Reviews with content warning for Incest - Father of Lies

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Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Father of Lies by Brian Evenson

12 reviews

le4h_r's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Content Warnings

woundsdrawflies's review against another edition

5.0

dark funny sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Sometimes a book leaves such a strong impact on me, I have to reread it (or at least sections of it) immediately, because I'm still reeling from the experience and can't process it any other way. Edinburgh by Alexander Chee and The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanigahara are two examples, and now Father of Lies as well. It has a breakneck pace and truly devastating conclusion that offers no hope whatsoever — as is only fitting for a narrative about clerical abuse and patriarchal abuse more broadly, and all the ways it is both enabled and permeating society. Brian Evenson was formerly a member of the Mormon church and clearly has experience with it (not necessarily as a victim of abuse — I don't speculate about these matters — but as an observer of and objector to it, certainly).

Sexual violence forms the core of narrative, but is never gratuitously described, which I find adds to the horror of it. Your mind can fill in the blanks well enough. I found the character of Provost Fochs fascinating to see revealed over the course of the book — deceptive from the start, highly manipulative, more and more shameless in the abuse and gaslighting he doles out — but as plain as the narrative appears to be in some matters (Fochs never really covers up the assaults in his narrative), there is enough left open for the reader to figure out that he doesn't end up as a flat caricature.

A harrowing read all the way through.

Content Warnings

rachaeldev's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

jwtallon's review against another edition

3.75

dark tense

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Deeply Disturbing

Content Warnings

ohhibri's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

minamouse's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I love Brian Evenson’s writing, and I’m not going to deny that this book is objectively well written. The prose is signature Evenson. Not a single word feels wasted and the pacing is well done. I appreciated the changes in style as the story progressed, I especially found Feshtig’s letters and notes to be a refreshing break from Foch’s insanity. The plot is straightforward. Foch is a member of the fictional Bloodite religion (a fake religion that is based on Mormonism). He uses his power and influence to do horrible things to those around him, and his grip on reality is slowly loosening.

In saying all of that, I don’t feel comfortable praising the book, without mentioning the content.

If you’re someone who is triggered by discussions of abuse, especially abuse involving a child don’t pick up this book. This story is told from the POV over an unapologetic abuser. It’s going to upset you, it just will. I found some of the more graphic scenes to be difficult to get through. There were a few days that I just decided not to pick it up at all because I just wasn’t in the right headspace. And don’t get me started with how frustrating the ending is. The most frustrating thing about how this story ends is that much of what happens accurately portrays reality. So many lives are ruined by the creeps of the cloth, and no justice is ever served.

I had originally planned on reading another Evenson book after this, but I think I need to give my brain a rest from all this dark lit.

I need to give my amygdala a break.

4.5 out of 5 ⭐

Content Warnings

telurin's review against another edition

4.0

dark sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Unreliable narrator meets horrible but mundane religious horror. I feel so bad for the wife. Feshtig was the only other worthy character in this. Read the trigger warnings, folks!

Content Warnings

stillz's review against another edition

4.5

dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Part 2 chap 1 had me hopping mad. What’s sad and disturbing is that this has happened, this DOES happen. It felt so real, vomiting rhetoric to make docile the naïve so that you can impose your own will upon them. This book has no happy ending, it is not satisfying, and by the end my jaw was on the floor.

4.5 cause I truly do enjoy a fucked up book

Content Warnings

tilthebitterend's review against another edition

4.25

dark fast-paced

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Mechanickej pomeranč a spalovač mrtvol měli děcko jménem fochs

Content Warnings

katie316says's review against another edition

4.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Had I known how graphic the contents of this book were, I would not have read it. I really cannot recommend that anyone read it. That said, it was a very good book. It was frustrating and soul crushing and vile but it told a great story. I also really love Evenson’s style of writing and strange voice and I do expect that I’ll read more of his work. But definitely check the content warnings and take them seriously.

Content Warnings

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