Reviews

The Friday Gospels by Jenn Ashworth

katykelly's review against another edition

4.0

Very good. Liked each characters' story, all taking place on just the one day. Just like A Kind of Initimacy, there's a quiet start and a but of explosive action (in the dramatic sense) at the end. Some very useful insights into Mormonism as well. Liked the themes of family, faith and responsibility.

andintothetrees's review against another edition

5.0

An excellent book. It's quite similar to [b:A Song for Issy Bradley|20588223|A Song for Issy Bradley|Carys Bray|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407105695s/20588223.jpg|26407981] which I also loved - it's about a family of Mormons in Northern England and told in the first person with each main character taking it in turns to narrate. It's funny, and dramatic, and creepy at times. It tackles serious topics - sexual consent, birth injury, religion, family dysfunction - with humour and offers a glimpse into Mormon life. The best book I've read this year so far.

elliemcc11's review against another edition

5.0

I'm probably slightly biased as I live in the town portrayed in this novel, but I thought this book was a very good read. I have previously read [b:A Kind of Intimacy|4631297|A Kind of Intimacy|Jenn Ashworth|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1266848055s/4631297.jpg|4681354] and I liked her style then. This novel is the fictional account of a day in the life of an LDS family who reside in my home town (we are home to Preston Temple, England, as it's called...). She has some brilliantly accurate descriptions of my town which I loved, but the story itself is very good, covering everyone from the son who is due home from his 2 year mission to convert non-LDS, to the daughter who has made a mistake, and the other son who is about as far removed from his younger brother than can be imagined. The Mother has health issues and the Father, possibly worn down by the Mother, is seeking female "friendship" via dog walks in the local park. The stories converge, individuals connect, and I don't think it was in too far fetched a way. The conclusion is heartwarming.

I hadn't realised the author was previously a member of the LDS community. This book is therefore not a religious tract, but instead questions perhaps some of the structures of the LDS belief system. It is lighthearted, amusing in parts, and very well written. I see the many young (American) LDS around town and this novel, along with [a:Carys Bray|6565154|Carys Bray|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1351268180p2/6565154.jpg]novel [b:A Song for Issy Bradley: A Novel|20890034|A Song for Issy Bradley A Novel|Carys Bray|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1405443082s/20890034.jpg|26407981] I have perhaps a better understanding of things like the "dresscode" for women, so it's been educational in that sense.

wendoxford's review against another edition

4.0

The prodigal son is returning from missionary instruction in Utah feeling inadequate as he has baptized nobody in his 2 year mission. Following the day of his return, one by one we see the life of the rest of the family - the Church and their own heart-sink dilemmas we see everything poised to (inevitably) unravel on the night of Gary's return. A great read - inside the Mormon community and inside the heads of its variously mixed-up members. Recommend this

jessicah95's review against another edition

Gave up on this one at about 40%, so I gave it a good crack! I just didn't care about the plot or any of the characters. I didn't find it either interestingly or beautifully written, so I didn't want to stick around for the writing style either. The only thing reading over 100 pages of this made me want to do is to start watching 'Big Love' again. So, not a total waste of time I suppose!

fscolli93's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

helenh1975's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

sunnivamidt's review

4.0

A wonderfully written book that tells an intriguing story of a Mormon family that struggles with religious questions, love, family and friendship. The book is written in first person, continuously changing between the five members of the Leeke family, which gives the reader an interesting insight into all the characters and their relationship to their family and their Church. Recommended.

hey_laura_mc's review

3.0

All of the reviews on the cover dwell on how hilarious this books is - I completely missed the humour. A great premise not particularly well executed. Thin characters and -a highly unlikely combination of events. Meh.

emmkayt's review

5.0

I enjoyed this novel about a working-class Mormon family in Lancashire tremendously. It takes place during a single day (a Friday, per the title), during which the younger son, Gary, is returning home after two years as a missionary in Utah. The day's events and backstory are narrated by the various family members (their gospels?) - Gary himself; mum Pauline, who has a mysterious illness and had been hugely invested in the honour of having a son who's a missionary; dad Martin, anxious about finances and seeking solace in his dog and a fellow dog-lover; older son Julian, who seems a bit creepy; and teenage daughter Jeannie, grappling with a secret of her own and the weight of her religious upbringing.

The events as they unfold are perhaps not all that realistic, but it's wonderfully and compassionately told, properly funny-sad and kind to its protagonists. Interesting as well to learn some more about the LDS church, of which I knew little: not an uncritical view at all, but again a compassionate one.