The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

“Could it be? Was God not real? . . .

Was it possible there was just nothing? . . . the idea was so electric that Lily held it at bay for a few days . . .

There was no master plan, no prewritten destiny, no plot, no judge, no sentencing . . .

There was only circumstance and coincidence. Life was random, full of accidents . . . just debris to be cleared . . .

Her relief was as liberating as a lemon ice on the hottest day of the year.”

A book like The Dearly Beloved is why I read. One with such exquisite writing that the prose itself is a form of art and with such universal themes that I found myself pausing to think before turning the page. And novels of this caliber come along so rarely that when found, it is the gold at the end of the reading rainbow. I waited until the paperback edition released for superficial reasons - the cover hooked me after initially wavering about whether this story was my cup of tea. I’d heard many reviews state this was about religion and faith, and I am neither religious nor faithful. But that isn’t important to the appreciation of this moving story.

First, Cara Wall is one of the most talented authors out there. I savored this book as long as I could and let her prose just wash over me. This novel made me think; it is an exploration of faith by those who have it and by those who do not. It is a novel about how we are tested and how we rise. And at its heart, it is a novel about the power of love and the depths of friendship.

If you’ve not read this, I can’t imagine a better time than right now. Many of us are searching for meaning amidst the world's madness. I cannot state enough that you do not need to be a person of faith to read this book. Its’ themes are universal. If you are drawn to great writing, a deep exploration of characters, and books with staying power, this is your next read.