Pages: 339
Finished: April 2008
Challenges:
** To-Be-Read
** Spring Reading Thing, 2008
** What's in a Name
First sentence: "He ain't no daredevil."
Last sentence: "She hoped it wouldn't be too crowded."When Mark Dunn's book, Ella Minnow Pea, was released I couldn't wait to read it. It was very clever, fresh and original. I have had his book, Welcome to Higby on my tbr shelf for 5 years and finally have gotten around to reading it. It took me way longer to finish this book then it should have but I just had a hard time getting into it. It was a big disappointment, really. I never did work up a shred of caring for the multitude of characters. That multitude of characters was hard to keep track of in the beginning, but I persevered hoping it would get easier and better. It got easier, just not better. The characters are all a bit too quirky and just plain flaky.
But what really bothered me, was his portrayal of Christians in this book. I realize that Christians are just people and fallible, but these Christians are sleeping around, drinking and smoking pot with not a shred of remorse. The main pastor character in this book, mourning the death of his wife 2 years earlier, is totally disconnected from his teenage son and sleeps with an ex prostitute on his first date with her. But what really got to me, was the other pastor's behavior towards a young man who came to him, really struggling with some issues and some sin his life. The pastor's answer was to tell the young man not to come to church anymore as he was a bad influence!! What?
Anyway--I am sorry I wasted my time on this one. I really kept thinking some of the characters were going to be redeemed in some way. Of course, the one character who shows any sense of maturity and decency isn't a Christian. There was a lot of potential for quirky entertaining story of this small town during Labor Day weekend, but it just never delivered.
sometimes it's good for me to find out about a book that i'm not going to add to my to-read list. :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I had picked this book out because I thought it would have some christian themes, but it turns out to be a subtle and profoundly anti-christian work. The characters are entertaining and laugh out loud funny, but the christians are either cold-hearted, moral hypocrites, or complete wackos. Debauchery as the key to spiritual and emotional progress seems to be a common theme. Overall, I considered the book a waste of a couple of good afternoons.
ReplyDelete