What do you think?
Rate this book
American Cycle #4
Unworthy
A Catholic priest struggles with memories of an illicit romance in 1970s New York in this powerfully intimate novel of faith and doubt, guilt and love.
New York in the late 70s: fiscal crisis, rising crime, the great blackout of ’77—the city seemed to be on an irreversible decline that was battering its very soul. And, to put it mildly, sin was everywhere. Against this backdrop we meet Abram Singer, a Catholic priest with an unusual name and a very dark secret. Born to an absentee Jewish father and a devout Irish mother, Abram always felt like an outsider, someone standing between two worlds. Raised Catholic, he found himself drawn to the meaningful structure of the seminary and became a Manhattan parish priest. Guided by a genuine faith in God, Abram’s sincerest wish is to do His work.
But Abram is not without his human failings, primary of which is lust. Despite his vow of chastity, he is irresistibly attracted to women and has a long-standing relationship with a young woman named Lisa, whom he loves passionately. Their romance, Abram feels, bears the hallmarks of all of his gravest weaknesses—doubt, hypocrisy, and an inability to renounce his own sin. These misgivings threaten to overwhelm him when a stranger calls Abram at the parish threatening to expose his liaison, forcing him to decide whether the risks of continuing with Lisa have become simply too great.
Told entirely in Abram’s straightforward, self-aware voice, Unworthy is both a riveting, morally complex narrative about the nature of faith, loyalty, and identity, and a gritty period piece about a man trying to make his way in one of America’s greatest cities.
New York in the late 70s: fiscal crisis, rising crime, the great blackout of ’77—the city seemed to be on an irreversible decline that was battering its very soul. And, to put it mildly, sin was everywhere. Against this backdrop we meet Abram Singer, a Catholic priest with an unusual name and a very dark secret. Born to an absentee Jewish father and a devout Irish mother, Abram always felt like an outsider, someone standing between two worlds. Raised Catholic, he found himself drawn to the meaningful structure of the seminary and became a Manhattan parish priest. Guided by a genuine faith in God, Abram’s sincerest wish is to do His work.
But Abram is not without his human failings, primary of which is lust. Despite his vow of chastity, he is irresistibly attracted to women and has a long-standing relationship with a young woman named Lisa, whom he loves passionately. Their romance, Abram feels, bears the hallmarks of all of his gravest weaknesses—doubt, hypocrisy, and an inability to renounce his own sin. These misgivings threaten to overwhelm him when a stranger calls Abram at the parish threatening to expose his liaison, forcing him to decide whether the risks of continuing with Lisa have become simply too great.
Told entirely in Abram’s straightforward, self-aware voice, Unworthy is both a riveting, morally complex narrative about the nature of faith, loyalty, and identity, and a gritty period piece about a man trying to make his way in one of America’s greatest cities.
- GenresFiction
192 pages, Hardcover
Published May 22, 2018
4 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
Antonio Monda
28 books21 followersANTONIO MONDA is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, including, most recently, the critically acclaimed Ota Benga. His work has been translated into eleven languages. A regular contributor to La Repubblica and a columnist for RAI Italian Television and Vogue Italia, Monda has directed several documentaries, as well as the feature film Dicembre. In 2015 he was named Artistic Director of the Rome Film Festival. He lives in New York, where he teaches in the Film and Television Department at New York University.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 8, 2018
This is the book picked for Doubleday's Keep Turning Pages group read for October, 2018. I received a hardcover copy of the book in their giveaway--many thanks!
This short book is difficult to read, especially for those of the Catholic faith. It's about a priest who is in the midst of a crisis of faith and is having an affair with a young woman, feels guilty about it, yet has no intention of changing, so he cannot be absolved of his sins. Not only has he broken his vow of chastity but he encourages the woman to have an abortion when she becomes pregnant. Added to his list of sins are pride, hypocrisy, lies and theft.
Father Abram Singer is the unreliable narrator of this story which is set in NYC in the 70s. He was the love child of a Jewish father and an Italian mother, raised in the Catholic church by his mother. That same strange dichotomy between his name and his faith seems to inform his entire life. He says he became a priest 'to change this dirty world, or at least to change myself, which may be even more difficult,' yet he does little to control himself and his urges. He says that nothing frightens him more than solitude and hoped by becoming a priest, God would always be by his side, yet he has built a wall of shame to separate himself from God. He believes in the devil, but says he cannot really imagine him nor hell--yet thinks heaven would not exist without its counterpart.
