The Father, the Son and the pyjama-wearing Spirit

by Dominic Garcin

There is something extraordinary about Cambridge philosophy student Gian Paolo Friedrich. From the strange visions that people have in his presence, to his uncanny ability to touch the hearts of total strangers, Gian Paolo is not like other people. Unnervingly enigmatic, he claims to be newer; to experience feelings that nobody else has ever felt before. Is he a superior being, or is he psychotic?Psychiatrist Joy Small is treating Gian Paolo, and diagnoses him with early-stage psychosis. But as the events around her become extraordinary, she starts to question this initial diagnosis and wonders if Gian Paolo actually does have some kind of divine power.The question of who he really is becomes an obsession for her. Until she finds the answer, she won t know whether to publish the anti-Christian creed he claims will save mankind, or whether to bury his ideas quietly in a file. If he is a Homo superior, his deconstruction of Christianity is a revelation, but if he s psychotic, her Catholic beliefs are safe.Through this novel the author presents his alternative philosophy on creation and the evolution of humankind. The possibility that Gian Paolo could be the second coming of Christ creates space for a series of taboo-shattering satires, such as the analogy between Gian Paolo s relationship with his father and that of Man to God. The novel challenges the biblical vision of heaven on earth, as Gian Paolo reveals his wish that science would isolate the extraordinary elements of DNA that he believes he possesses and use them to engineer generations of super-beings, who will in turn make the world into paradise.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Helen Riddiough]

Admittedly, this isn't my usual kind of read but I was absolutely reeled in by the intriguing premise. Disappointingly, the fish weren't biting. My issue is mainly with a story that promised so much of which the author gave us so little. I felt this was less a story about the truth about Gian Paolo's claim to be Homo superior and it's subsequent impact on the world and was more an exercise in demonstrating the obviously extensive education of the author. It read more like a study or discourse on religious themes and philosophical thought than it did a work of fiction. Don't get me wrong, with a title like this I walked into this read with my eyes wide open, of course there would be religious content and discussion, but I at least anticipated that it would be in the context of the plot. The structure of the narrative was irreparably fractured by passages of text (sometimes whole chapters!) that not only took us wildly away from the main plot but were so unbearably transparent as devices for the author to school the reader in various religious teachings and political theories: the police interview (Nazism), the cat in Paris (Buddhism), a handy Indian IT support man in the office (Hinduism), that I couldn't decide if it was a novel or a series of unconnected academic essays. None of these interludes fit. None of them led to an enhancement of the story. I spent most of the book hoping this would all link back to Gian Paolo. It didn't. I got more from the last 3 pages (the summing up of Gian Paolo's story) than I did from the whole middle section of the book. Perhaps if the language had been less academic or less 'I did this and then I went there and then I switched on my PC' it may have been more bearable but a page and a half of leaving the station, getting a taxi and travelling to the Home Office, in the most standard prose you can imagine...was just too dull. It's a shame because the premise was so exciting. I am left decidedly unexcited.

[Moona]

"The Father, the Son and the Pyjama-Wearing Spirit" by Dominic Garcin follows Cambridge philosophy student Gian Paolo Friedrich, who has extraordinary abilities and experiences feelings that no one else has. Psychiatrist Joy Small diagnoses him with early-stage psychosis but begins to question this as extraordinary events unfold. Gian Paolo's claim to possess divine power leads Joy to grapple with whether he is a superior being or psychotic. The novel explores themes of creation, evolution, and religion, challenging traditional beliefs and presenting an alternative philosophy on the nature of humanity and divinity.

[Mahbub]

I received a copy of the book thru the giveaway program at goodreads.

I enjoyed the book at the beginning. Unfortunately, the author took too long to reach the peak and delayed until the last chapter to end the story. In some cases, too much detail and emphasis was given to unrelated plot lines. For example, the visit in France, the party at the professor's friend's place or the birthday party at the cafe, were all too much detailed to be relevant. At the end the book resolves the philosophical question central to it, which an atheist will probably find very poorly reasoned. The author's picture at the back of the book could be a little more friendly (a smile, maybe?).

The strength of the book is the clear writing and an interesting subject. It was fun to read. The professor and the patient reminded me of two characters of a Bengali writer, Humayun Ahmed. They represented two polar opposite ideas and the clash between the two ideas was enjoyable. I think the author will be more successful if he builds upon his strengths and addresses his weaknesses for the future book. I wish him luck.

[Carol & Russell]

not a bad book. i can not wait until he wrtes another book. this book open my eyes. i have two son and this helped me to be help them.

[R Hakim]

I don't exactly know whether the author is prejudiced in real life or not, but the book is full of it. Either way, from my perspective, the book is not worth the reading effort.