so-soUm, I‘m not really sure about this one. Just when I would think “I expected more funny(based on the synopsis)” it would then be a bit more comical. When I thought “I thought this was a queer story too” it would add a slight bit of queerness…. And then the ending solidified that this is really based on a true story, with liberties, but I still felt fairly detached. Fully admit that could be me right now though.
pickThis is a fascinating book, fully illustrated with colour photographs (and a few reproductions of pamphlets and such, though these are generally too small to see much detail). Some of the ways in which these “catacomb saints“ are decorated are amazing to see, just in terms of craft.
Not one I read because I venerate saints, and probably a little too academic/secular to please those who do.
pickWhen monk Brother Nicephorus has a dream about St. Nicholas, his superiors take it as a sign to bring the saint‘s remains back to Bari, Italy. Relic-hunter Tyun is hired to lead the expedition and the party races against hunters from another church to reach the blessed bones first.
Heist and hijinks, religion and slight sacrilege, I really enjoyed this kinda true, kinda queer tale.
so-soMonk Nichephoerous‘ dream of Saint Nicholas leads him on a heist to steal the Saint‘s bones. With irreverent and sometimes nihilistic language it still sometimes a little too opaque for me and the style often leaves me feeling detached from the characters.
https://youtu.be/LBq8qdYz8rU
pickWitty and intelligent, Nicked weaves a magical story out of historical facts.
pickI bought this book based on the description: “wildly imaginative, genre-defying, and delightfully queer adventure—a swashbuckling saga, a medieval novel noir, a meditation on the miraculous, and a monastic meet-cute.” No regrets!