This story raises more questions than it answers: Are our expectations of holy men too high? Can they ever overcome their human frailties? Does the Catholic church expect too much in their demands for chastity?
I just had a thought: Is this a modern day version of The Scarlet Letter, with the woman carrying the stigma of their sin by developing breast cancer and Abram's soul shriveling up inside him?
Why is this story, which was originally written in Italian and translated to English, set in NYC? Is it because the city is the great melting pot of the world, because there are so many people and so many stories? Or is it because a priest like Abram could more easily carry on his secret life in a big city? But secrets always come out.
And why is it set in the 70s? I went to university in the late 60s-early 70s and it was a time of great upheaval in our society, rejecting the establishment, pushing boundaries. Perhaps Monda wanted to draw upon that atmosphere. Why DO priests need to be celibate? Why can they not know love like other men?
In my own parish, there is a couple who were once a priest and a nun who fell in love and abandoned their vows to marry and raise a family. They remained faithful to their religion but could take no deeper role in the services, say as a deacon or Eucharistic minister. The church can be very unforgiving...
This book will provide lots of meat for discussion for a book club that can handle such tough topics.
This short book is difficult to read, especially for those of the Catholic faith. It's about a priest who is in the midst of a crisis of faith and is having an affair with a young woman, feels guilty about it, yet has no intention of changing, so he cannot be absolved of his sins. Not only has he broken his vow of chastity but he encourages the woman to have an abortion when she becomes pregnant. Added to his list of sins are pride, hypocrisy, lies and theft.
Father Abram Singer is the unreliable narrator of this story which is set in NYC in the 70s. He was the love child of a Jewish father and an Italian mother, raised in the Catholic church by his mother. That same strange dichotomy between his name and his faith seems to inform his entire life. He says he became a priest 'to change this dirty world, or at least to change myself, which may be even more difficult,' yet he does little to control himself and his urges. He says that nothing frightens him more than solitude and hoped by becoming a priest, God would always be by his side, yet he has built a wall of shame to separate himself from God. He believes in the devil, but says he cannot really imagine him nor hell--yet thinks heaven would not exist without its counterpart.
This story raises more questions than it answers: Are our expectations of holy men too high? Can they ever overcome their human frailties? Does the Catholic church expect too much in their demands for chastity?
I just had a thought: Is this a modern day version of The Scarlet Letter, with the woman carrying the stigma of their sin by developing breast cancer and Abram's soul shriveling up inside him?
Why is this story, which was originally written in Italian and translated to English, set in NYC? Is it because the city is the great melting pot of the world, because there are so many people and so many stories? Or is it because a priest like Abram could more easily carry on his secret life in a big city? But secrets always come out.
And why is it set in the 70s? I went to university in the late 60s-early 70s and it was a time of great upheaval in our society, rejecting the establishment, pushing boundaries. Perhaps Monda wanted to draw upon that atmosphere. Why DO priests need to be celibate? Why can they not know love like other men?
In my own parish, there is a couple who were once a priest and a nun who fell in love and abandoned their vows to marry and raise a family. They remained faithful to their religion but could take no deeper role in the services, say as a deacon or Eucharistic minister. The church can be very unforgiving...
This book will provide lots of meat for discussion for a book club that can handle such tough topics.
Read
October 3, 2018I can't read this. Im Catholic and this just hits too close to the crisis in our church right now. Makes me way too uncomfortable.
September 30, 2018
3 stars Thank you to Keep Turning Pages and Nan A. Talese for a chance to read and review this book. Originally published in Italian, in 2016, as the 4th book of a six book series - the American Cycle Series. The only book of the series translated to English in May 2018.
I believe that I would thoroughly enjoy a book by this author, if it were not based on religion. His prose is compelling, his story line contemporary, and his character development good. For me, however, this book delved to richly into the Catholic religion, especially the priesthood. I realize that is the heart of this book, but for that very reason I could not rate it any higher than I did.
