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annrhub's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lisaa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
patchworkculture's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
sharkybookshelf's review
2.0
Baby Pascal miraculously appears on Easter Sunday - following rumours that he’s the child of God, he eventually sets off in search of his origins and life’s mission.
I probably would have appreciated this rather more if I was more familiar with the finer details of the Bible - as it was, I could tell that there were plenty of biblical references, but most of them were rather lost on me.
Now, if I don’t have all of the reference points but a story and/or characters are still gripping or interesting, that isn’t too much of an issue for me. But, while I did enjoy the distinctly Caribbean setting, I just could not connect with the writing - I felt held at a remove the whole way through and never felt particularly invested in Pascal and what happened to him or any of the other characters.
Frankly, on finishing the book I was left wondering what the point of it had been, which is never a good sign. Maybe this is a very clever book, but any cleverness and the corresponding commentary around (I’m guessing) love, the conviction of faith and finding meaning in life was entirely lost on me.
lowercase_em's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
seeceeread's review
3.5
💭 "Where do I come from? Why am I on this earth? Where am I going?"
Pascal, orphaned and claimed on an Easter day, is on a perpetual existential quest. A poor student who is nonetheless determined to become a philosophical great and a professor of truths, he passes much of his adulthood as a sort of intellectual diva: writing, expounding and pondering – leaving those who care for him to do the basics, like cook his food and attend to quotidian vagaries. Somehow, he is deemed compelling, noteworthy, meriting study ... the result of his ambiguous racial presentation, his mysterious birth father's spiritual guru status, and a series of events some dub miracles. As a Professional Inquirer who never has satisfactory answers, Pascal undertakes an epic quest. Along the way, he finds several lovers, dutiful followers, diverse political and religious approaches to governance, and wold intrigues (for example: he is, mistakenly, wanted for murder in a gated commune). In short, Condé places the New Testament into the 21st century Americas and invites us to interpret, interrogate and giggle.
The author masterfully balances a sense of annoyance and humor with her main character and his endless searching ... and mature attention to the African diaspora and the kinds of dilemmas that underline our humanity. Quick chapters propel readers through a bursting plot, with a new element every five pages or so.
I'm no Bible scholar, so I'm sure I missed some good book references. Still, there's plenty here (and much of it isn't subtle) to catch even Abrahamic neophytes. In fact, this sent my mind skipping over intertextual connections: Millet's 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 whimsically reaches for religious allusion while aiming for more serious topics. There's an episode of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 in which Traci touches on Morrison's selection of names as divine referents; and Nittle's exploration of 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 digs deep into Toni's synthesis of African diasporic perspectives. Plus, I just finished 𝗛𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗯 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀, with its powerful revisiting of Koranic stories.
I walk away thinking of the gulf some leave between theory and praxis. I do not believe justice is a byproduct of great thoughts; rather, we achieve justice through struggle – action.
Pascal, orphaned and claimed on an Easter day, is on a perpetual existential quest. A poor student who is nonetheless determined to become a philosophical great and a professor of truths, he passes much of his adulthood as a sort of intellectual diva: writing, expounding and pondering – leaving those who care for him to do the basics, like cook his food and attend to quotidian vagaries. Somehow, he is deemed compelling, noteworthy, meriting study ... the result of his ambiguous racial presentation, his mysterious birth father's spiritual guru status, and a series of events some dub miracles. As a Professional Inquirer who never has satisfactory answers, Pascal undertakes an epic quest. Along the way, he finds several lovers, dutiful followers, diverse political and religious approaches to governance, and wold intrigues (for example: he is, mistakenly, wanted for murder in a gated commune). In short, Condé places the New Testament into the 21st century Americas and invites us to interpret, interrogate and giggle.
The author masterfully balances a sense of annoyance and humor with her main character and his endless searching ... and mature attention to the African diaspora and the kinds of dilemmas that underline our humanity. Quick chapters propel readers through a bursting plot, with a new element every five pages or so.
I'm no Bible scholar, so I'm sure I missed some good book references. Still, there's plenty here (and much of it isn't subtle) to catch even Abrahamic neophytes. In fact, this sent my mind skipping over intertextual connections: Millet's 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 whimsically reaches for religious allusion while aiming for more serious topics. There's an episode of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 in which Traci touches on Morrison's selection of names as divine referents; and Nittle's exploration of 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 digs deep into Toni's synthesis of African diasporic perspectives. Plus, I just finished 𝗛𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗯 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀, with its powerful revisiting of Koranic stories.
I walk away thinking of the gulf some leave between theory and praxis. I do not believe justice is a byproduct of great thoughts; rather, we achieve justice through struggle – action.
stefantonge's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
andream0885's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5