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Aug 01, 2014BWilsoned rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This rating system doesn't work for me on this book. It's beautifully written and is a powerful image of the intricate latticework of emotions, culture, and family that make up John's world in a northern city in the early 20th century. I DO understand why some people turn to religion for hope in hard times and trying circumstances. Certainly the folks who inhabit this story have a need for the hope that there's something better later on; however, I'm not a fan of the hypocrisy of religion, those who use religion to justify their actions, or those who ascribe everything in their lives to some all-powerful, all-knowing force. Gabriel, in particular, rankled, which I'm sure Mr. Baldwin intended, but so did so many of the other characters' actions and attitudes. And for John, I almost cried at the ending, and not with happiness. So with all the sermonizing and testifying to wade through, I didn't "like" this book, but I'm glad I read it.