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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
But this is where I start having trouble, Pheobe. Buildings fell. People died. You once told me I hadn't even tried to understand. So, here I am, trying.
quietly devastating
quietly devastating
I found this book surprisingly hard to put down. I read it really quickly and despite it's really being a story about a relationship, it felt like it was a mystery I was anxious to get to the answer of. I'm not sure how Kwon pulled that off.
Also, I found it interesting to be inside the head of the guy at the center of this thing. He thinks he is a very nice, very sensible, nice guy. But blink and you'll miss some really terrible things he does.
I'm not sure I really bought the cult that runs through the story or the cult leader but it didn't matter because the core relationship was the real goods here.
The only thing I really had trouble accepting was Phoebe's relationship to her piano playing. I literally cannot imagine a single musician I know who would respond to listening to an expert player the way she did. (Trying to avoid piano spoilers here.)
I'm not sure I LIKED this book but I admire the craft of it immensely.
Also, I found it interesting to be inside the head of the guy at the center of this thing. He thinks he is a very nice, very sensible, nice guy. But blink and you'll miss some really terrible things he does.
I'm not sure I really bought the cult that runs through the story or the cult leader but it didn't matter because the core relationship was the real goods here.
The only thing I really had trouble accepting was Phoebe's relationship to her piano playing. I literally cannot imagine a single musician I know who would respond to listening to an expert player the way she did. (Trying to avoid piano spoilers here.)
I'm not sure I LIKED this book but I admire the craft of it immensely.
I have misgivings about this book because in many novels women in crisis are shown to seek out bad guys and end up in worse situations. I like to quote the movie Lucy, “Ignorance brings chaos, not knowledge.” Ignorance of the characters in this book led to a lot of loss for them in this novel. It would be nice to read about a woman being able to fix her problems with knowledge.
This small novel is subtle, haunting, and beautifully written. The narrator, Will, is a young college student, in love for the first time with a young woman named Phoebe. Will spent his early life as a zealous evangelical Christian, and then suddenly lost his faith, and he’s still reeling from the force of this disillusionment. When she was young, Phoebe also lost faith, in her ability to achieve the heights she wanted as a pianist.
The third person in this narrative is John Leal, a charismatic teller of tall tales, who gathers together some religious seekers, and invites Phoebe in. Gradually, the group becomes more insular and violent, and more and more of a cult, and it swallows Phoebe. As he loses her, Will’s grief takes him on some strange, desperate journeys.
The third person in this narrative is John Leal, a charismatic teller of tall tales, who gathers together some religious seekers, and invites Phoebe in. Gradually, the group becomes more insular and violent, and more and more of a cult, and it swallows Phoebe. As he loses her, Will’s grief takes him on some strange, desperate journeys.
I'm fascinated by books about people searching for faith, and I thought The Incendiaries was a beautiful portrayal of the psychological: the lost, empty feeling where faith used to be, and the ecstasy of finding something that gives meaning even if others see only destruction. I agree with some critics that the writing was at times cliched or over the top, but I didn't mind because the characters and their journeys, toward and away from faith, community, creativity, and healing both physical and spiritual, felt so real and so right. Highly recommended.
A really compelling read about a boy who’s in love with a girl in a cult. When I first picked it up, I intended to only read a chapter, but then I blinked and was halfway through the book. Quick to read, gripping, haunting. Really enjoyed
An odd, but beautifully written little novel. The three main characters are not fully fleshed out, but their personalities are honed to sharp points so that only the essential elements are highlighted. They remained in my memory for a very long time. I can't say that I particularly liked them, but that seems to be beside the point. They seem to be more of a vehicle to explore ideas of extremism, guilt, obsession and self delusion.
I wish someone would read the first two paragraphs of chapter 21 and tell me who exactly is speaking. The chapter title is Phoebe. "I was in the middle of a Michelangelo's shift" - refers to Will.
Anyway...many instances throughout the book of this muddling. Left me confused, never engaged with characters. Dreading my book club in a way, not sure what to discuss other than the general themes of cults/college drama/etc.
Anyway...many instances throughout the book of this muddling. Left me confused, never engaged with characters. Dreading my book club in a way, not sure what to discuss other than the general themes of cults/college drama/etc.
I enjoyed this book and it’s look at cult followings and impressions on young people who are struggling. The story did seem a little rushed at parts though and I wish it would have gone a little more into depth at some parts over others.