The Believers by Zoe Heller
This is one of those books that made me wonder why restrict ratings to just 5 stars.
The discussions on spirituality, religion, orthodoxy, above all Audrey and the reviews from friends was what prompted me to take up this book immediately. I was very much awed by Zoe Heller’s creepy and cold narration in her What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal and wanted to take up this book later, so that expectations don’t go awry.
Ideals are peaceful, history is violent.
- Brad Pitt as Staff Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier in “Fury”
Every belief system is built on the fundamental principle of being purposeful and instrumental in bringing peace to the world, but when believers blindly go by their belief system and are too rigid with a very myopic view that theirs is the only truth, ignoring the practical inconveniences caused to other people, and failing to correct their shortcomings, their actions lead to violence.
This book is basically an evaluation of the rigidity in the beliefs of the Litvinoff family. Joel believes in socialism, Audrey believes in Joel, Karla believes her parents’ ideas about her life and career are her limits, Rosa believes accepting orthodoxy and going back to her religion is her salvation, Lenny believes running away from family might be helpful.
If only they listened to other's viewpoint with an open mind, things could have turned up differently. But the stark irony is while they don't want to slacken their belief and hold on to it tightly when dealing with others, they don't mind compromising their ideals when it comes to their own selfish, personal gratifications. Heller brings out this hypocrisy, intricately crafted with myriad emotions with a true to life characterization, against a backdrop of Socialism and Judaism, in her own dark, witty narration spiced with sarcastic and acidulous tones.
The book was too personal to me, and I loved the character Audrey, her sharp tongue, her views, her beliefs. But what she does towards the end was a little unlike her to me, and though that was my first thought while reading the book, looking back I wonder if she could be typecast at all. Such strong female leads make me overwhelm, though I may not fully agree with her.
This is one of those books that made me wonder why restrict ratings to just 5 stars.
The discussions on spirituality, religion, orthodoxy, above all Audrey and the reviews from friends was what prompted me to take up this book immediately. I was very much awed by Zoe Heller’s creepy and cold narration in her What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal and wanted to take up this book later, so that expectations don’t go awry.
Ideals are peaceful, history is violent.
- Brad Pitt as Staff Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier in “Fury”
Every belief system is built on the fundamental principle of being purposeful and instrumental in bringing peace to the world, but when believers blindly go by their belief system and are too rigid with a very myopic view that theirs is the only truth, ignoring the practical inconveniences caused to other people, and failing to correct their shortcomings, their actions lead to violence.
This book is basically an evaluation of the rigidity in the beliefs of the Litvinoff family. Joel believes in socialism, Audrey believes in Joel, Karla believes her parents’ ideas about her life and career are her limits, Rosa believes accepting orthodoxy and going back to her religion is her salvation, Lenny believes running away from family might be helpful.
If only they listened to other's viewpoint with an open mind, things could have turned up differently. But the stark irony is while they don't want to slacken their belief and hold on to it tightly when dealing with others, they don't mind compromising their ideals when it comes to their own selfish, personal gratifications. Heller brings out this hypocrisy, intricately crafted with myriad emotions with a true to life characterization, against a backdrop of Socialism and Judaism, in her own dark, witty narration spiced with sarcastic and acidulous tones.
The book was too personal to me, and I loved the character Audrey, her sharp tongue, her views, her beliefs. But what she does towards the end was a little unlike her to me, and though that was my first thought while reading the book, looking back I wonder if she could be typecast at all. Such strong female leads make me overwhelm, though I may not fully agree with her.