book review: Faith by Jennifer Haigh

The backstory: In my pre-blogging days, I read Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh and really enjoyed it. I didn't track my reading in my early post-college days, but it's one of those novels I remember specific scenes from, so I was eager to read Haigh's latest novel, Faith.

My thoughts: Faith puts a very human face on the issue of priest abuse. We hear about Art, who is accused of abusing a young boy, through his sister Sheila. It's an interesting narrative device to hear Art's story through someone else, but I appreciated it. It's a powerful narrative device and questions the very nature of story and how the storyteller shapes the audience's perceptions and knowledge. I also appreciated sharing the journey with Sheila. She shared my desire to know what happened. At some point, however, my desire as a reader shifted and the why became so much more important than the what.

The verdict: I adored Faith, and it's a tribute to Haigh's writing and scope of characters and story that I have so little to say about it. It's deeply contemplative, and I expect to still be thinking of these characters and the implications of this story for years to come, just as I have Mrs. Kimble. It's a rich and layered novel that would be excellent for book clubs.

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: May 10, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the publisher via TLC Book Tours

Want more opinions? The entire tour schedule is here. Convinced? Treat yourself to Faith from Amazon in hardback or for the Kindle.

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