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kcrouth's review
5.0
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time! To read it feels nearly like reading poetry or music lyrics, it pulls you in and along with a comfortable rhythm that just feels right. The story is rich and many layered; very human and at the same time very holy. It reminded me very much of my favourite novel by C.S. Lewis "Till We Have Faces" in its style, depth, creativitity, and excellent writing. I heartily give this book five stars, I wish there were six to give. I am looking forward to both re-reading it (so much depth there) and also to finding other novels by Buechner (actually, I have a friend who offered to loan them to me, so I won't have to search!). I encourage you to find a copy of this book and savour it. This is a must-read.
allenjos42's review
5.0
In my top ten favorites. A beautiful picture of sin, redemption, and the already/not yet wrapped up in prose that transports you to a different time and place.
kathleenww's review
4.0
Godric was an actual person, who lived (supposedly) from 1065-1170. He is a Saint in the Catholic Church, Saint Godric of Finchale. A sort of predecessor to St. Francis of Assisi, he lived many years as a merchant and sailor, and also years as a follower to another hermit, Aelric. After Aelric's passing, he decided to become a hermit himself, living alone, visited by a young man who cared for him as though Godric was his father and by a monk of nearby Durham, Reginald, who recorded his life story.
Buechner tells the story of Godric's life in lovely prose that reminded me greatly of the sprung rhythm of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Godric tells a heartbreaking story of loneliness and loss, of family members and friends, but always takes great joy and comfort in God's creation, including that lowliest of creatures, the snake. Interesting novel, and I'm inspired to read more by this author. I love his non-fiction also.
Buechner tells the story of Godric's life in lovely prose that reminded me greatly of the sprung rhythm of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Godric tells a heartbreaking story of loneliness and loss, of family members and friends, but always takes great joy and comfort in God's creation, including that lowliest of creatures, the snake. Interesting novel, and I'm inspired to read more by this author. I love his non-fiction also.
ehays84's review
5.0
What a book! It is fairly rare for me to have my expectations up about a book, and then for them to exceed my expectations. This book blew me away in so many ways. Put it right at the top of your list.
It is based on the true account of the 11th and 12th century English saint Godric, who lived his early life as a merchant, and then gave all of his money away and became a hermit. The author really did his research to get the portrayal of this man and this historical time period right. Yes, he takes some liberties, but we don't know all of the details of Godric's life anyway, and liberties are allowed in the hagiographic tradition.
I could just go on about this book. The narrator's voice is unique because it is told through the meandering mind of a 100 year old saint. We have both his unique wisdom gained through his life, but also the physical limitations of one so beaten down by life and age. We also learn the story through the lens of a man committed to record the life story of Godric, so there is yet another lens to consider the man and saints/hagiography in general.
The book is also quite concise, so every word is well chosen.
There is exquisite beauty amid pain. Sin is acknowledged in all of its corrupting evil, but humanity is also sanctified because of the knowledge that Christ became human and entered into the struggles we face in this world. There is deep love for family as well as bitterness and confusion and rejection from those we love most. The characters are all multi-faceted and provide a real portrayal of what it means to be human.
Overall, this book confirmed my growing belief that saints are most characterized by their humility. We read it in the Bible with figures like David and Paul and here it from all those that we consider great saints, that they are the chiefs of sinners and that without the grace of God, they would be lost. This does not mean that these figures can't also be blessed with divine grace in a unique way. And this combination is a great paradox of the faith.
It is based on the true account of the 11th and 12th century English saint Godric, who lived his early life as a merchant, and then gave all of his money away and became a hermit. The author really did his research to get the portrayal of this man and this historical time period right. Yes, he takes some liberties, but we don't know all of the details of Godric's life anyway, and liberties are allowed in the hagiographic tradition.
I could just go on about this book. The narrator's voice is unique because it is told through the meandering mind of a 100 year old saint. We have both his unique wisdom gained through his life, but also the physical limitations of one so beaten down by life and age. We also learn the story through the lens of a man committed to record the life story of Godric, so there is yet another lens to consider the man and saints/hagiography in general.
The book is also quite concise, so every word is well chosen.
There is exquisite beauty amid pain. Sin is acknowledged in all of its corrupting evil, but humanity is also sanctified because of the knowledge that Christ became human and entered into the struggles we face in this world. There is deep love for family as well as bitterness and confusion and rejection from those we love most. The characters are all multi-faceted and provide a real portrayal of what it means to be human.
Overall, this book confirmed my growing belief that saints are most characterized by their humility. We read it in the Bible with figures like David and Paul and here it from all those that we consider great saints, that they are the chiefs of sinners and that without the grace of God, they would be lost. This does not mean that these figures can't also be blessed with divine grace in a unique way. And this combination is a great paradox of the faith.
jbmorgan86's review
5.0
I took courses on church history in both college and seminary. However, I didn't know anything about Godric of Finchale (1065-1170). Apparently, he was an English hermit who life was chronicled by another monk named Reginald of Durham. Frederick Buechner took the scant details of Godric's life and created a beautiful novel about the "unofficial" saint.
