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A review by chava_reads
The Girl Who Slept with God by Val Brelinski
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Summary
Jory, a teenage girl in a evangelical Christian home, is sent to live in a house with just her and her sister Grace. Grace has been different since she got back from a missionary trip — not to mention she’s pregnant, and saying the child came to be through immaculate conception. With more freedom than she had ever been granted before, Jory begins to explore a life of her own choosing instead of one dictated by the adults around her. But she and Grace are only teenagers, and there are undoubtedly serious consequences that come with so much freedom.
Writing
I really liked the writing. It was the sort of thing that sucks you in, I think. It was so brilliantly strange. Since the book is written in third person limited from the perspective of a young teenage girl (Jory), you often question what’s actually happening while reading the book. There’s so much Jory isn’t aware of, and it’s interesting to try to piece it together.
I know a lot of folks had complaints about that, especially when it came to Grip and the ever-confusing question of is he a creep? But I think not knowing what the hell is happening, is the point. It’s so fascinating. We also see the results of religious indoctrination in Jory's views. Plus a lot of racism and antisemitism. And yeah it barely presents those things as a problem (or the manipulative adults), but again, it’s part of the setting and the story.
I was a bit bothered by the racism and antisemitism. Especially common was anti-Indigenous and anti-Roma racism. I have to warn y’all about that. It was… a lot. And it’s never addressed as problematic. While to me it felt intentional and like a statement, there’s a very real possibility it could be upsetting.
Characters
THESE CHARACTERS. G-d, I still can’t stop thinking of them. All of them. They feel like real people. And as someone from a setting rather similar, they feel like people I could run into at any time. I miss reading about these characters. Just. Fuck. It was amazing. Like, this was an amazing read but I don’t even wanna tell folks about why it’s so amazing, I just want them to read it and find out.
Plot
I had such a hard time writing the summary, because the plot is rather confusing. This is because we’re seeing it from Jory's eyes, and she doesn’t know everything. But unpicking the plot from the muddled look we get at it is really interesting. It all feels very intentional and real. It doesn’t feel like a book.
There’s a lot of criticism of the ending, but I don’t really agree with it. I see the points about it being sudden and anticlimactic, but that’s the thing with literary fiction. It’s about life and people. And sometimes that’s just how it is. That feeling of disappointment is intentional. I really liked the ending.
Final Thoughts
It’s not for everyone, but to me this is pure gold. Truly a masterpiece. I think this is a book that will be part of my life for a long while. Like babes what if this is my An Imperial Affliction?
Jory, a teenage girl in a evangelical Christian home, is sent to live in a house with just her and her sister Grace. Grace has been different since she got back from a missionary trip — not to mention she’s pregnant, and saying the child came to be through immaculate conception. With more freedom than she had ever been granted before, Jory begins to explore a life of her own choosing instead of one dictated by the adults around her. But she and Grace are only teenagers, and there are undoubtedly serious consequences that come with so much freedom.
Writing
I really liked the writing. It was the sort of thing that sucks you in, I think. It was so brilliantly strange. Since the book is written in third person limited from the perspective of a young teenage girl (Jory), you often question what’s actually happening while reading the book. There’s so much Jory isn’t aware of, and it’s interesting to try to piece it together.
I know a lot of folks had complaints about that, especially when it came to Grip and the ever-confusing question of is he a creep? But I think not knowing what the hell is happening, is the point. It’s so fascinating. We also see the results of religious indoctrination in Jory's views. Plus a lot of racism and antisemitism. And yeah it barely presents those things as a problem (or the manipulative adults), but again, it’s part of the setting and the story.
I was a bit bothered by the racism and antisemitism. Especially common was anti-Indigenous and anti-Roma racism. I have to warn y’all about that. It was… a lot. And it’s never addressed as problematic. While to me it felt intentional and like a statement, there’s a very real possibility it could be upsetting.
Characters
THESE CHARACTERS. G-d, I still can’t stop thinking of them. All of them. They feel like real people. And as someone from a setting rather similar, they feel like people I could run into at any time. I miss reading about these characters. Just. Fuck. It was amazing. Like, this was an amazing read but I don’t even wanna tell folks about why it’s so amazing, I just want them to read it and find out.
Plot
I had such a hard time writing the summary, because the plot is rather confusing. This is because we’re seeing it from Jory's eyes, and she doesn’t know everything. But unpicking the plot from the muddled look we get at it is really interesting. It all feels very intentional and real. It doesn’t feel like a book.
There’s a lot of criticism of the ending, but I don’t really agree with it. I see the points about it being sudden and anticlimactic, but that’s the thing with literary fiction. It’s about life and people. And sometimes that’s just how it is. That feeling of disappointment is intentional. I really liked the ending.
Final Thoughts
It’s not for everyone, but to me this is pure gold. Truly a masterpiece. I think this is a book that will be part of my life for a long while. Like babes what if this is my An Imperial Affliction?