Official Review: Where They Graze Without Flowers
Posted: 23 Aug 2019, 05:05
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Where They Graze Without Flowers" by R. Joseph.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Where They Graze Without Flowers is a novel written by R. Joseph. Rev. Kin is the protagonist. He is the pastor of a church in Texas but moves out to serve as a chaplain elsewhere. One is left wondering whether he is trying to escape something, or he is feeling attracted to something deeper and more valuable. Sal is his close friend. Caroline is Lee’s widow, and their suffering as a couple is heart-wrenching. It is connected with Jason, a “Tent Preacher.” Boat enters the scene after the middle of the book and is an interesting personality.
Rev. Kin is my favorite personality in the novel. He seems to struggle with his personal experiences and faith life. I feel as if the stories of various characters converge towards a focal point by moving away from organized religion towards a deeper spiritual life. There is a parallel geographical movement taking them along with the reader from one city to another, over two decades. This gives the author enough space and time to develop the characters with distinct personality traits. They either evolve or mutate as the years go by. Something or someone motivates them to move on in life after every crisis. In this scenario, the tension between religion and spirituality becomes more apparent.
The suffering of these individuals is poignant, and their reactions are thought-provoking because they sound sensational but absurd. The book is entertaining and includes elements of excitement, thrill, suspense, humor, shock, romance, and more. Overall, the read is a good pastime. This novel includes the repeated occurrence of homicide that is either deliberate or unintended. I am astonished at the varied reactions of the murderers after committing the crime. Questions linger in the reader’s mind long after completing the book.
I’ve mentioned appealing aspects of Where They Graze Without Flowers. However, I do have some constructive criticism. It is said that one should never judge a book by its cover. This seems to be true if applied to this novel. I doubt whether potential readers will be attracted by its cover page. I did not like the title and picture because they are vague and do not give any hint about the book’s contents. Their connection with the stories within the story is not obvious even after reading it. Additionally, the description of every setting seems to be too detailed and somewhat annoying, although this may be intended to make the scenes more vivid.
For all the reasons mentioned above, I wish to give Where They Graze Without Flowers a rating of 3.5 stars. However, since this is not possible, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I did not give a lower rating because this novel has a unique philosophy and is different from other novels. It seems to be professionally edited, and I found only a few typos. I am pleased to recommend it to adults interested in stories that stimulate reflection on the meaning of death and life. It may also appeal to those who want an entertaining novel. I do not recommend it to children because they may feel disturbed by the scenes that involve violence.
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Where They Graze Without Flowers
View: on Bookshelves
4 out of 4 stars
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Where They Graze Without Flowers is a novel written by R. Joseph. Rev. Kin is the protagonist. He is the pastor of a church in Texas but moves out to serve as a chaplain elsewhere. One is left wondering whether he is trying to escape something, or he is feeling attracted to something deeper and more valuable. Sal is his close friend. Caroline is Lee’s widow, and their suffering as a couple is heart-wrenching. It is connected with Jason, a “Tent Preacher.” Boat enters the scene after the middle of the book and is an interesting personality.
Rev. Kin is my favorite personality in the novel. He seems to struggle with his personal experiences and faith life. I feel as if the stories of various characters converge towards a focal point by moving away from organized religion towards a deeper spiritual life. There is a parallel geographical movement taking them along with the reader from one city to another, over two decades. This gives the author enough space and time to develop the characters with distinct personality traits. They either evolve or mutate as the years go by. Something or someone motivates them to move on in life after every crisis. In this scenario, the tension between religion and spirituality becomes more apparent.
The suffering of these individuals is poignant, and their reactions are thought-provoking because they sound sensational but absurd. The book is entertaining and includes elements of excitement, thrill, suspense, humor, shock, romance, and more. Overall, the read is a good pastime. This novel includes the repeated occurrence of homicide that is either deliberate or unintended. I am astonished at the varied reactions of the murderers after committing the crime. Questions linger in the reader’s mind long after completing the book.
I’ve mentioned appealing aspects of Where They Graze Without Flowers. However, I do have some constructive criticism. It is said that one should never judge a book by its cover. This seems to be true if applied to this novel. I doubt whether potential readers will be attracted by its cover page. I did not like the title and picture because they are vague and do not give any hint about the book’s contents. Their connection with the stories within the story is not obvious even after reading it. Additionally, the description of every setting seems to be too detailed and somewhat annoying, although this may be intended to make the scenes more vivid.
For all the reasons mentioned above, I wish to give Where They Graze Without Flowers a rating of 3.5 stars. However, since this is not possible, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I did not give a lower rating because this novel has a unique philosophy and is different from other novels. It seems to be professionally edited, and I found only a few typos. I am pleased to recommend it to adults interested in stories that stimulate reflection on the meaning of death and life. It may also appeal to those who want an entertaining novel. I do not recommend it to children because they may feel disturbed by the scenes that involve violence.
******
Where They Graze Without Flowers
View: on Bookshelves