Godric is a "messy" figure. He sells fake relics to pilgrims, practices piracy, and is filled with greed. However, after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his life is changed. He spends the rest of his life in solitude (with the exception of his pet snakes), wrestling with his inner demons. Though the rest of the world sees him as a saint, he sees himself as a doubtful, lustful, greedy, prideful wretch.
Buechner has written a beautiful novel. The language "feels medieval" (if that makes sense). Occasionally I had to look up words throughout to understand their meaning. There are moments of humor and utter sadness. The story is not told chronologically, but rather in more of a "memoir" style.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"What's lost is nothing to what's found, and all the death that ever was, set next to life, would scarcely fill a cup.”
"What's prayer? It's shooting shafts into the dark. What mark they strike, if any, who's to say? It's reaching for a hand you cannot touch. The silence is so fathomless that prayers like plummets vanish into the sea. You beg. You whimper. You load God down with empty praise. You tell him sins that he already knows full well. You seek to change his changeless will. Yet Godric prays the way he breathes, for else his heart would wither in his breast. Prayer is the wind that fills his sail. Else drift with witless tides. And sometimes, by God's grace, a prayer is heard."
"He also said we should carve in the year and place where I was born, but I said no. As a man dies many times before he's dead, so does he wend from birth to birth until, by grace, he comes alive at last.”
Godric is a "messy" figure. He sells fake relics to pilgrims, practices piracy, and is filled with greed. However, after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his life is changed. He spends the rest of his life in solitude (with the exception of his pet snakes), wrestling with his inner demons. Though the rest of the world sees him as a saint, he sees himself as a doubtful, lustful, greedy, prideful wretch.
Buechner has written a beautiful novel. The language "feels medieval" (if that makes sense). Occasionally I had to look up words throughout to understand their meaning. There are moments of humor and utter sadness. The story is not told chronologically, but rather in more of a "memoir" style.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"What's lost is nothing to what's found, and all the death that ever was, set next to life, would scarcely fill a cup.”
"What's prayer? It's shooting shafts into the dark. What mark they strike, if any, who's to say? It's reaching for a hand you cannot touch. The silence is so fathomless that prayers like plummets vanish into the sea. You beg. You whimper. You load God down with empty praise. You tell him sins that he already knows full well. You seek to change his changeless will. Yet Godric prays the way he breathes, for else his heart would wither in his breast. Prayer is the wind that fills his sail. Else drift with witless tides. And sometimes, by God's grace, a prayer is heard."
"He also said we should carve in the year and place where I was born, but I said no. As a man dies many times before he's dead, so does he wend from birth to birth until, by grace, he comes alive at last.”
lneff514's review
4.0
"Earthy" and enthralling. A bit grittier than my usual reading. I couldn't put this book down. Moving, insightful, funny.
chriswoody94's review
5.0
This one I borrowed from a friend who highly recommended it, and I can see why. This is not even kind of your run of the mill Christian fiction, as it reveals a much more realistic and darker picture of a revered and sacred character in the history of Christianity. I didn't really go into this book knowing a lot (or really anything) about Godric and his story, but now that I have read this, I feel as though, even if it is more fictional than real, I would be in good company with this saint, as he seems more human than you would expect. This offers an excellent perspective to people who feel "unworthy" or "too much of a screw-up" by showing that even the revered and venerated were human beings proved to err, even once they were venerated. It helps to show that being a Christian is about the struggle that comes at you every day, and the mistakes and missteps that come with that, not overnight becoming the perfect person. This is definitely not the kind of hagiography one would expect, but it is something that I believe a lot of followers could greatly benefit from.
davehershey's review
3.0
I expected to love this book due to very good reviews and it being nominated for awards. In the end I was not disappointed, I did love it and will have to read it again soon. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did I was genuinely moved by the very human characters struggling with sin and brokenness, specifically the main character Godric. This is a book that I think will be appreciated even more with rereads.
Buechner is an amazing writer and like his other books this one was a joy simply to read. Throughout the story we are reminded of the beauty of grace in the life of Godric. Godric committed some awful sins, even being plagued with inner turmoil and sin while considered a holy monk, yet with the sin comes even more grace.
Buechner is an amazing writer and like his other books this one was a joy simply to read. Throughout the story we are reminded of the beauty of grace in the life of Godric. Godric committed some awful sins, even being plagued with inner turmoil and sin while considered a holy monk, yet with the sin comes even more grace.
jpwright87's review
4.0
An interesting concept for a novel, and written with so much care that I gladly read at a slow pace. Our main character, the stinky grimy poet-hermit Godric, is in turn profound, off-putting, childish, and solipsistic, yet at all times is undeniably human. We may often feel uncomfortable with Godric, but by the end his strong defense of his unworthiness is accompanied by its own kind of greatness. Holiness as an admittance of unholiness, much like wisdom to Socrates was an admission of ignorance.