Unraveling Truths: An Expedition Through Mystery, Redemption, and Empathy
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Thoughts on The World Entire by Jo Perry (Fahrenheit Press)
As it was just as fascinating to observe my own intellectual and emotional reactions as reading Jo Perry’s The World Entire, let me share a bit of both. The rational mind part was easier to comprehend. After all, the book is about a murder investigation. As such, the reader tries to decipher the clues along with the accidental investigator. The difference is that we get not just the signs she can observe but also the ones the author provides for us. I utterly enjoyed the cerebral exercise of trying to figure out whodunnit and most readers would.
But there is much more to this book than a classic mystery. One aspect where my own mental and emotional reactions got mixed up was the exploration of antisemitism. In her previous book– Pure, that I reviewed here–this was present to a lesser extent. Here, we are witnessing a hate crime in slow motion. On the one hand, I can analyze and understand the reasons why a person can develop such strong feelings that they would commit the killing of a group of people just because they belong to that group. Sure, there can be early childhood trauma, peer pressure, social conditioning, personal financial and emotional crisis, gullibility to accept conspiracy theories, the need to blame the “other” and so on.
On the other hand, emotionally, I can never fully feel empathy for the perpetrators. As I followed along with this thread in the book, I observed the dread growing in me: oh no, I hope the author will not go and kill a bunch of Jews by the hand of these vicious anti-semites just to show the horrors. I had real concerns for the fictional characters. It definitely woke strong emotions in me. This proves how effective Perry’s writing and storytelling were and how heavily my inner world was invested. (No spoiler here: I will not tell you how it ends.)
These were the details of the journey that were easy to grasp. However, I had many lingering feelings after finishing the book, which occupied my heart for a while. So, I had to dig deeper to figure out what was happening on the pages and in me. The keywords that surfaced for me were isolation and redemption. For most of the book, the two main characters were isolated from each other while they longed to connect. This was obvious for the reader but less so for them as they found reasons not to be with the other that the readers may not find credible. The depiction of isolation reminded me of Camus’ The Stranger and Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground. While the self-imposed separation was driven by their trauma and loss, at the same time, it also helped to grow their fondness for each other. It is a remote love story.
This leads to my second discovery: the importance of redemption and second chances. While thinking about it, I learned that I firmly believe in second chances, which can lead to redemption. If it were up to me, I would give many more second chances in the world because of this. I may be overly naive or optimistic, and people may not deserve it. But if I am too lenient, so is the author, who explores how unexpected connections for our heroes can offer opportunities for personal growth. I am fully with her, so it was redemptive for me to read that they can redeem themselves, too. And when an orthodox Jewish man offers a second chance and redemption to one of the minor characters, who was a suspect, it shows the strength of this Jewish value. This is the kind of Judaism I want to believe in, too. I want to believe in people’s virtue, and this subplot helped me achieve this.
This easy-to-read book not only delivers a gripping mystery but also invites readers to reflect on the profound themes of connection, redemption, and the enduring power of empathy, making it an essential read that lingers long after the final page.
For more information, check out the book’s page on the author’s website and on the publisher’s website
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Disclaimer: I have received a copy of this book and a small amount from the author which did not affect my review in any way.
Year first published: 2024
