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The Father's Tale: A Novel (2011)

by Michael D. O'Brien(Favorite Author)

4.23 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

089870815X (ISBN13: 9780898708158)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Ignatius Press

review 1: I think it had to be that long. There is not one shortcut on Alex's journey -- the panic, the despair, the finding, the un-finding, the being found, the cost, and the reward. Technically, O'Brien is not good at his craft. Early on I cringed at dialogue, and many other writers could give far more with less. He also likes to make random, callow digs at theological traditions outside his own Roman Catholicism. But he soars with what he has -- a warts-and-all vision of a modern everyman-pilgrim with a small faithful light. The prodigal son structure is there in the story, but it's hardly what resonates as I write this review two years after reading. It's both "a hero goes on a journey" and "a stranger comes to town", with a vision of the transcendent good, true and beautiful. ... moreThere's also about a 500-page brokenhearted love letter to Russia in there, which I found deeply moving.
review 2: This was may favorite book for 2012. I am re-reading it again at a more leisurely pace on my Kindle. Catching wonderful details I missed the first time through. Small spoiler: The only minor complaint I have for this book is in the last act (after Russia). Things felt a little disjointed for me in that section of the book, but I think it was because I did not want to leave Russia behind with all the wonderful details the author had presented to his readers; the characters, the atmosphere of the locations, and a hundred other small details that really set this novel above the average fiction books I have read lately. less

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