Lambs of God
5 journalers for this copy...
A thriller by an Australian writer ... released at the Brisbane Bookcrossers' Convention June 25 2005. Travel far little book!
Picked up at the quiz last night. I seem to have been reading lots of books about nuns lately - maybe it's a subconcious attempt to counteract the bad influences of the Passion Palace :-)
^ ^
00
=+=
v
^ ^
00
=+=
v
What a very strange and disturbing book!
An enclosed order of nuns has been forgotten by the church, and over the years most have died off, leaving only three (and a flock of sheep), who have become rather eccentric (to say the least) in their isolation. Their lives are disrupted when a young priest arrives to inspect the monastery, expecting to find abandoned buildings which can be sold off by the church to a resort company. In order to protect their home, and the Agnes Sisters (the sheep, who they beleive are the reincarnations of nuns who have died), the three nuns take drastic action. The result is part psychological thriller and part fairy tale, but mostly just weird.
The book was mainly let down by the middle section, which seemed to drag on a bit, and by a number of details that weren't entirely believable (Did villages really still have "bonesetters" within the nuns' lifetime? Where did they get the flour to bake the bread that is mentioned several times? Would the lawyers really have acted just on the basis of a telephone call? Would anyone really believe the priest's cover story?) so ruined the flow of the story somewhat for me.
^ ^
00
=+=
v
An enclosed order of nuns has been forgotten by the church, and over the years most have died off, leaving only three (and a flock of sheep), who have become rather eccentric (to say the least) in their isolation. Their lives are disrupted when a young priest arrives to inspect the monastery, expecting to find abandoned buildings which can be sold off by the church to a resort company. In order to protect their home, and the Agnes Sisters (the sheep, who they beleive are the reincarnations of nuns who have died), the three nuns take drastic action. The result is part psychological thriller and part fairy tale, but mostly just weird.
The book was mainly let down by the middle section, which seemed to drag on a bit, and by a number of details that weren't entirely believable (Did villages really still have "bonesetters" within the nuns' lifetime? Where did they get the flour to bake the bread that is mentioned several times? Would the lawyers really have acted just on the basis of a telephone call? Would anyone really believe the priest's cover story?) so ruined the flow of the story somewhat for me.
^ ^
00
=+=
v
Taken to a meetup in Dunedin and either picked up by another bookcrosser or added to the ever-growing pile of books to be released at the NZBC convention in February.
^ ^
00
=+=
v
^ ^
00
=+=
v
This was picked up at Saturday's meetup with Futurecat and Lytteltonwitch here in Dunedin. We have added it to the pile of books being kept for the 2006 Convention.
It's not been read yet. But it looks interesting, if slightly bizarre and I'm curious about what the author was smoking thinking up this idea.
Caught at the NZ BookCrossing convention in Dunedin.
Caught at the NZ BookCrossing convention in Dunedin.
!! ... wow!
Well, I have to agree with FutureCat - strange and disturbing covers it nicely. I loved the way the priest's character changes throughout the story. He grows up a lot in terms of respect for the nuns and their sanctuary and their way of life. The way the point-of-view changes from the nuns' perspective to the priest's is a nice touch, it lets you see their differences, and it makes his character development clearer.
It's a book you can read on two levels, in a way - the story, being the shallow level, and then all the deeper meanings. The change in the group dynamic of the nuns, the straying priest being reminded of what matters most in life.
I've read it twice, and lent it to my mum, who obviously hasn't made an entry, and it has now passed on to my cousin, who promised to journal it. (Please??)
Well, I have to agree with FutureCat - strange and disturbing covers it nicely. I loved the way the priest's character changes throughout the story. He grows up a lot in terms of respect for the nuns and their sanctuary and their way of life. The way the point-of-view changes from the nuns' perspective to the priest's is a nice touch, it lets you see their differences, and it makes his character development clearer.
It's a book you can read on two levels, in a way - the story, being the shallow level, and then all the deeper meanings. The change in the group dynamic of the nuns, the straying priest being reminded of what matters most in life.
I've read it twice, and lent it to my mum, who obviously hasn't made an entry, and it has now passed on to my cousin, who promised to journal it. (Please??)
I purchased this book in a box of others today. Not my cuppa tea really so won't read but will release in town over the next few days to help the book back into circulation.