Father Abram Singer joined the Catholic priesthood as a very young man. He was a good priest in New York city in the 70's. However, he was first a man. This novel encases his life, with some back story, in the priesthood, and with Lisa.
Had this story been more about Father Abram and Lisa, with less religious content, I would have been more satisfied. The religious content was of a simple nature, possibly offending to some, but it was amply spread throughout the book. It did not preach religion, if anything it highlighted some of the injustices taking place within this religion, but seeing this story play out in the eyes of Father Abram everything had a religious connotation. More so than I care to read about.
I believe that I would thoroughly enjoy a book by this author, if it were not based on religion. His prose is compelling, his story line contemporary, and his character development good. For me, however, this book delved to richly into the Catholic religion, especially the priesthood. I realize that is the heart of this book, but for that very reason I could not rate it any higher than I did.
Father Abram Singer joined the Catholic priesthood as a very young man. He was a good priest in New York city in the 70's. However, he was first a man. This novel encases his life, with some back story, in the priesthood, and with Lisa.
Had this story been more about Father Abram and Lisa, with less religious content, I would have been more satisfied. The religious content was of a simple nature, possibly offending to some, but it was amply spread throughout the book. It did not preach religion, if anything it highlighted some of the injustices taking place within this religion, but seeing this story play out in the eyes of Father Abram everything had a religious connotation. More so than I care to read about.
January 22, 2019
Full review @ Smoke & Mirrors: https://books-n-music.blogspot.com/20.... Thank you to the publisher for the free copy for Keep Turning Pages GR group. Being a very non-religious person, I’m relatively certain I would have never chosen to read this book if not for this group discussion! I enjoyed Monda’s writing style and would definitely read something else he has written. However, I found this story arc to be a bit frustrating. Why remain in such a restrictive vocation if you never intend to follow the rules? Especially the priesthood, of all things.
I think what bothered me most about Abram’s refusal to be obedient to his vows was his constant stealing from the collection plates and THEN to allow the young boy to take the fall for this theft! Aaarrrgghhh! WHY?!?
Yet he was obviously charismatic as parishioners were evidently enthralled by his sermons, at least from what Abram tells us. But such a hypocrite!
This is set in 1970’s NYC and prior to becoming a priest, Abram actually worked construction on the Twin Towers. I felt as if Monda might have been juxtaposing the symbolism of the Twin Towers with the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church rites and rituals. But I don’t know if that was his intent or not. I just found his references to the Twin Towers occurred too often not to be directly involved, and this was the only connection I could draw between the two.
I have asked one of my friends who is religious and was raised Catholic and remained part of that belief throughout most of her adult life to also read this. Very curious to see what her thoughts might be...
I think what bothered me most about Abram’s refusal to be obedient to his vows was his constant stealing from the collection plates and THEN to allow the young boy to take the fall for this theft! Aaarrrgghhh! WHY?!?
Yet he was obviously charismatic as parishioners were evidently enthralled by his sermons, at least from what Abram tells us. But such a hypocrite!
This is set in 1970’s NYC and prior to becoming a priest, Abram actually worked construction on the Twin Towers. I felt as if Monda might have been juxtaposing the symbolism of the Twin Towers with the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church rites and rituals. But I don’t know if that was his intent or not. I just found his references to the Twin Towers occurred too often not to be directly involved, and this was the only connection I could draw between the two.
I have asked one of my friends who is religious and was raised Catholic and remained part of that belief throughout most of her adult life to also read this. Very curious to see what her thoughts might be...
May 27, 2018
Thank you to Doubleday for my free copy of UNWORTHY for review! All opinions are my own.
Let’s dive into this one a little bit more here. It’s flying pretty low under the radar for a recent release, which if you’ll notice is actually a translation from L’INDEGNO (published in Italian) in 2016. There isn’t too much in the way of varied opinion out there it seems – I’ll do my best to break down my thoughts:
Ok, now the themes alluded to in the synopsis are very present. This is absolutely a novella about religion (sort of), sex, human nature and morality. The setting however, is not so present. It is helpful to know that we are in 1970’s New York in the grip of financial crisis, but personally I felt that this fell so far in the background as to be nearly unnoticeable and that really, it could be set anytime from the 1960s to present-day, in just about any city. So, don’t pick it up if you’re hoping to experience more of that world.
