The book I will be reviewing today is The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber. Initially I chose this book due to the cover being pretty and I thought the plot of the book seemed interesting. (Though, I received a book with an alternate cover and I did not remember the plot as it arrived.)
Pretty cover though!
As I settled with the book in chapters, I realized the plot of the book.
Peter Leigh is an English pastor who is sent galaxies away on a mission for God, while leaving his wife Beatrice at home. Though he struggles to fit in with the surroundings in Oasis, he gradually adapts to the warm climate and the substituted diet. He then encounters the Oasans and build a church to share the faith that has saved him. Throughout the novel, Peter and Beatrice send letters to each other. Over time as Peter expands his mission with the faithful Jesus Followers, his wife Beatrice starts losing faith as the distance between them has caused a rift. Peter realizes that, though the mission can be fulfilling, the loneliness in his heart from being apart from Beatrice can't be emphasized.
Ok, honestly I did like the book. I liked how the Oasans were intrigued by the book of strange new things and Jesus and how they live was extraordinary. I liked seeing of how Peter was coping with the lifestyles and surrounding of the Oasans but, there were a number of things I questioned.
First of all, what exactly is the mission of USIC?
I understand that USIC is the company that runs the program to Oasis and all that, but most of the people sent there are engineers. I understand that since the book is centered around Peter, we would see little glimpses of the other people. But, I do not understand what was the whole purpose of the mission in Oasis. If the USIC crew barely makes contact with the natives (except for preachers, translators) except to distribute meds. Otherwise, I assume that they are creating technologies. (Maybe I need to read this a second time.)
Second, I understand that terrible things that happen to Beatrice, but what does the worldly disasters have to do with it?
Okay, I can partially explain this answer. When Peter left, Bea was somewhat optimistic at first hearing the stories of Peter. But, as she has to handle matters within the parish and friends, she starts becoming overwhelmed. I understand that throughout the book, England somehow manages to go through some economic crisis. But why? But that is not the question. I would assume the worldly disasters were created to portray empathy, but they really do not connect to the picture of Bea suffering at all. A question I would like to ask is how and why is England going through and economic crisis?
Third, what is the purpose of sending pastors if the USIC employees are not into faith? Were they sent for the Oasans? Also, what happened to Kurtzburg?
I assume originally in the book's universe, pastors were originally for USIC employees until they decided to expand on the Oasans. The Oasans appear to be faithful and adapt quickly to the teachings of the scripture compared to the zombie-like personas of the USIC employees. Which I would assume changed the role of a pastor for USIC. Before Peter, there was a pastor named Kurtzburg. He disappeared before they recruited Peter from USIC. Though Tartaglione, the translator was found alive. It was never explained what happened to Kurtzburg. Did he get eaten by non-believing Oasans? Or did he just vanish into thin air? What was explained is that he got tired of the Oasans and their lifestyle, but it is never explained what happened to him.
Overall, I did like the book. It had a surrealist escapism and irony. As the Oasis settlement develops more, Earth seems to downgrade and lose humanity. It also tests that if God exists, then why does he let horrible things happen to good people? Also, there is more that what meets the eye when understanding the Oasans and the USIC mission. For enjoyment and experience, I give the book 4 stars. General explanations on the plot mixed with prose, 3.5 stars.
