cah242's review
3.0
An interesting idea but not a great execution.
I read a bunch of really positive reviews for this book when it was first published, and it’s been on my list for a long time. Unfortunately it was pretty disappointing. The characters don’t make a ton of sense; they’re not consistent, their arguments and conversations are often silly, and they just don’t feel like real people. The vast majority of the book is just Laman narrating everything, including statements that fall flat rather than meaningful descriptions in his own voice. The idea is great, and there are moments when I think I can see what Harrison had in mind. And there are some satisfying resolutions to character and plot issues. Overall, though, it feels like a rush job.
I read a bunch of really positive reviews for this book when it was first published, and it’s been on my list for a long time. Unfortunately it was pretty disappointing. The characters don’t make a ton of sense; they’re not consistent, their arguments and conversations are often silly, and they just don’t feel like real people. The vast majority of the book is just Laman narrating everything, including statements that fall flat rather than meaningful descriptions in his own voice. The idea is great, and there are moments when I think I can see what Harrison had in mind. And there are some satisfying resolutions to character and plot issues. Overall, though, it feels like a rush job.
rebeccabateman's review
2.0
I've followed Mette on Twitter for a couple of years, and I've always been impressed with her ideas and perspective.
When I heard that she had written a book that provided a different perspective to the storyline of the Book of Mormon, as first told by the rather self-righteous and oft annoying Nephi, I was excited to see how she would approach it.
Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed in this retelling. I felt that it read like a young adult fiction (of which I am generally not a fan, so take that into account). The characters lacked depth and the descriptions felt anachronistic, like the author took for granted that these peoples from 600 BC would have the same religious structures, as well as the same colloquialisms and relationship behaviors that we have today. I sensed that she didn't do much by way of researching cultural standards of the time.
As it was published by a smaller organization, I shouldn't critique it as harshly, but I found many errors that an editor should have caught.
I would have liked it to have a similar tone and style as The Book of Mormon, that would have perhaps existed had Laman also kept his own record. I would have liked to see real application of Jewish law and standards of the time. This would have required more than I think this author was prepared to give, as she simply wanted to provide a new alternative for others to imagine. This idea had the potential of being an outstanding alternative guide for reasoning that scripture, while inspired by God, is still written by men (I won't go into the lack of women writing scripture), who each have motivations, biases, and failings.
There were moments that definitely gave me pause and opened up a better understanding of how it might have been in the original story. For example, I gained a new appreciation for Nephi's energies in building a boat to cross over to the Promised Land.
A Mormon who enjoys YA fiction might enjoy this book. It didn't meet my hopes for it.
*Side Story:
I ordered my copy from Amazon, and it didn't show up for weeks. When I finally got ahold of someone in customer service, it was a man somewhere in South Asia, and I could tell he was very intrigued with the book. He kept asking me, "Is this a religious book?" I surmised he had somewhere been exposed to the Book of Mormon and recognized the name or cover image. I responded, "Well, it's based off of a religious text, but this is NOT a religious book. It's just a fictional story." He kept insisting, "But it's a religious book!" He was adamant about this, so I finally said, "Yes."
When I heard that she had written a book that provided a different perspective to the storyline of the Book of Mormon, as first told by the rather self-righteous and oft annoying Nephi, I was excited to see how she would approach it.
Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed in this retelling. I felt that it read like a young adult fiction (of which I am generally not a fan, so take that into account). The characters lacked depth and the descriptions felt anachronistic, like the author took for granted that these peoples from 600 BC would have the same religious structures, as well as the same colloquialisms and relationship behaviors that we have today. I sensed that she didn't do much by way of researching cultural standards of the time.
As it was published by a smaller organization, I shouldn't critique it as harshly, but I found many errors that an editor should have caught.
I would have liked it to have a similar tone and style as The Book of Mormon, that would have perhaps existed had Laman also kept his own record. I would have liked to see real application of Jewish law and standards of the time. This would have required more than I think this author was prepared to give, as she simply wanted to provide a new alternative for others to imagine. This idea had the potential of being an outstanding alternative guide for reasoning that scripture, while inspired by God, is still written by men (I won't go into the lack of women writing scripture), who each have motivations, biases, and failings.
There were moments that definitely gave me pause and opened up a better understanding of how it might have been in the original story. For example, I gained a new appreciation for Nephi's energies in building a boat to cross over to the Promised Land.
A Mormon who enjoys YA fiction might enjoy this book. It didn't meet my hopes for it.
*Side Story:
I ordered my copy from Amazon, and it didn't show up for weeks. When I finally got ahold of someone in customer service, it was a man somewhere in South Asia, and I could tell he was very intrigued with the book. He kept asking me, "Is this a religious book?" I surmised he had somewhere been exposed to the Book of Mormon and recognized the name or cover image. I responded, "Well, it's based off of a religious text, but this is NOT a religious book. It's just a fictional story." He kept insisting, "But it's a religious book!" He was adamant about this, so I finally said, "Yes."
krisis86's review
5.0
Wow. This was a REALLY good book that added major depth to people from the Book of Mormon. It gave a good look at what Laman and Lemuel might have been like - real people who struggled, rather than one dimensional whiners. I especially liked that it portrayed Laman as someone who did believe in God, but had a hard time trusting Him.
derekkbaker's review
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bmwpalmer's review
3.0
3.5 stars. I liked this book more as a thought experiment than as, well, a book. The beginning set the stage so well, and I might have preferred to fill in the rest of the story on my own rather than read someone else's version (if that makes any sense).
Still a really valuable addition to Mormon literature - I am loving BCC Press!
Still a really valuable addition to Mormon literature - I am loving BCC Press!
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