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__ceecee__ 's review for:
Hell is the Absence of God
by James Trimarco, Ted Chiang
At times humorous, at times dismal, this short story is a brilliant way of explaining "miracles" and what it means to those who do and don't believe in it.
It gives every possible point of view of people who received a miracle, who became better people because of it, people who didn't get it no matter how much they wanted it, to people who didn't care about in the first place, to people who received suffering instead... it's all genius, really. As someone who was raised Catholic I understood and emphathized with every character here. We always ask "Why is this happening to me?" and often make up our reasons ourselves. "There's a reason for everything" and so we go on with our lives still trying to be good people despite our pain. Or not. Ted Chiang weaves these questions together splendidly.
The ending was kind of baffling to me. Not really because I didn't understand why he chose that ending, but because it threw me off course. Every possible end can be found here, and this ultimate ending left me with a sense of hopelessness, which I don't think I like.
It gives every possible point of view of people who received a miracle, who became better people because of it, people who didn't get it no matter how much they wanted it, to people who didn't care about in the first place, to people who received suffering instead... it's all genius, really. As someone who was raised Catholic I understood and emphathized with every character here. We always ask "Why is this happening to me?" and often make up our reasons ourselves. "There's a reason for everything" and so we go on with our lives still trying to be good people despite our pain. Or not. Ted Chiang weaves these questions together splendidly.
The ending was kind of baffling to me. Not really because I didn't understand why he chose that ending, but because it threw me off course. Every possible end can be found here, and this ultimate ending left me with a sense of hopelessness, which I don't think I like.