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msgtdameron's review
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Huysmans has done a wonderful job describing two things in this work. One, the history of the Oblate class of Christian monastic fellows. This is done against the back round of the French Government trying and succeeding in driving the religious orders either out of the country or under government control. It's the second issue that is most revealing. I know that later in life Huysman became a Catholic Mystic and I believe that this work is actually his feelings about the end of the orders in France. Through Durtal we hear about the spiritual uplift of the various Catholic Masses. From Matins to Vespers we see and feel Durtal's spirit lift in the beginning and as the work goes on we see his spirit slowly drown in the realization that the life of an Oblate will not be for him as the Benedictine order is being forced out of France. It is this spiritual loss that Durtal feels that leads to the pathos of this work. The work is sad while being informative and also lifts one up as you realize that you can still find that same peace in your own life with work. Just as Durtal finds peace and then looses it, but I don't have to. The work also brings up another point that will become extremely important in the next year. That is how do we, Americans and our Constitution that says "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion." in a post attempted revolt against the established government by the MAGA's. Many of these MAGA Fascist ideas are being preached from various pulpits across the nation especially in any state that has an SEC college sport teams. I have another work on the way that addresses this exact issue in France post revolution.
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