Q = Queen (The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire)

 

“He had thought love as a policy made a lot of sense for those who could manage it, and anyone who could manage it belonged in religious life. The rest of us have to struggle with more ordinary love, the common or garden variety: love as a crippling condition. Love as a syndrome.” ― Gregory Maguire, The Next Queen of Heaven

So my Q entry is a bit of a stretch, but I hadn't read a book that starts with Q and I settled for a title with a Q in it. Today's review is short and to the point.

What do I think about this book? I think anyone who gave it a rating of two stars or less, doesn't understand satire or is too deeply devout to laugh at themselves. I thought it was fantastic to use humor to bring a bit of reality to light; the constant press for moral conformity from religious groups and the conflicts with the flawed individuals who attend.

I also thought the parallels between Jeremy's long failed relationship with Willem and Tabitha's recently failed relationship with Caleb were nicely drawn. So what if Jeremy's gay and Tabitha's a bit loose? They both loved someone who loved someone else more, and it hurt no matter the sexual orientation. Then look at the nuns growing older and older, locked away from the world, while the young die from accidents and disease. The old are certain of their own upcoming deaths, while the young are certain of their long lives... Proving again that every day is a gift not a promise.

In between bursts of sarcasm and crazy, GM brings to life the old cliches of living life well and to the fullest... Otherwise, the Virgin Mary or Flying Baby Jesus might try to brain you.