In the unexpected conclusion to this book, I understood why the title didn't include a question mark - it was the story of Sophie Wilder, not wondering what happened to her. A very satisfying read, well written. ( )

The premise and ideas of this story sounded attractive -- addressing "sincere religious feelings at the very center of contemporary young, urban life" (to borrow from a review blurb on the back cover) but I found the novel itself to be rather uninspiring. ( )

I think some of the best books are the ones that defy pigeon-holing - and I had some difficulty with what to make of this one. It's Beha's first novel and I think some of the heavy-handed use of conventions are indicative of that. I was prematurely dismissive though - Beha has a beautiful ability to write instructionally without being preachy. Even the alternating points of view (first person for the protagonist, third person for the eponymous Wilder) seemed an over-used trope but at the novel's conclusion you realize it for the subtle genius it actually is.
It's a first novel by an author in Manhattan about an author in Manhattan who's just finished his first novel - so you can't help but infer a sense of autobiography. He deals with crises of faith, failed relationships, personal motive - but more than that, delves into what it means to fulfill artistic callings. It's remarkable that a non-Christian can intuit so well the effects of faith and religious devotion without caricaturing.

"They sang as though they knew that was the best way of being in the world."
"He wanted to know what I learned from Keats, when I was more interested in that I liked how he made me *feel*." ( )

Charlie Blakeman is a recently published author whose first novel has received minimal acclaim. He currently lives with his cousin Max in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. The cousins live on Washington Square, and while Max is relatively successful in his career as a film critic for the local weekly newspaper, Charlie finds himself struggling to write his follow-up novel. For reasons that he can't seem to explain, Charlie is floundering for any serious literary inspirations, and is beginning to settle into an unexpected and somewhat boring routine in his life.

That is when Charlie's college love suddenly returns. Sophie Wilder and Charlie Blakeman had once been extraordinarily close until they had had a strange fallout about a decade before. Since then, they have barely spoken to each other, but Charlie is still pleasantly surprised to see Sophie. She actually appears to be having some difficulties within her own life as well, although Charlie isn't quite sure of the reason why.

So, Sophie begins to tell Charlie the story of her life since they had last seen each other. She tells him of the brief period of time that she spent as a hospice care giver; and particularly of the dying man with the terrible past who forced Sophie to make an extraordinarily difficult decision. When she disappears once again, Charlie sets out to discover what really happened to Sophie Wilder.

I must admit that I really enjoyed reading this book. The story caught and held my attention right away, and was very well written. I would give this book an A! ( )

This is a very truthful story of a young woman's conversion wrapped in a dull literary novel about a hapless NYC writer dude.