Damascus | 
pickA novel exploring various episodes in the life of Saul/St. Paul of Tarsus and other figures in the first 60 years of the church.
The author builds a brutal world, though I'm not sure whether he just has a brutal view of the world or it's a riposte against those who romanticise paganism. He offers some tantalising glimpses of other possibilities for the development of Christianity which were not realised.
"The world is in darkness. The hood the guards have placed over her head scratches at her cheeks and neck."
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@ShyBookOwl
so-soWTAF was that? I acknowledge Tsiolkas‘ contribution to #ozfiction. I loved The Slap and found it ground-breaking. And I haven‘t minded a couple of his other books: Seven and a Half & Barracuda. But this was something else. Hist fic where Tsiolkas embodies St Paul. I was disoriented & revolted & read much of it with a scowl on my face. The abundance of “rutting”, “stench” & brutality were A LOT. Was it amazing or terrible 🤔🤷🏻♀️? Or was it both?
I am making a start on this, a favourite of my husband & a good friend, both of whom have a high tolerance for violence and gore. Mine‘s not quite as high, so let‘s see how I go… #ozfiction #currentlyreading #signedcopy
pickI'm a lifelong atheist heathen, so I didn't have a lot of context for Damascus, but I think that made me all the better able to appreciate the poetic language and visceral imagery and raw emotion. You certainly don‘t need to be a Christian, or familiar with the historical aspects of Christianity, to read Damascus (and it might actually be better if you aren‘t). Extended review for subscribers at http://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/new-releases/
