beginning was painful - the ending joyous and promising. Liked the book, loved the issues.
January 6, 2021
Was a well written interwoven story of the complex issues of our day and age that I’ll admit was a bit slow in the development of the plot line and the way it jumped from character to character. It got a bit confusing at times but after getting half way through it or more I finally got used to it and became more familiar with the characters and their situations - enjoyed the real portrayal of issues and their implications in story style
September 29, 2018
The characters in this novel engaged my interest from the beginning. Their moral conflicts were compelling, and I admired how their faith informed their choices. HOWEVER, about half way through, I realized this novel was written by a conservative Catholic researcher. I only read to the end because I cared about the characters, but the sections preaching against birth control turned me off.
November 7, 2021
I’m tempted to give 4 stars because a lot of the stuff could have been left out (like all the business talk...if you read it, you’ll know what I mean). I don’t think think it needed to be over 500 pages. BUT I just really loved some of the characters and the message is really important and relevant and there needs to be more Catholic fiction in the world...so 5 stars it is.
February 19, 2018
It was just okay. Also was over 530 pages, could've cut almost 100. Almost a 2 star, because it was VERY amateurish at times, but the ending came at a break neck speed. Sorry it took 3 damn years to read this.
April 11, 2019
This book was interesting, but too long by 1/3. Maybe 1/2. I can’t believe the editor allowed vast sections on how the pay television and advertising businesses work. And paragraphs of backstory on every character he introduces.
September 7, 2019
A must read for all Catholics.
A must read for all Catholics. I like how the book portrays the Catholic Faith. I now understand how the Church got to where it is today. I am curious as to why the title "Fatherless". Perhaps because we have lost sight of the importance of family.
A must read for all Catholics. I like how the book portrays the Catholic Faith. I now understand how the Church got to where it is today. I am curious as to why the title "Fatherless". Perhaps because we have lost sight of the importance of family.
September 8, 2022
Excellent
At first I felt the story was too preachy, even though I have no trouble with hearing truth.
Fatherless seemed an odd mix, since I am used to reading straightforward words from apologetics. It is a fictional book of non fiction truths. Well done!
At first I felt the story was too preachy, even though I have no trouble with hearing truth.
Fatherless seemed an odd mix, since I am used to reading straightforward words from apologetics. It is a fictional book of non fiction truths. Well done!
June 17, 2019
Amazing!
This book is a breath of fresh air - be prepared to be encouraged in your faith and taken on a roller coaster of emotion and excitement.
This book is a breath of fresh air - be prepared to be encouraged in your faith and taken on a roller coaster of emotion and excitement.
September 14, 2019
A very good read. Awakened so many questions
December 21, 2020
Very good in parts. Very slow in other areas.
January 18, 2020
Makes one question what the Church has done in the recent past and where it is going in the future. Well written and interesting study of the characters.
July 21, 2021
First off let me say I can't decide between one or two stars, so I'll be nice and say
1.5 stars.
Truth be told, the story wasn't the main problem here, although still, that was only okay. The entire point of the story though is just to introduce you to characters and the events of their lives that lead up to the sermon Father John Sweeney gives during the last ten pages of the book, so if you really are just hoping for the author's message, skip the first 534 pages and just sit in the back of your religious bookstore and read the last ten pages, because really, that is all I think he wants you to hear.
Like I said, the story was okay , but it was bogged down with pages and pages of unneeded and useless information. One example of needless commentary is three pages of description of a woman walking from a subway to a church; THREE PAGES of the turns she made and the speed at which she was traveling. Another was over thirty pages of a man's business trip to survey people who didn't want, or disconnected, cable t.v. and how they all decided against it because it was evil and not family oriented or uplifting. Could we really not summarize that into two or maybe three pages? Needless to say, I fell asleep a LOT while reading this tome.
The basics of this book is a whole lot of saying the same things over and over and over and over again; birth control is bad (condoms included) and you are going to hell, cable t.v. is bad and you are going to hell, and in the last few pages they sneaked in in vitro is bad and the child born of it will be soulless and you are going to hell.
The one story line I was genuinely interested in, that of the Kealeys, was glossed over in the end. For the better part of the book I thought they might actually own up to the fact that even the church is not without sin, but ultimately the author chose to push it all under the rug and ignore that the daughter was molested by a priest. Wait, wait, wait, isn't that a huge sin too and deserving of the 'you're going to hell' speech at the end? Apparently not. Still, it was a decent and compelling part of the story.
Before haters start hating in the comments, I would like to also make a few points clear.
1) Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. (That may stop at least some of you.)
