This is a stunning novel, not least because of its unusual, genre-bending main character, a Protestant clergyman. Other than Marilynne Robinson’s the Rev. John Ames in Gilead, I can think of no other contemporary novel which attempts to realistically portray the struggles of this profession and the conflict it sometimes creates between one’s religious values and the real life struggles of family and interpersonal relationships. Usually when clergy appear at all in contemporary fiction, they are typically stock figures: hypocritical, dimwitted, judgmental, ineffectual, or some combination of the above. This is unfortunate, as religion at its best is an attempt to find meaning in life. In this increasingly post-Christian world, those on the front lines of this battle provide some of the best vantage points for viewing this struggle. Peter, the Christian minister in this novel, is a fully developed character, compassionate, yet at times blithely ignorant, driven yet at times vulnerable and foolish. There is a part of his struggle, whether we are religious or not, that touches us all.
Officially labeled “science fiction” this might be more aptly labeled “theological fiction” or “philosophical fiction” as it is more the world of beliefs and ideas that is his focus of attention than a futuristic vision of the kind of world that science might create. The science is at best merely hinted at. One doesn’t know where the planet on which most of the action takes place is at in relationship to earth (it isn’t even given a name) or how long the “Jump” journey, which requires some form of suspended animation, takes (though the impression given all this takes place in a matter of months, not years). Enough descriptions of the environment, the plant life, and the lack of familiar facial features of the planet’s inhabitants are provided to give it a sense of strangeness, but not all of it makes sense (where, for example, does the frequent rain showers come from if there are no lakes and oceans and all the rain sinks into the soil?). All of the challenges of interpersonal relationship, however, with their misunderstandings, unintended hurts, unclear motives, temptations, and unspoken desires are realistically portrayed and could easily be transposed from this “science fiction” setting to nearly any place on earth today. And through it all, the tension between the desire to do something “great” with one’s life, whether that entails being a missionary to an alien population or making possible the establishment of a colony on an alien planet, all require a certain detachment from the rest of humanity and the sacrifice of certain values, about which one must eventually ask, “Is it worth it?”
I do, though, have one quibble with the way Peter is portrayed. There is often a great divide in Christianity today between Biblical literalists, who use a lot of “Jesus” talk, see others as merely targets for conversion, and see God as intervening in everyday life, and those who emphasize social justice, tolerance, and are patient with doubt. Both of these strands seem to be conflated in Peter. He loves the King James version, yet tries to come up with a Bible paraphrase that his new converts could at least pronounce if not understand---something that would be anathema to most Biblical literalists. He attempts to be non-judgmental and tolerant, yet always seems to be looking for a way to turn a conversation into a religious sale. It wasn’t clear whether Faber was joining these two strands together for some purpose or whether he was ignorant of the sensitivities that exist in Christian circles which usually causes one to be quickly placed into one of those two categories.
Despite these quibbles, I found this book to be utterly captivating. The plot I would call meandering. It is gripping in the way it takes unexpected turns, hints at one thing then darts in another direction. The conclusions it reaches are mostly satisfying, though, like life itself, it leaves many things unanswered (like, what really do the SLM do with the medicine they exchange for food?).
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Reviews with images
I can't say I recommend it, but neither can I say don't read ...
This was World Magazine's Book of the Year choice so I was intrigued. I was not expecting some rather explicit sexual stuff that popped up, but it was in kept in context and gave the book "reality". It is a fascinating proposition for anyone who has read, studied and/or admired Christian missionaries of the last century. I was also surprised that the author had such a deep and abiding grip on Scripture and never misused it. I can't say I recommend it, but neither can I say don't read it. It depends on your worldview
Top reviews from other countries
Lucia
Está bien, pero hubiera podido ser más
Reviewed in Spain on September 13, 2022