I am not a person who typically enjoys heavily religious themes. For reference: I was raised Episcopalian, but I find that sometimes books that have this bent tend to be limited – just my experience. But, books that explore the complexities of morality, especially when set against a societal construct like religion – in other words, books that raise some really big questions that may just not have right answers – now THAT is up my alley.
You will have to read and judge for yourself, but the way that I experience this reading, it’s actually less about religion, and more about society and the understanding that we’ve come to of what is right and what is wrong. But, don’t we as human beings live constantly in the grey? This is arguably why the idea of religion and morals have evolved, we seem to need these goalposts to guide us in times of question and crisis. But in certain circumstances, where human instinct kicks in and our needs challenge those ideas we’ve set regarding right and wrong – what does that mean about the definition of morality that we’ve constructed as a society?
Something pretty enticing about the voice here – we get Abram’s voice. His conflicted, human, living-in-two-universes voice and it’s honest, it lets us in on his inner life and outer behaviors so that we too live in the midst of these dark secrets he’s holding on to. The conflict is felt deeply as a reader. And when the threat of exposure finally comes, we too have that jump in the vagal nerve, that wave of guilt, panic, the unknown and sense of impending doom. It is because it is almost framed in the structure of a confessional, from this conflicted priest to us, the reader.
Ah! Yes. Also. Note: novella. This is a short read. That does not, however, mean it’s necessarily a quick read. Perhaps this is best digested in small nuggets while going back and forth with another book (if that’s something you can do). I wish I’d taken more time with some of the big questions raised, because a week now after finishing it, they still linger.
*3 words: isolation, drive, karma
*what I loved: there is not a direct stance here on whether the actions of Abram are wrong, or whether the expectations of his chosen religion are wrong. The lack of “right answer” is fascinating and compelling – this will stick with you.
*what I questioned: could this entire narrative have been expanded upon more? I appreciate the timelessness and universality of the story, but I wonder if Monda had brought more of the setting into the forefront if that would help to illuminate Abram’s struggle a bit more here by defining it in a more specific space. I can’t say I’m sure.
*overall rating: 3.2 stars. This means I definitely liked it. I appreciated the thought-provoking themes. But I wish there were more. And I didn’t like that my expectations of it were so different from the experience of reading it.
**Find my bookish posts and reviews on Instagram at @mlleboaz.bibliophile !!
Let’s dive into this one a little bit more here. It’s flying pretty low under the radar for a recent release, which if you’ll notice is actually a translation from L’INDEGNO (published in Italian) in 2016. There isn’t too much in the way of varied opinion out there it seems – I’ll do my best to break down my thoughts:
Ok, now the themes alluded to in the synopsis are very present. This is absolutely a novella about religion (sort of), sex, human nature and morality. The setting however, is not so present. It is helpful to know that we are in 1970’s New York in the grip of financial crisis, but personally I felt that this fell so far in the background as to be nearly unnoticeable and that really, it could be set anytime from the 1960s to present-day, in just about any city. So, don’t pick it up if you’re hoping to experience more of that world.
I am not a person who typically enjoys heavily religious themes. For reference: I was raised Episcopalian, but I find that sometimes books that have this bent tend to be limited – just my experience. But, books that explore the complexities of morality, especially when set against a societal construct like religion – in other words, books that raise some really big questions that may just not have right answers – now THAT is up my alley.
You will have to read and judge for yourself, but the way that I experience this reading, it’s actually less about religion, and more about society and the understanding that we’ve come to of what is right and what is wrong. But, don’t we as human beings live constantly in the grey? This is arguably why the idea of religion and morals have evolved, we seem to need these goalposts to guide us in times of question and crisis. But in certain circumstances, where human instinct kicks in and our needs challenge those ideas we’ve set regarding right and wrong – what does that mean about the definition of morality that we’ve constructed as a society?
Something pretty enticing about the voice here – we get Abram’s voice. His conflicted, human, living-in-two-universes voice and it’s honest, it lets us in on his inner life and outer behaviors so that we too live in the midst of these dark secrets he’s holding on to. The conflict is felt deeply as a reader. And when the threat of exposure finally comes, we too have that jump in the vagal nerve, that wave of guilt, panic, the unknown and sense of impending doom. It is because it is almost framed in the structure of a confessional, from this conflicted priest to us, the reader.