2) I have read other religious fiction and rated it five stars, so the issue here is not that it is a religious book. The issue is the writing (more specifically, a ton of useless writing in the middle of a just okay story) and the general hellfire and brimstone approach.
*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads
1.5 stars.
Truth be told, the story wasn't the main problem here, although still, that was only okay. The entire point of the story though is just to introduce you to characters and the events of their lives that lead up to the sermon Father John Sweeney gives during the last ten pages of the book, so if you really are just hoping for the author's message, skip the first 534 pages and just sit in the back of your religious bookstore and read the last ten pages, because really, that is all I think he wants you to hear.
Like I said, the story was okay , but it was bogged down with pages and pages of unneeded and useless information. One example of needless commentary is three pages of description of a woman walking from a subway to a church; THREE PAGES of the turns she made and the speed at which she was traveling. Another was over thirty pages of a man's business trip to survey people who didn't want, or disconnected, cable t.v. and how they all decided against it because it was evil and not family oriented or uplifting. Could we really not summarize that into two or maybe three pages? Needless to say, I fell asleep a LOT while reading this tome.
The basics of this book is a whole lot of saying the same things over and over and over and over again; birth control is bad (condoms included) and you are going to hell, cable t.v. is bad and you are going to hell, and in the last few pages they sneaked in in vitro is bad and the child born of it will be soulless and you are going to hell.
The one story line I was genuinely interested in, that of the Kealeys, was glossed over in the end. For the better part of the book I thought they might actually own up to the fact that even the church is not without sin, but ultimately the author chose to push it all under the rug and ignore that the daughter was molested by a priest. Wait, wait, wait, isn't that a huge sin too and deserving of the 'you're going to hell' speech at the end? Apparently not. Still, it was a decent and compelling part of the story.
Before haters start hating in the comments, I would like to also make a few points clear.
1) Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. (That may stop at least some of you.)
2) I have read other religious fiction and rated it five stars, so the issue here is not that it is a religious book. The issue is the writing (more specifically, a ton of useless writing in the middle of a just okay story) and the general hellfire and brimstone approach.
*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads
August 12, 2011
Although 536 pages sounds like a lot to get through, this book was a pretty quick read. While it started out seeming contrived and predictable, it got better the further along I read. Perhaps it was the structure of the book that kept me hooked: several story lines progressing simultaneously with each chapter left me eager for the next installment.
First the bad news: The word "cheesy" comes to mind, but only because I thought the characters were stereotypical post-Vatican II American Catholics. I felt like the author was hitting me over the head with scientific analysis of the action of the birth control pill through conversations that seemed over-the-top unrealistically earnest. There was at least one editorial comment that was left in the book and a few other areas that weren't edited well. I was annoyed that "Coors Light" would be followed by a trademark logo, but "Michelob" was not. I was amused when the characters in the book (including a priest) expressed shock to hear the Pill could act as an abortifacient and was complicit in the rise of breast cancer. I thought everyone already knew that, but perhaps not. (The story takes place sometime in the late 80's, I believe. Perhaps the actions of the Pill weren't as well known then). If the author's purpose was to inform an uneducated Catholic population of the dangers of hormonal contraceptives and the secularization of our culture, then he succeeded admirably. Getting those folks to read this book might be difficult. Having them understand it as based in fact might be even more difficult.
Now the good news: I'm still thinking about the story several days after finishing the book. There was something deep in the book that the cheese and stereotypes couldn't completely mask. And the story, which was rather depressing yet left the reader with a glimmer of hope, is a true story of the Catholic Church in America and the Western world. Our culture has produced a lot of messed up families, marriages and lives. But Our Lord promised he wouldn't leave us as orphans and he hasn't. The Church has been immensely blessed in these dark days, with two great pontiffs: Blessed John Paul the Great and our current pope, Benedict XVI. We have every reason to hope in the future.
I must admit, I'm "hooked," and will read his next book, in The American Tragedy in Trilogy: Motherless. I wonder if there will be any stereotypical homeschoolers in it?
First the bad news: The word "cheesy" comes to mind, but only because I thought the characters were stereotypical post-Vatican II American Catholics. I felt like the author was hitting me over the head with scientific analysis of the action of the birth control pill through conversations that seemed over-the-top unrealistically earnest. There was at least one editorial comment that was left in the book and a few other areas that weren't edited well. I was annoyed that "Coors Light" would be followed by a trademark logo, but "Michelob" was not. I was amused when the characters in the book (including a priest) expressed shock to hear the Pill could act as an abortifacient and was complicit in the rise of breast cancer. I thought everyone already knew that, but perhaps not. (The story takes place sometime in the late 80's, I believe. Perhaps the actions of the Pill weren't as well known then). If the author's purpose was to inform an uneducated Catholic population of the dangers of hormonal contraceptives and the secularization of our culture, then he succeeded admirably. Getting those folks to read this book might be difficult. Having them understand it as based in fact might be even more difficult.
