A review by readhikerepeat
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
4.0
As a diehard John Irving fan, I was thrilled when his latest book showed up on my doorstep courtesy of Simon & Schuster. I’m convinced that there is nothing the man will write that I won’t love and Avenue of Mysteries was no different. Although it wasn’t my favorite book of his so far, I enjoyed it immensely and am pleased that he can remain a top contender for my favorite author.
Avenue of Mysteries is the story of Juan Diego, a boy who grew up in a dump with a mind-reading sister who seemed to know more about Juan Diego’s future than he did. The story starts out with Juan Diego’s trip, as an adult, to Manila, and as the story unfolds we find out why he’s going, what life events got him to where he is, and the major influence the church had on him, for better or for worse. As an adult, he struggles with his identity; the balancing of expectations of others against his own sense of self are in stark contrast to each other, adding a layer of complexity that Irving fans have come to expect (and love). In other words, it’s classic Irving.
It’s impossible to discuss Avenue of Mysteries without talking about the prevalence of religion throughout the book. This is by far the most religious of his works that I have read, and that includes A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s not that the book is religious, but rather that religion has a profound impact on the characters and Irving holds nothing back in that regard. It is also a difficult book to review without spoiling anything, but fans of Irving will find comfort in some parallels to his previous books.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
Avenue of Mysteries is the story of Juan Diego, a boy who grew up in a dump with a mind-reading sister who seemed to know more about Juan Diego’s future than he did. The story starts out with Juan Diego’s trip, as an adult, to Manila, and as the story unfolds we find out why he’s going, what life events got him to where he is, and the major influence the church had on him, for better or for worse. As an adult, he struggles with his identity; the balancing of expectations of others against his own sense of self are in stark contrast to each other, adding a layer of complexity that Irving fans have come to expect (and love). In other words, it’s classic Irving.
It’s impossible to discuss Avenue of Mysteries without talking about the prevalence of religion throughout the book. This is by far the most religious of his works that I have read, and that includes A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s not that the book is religious, but rather that religion has a profound impact on the characters and Irving holds nothing back in that regard. It is also a difficult book to review without spoiling anything, but fans of Irving will find comfort in some parallels to his previous books.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.