The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder - 5 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder - 5* - My Review

“On Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below.”

So begins this short beautifully written novel. Brother Juniper witnesses the tragedy and decides to examine the lives of the five people who died in order to prove that their deaths were a part of divine providence. The storyline relates Brother Juniper’s findings, which he had compiled into a large book. Brother Juniper appears in the first and last chapters. His efforts to prove divine will by the scientific method result in dire consequences.

Doña María, Marquesa de Montemayor, was an woman in a powerful position whose daughter had moved to Spain. She wrote letters that portray her longing for her daughter’s love. Pepita is an orphan brought up by the abbess of the local convent before being sent to the Marquesa’s palace. The Marquesa and Pepita were crossing the bridge together. Jaime is the infant son of famous local actress, Camila “the Perichole,” who has become reclusive to hide her smallpox scars. Uncle Pio had trained Camila as an actress. The two had fallen out but years later, he returned to assist her. He was carrying her infant son across the bridge when it fell. Esteban was another orphan raised by the abbess. He was setting out for a new life at sea after the death of his twin brother.

The theme of this book is timeless: the search for meaning amid senseless tragedies. The story is told by a third person omniscient narrator. This book is brilliant. It can be read from either faith-based or skeptical perspective, and valuable insights gained. I found the last chapter particularly powerful, where events transpire that would likely not have occurred without the tragedy. It was published in 1927, but still remains fresh and relevant.

PBT Comments: I read this book after rolling 6,5 in the Subdue the Shelf game. I found this book on Sue's Clerk List.