Now the good news: I'm still thinking about the story several days after finishing the book. There was something deep in the book that the cheese and stereotypes couldn't completely mask. And the story, which was rather depressing yet left the reader with a glimmer of hope, is a true story of the Catholic Church in America and the Western world. Our culture has produced a lot of messed up families, marriages and lives. But Our Lord promised he wouldn't leave us as orphans and he hasn't. The Church has been immensely blessed in these dark days, with two great pontiffs: Blessed John Paul the Great and our current pope, Benedict XVI. We have every reason to hope in the future.
I must admit, I'm "hooked," and will read his next book, in The American Tragedy in Trilogy: Motherless. I wonder if there will be any stereotypical homeschoolers in it?
April 6, 2013
I think you need knowledge of the Catholic faith to understand much of the motivations and what happens in this book. I am a lifelong Catholic.
This is the story of three people/families set in the 1980s. , Father John Sweeney, a young priest trying to find his path to lead his people. The Burns family with Carol, a homemaker/baby machine and Michael her attorney husband. The Delgado family with mother Fran an alcoholic and husband Joe who wrestles with his conscience over the cable company his business represents showing soft-core porn. The Keeley family, with Maggie who has migraines and Bill who is having a longstanding affair with his secretary.
The one common thread these people have is the church. This book examines how the clergy and the Catholic faith interpret the bible and the teachings of the Catholic Church about birth control, pornography, infidelity and suicide.
Each family and Father John struggle through life and their faith and to use it in their everyday life.
Oh yes, there is guilt all over this book. It is about Catholics! I saw how all of the characters felt they were Catholic, but many seemed to just go through the motions, especially Father John. Not until after he had a meeting with Pope JPII did he find his calling. Joe Delgado also did what he knew was right in the end. The Keeley family suffered a suicide and break up of their marriage, and the Burns family trudged on.
A good, very fast read considering the length of the book. But, I do feel you would need a working knowledge of the Catholic faith to understand much of the writing.
This is the story of three people/families set in the 1980s. , Father John Sweeney, a young priest trying to find his path to lead his people. The Burns family with Carol, a homemaker/baby machine and Michael her attorney husband. The Delgado family with mother Fran an alcoholic and husband Joe who wrestles with his conscience over the cable company his business represents showing soft-core porn. The Keeley family, with Maggie who has migraines and Bill who is having a longstanding affair with his secretary.
The one common thread these people have is the church. This book examines how the clergy and the Catholic faith interpret the bible and the teachings of the Catholic Church about birth control, pornography, infidelity and suicide.
Each family and Father John struggle through life and their faith and to use it in their everyday life.
Oh yes, there is guilt all over this book. It is about Catholics! I saw how all of the characters felt they were Catholic, but many seemed to just go through the motions, especially Father John. Not until after he had a meeting with Pope JPII did he find his calling. Joe Delgado also did what he knew was right in the end. The Keeley family suffered a suicide and break up of their marriage, and the Burns family trudged on.
A good, very fast read considering the length of the book. But, I do feel you would need a working knowledge of the Catholic faith to understand much of the writing.
January 2, 2011
Fatherless is fiction but at the same time it is a history of the Catholic Church during the latter part of the 20th century. Set in 1985, Fatherless follows Father John Sweeney as parish priest struggling with Church teachings as well as with counseling families whose problems are innumerable. Father Sweeney is the priest that many like; he finds ways to answer the hard questions to make people feel better even if his answers aren't backed by solid doctrine. But during a trip to Rome with fellow seminarians he's challenged and returns to his parish a new man - ready to fight the good fight and teach the Truth.
Not only is Fatherless the story of a priest but it's also the story of families; families struggling with many difficult issues. The Kealy, Burns and Delgado families set the backdrop as they deal with mental illness, unfaithfulness, challenging ethical questions at work and family relationships. Through their lives we learn about the inside world of cable TV and pharmaceuticals.
I very much enjoyed Fatherless; I have read other Catholic fiction and the inclusion of Church teachings has felt forced. Because of the careers of the characters in Fatherless, dialogue about Church teachings (contraception, pornography, etc) was easily woven into the book. Despite being over 500 pages in length, this book was not a difficult read. The story flowed nicely although at times the scientific explanations were a bit confusing. It's obvious from the extensive bibliography that the author did a great deal of research in order to write Fatherless.
