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A review by sdbecque
Who are You, Calvin Bledsoe? by Brock Clarke
3.0
"And why was my mother's famous book so famous? I don't think it was that her readers cared so much about John Calvin or believed in his ideas. I think that they cared that my mother cared; they believed because she believed. They could tell, no matter what language the book was in, how truly my mother believed in John Calvin. They wanted to believe in something they way my mother believed in John Calvin. It wasn't necessarily that they wanted to believe in what she believed. They wanted to believe how she believed."
Dear readers, meet Calvin Bledsoe, he works as a blogger for the pellet stove industry, he lives in Maine, his parents have died in short succession under mysterious circumstances, and his long-lost aunt shows up to take him on a mysterious trip. His mother is famous for writing a book about John Calvin, and his theology is also woven throughout the book and the journey. It is a book, I think about having something to believe in, and what that might cost you, and also a book about figuring out your own path.
At points it reminded me of [b:Less|39927096|Less|Andrew Sean Greer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524491811l/39927096._SY75_.jpg|52588011], but I didn't like it as much as I did that book. I was less charmed by Calvin, who is sort of a weird protagonist. There's a weird tense and point of view thing happening throughout, and when the reveal finally happens I wasn't very charmed by Calvin or his Aunt. There are some really lovely observations (like the above) throughout, and some very nice lines. There is also a very dry wit sprinkled throughout. I would also not be surprised to say, find out that Brock Clarke had written a dissertation, or started a dissertation on the works of John Calvin in modern life, and that all got re-purposed here. But on the whole it seemed like a long walk for a short drink, so I'd recommend it if you really like that sort of thing, or if the idea of reading a lot about John Calvin in a fiction setting is appealing.
My thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me an ARC Who Are You, Calvin Bledsoe?, all opinions are mine.
Dear readers, meet Calvin Bledsoe, he works as a blogger for the pellet stove industry, he lives in Maine, his parents have died in short succession under mysterious circumstances, and his long-lost aunt shows up to take him on a mysterious trip. His mother is famous for writing a book about John Calvin, and his theology is also woven throughout the book and the journey. It is a book, I think about having something to believe in, and what that might cost you, and also a book about figuring out your own path.
At points it reminded me of [b:Less|39927096|Less|Andrew Sean Greer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524491811l/39927096._SY75_.jpg|52588011], but I didn't like it as much as I did that book. I was less charmed by Calvin, who is sort of a weird protagonist. There's a weird tense and point of view thing happening throughout, and when the reveal finally happens I wasn't very charmed by Calvin or his Aunt. There are some really lovely observations (like the above) throughout, and some very nice lines. There is also a very dry wit sprinkled throughout. I would also not be surprised to say, find out that Brock Clarke had written a dissertation, or started a dissertation on the works of John Calvin in modern life, and that all got re-purposed here. But on the whole it seemed like a long walk for a short drink, so I'd recommend it if you really like that sort of thing, or if the idea of reading a lot about John Calvin in a fiction setting is appealing.
My thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me an ARC Who Are You, Calvin Bledsoe?, all opinions are mine.