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A review by sistermagpie
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet
1.0
I wouldn't say I actively disliked this book as a book, but halfway through I realized that whenever I got on the train to rain my spirits would sink knowing that I had only this book to read. The character I identified with most was the main character's husband, Ben, who spent a lot of time vaguely irritated at having to follow people around for vague reasons. The premise of three mid-20th century nuclear scientists appearing in 2003 sounded a bit troubling to me from the start (it just sounded too whimsical), and I just never felt the urgency or meaning of it all.
The scientists were the least annoying characters in the book to me, though. They're picked up by Ann, a librarian who longs for her life to be meaningful and thinks trailing around after these guys will make it so. Later they hook up with a bunch of pseudo hippies who babble about vegan menues and other impurities while smoking a lot of pot. Just when you think you couldn't find more irritating traveling companions, they pick up a bunch of arrogant fundamentalist Christians whose philosophy (that Oppenheimer is the risen Christ) makes little sense but no one will get rid of them despite their not only being obviously dangerous but incredibly tedious.
The scientists were the least annoying characters in the book to me, though. They're picked up by Ann, a librarian who longs for her life to be meaningful and thinks trailing around after these guys will make it so. Later they hook up with a bunch of pseudo hippies who babble about vegan menues and other impurities while smoking a lot of pot. Just when you think you couldn't find more irritating traveling companions, they pick up a bunch of arrogant fundamentalist Christians whose philosophy (that Oppenheimer is the risen Christ) makes little sense but no one will get rid of them despite their not only being obviously dangerous but incredibly tedious.