Scan barcode
A review by st_ender
The Gospel of Orla by Eoghan Walls
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The Gospel of Orla has an incredible child protagonist. Orla is so multidimensional and imperfect in the way that 14-year-olds are. I am still amazed at how well the author understood and conveyed girlhood.
With a protagonist this strong and unique I don't think the plot has to be very complex for a novel to be enjoyable. I love a good road trip story, and I think this one was paced well and didn't have too many twists and curves to confuse me completely. The physical/spacial aspect fit the themes and Orla's development and I found the ending fitting.
One of the main themes of the novel is grief. I found the portrayal of a grieving young family quite realistic. The novel deals with complex emotions and relationships without telling the reader directly how we are supposed to feel about them. The adults in the novel are presented through Orla's limited understanding of how the world works, and it would be so easy to clearly show them as villains or losers, but that's not the case here. I think under Orla's antipathy you can still see how much they care for her and love her to the best of their capabilities.
I have to admit I was very worried that the novel will hit a moralising tone considering the religious theme. I was positively surprised. Jesus is funny at times, but I found his character quite tragic, and I have to admit I shed a tear or two over him. The supernatural element was more mysterious than mystical and it kept me on the edge.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone who used to be a teenage girl, and to everyone who's an angry griever. I am unsure if it is suitable for a child, but it has a no-bullshit attitude that stands out from books with similar themes.
With a protagonist this strong and unique I don't think the plot has to be very complex for a novel to be enjoyable. I love a good road trip story, and I think this one was paced well and didn't have too many twists and curves to confuse me completely. The physical/spacial aspect fit the themes and Orla's development and I found the ending fitting.
One of the main themes of the novel is grief. I found the portrayal of a grieving young family quite realistic. The novel deals with complex emotions and relationships without telling the reader directly how we are supposed to feel about them. The adults in the novel are presented through Orla's limited understanding of how the world works, and it would be so easy to clearly show them as villains or losers, but that's not the case here. I think under Orla's antipathy you can still see how much they care for her and love her to the best of their capabilities.
I have to admit I was very worried that the novel will hit a moralising tone considering the religious theme. I was positively surprised. Jesus is funny at times, but I found his character quite tragic, and I have to admit I shed a tear or two over him. The supernatural element was more mysterious than mystical and it kept me on the edge.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone who used to be a teenage girl, and to everyone who's an angry griever. I am unsure if it is suitable for a child, but it has a no-bullshit attitude that stands out from books with similar themes.