Both Chesterton and this novel have been called a classic. Additionally, this novel has been called weird – and I agree.
Now, to put this into perspective: I like weird fiction. I also like meta fiction, and I like symbolism. And I’m far from frowning upon the use of religious themes. I like urban fantasy, and those authors go to the pantheons of old quite often for inspiration, for example the Greek or Egypt gods.
Furthermore, I like a good conspiracy. Not in the way of a crazy tin foil hatter – I enjoy the enfolding of a good conspiracy in the narrative, be it on screen or on paper.
That being said, this book should, in theory, be perfect for me: a thinly veiled conspiracy, playing along religious lines, weird characters … Well, if only.
If only it was that easy. The religious theme here is Christianity, and it’s very veiled (it won’t be presented until the very end). And sadly, bringing in that religious context at the last minute does NOT make everything understandable somehow, it just adds to the confusion.
There might be people out there far better suited to understand what Gilbert meant to say with this work. I’m sure there are pretty parabels and intricate insights and alluring allegories here – I simply don’t care. I basically read for fun. If a story manages to broaden my horizon while entertaining me (or making me question my morales or my reality), then that’s highly welcome. And being infused with stuff to think about can be pretty entertaining, too. But I need to get a little input here.
So this is 3 stars for me. It has entertainment value, but there might be stuff I really don’t get about it. Maybe you do?
Crossing the Pond Reviews 