In a Far-Off Land

I really enjoyed most parts of this book. The Christianity shown was definitely catholic with confession, penance, rosary beads etc which I personally found off putting and jarring. That aside the rest of the book I really enjoyed. I was invested in the characters and their relationships with one another. I had a few tears reading this one. It really did follow the prodigal son story really well. It is certainly gritty and raw with adult themes. I found it different to other books I've read this year and I'm glad I read it, it left an impression. Oh and the cover is beautiful!

Set in the 1930s Hollywood scene for most of the book. Sex, lies, drugs and alcohol, racism, theft, blackmail, murder- probably would make a great secular movie. This book is about fornication in various forms. (rape, prostitution and consensual sex) It left me feeling grimy. There are a few Catholic prayers and some wonderings about God. The main female is not a Christian but is a type of the """"prodigal son"""" by the end. Themes of guilt, shame and forgiveness are woven through out. I wish the first half had been much shorter and less detailed and the last part lengthened. It fell short of it's potential.