Where I'm of Two Minds

Sign of the Cross by Chris Kuzneski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I feel like I'm judging this on how it is as a "read," not as a novel. It's a pretty good read for beach or airplane. Pretty fun, decent action, good enough to finish--a 4.

As a novel, not so much, IMO. I found so much of it strange and cringey. Well, two things.

First, the violence. The main characters are supposed to be sympathetic, but they are violent and cruel. They commit torture without remorse, and I couldn't find any evidence that the author meant for us to see them as damaged anti-heroes. I kept get "these guys are awesome!" vibes. And they weren't. In one scene, they have reason to doubt the honesty of their ally, Maria, and subject her to such terror without an apology that I almost couldn't finish. It's like they had a sociopathy switch.

Second, the religious stuff was awkwardly handled. I don't mean the fictional aspects, either--it's a novel, and that's fine with me; make stuff up to tell a fun story. But the way the archaeologists talk, and other characters at times, is as if the basic beliefs of Christianity are entirely accepted as true by them and everyone else, and it's assumed that the reader thinks so too. I kept feeling like I was reading a book meant for a Christian audience, that we were trapped in the author's perspective. For me it was alienating, and I suspect it would be even more alienating for someone who was raised in a different tradition.

I'd say this book is entertaining but flawed, and it's problematic enough that I don't think I'll be reading any more by this author or recommending this one.

Not for me, though YMMV.

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