A Canticle for Lebowitz

I'm struggling to find the words for this book. I've been wanting to read it for a classics challenge and Jim suggested it this year for a comedic classic, however after the ending I've decided to put it as a classic tragedy.

The first part of this book falls into this as Brother Francis deals with a comedy of errors related to a Lenten fast in the desert that leads to the canonisation of the blessed Leibowitz for whom his order is named. You can't help but laugh at his lack of maturity and his ability to faint whenever he is stressed. His ability to frustrate even the most steady a person is also comedic. Brother Francis is quite a funny character and his journey is quite humorous.

But the rest of the book, it is something else. The second part also had it's comedic moments with an overly stressed Abbot, Dom Paulo, who has many personal issues that are displayed in his moments of great taxation. But in this part of the book, it begins to take a more serious turn as war is brewing and the Abbot seeks how to manage coming threats. I really enjoy his discussions with Thon Taddeo and the challenge to think beyond what you can see but to ask stand for what's important and looking at the whole, not merely your own interests.

The third part was full of questions, challenging what is called good by the world with the truth of God's Word. It is tragic and sad as the current Abbot seeks to do what is right in the middle of everything being wrong.

This book is thought provoking, challenging as well as very weird. The part that was the hardest to think through was seeing the possibility of some of these things happening. It is pure sci-fi, especially for when it was written, but there is an eerie feeling of some prophecy in the fiction of these pages. By God's grace these things will not come to pass, but there is always a possibility that they could.

This book is also well written and has caused me to ask James several times if he knows what the Latin words mean. There is a distinct Catholic feel also, which was interesting as the story unfolded.

I cannot say I like this book, nor can I say I dislike it. It is its own breed in so many ways. I do like the way it challenged me and that it's thought provoking. I appreciate the way it pushed me to look up new words and increase my vocabulary. But it was weird on a whole different level.

I would give it 4 stars because I think it's worth the read.

Reading challenges:
Back to the Classics Challenge: Classic tragic novel

Tim Challies 2019 reading challenge: a novel in the light section of the challenge

2019 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge: a book by an author who is new to you