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A review by ce_read
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
3.0
There were quite a few really poignant quotables in this one. I liked the concept a lot, and really liked the moments of clarity when LaValle's main point came through. I think the execution could have been better - Ricky's narration seemed weirdly inauthentic, some of the narrative devices / symbolism was a bit too thick to understand, and others were really hamfisted.
Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I didn't connect with it terribly much.
Here's some of my favorite quotes, mainly the ones related to complicated faith:
“‘Most Christians speak of doubt like it’s blasphemy,’ Karen said. ‘But doubting God is like disbelieving oxygen. Thankfully neither needs our permission to sustain us.’ [...]
‘Doubt is an essential human trait. But why? If we really believe we’re created by God, then nothing got dropped in by accident, right? So what purpose does doubt serve? If it’s useless to disbelieve heaven, then maybe we should cast our eyes to earth.
‘Who do you believe in and why? Do you see men wise in their own eyes? There’s more hope for fools than for them. Jalen deceived Eric. Larry deceived Jalen. Saul fooled the astrologer in Birmingham. Half the Bible is folks getting tricked! So maybe we rethink doubt. Not as our enemy but our ally.
‘Think of King Jesus as our greatest doubter. Who saw the order of society and taught us to defy it. Who saw the ugly urges in ourselves and taught us to resist them. As we navigate through the powerful tides, doubt is our rudder. If we questioned our motives, maybe Reverend Cook would be alive. [...]’” (p. 204)
“[...] I like America.
I’m not going to say love. Forget about love, not because I don’t feel it but because love’s easy. Lots of people say they love their families, but still treat their families terribly. So I’m purposeful when I say this. I like America, where believers eddy around one another like currents of air. Even our atheists are devout! To be an American is to be a believer. I don’t have much faith in institutions, but I still believe in people.” (p. 365
Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I didn't connect with it terribly much.
Here's some of my favorite quotes, mainly the ones related to complicated faith:
Spoiler
"The picture of the poor is usually one of wild, chaotic lot. Loud, combative, quick to complain, but that isn’t so, not in my experience. Just dip into that emergency room and watch every tired face; we’ve been there for a half a day and have yet to receive treatment. Most will only heave and sigh, that’s the extent of our rebellion. The poor are poor and we expect to stay that way. We don’t like it, but what can you do? That’s our attitude. The poor aren’t defeated, we’re domesticated.” (p.42-3)"“‘Most Christians speak of doubt like it’s blasphemy,’ Karen said. ‘But doubting God is like disbelieving oxygen. Thankfully neither needs our permission to sustain us.’ [...]
‘Doubt is an essential human trait. But why? If we really believe we’re created by God, then nothing got dropped in by accident, right? So what purpose does doubt serve? If it’s useless to disbelieve heaven, then maybe we should cast our eyes to earth.
‘Who do you believe in and why? Do you see men wise in their own eyes? There’s more hope for fools than for them. Jalen deceived Eric. Larry deceived Jalen. Saul fooled the astrologer in Birmingham. Half the Bible is folks getting tricked! So maybe we rethink doubt. Not as our enemy but our ally.
‘Think of King Jesus as our greatest doubter. Who saw the order of society and taught us to defy it. Who saw the ugly urges in ourselves and taught us to resist them. As we navigate through the powerful tides, doubt is our rudder. If we questioned our motives, maybe Reverend Cook would be alive. [...]’” (p. 204)
“[...] I like America.
I’m not going to say love. Forget about love, not because I don’t feel it but because love’s easy. Lots of people say they love their families, but still treat their families terribly. So I’m purposeful when I say this. I like America, where believers eddy around one another like currents of air. Even our atheists are devout! To be an American is to be a believer. I don’t have much faith in institutions, but I still believe in people.” (p. 365