Ah! Yes. Also. Note: novella. This is a short read. That does not, however, mean it’s necessarily a quick read. Perhaps this is best digested in small nuggets while going back and forth with another book (if that’s something you can do). I wish I’d taken more time with some of the big questions raised, because a week now after finishing it, they still linger.
*3 words: isolation, drive, karma
*what I loved: there is not a direct stance here on whether the actions of Abram are wrong, or whether the expectations of his chosen religion are wrong. The lack of “right answer” is fascinating and compelling – this will stick with you.
*what I questioned: could this entire narrative have been expanded upon more? I appreciate the timelessness and universality of the story, but I wonder if Monda had brought more of the setting into the forefront if that would help to illuminate Abram’s struggle a bit more here by defining it in a more specific space. I can’t say I’m sure.
*overall rating: 3.2 stars. This means I definitely liked it. I appreciated the thought-provoking themes. But I wish there were more. And I didn’t like that my expectations of it were so different from the experience of reading it.
**Find my bookish posts and reviews on Instagram at @mlleboaz.bibliophile !!
June 13, 2018
Monda has a poetic writing voice, but it did not make up for the lack of story. Not much in the way of plot development. Mostly the internal dialogue of a wayward priest talking about his guilt, shame, and general unworthiness.
June 8, 2018
Beautifully written.
May 4, 2018
Intriguing. I loved the fact it was written in Abram's voice. It feels more real that way and made me want to forgive his missteps. It is such and interesting journey through Abram's choices and the consequences to himself and those around them A good read.
December 28, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the E-ARC in exchange of this honest review.
Okay, so when I came upon the synopsis of this book on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. Something about it sounded so fascinating to me. I do not enjoy books with a very religious theme to them. But add in a priest who has sworn celibacy, who in fact is anything but celibate. I'm in. However..
I only found this book to be okay. It did have a lot of potential to be exceptional. In the synopsis it talks about the financial crisis and "The Great Blackout of 77" yet none of that was really mentioned. There was A LOT of religious talk and references, psalms, passages, religious music references, and then when those weren't occurring, it was about sex. I wanted him to renounce, I wanted him to do the right thing for his parish, and for Lisa. I felt like he was a lying, conniving snake, who only cared about himself. The side of him that loved God, and the side of him that loved Lisa. However I don't believe he truly loved anyone, but himself.
Overall, I was let down by this book. That's not to say that someone else won't love this book. After-all this is my own personal opinion, and because I do not enjoy books with religious themes, its more than half the reason I did not entirely enjoy this one. So you may very well like this one, and understand it a bit more.
Okay, so when I came upon the synopsis of this book on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. Something about it sounded so fascinating to me. I do not enjoy books with a very religious theme to them. But add in a priest who has sworn celibacy, who in fact is anything but celibate. I'm in. However..
I only found this book to be okay. It did have a lot of potential to be exceptional. In the synopsis it talks about the financial crisis and "The Great Blackout of 77" yet none of that was really mentioned. There was A LOT of religious talk and references, psalms, passages, religious music references, and then when those weren't occurring, it was about sex. I wanted him to renounce, I wanted him to do the right thing for his parish, and for Lisa. I felt like he was a lying, conniving snake, who only cared about himself. The side of him that loved God, and the side of him that loved Lisa. However I don't believe he truly loved anyone, but himself.
Overall, I was let down by this book. That's not to say that someone else won't love this book. After-all this is my own personal opinion, and because I do not enjoy books with religious themes, its more than half the reason I did not entirely enjoy this one. So you may very well like this one, and understand it a bit more.
