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melodys_library's review against another edition
5.0
This is a serious novel, and it’s not for everyone.This author has a quiet yet poignant way of storytelling, and drew me in immediately. He writes short chapters that are easy to breeze through and tell myself, ok just one more. There was an air of mystery about this one, as the narrator revealed only so much as she wanted us to know. I read a review that said this novel gives voice to the voiceless, and as much as I want to agree with that, I just can’t. I think this novel underscores how passive members and leaders of the Catholic Church have been and continue to be, even when (especially when?) face to face with evil. I was leaning toward 4 stars for this, but those last few pages had me on the edge of my seat.
kelsieyohe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jeslowe115's review against another edition
4.0
The book has a good story and twist but was hard to follow at times. It would shift from present to past without any way of telling. That would have helped if that was present in making it better.
jennifermackaman's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jennie_cole's review against another edition
4.0
The Sacrament is the story of Sister Johanna. In the late 1980s, Sister Johanna was sent to Iceland to investigate a letter alleging sexual misconduct at the church school.. 2 decades later Sister Johanna is called back to Iceland with another letter stating that she was not told all back then.
The story is told at different stages of Johanna's life. Three times are interspersed throughout the novel. We learn about Johanna when she was Pauline studying at the Sorbonne and learning Icelandic from her roommate Halla. Then there is the original investigation, where we learn what has gone on in Iceland. Finally, we go with Johanna on a trip from her convent to Paris and then finally back to Iceland.
This is a story of personal growth and manipulation as well as the path to find and tell the truth through major obstacles. I found this novel engrossing and could not put it down.
The story is told at different stages of Johanna's life. Three times are interspersed throughout the novel. We learn about Johanna when she was Pauline studying at the Sorbonne and learning Icelandic from her roommate Halla. Then there is the original investigation, where we learn what has gone on in Iceland. Finally, we go with Johanna on a trip from her convent to Paris and then finally back to Iceland.
This is a story of personal growth and manipulation as well as the path to find and tell the truth through major obstacles. I found this novel engrossing and could not put it down.
xmxrgxncy's review against another edition
4.0
Olafsson writes the most beautiful prose since Dosoevsky's Lolita. His plots are a little hard to follow, but his characters are intense and deeply wrought with personal conflict, some of which are not resolved. This only adds to the allure of his writing- never has it felt so right that a book end and begin with the same sadness.
amr316's review against another edition
2.0
Individual paragraphs of this book were beautifully written. But I spent nearly the entire book being confused by shifting timelines, no quotation marks, and unclear plot lines.
The story being told is haunting and deep - but the writing style did not do it any favors.
I was also frustrated by the anti climatic love story that went basically nowhere and was in no way related to the main plot line.
The story being told is haunting and deep - but the writing style did not do it any favors.
I was also frustrated by the anti climatic love story that went basically nowhere and was in no way related to the main plot line.
amn028's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the story but the jumping from the past to the future to the present muddled the flow. The main character was an enjoyably flawed individual and the story was interesting.
guarinous's review against another edition
3.0
The Sacrament is a meditation on abuse of power, faith, regret, and memory. While the story is at times intriguing, the book is marred by troublesome and confusing time shifts.
The main character (a nun) is called back to the scene of an investigation of abuse she conducted in Iceland from twenty years prior that ended in a suicide, which churns up memories from both that time period and her past life during her schooling. Her memories of her school days and her relationship with her Icelandic roommate are the best parts here, with the main character in a truly heartbreaking struggle between faith and who she is. Unfortunately, due to both the style of writing (often no quotation marks) and the way the flashbacks are presented (no denotation as to when a shift occurs), it's often difficult to tell which time stream is happening at the moment, which is problematic when there's three or four different ones throughout the book. This caused me to often pause and go back to try and figure out what time period I was in, and towards the end I simply gave in and let the narrative flow as it would.
Despite this, I still found the story strong enough to keep me interested throughout. It's a melancholy read for sure, but has enough hope throughout to not descend into gloom.
**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers.**
The main character (a nun) is called back to the scene of an investigation of abuse she conducted in Iceland from twenty years prior that ended in a suicide, which churns up memories from both that time period and her past life during her schooling. Her memories of her school days and her relationship with her Icelandic roommate are the best parts here, with the main character in a truly heartbreaking struggle between faith and who she is. Unfortunately, due to both the style of writing (often no quotation marks) and the way the flashbacks are presented (no denotation as to when a shift occurs), it's often difficult to tell which time stream is happening at the moment, which is problematic when there's three or four different ones throughout the book. This caused me to often pause and go back to try and figure out what time period I was in, and towards the end I simply gave in and let the narrative flow as it would.
Despite this, I still found the story strong enough to keep me interested throughout. It's a melancholy read for sure, but has enough hope throughout to not descend into gloom.
**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers.**