Title: We Sinners
Author: Hanna Pylvainen
Publication Year: 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Edition: ARC
Source: amazon vine Setting: US/Michigan and Finland
Date Completed: February - 2013
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes
Rather extreme religious fundamentalism is ground on which the novel, We Sinners is
built. Its a story of the Rovianiemi clan, a large family from Finland
(nine siblings), who reside in the US and are members of a called ultra
conservative religious sect called: Laestadianism, a branch of the
Lutheran Church. Although the story is a work of fiction, the author
was raised in a similar household as this family with its very strict rules. The norm
is, no television, no popular music, no birth control, no alcohol,
regular religious practice and hymn singing, conservative dress, no dances, no nail polish, yet,
oddly, swearing seems to be commonplace at home.
The story is told through the family members, with
individual chapters devoted to each, including the parents Warren and
Pirjo. All of the family members are very close because of the way they
were raised, but as they reach maturity, they begin making their own
choices about the life they want to lead. Themes such as identity,
sexuality, temptation, love and faith are addressed as the siblings tell
their stories. It's a story the demonstrates how religion when taken to extremes has the potential of possibly tearing families apart.
I have trouble reading stories about the imposition of rules like this - it makes me too mad!
ReplyDeleteAgree with the above but this is the way of the world. you get this everywhere.
ReplyDeleteEven with those final two chapters, this book sounds good to me. For some reason, I'm fascinated with cults/sects.
ReplyDeleteI don't care for books centering around religion. I usually feel as if the author is trying to push religion down my throat. This one sounds a bit odd too. Not sure it's for me.
ReplyDeleteThere's alot about this book thjat interests me. I find extremely conservative religious groups like the one here fascinating, possibly because it;;s difficult for me to fathom living that way! I like that the story is told from each family member's point of view and the reader sees them grow from children to adults when changes always happen. Those last 2 chapters sound a bit of odd but many endings are.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to investigae this book more, thank you Diane!
I've been meaning to get to this one for awhile now. I'm intrigued by fundamental religious novels. I'm glad to know of the choices at the end before reading it though.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be so many layers to this story. It might be one that I would read but not entirely sure. I love your reviews!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that you recommend this novel overall; I received as an ARC but haven't yet read it. The novels which center on faith always interest me, because I grew up on a very faith-centered home (no swearing allowed!) for which I'm very grateful. It seems, though, that some homes misinterpret rules (my opinion) or go too strongly in one direction thereby missing the whole point which is to love Him first and foremost.
ReplyDeleteAh the beauty of blogs - I never would have found this book on my own; in fact, might well have passed on it if I did. But definitely sounds like one I would like and will be looking for.
ReplyDeleteHm. I have this one on my shelf, waiting. I keep telling myself it's so short that there's no excuse to not read it!
ReplyDeleteHaving been raised in an extremely conservative religious family, this novel sounds fascinating- thanks for bringing it to my attention!
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