December 21, 2021
A Roman Catholic priest in New York City in 1970 reflects on his inner conflicts between his genuine calling and his worldly passions. He’s a deeply flawed priest, somewhat in the mode of Graham Greene’s priests, though this author’s style and tone are quite different. The author treats religious faith with respect and deadly seriousness and the account is thoroughly immersed in biblical language, while realizing that many readers may not share some of the priest’s religious language and assumptions. (At the funeral mass for the young woman with whom he’s been having a sexual affair, the priest says that “this young sister in Christ has returned to her Father’s house,” then notes, for the reader only, “That’s the way we express ourselves, we priests.”) In addition to deep issues, there are lots of small insights. For example, at one point, he expresses regret that the conversations among his fellow priests are limited to bureaucratic concerns and complaints; much later he recalls fondly the discussions he had about religion with fellow workers in a construction job he had before he received his call to the priesthood. Not for all readers, but rewarding for those who can appreciate this kind of introspective treatment of religious faith and doubt, with only a minimal plot.
June 11, 2018
Unworthy...a novel by Antonio Monda, translated by John Cullen. From what I gathered....this book is the translated version of the Italian original, L'indegno. It's a fairly unknown book...at least in the book review world. I think that was part of the intrigue for me.
The story of a Priest full of contradictions....interesting premise enough. A love story centered around faith and sex and all the crazy emotions that come with them both. It's such an unusual but beautiful read. Easy for just one sitting...but filled with so much reflection and depth.
A good read.
Thanks as always to the wonderful people of goodreads for my free copy of this book. I received. I read. I reviewed this book voluntarily and honestly.
The story of a Priest full of contradictions....interesting premise enough. A love story centered around faith and sex and all the crazy emotions that come with them both. It's such an unusual but beautiful read. Easy for just one sitting...but filled with so much reflection and depth.
A good read.
Thanks as always to the wonderful people of goodreads for my free copy of this book. I received. I read. I reviewed this book voluntarily and honestly.
July 22, 2018
Do not waste time reading this novel. Although favorably reviewed by The New Yorker it is, by all standards, a very poorly written story. Characters are poorly developed, with no psychological detaling. A lot of the text is just filling pages with long passed Christian simplicities. Why this book got the attention of the New Yorker reviewers, remains a mystery.
Do not waste time reading this novel. Although favorably reviewed by The New Yorker it is, by all standards, a very poorly written story. Characters are poorly developed, with no psychological detaling. A lot of the text is just filling pages with long passed Christian simplicities. Why this book got the attention of the New Yorker reviewers, remains a mystery.
Do not waste time reading this novel. Although favorably reviewed by The New Yorker it is, by all standards, a very poorly written story. Characters are poorly developed, with no psychological detaling. A lot of the text is just filling pages with long passed Christian simplicities. Why this book got the attention of the New Yorker reviewers, remains a mystery.
November 18, 2018
Thanks to the publisher gor the free copy.
This novella has gotten some controversy due to its content. It’s about a priest who breaks his vows of celibacy.
I’m a Catholic and though I believe in honoring one’s vows, I also believe falling in love is beyond one’s control. It happened to my brother-in-law’s sister. She was a nun who fell in love with a priest. The difference is they left the church immediately and later married.
The writing is impeccable, the story for some offensive yet for me, I was merely frustrated by the liaison and broken vows: It’s not like this was a memoir.
I give this book 3.5 stars
This novella has gotten some controversy due to its content. It’s about a priest who breaks his vows of celibacy.
I’m a Catholic and though I believe in honoring one’s vows, I also believe falling in love is beyond one’s control. It happened to my brother-in-law’s sister. She was a nun who fell in love with a priest. The difference is they left the church immediately and later married.
The writing is impeccable, the story for some offensive yet for me, I was merely frustrated by the liaison and broken vows: It’s not like this was a memoir.
I give this book 3.5 stars
September 30, 2019
Thank goodness this was short because it was an extremely somber reading experience. The writing was beautiful and sparse. It was sad to see someone struggling so much internally, when they could decide to do something else. Abram did not need to become or remain a priest, and this is why I feel he was emotionally masochistic in nature. Doing the things he knew went against his religion and all he represented, brought him much pleasure and crippling guilt. It was interesting being inside his head and certain parts of his storyline touched me deeply.
July 15, 2018
This very brief novel is filled with internal debate. The main (and really the only) character is a priest who is having sexual relations with a woman. He knows it’s wrong but at the same time he not enjoys the relationship on a human level (while acknowledging the pleasure of the physical relationship). The novel gives us some incites about the clash of physical needs with the responsibilities of pledges.
