hillarycopsey's review against another edition
3.0
I found parts of this -- the sermon, itself; the letters between Maggie & James, the conversations with a therapist (?) -- really interesting and thoughtful. But I was disappointed in the marriage itself, in the way Thomas, the husband, is a caricature, barely there as a character. It felt, ultimately, like a start of something I'd love to see the final version of.
That being said, I read this for a discussion group, and I'm excited to hear what others think. It is a brilliant discussion book.
That being said, I read this for a discussion group, and I'm excited to hear what others think. It is a brilliant discussion book.
agmaynard's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lovely and beautifully composed. I'll lean on another for a properly composed rave. Amity Gaige in NY Times Book Review: "The sentences burn with desire and disquiet. The novel is generously condensed, ardently focused, its mechanisms poetic, not expository. In fact, although it is fiction, Fire Sermon reminds me most of confessional poetry, the aim of which is uncompromising honesty and self-exposure."
cconifer86's review against another edition
5.0
What a great read! Couldn’t put the book down. Just beautiful.
catherinevanheusden's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sheenah684's review against another edition
1.0
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an honest review.
Maggie and Thomas have been married for years, raised a family, and now are in middle age. Maggie has strayed from her marriage and now tries to reconcile her religious beliefs with what she feels.
This story is not just non-linear, it jumps from from action to Maggie's pondering on religion without any notice. We go back and forth from past to present, slowly learning how Maggie arrived at this place in her life.
There were a couple things I found problematic with this novel. The style did nothing for me in terms of furthering the story. The main issue I had though was not with the style; the problem was the characters. I could not connect to them at all, which made it difficult to care what happened. This may work better for other readers, but it fell flat for me.
Maggie and Thomas have been married for years, raised a family, and now are in middle age. Maggie has strayed from her marriage and now tries to reconcile her religious beliefs with what she feels.
This story is not just non-linear, it jumps from from action to Maggie's pondering on religion without any notice. We go back and forth from past to present, slowly learning how Maggie arrived at this place in her life.
There were a couple things I found problematic with this novel. The style did nothing for me in terms of furthering the story. The main issue I had though was not with the style; the problem was the characters. I could not connect to them at all, which made it difficult to care what happened. This may work better for other readers, but it fell flat for me.
lola425's review against another edition
4.0
Gorgeously written book that perfectly captures the joy and ache of extramarital longing juxtaposed with the longing for some type of religious or spiritual ecstasy. The book is layered so that you can take from it what you want or need. Encourages the reader to ask questions:
What makes "good" marriage? Does your soulmate need to end up your partner? Can a love affair change you forever in essential ways? What are the moral implications of an extramarital affair, particularly if you are religious? Is the integrity of the family more important than self-satisfaction? Most importantly you will find yourself asking "what if?" about it all.
What makes "good" marriage? Does your soulmate need to end up your partner? Can a love affair change you forever in essential ways? What are the moral implications of an extramarital affair, particularly if you are religious? Is the integrity of the family more important than self-satisfaction? Most importantly you will find yourself asking "what if?" about it all.
bookaddictrn's review against another edition
1.0
Thankful this was a short novel. Did not connect with the characters or the author’s style of writing.
sarahxify's review against another edition
Wrong time for this book - not a theme I really want to read at this stage, although the writing certainly is beautiful.