Not only is Fatherless the story of a priest but it's also the story of families; families struggling with many difficult issues. The Kealy, Burns and Delgado families set the backdrop as they deal with mental illness, unfaithfulness, challenging ethical questions at work and family relationships. Through their lives we learn about the inside world of cable TV and pharmaceuticals.
I very much enjoyed Fatherless; I have read other Catholic fiction and the inclusion of Church teachings has felt forced. Because of the careers of the characters in Fatherless, dialogue about Church teachings (contraception, pornography, etc) was easily woven into the book. Despite being over 500 pages in length, this book was not a difficult read. The story flowed nicely although at times the scientific explanations were a bit confusing. It's obvious from the extensive bibliography that the author did a great deal of research in order to write Fatherless.
December 24, 2011
I would have given this book 4 stars, except for the typos and misspellings. If there is to be a mass audience for "Catholic" or any religious fiction, then the publishers and editors need to make sure that minimally the story is represented without easily corrected errors.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book not only because of the Catholic moral dilemmas presented but also because it took place in the Philadelphia suburbs.
The main characters, Fr. John Sweeney, and 3 of his parishioners are each struggling, in the mid-1980's of the fictional town of Narbrook on Philly's "Main Line". I found all of the struggles to be very real, yet didn't really accept that the average Catholic in the pew, especially those of 25 years ago, would be as familiar with, and therefore quote Church doctrine, as well as these characters did. I have to accept that the author included this information as part of the characters' conversations in order to educate the reader, many of whom were probably as poorly catechized as I was in the 70s and 80s version of Catholic education.
This book will probably be of interest to Catholics, both lay and clergy, who are attempting to take their faith more seriously, those Catholics, both lay and clergy, who are already well-formed, and hopefully also will be of interest to people who have an interest in Catholicism. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this trilogy, Motherless.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book not only because of the Catholic moral dilemmas presented but also because it took place in the Philadelphia suburbs.
The main characters, Fr. John Sweeney, and 3 of his parishioners are each struggling, in the mid-1980's of the fictional town of Narbrook on Philly's "Main Line". I found all of the struggles to be very real, yet didn't really accept that the average Catholic in the pew, especially those of 25 years ago, would be as familiar with, and therefore quote Church doctrine, as well as these characters did. I have to accept that the author included this information as part of the characters' conversations in order to educate the reader, many of whom were probably as poorly catechized as I was in the 70s and 80s version of Catholic education.
This book will probably be of interest to Catholics, both lay and clergy, who are attempting to take their faith more seriously, those Catholics, both lay and clergy, who are already well-formed, and hopefully also will be of interest to people who have an interest in Catholicism. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this trilogy, Motherless.
August 2, 2011
This reads like one of those free Bud Macfarlane Catholic novels. I liked most of it, but that's because I'm in the choir that he's preaching to. A lot of the science was just delivered in a speech. I can't think of a better way to deliver that crucial information, but it still makes for boring novels. The main male leads were at times interchangeable with their sense of humor and banter. But I think my chief complaint is that the book could have really used better editing. I don't need to have gourmet dinners and trips described to me in detail, and there wasn't enough of quick scene changes. I don't need to have the walk to the car and the car itself described to me. Just cut to the next scene, I can figure out that he drove there. But the surprise meeting in Rome was jaw droppingly awesome. I can recommend the book for that scene alone, I loved it. I liked the back third of the book a lot. It is in your face with its Catholicity. I'm still hoping for a good blend between this kind of book and a Graham Greene book. Greene is very subtle and darkly realistic at times, which is a gift but at the same time I'd like a more motivational example of a story about living your faith and the ensuing consequences without being either too ashamed or too proud of it. (Man, The Power and the Glory was awesome.)
May 29, 2014
I agree with the author's theology, philosophy, and spirituality. He is an assenting evangelical Catholic.
I prefer to take my cultural analysis in non-fiction form rather than to find it embedded in characters in a novel. The culture of lust brings forth sin and death. It is necessarily at war with the culture of life. The Church is collapsing one living stone at a time as her members choose lust rather than love. Like an alcoholic on a late-stages bender, we are sacrificing everything we have--material, financial, personal, spiritual--to fuel our self-destructive behavior. We haven't hit bottom yet, but it may be coming into view as we plummet toward a reality check.