November 14, 2018
The misstep in this books was trying to give it a plot. As a reflection on human weakness and frailty and commitment to a higher ideal despite them, it is beautiful, absolutely. As a tragedy of the attainability of pure holiness by even people who devote their lives to the study of such holiness, it is poignant and thought provoking. But then the tease, the tendril, of 'who sent that note', 'who's on the phone?' Useless, abandoned, and distracting. A strange little book.
January 4, 2019
3.5 stars
Once I got past the jarringly earnest repetition of “to bang,” “banging,” “banged” in the first quarter of this short novel, it was an engrossing character study. The ways in which this priest rationalizes his behavior, calls himself out on his rationalizations, and then continues the behavior, are very human and recognizable. The mid-seventies New York setting is dingy, desperate, and magical in exactly the right ways.
Once I got past the jarringly earnest repetition of “to bang,” “banging,” “banged” in the first quarter of this short novel, it was an engrossing character study. The ways in which this priest rationalizes his behavior, calls himself out on his rationalizations, and then continues the behavior, are very human and recognizable. The mid-seventies New York setting is dingy, desperate, and magical in exactly the right ways.
April 22, 2025
"I don't believe in God anymore." After a silence, I continued, with my eyes closed: "I believe in nothing. Nothing but the void. And in a few moments of occasional pleasure, which dissolve, like everything else, into nothing."
Wow, such a stunning book—such an underrated read ffs y'all r sleeping on this tbvh
Wow, such a stunning book—such an underrated read ffs y'all r sleeping on this tbvh
July 13, 2018
This book is breezy and beautiful and simple and eloquent and who doesn’t want to read something that celebrates our human frailty, sensuality, and spirituality from the point of view of a sexually tormented priest??
August 19, 2018
This is a brief, beautiful book about faith and shame, sex and sin. Though it’s brimming with suffering, it is fundamentally optimistic. The gritty 70s NYC setting (Bianca jagger on a white horse!) adds to the deep shadows.
April 4, 2018
*I received a copy for review from the publisher through Booklist.
June 11, 2018
Different, for sure.
July 8, 2018
Reads fast and calls to the humanness and longing that plagues everyone. Priests are no exception. This human weakness is recognizable by others who themselves have their frailties
September 22, 2019
For a thin book, there's plenty of scandal and doubt...Not a great book, but it's sometimes thought-provoking for the religiously inclined.
January 3, 2024
This does nothing for the Catholic faith, and I'm not Catholic.
November 11, 2024
Voto 3: una lettura piacevole che ci porta
nella vita del protagonista e scorre
proprio come il tempo dentro il quale
viviamo! Antonio Monda è stato una piacevole sorpresa inaspettata
nella vita del protagonista e scorre
proprio come il tempo dentro il quale
viviamo! Antonio Monda è stato una piacevole sorpresa inaspettata
May 10, 2018
I thought it was going to give me some type of the female version of a hard-on but didn't. Got bored.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.
Read
September 19, 2019Monda draws a more likeable priest of disgrace and indiscretions than Graham Green, yet he captures a person’s struggle for faith as eloquently and timelessly. These qualities create an exquisite read cover to cover. It’s also a fast read. Each chapter is short, though monda pacts ample intellectual and spiritual substance into his dynamic plot. I fell in love with the priest protagonist and Monda from the first chapter and stayed that way through the last tear-jerking, gasp-inducing, shame-filled sentences. In fact after my emotions settled down upon completing the book, I went straight to Alibris to buy a copy of another title.
I do wonder why he set it in the 70s though. WAs it to get so e historical distance from the church��s more recent pedophilic problems?
Readers rapt by Catholic drama from the Thorn Birds to Silence will appreciate this.
I do wonder why he set it in the 70s though. WAs it to get so e historical distance from the church��s more recent pedophilic problems?
Readers rapt by Catholic drama from the Thorn Birds to Silence will appreciate this.
January 25, 2018
I loved the book Unworthy by Antonio Monda. It was a book I could not put down. It was a fast read and very interesting. I loved the story and how true to life it was. It was good to see the author's viewpoint and his inner feelings in book form. I loved the relationships he shares with the reads. I highly recommend the book to others.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews