Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. His intense faith frequently baffles his best friend, but Johnny can't deny Owen's deep insights and the way he just "knows" things. Or the way tiny Owen Meany can take charge of any event and any group of people-- sometimes without even speaking. It's a story, at its heart, about faith vs doubt. Belief vs unbelief.
It's also a very outside-the-box kind of story, at least it struck me that way. I liked the candid way that faith and religion were discussed through the story. It reminded me a little bit of the way Leif Enger's Peace Like a River was written for only that reason. It felt very genuine to me. I'd like the spiritual themes in my own writing to be even half that genuine.
The narrator is easy to love. Even Owen Meany, with his strange voice, really grows on you. All of the key plot elements wove together simply and amazingly. Some things completely took me by surprise.
I really think any Christian writer who wants to reach a wider audience or considers him/herself to be edgy should read this novel. There's some language and sexual content, but because of the wrestling of faith, A Prayer for Owen Meany really ought to make the reading list of a writer who wants to tackle spiritualism in a realistic, compelling way.
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2 comments:
John Irving is one of my favorite writers - his characters have so much depth.
This is the first I've read of his work, but I definitely agree. Thanks.
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