We are not God, but we act as if we were. The author shows in compressed parables what is happening on a grand scale in our culture today. We are being expelled from Eden by the consequences of our sins. Lust and love are in enmity. We have chosen poison fruit and are suffering the consequences.
I prefer to take my cultural analysis in non-fiction form rather than to find it embedded in characters in a novel. The culture of lust brings forth sin and death. It is necessarily at war with the culture of life. The Church is collapsing one living stone at a time as her members choose lust rather than love. Like an alcoholic on a late-stages bender, we are sacrificing everything we have--material, financial, personal, spiritual--to fuel our self-destructive behavior. We haven't hit bottom yet, but it may be coming into view as we plummet toward a reality check.
We are not God, but we act as if we were. The author shows in compressed parables what is happening on a grand scale in our culture today. We are being expelled from Eden by the consequences of our sins. Lust and love are in enmity. We have chosen poison fruit and are suffering the consequences.
April 12, 2010
Can't decide between three and four stars... This book was exceedingly fast-paced (I neglected my family for the four days it took to read this), well-written compared to other books by similar authors/genres, and drove home a message sorely needed by our culture. That being said, Bryan Gail is not in the same class of authors as say, Michael O'Brien. I did not like at all that the end of the book was a preface to the second book. It's alright to leave a few loose ends, but not an entire plot, left undone. And I feel that although Mr. Gail is writing for a secular audience, most of his readers are churched Americans who know what he is saying, so he doesn't need to say it, in detail, five times. OK, all that being said, I think everyone should read this book!
November 6, 2011
Mr. Gail provides an excellent portrait of the state of the priesthood, the state of the American Catholic Church and Catholics in general. The information he provides on contraception and the Pill is valuable.
I gave this 4 stars because the story was relevant and compelling. However, the writing style leaves much to be desired. There is a lot of technical information on the business of television and marketing, which I understood, having been in that industry, but it all could have been boiled down to a paragraph or two, in my opinion, and pages upon pages of explanations eliminated. I forgave this because it was a first novel. I hope that Mr. Gail has employed a good editor in the writing of his other novels.
I gave this 4 stars because the story was relevant and compelling. However, the writing style leaves much to be desired. There is a lot of technical information on the business of television and marketing, which I understood, having been in that industry, but it all could have been boiled down to a paragraph or two, in my opinion, and pages upon pages of explanations eliminated. I forgave this because it was a first novel. I hope that Mr. Gail has employed a good editor in the writing of his other novels.
October 5, 2012
I guess you have to be a devout Catholic to really enjoy this one. It's the story of a young priest trying to reach his wayward parishoners in the early 1980's. The book focuses on three families dealing with different moral issues. I enjoyed each of the subplots, but I could not accept the deeper messages this book was trying to convey. Specifially, I had a very difficult time reading that oral contraception basically causes abortions. While I was familiar with the Church's view on contraception, I had no idea that it actually believes that using birth control pills is akin to having an abortion. As an aside, the book is set in Philadelphia and it was fun reading about familiar places.
June 29, 2017
This book was pretty good. The story lines were very realistic. It was a good representation of the struggles and divisions within the Catholic Church. I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters, so I kept reading. But at times, the book was cumbersome with too much detailed information about certain businesses, etc. I think this could have been edited down quite a bit. I also was frustrated with some of the characters—their behaviors, etc. Like "Death of a Pope," maybe that is a sign of a good book, when you feel frustration (or even dislike) for certain characters ... I am still deciding on that.
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April 27, 2012I liked it. I found the characters engaging and their struggles and foibles very realistic. I thought it was a pretty accurate portrayal of the culture crisis we are in right now. Of course, since it is accurate, it isn't always a happy story, so if you are reading strictly for amusement this probably isn't the book to pick up. It is part of a trilogy and I have started the second book--Motherless--but I have to say I am not enjoying it as much. That might just be because I am looking for something a little fluffier right now...or I might be getting tired of Gail's writing style, which isn't bad, it just isn't a style I can read tirelessly like Jane Austen.
July 31, 2012
I was about halfway through this book before I really began to enjoy it. Another reviewer used the word contrived and I agree with this. I enjoyed the human stories midway through to the end of the book, and found myself encouraged by the journeys of conversion. However, I am not particularly convinced by the dialogues among the clergy, and this is where I feel the book is most contrived. I found some of the prose dealing with church history tedious, bogging the story down.
March 6, 2009
I read this for my book group (formerly Bible study). It was a painless way to cover an interesting religious topic (contraception, etc.) but the writing was just OK and we had a great time calling out all the anachronisms, etc. I really don't recommend it, unless you haven't got anything better to read.
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