Her entry begins:
I’m reading novels written in omniscience –– Jim Crace’s Quarantine, José Saramago’s The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, Halldór Laxness’s Independent People...right now I’m curious about why omniscience is less usable or relevant to the contemporary and the secular, and I’m interested in figuring out how omniscience can shift emphasis to narrative and plot and story, which I think have given way somewhat to the contemporary closeness of third person or, of course, the interiority of first person. Along these lines, I’m rereading...[read on]About We Sinners, from the publisher:
This stunning debut novel—drawn from the author's own life experience—tells the moving story of a family of eleven in the American Midwest, bound together and torn apart by their faithLearn more about the book and author at Hanna Pylväinen's website and Facebook page.
The Rovaniemis and their nine children belong to a deeply traditional church (no drinking, no dancing, no TV) in modern-day Michigan. A normal family in many ways, theRovaniemis struggle with sibling rivalry, parental expectations, and forming their own unique identities in such a large family. But when two of the children venture from the faith, the family fragments and a haunting question emerges: Do we believe for ourselves, or for each other? Each chapter is told from the distinctive point of view of a different Rovaniemi, drawing a nuanced, kaleidoscopic portrait of this unconventional family. The children who reject the church learn that freedom comes at the almost unbearable price of their close family ties, and those who stay struggle daily with the challenges of resisting the temptations of modern culture. With precision and potent detail, We Sinners follows each character on their journey of doubt, self-knowledge, acceptance, and, ultimately, survival.
Writers Read: Hanna Pylväinen.
--Marshal Zeringue
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