Ambrose
10/14/2025
It's hard to find books so dark and gritty, filled with flawed and unlikeable characters, and still come away thinking, "That was a great reading experience." But Pollock succeeds, thanks to strong writing and fascinating characters. I was especially drawn to the theme of religious corruption, which is rampant throughout the novel. Goodness is rare here, and when it appears, it's often crushed. The characters are truly depraved.
The non-linear writing style, typically not my favorite, was handled surprisingly well. It felt jarring at the beginning, but by the middle, and definitely toward the end, it all made sense. That sense of everything coming together is satisfying, and probably a large part of why this book is so popular.
When I read stories like this, I genuinely wonder: am I just incredibly lucky to live where I do, around the people I do? Or are books like this exaggerated and over the top to show how people cope with incredibly traumatic experiences? Maybe it's not a black and white answer, like most things in life. If you like dark lit, this one's a keeper.
Read Primarily Because: Goodreads TBR.