J. R. Mabry, Ash Wednesday (Apocryphile Press, 2022)

When I asked to review this book through Speakeasy, I was a bit uncertain. The reference to the Christian liturgical day inaugurating the Lenten season caught my attention, and the description intrigued me enough to read. While this is a book with Christian themes -- and some spiritually provocative nuances which offer depth -- make no mistake, this is not a "Christian book." It is a multi-layered venture with elements of science fiction (where are those personalized, death-describing cubes in the field coming from?), forays into the world of the occult (what is the difference between those call themselves "Satanists" and those who are "Thelemites"?), buttressed by the presence of Pastor Peg, a mainline clergy person who is strikingly human while being deeply rooted in faith, and her relationships with an estranged daughter, a retired priest and members of her community.

Mabry's style is direct, punctuated with sophisticated characters and deft conversational interludes. The author spares no words or phrases to capture the essence of unique personalities, and readers easily offended by clergy using foul language or expressing cynicism need to be prepared. The beauty of Mabry's work is that in addition to portraying the grittiness of authentically lived life, there are numerous strands of redemption and grace woven throughout. These threads are not glaringly obvious, smarmy enticements intended to compel. Rather, in the midst of trauma and uncertainty, the book's characters are as intriguingly complicated as the people in all of our lives.

I was uncertain when I picked up the book to read and, frankly, continued to be disarmed through the book's conclusion. It is not quite like anything I have read for a long while, and that's a good thing for ardent readers who tire of familiar tropes and brain-numbing authorial pedantry. Ash Wednesday is an innervating read with apocalyptic dimensions that could change the way you think about the human condition, with all of its pain, evil and trauma, as well as the opportunity for transformation in the midst of it all.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.