Review of The Long Guest
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Danielle Briggs
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Review of The Long Guest
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Long Guest" by Jennifer Mugrage.]
Jennifer Mugrage's The Long Guest is a fiction novel set in prehistoric and biblical times that follows one family's journey in the aftermath of the fall of the Tower of Babylon. Following along with the biblical telling, all of humanity was working on one single mission: to build a massive tower to reach the heavens. To halt this mission, God divides the people by confusing their languages, causing them to be unable to understand or communicate with one another as freely as before. This massive confusion caused immediate distrust between people who no longer spoke the same language, resulting in chaos and turmoil.
Enmer was an engineer working on the tower at the time the confusion struck. He was able to make it home to his family, and they set out to escape the anarchy of the city. Along the way, they find a man who fell from the tower and has been paralyzed but is still alive. Even though the man does not speak their language, they have compassion for him and take him with them. The group then travels far and wide, trying to find safety and peace in a world at war.
From the start, this book drew me in with its adventure-filled, prehistoric story. The variation of points of view allowed me to see a complete picture of what was happening in the story. Enmer’s family is filled with a variety of members, from a former slave to a hated, crippled man, and each of them is given the chance to display their own thoughts and feelings. This well-written, deep character development forced me to feel connected to all of the characters as they experience joy, fear, hatred, love, and more on their perilous journey. Even at times when I did not agree with a character’s actions, I was able to understand where they were coming from in their decision.
I loved Mugrage’s ability to weave biblical stories and realistic historical elements into the story while also making me feel like I was trying to survive alongside the family. Knowing the more well-known biblical stories, I found it fascinating to imagine myself present at the fall of the Tower of Babel or knowing Noah's grandchildren. I found it entertaining to read a description of an animal or dragon with the characters not knowing what they are and guessing what their names would be in today’s world, such as a buffalo or a velociraptor.
Initially, there were a lot of characters introduced at once, making it hard for me to remember who was who. This led to a little confusion until I figured out the names of each character and how they intertwined with each other.
I give this book a 4 out of 5. I loved the story and the variety of characters, but my confusion in the beginning prevented me from giving a perfect score. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy adventurous fiction, especially if they are interested in the prehistoric era. Readers with previous knowledge of biblical stories may be able to connect to the story more than others, but I think readers of any religion would still enjoy this book. Even though it is the first in a trilogy, I believe it can be read as a standalone novel as well.
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The Long Guest
View: on Bookshelves
Jennifer Mugrage's The Long Guest is a fiction novel set in prehistoric and biblical times that follows one family's journey in the aftermath of the fall of the Tower of Babylon. Following along with the biblical telling, all of humanity was working on one single mission: to build a massive tower to reach the heavens. To halt this mission, God divides the people by confusing their languages, causing them to be unable to understand or communicate with one another as freely as before. This massive confusion caused immediate distrust between people who no longer spoke the same language, resulting in chaos and turmoil.
Enmer was an engineer working on the tower at the time the confusion struck. He was able to make it home to his family, and they set out to escape the anarchy of the city. Along the way, they find a man who fell from the tower and has been paralyzed but is still alive. Even though the man does not speak their language, they have compassion for him and take him with them. The group then travels far and wide, trying to find safety and peace in a world at war.
From the start, this book drew me in with its adventure-filled, prehistoric story. The variation of points of view allowed me to see a complete picture of what was happening in the story. Enmer’s family is filled with a variety of members, from a former slave to a hated, crippled man, and each of them is given the chance to display their own thoughts and feelings. This well-written, deep character development forced me to feel connected to all of the characters as they experience joy, fear, hatred, love, and more on their perilous journey. Even at times when I did not agree with a character’s actions, I was able to understand where they were coming from in their decision.
I loved Mugrage’s ability to weave biblical stories and realistic historical elements into the story while also making me feel like I was trying to survive alongside the family. Knowing the more well-known biblical stories, I found it fascinating to imagine myself present at the fall of the Tower of Babel or knowing Noah's grandchildren. I found it entertaining to read a description of an animal or dragon with the characters not knowing what they are and guessing what their names would be in today’s world, such as a buffalo or a velociraptor.
Initially, there were a lot of characters introduced at once, making it hard for me to remember who was who. This led to a little confusion until I figured out the names of each character and how they intertwined with each other.
I give this book a 4 out of 5. I loved the story and the variety of characters, but my confusion in the beginning prevented me from giving a perfect score. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy adventurous fiction, especially if they are interested in the prehistoric era. Readers with previous knowledge of biblical stories may be able to connect to the story more than others, but I think readers of any religion would still enjoy this book. Even though it is the first in a trilogy, I believe it can be read as a standalone novel as well.
******
The Long Guest
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Moonlit Nights by Jacob Parr
