LAZARUS RISING

the first few chapters raised the hairs on my arms. i was really into the story. but then i got irritated about the scene that was too reminiscent of 'i see dead people'. but then i tried to appreciate. i am appreciating the mother's struggle. and the central question posed (thus far) is age-old, and i must admit i'm very curious as to the author's perspective - at least, how he decides to have his main characters respond. i hope this story's ending will satisfy.

update: 12/25/06
the book is laudable for its attempts to reintroduce some pervasive, important moral challenges characteristic of man's plight on earth. technically, i believe the 2nd half of the book could've been accomplished w/half the words. there was a superfluousness w/which certain characters' physical traits were described, and i'm unsure if the writer had a specific purpose for doing it, esp. for characters whom i didn't observe as being central to the story. nevertheless, i appreciated the effort. i predicted the ending, just in time for me to be disappointed at having done so, but i still almost cried. although i'm almost crying about all sorts of things these past few days... the father's plea to God via the priest... that scene was quite powerful.