Even the book’s minor characters are crisp and unforgettable ... a glorious novel about what people choose to believe—and, more importantly, why they choose to believe it.
Everything about this highly entertaining story is implausible, until you remember that not only does fiction have the absolute right to be implausible, but that pretty much everything happening these days in America is over the top. In the discord and dark comedy of Enger’s novel lurk echoes of our own times — minus, of course, Twitter ... Redemption comes in many guises, and that is what this clever, hyperactive story is all about.
Enger wisely avoids making direct connections with current political events, though there are some subtle parallels ... Though much of the plot feels carefully orchestrated, events go in unexpected directions near the end, and the opposing perspectives of faith vs. reason are given equal weight in a story that will appeal to many fiction readers.
... potent ... Enger takes on a lot, from playing on the momentum and the mysteries of religious prognostication to the innate familial allegiance between prophetic father and skeptical son, and for the most part it ties together, though readers may feel the primary characters are a bit underdeveloped. Still, Enger effectively expands on themes of belonging and blind devotion as a group of true believers face their final day of reckoning. While Enger doesn’t reach the height he seeks, there is plenty of apocalyptic excitement.
