| BOOK REVIEW (This review was also published at www.701.com) |
| Anxious Gravity: A Novel Reviewed by Diane Wells (no relation) Anxious Gravity: A Novel By Jeff Wells The Dundurn Group, 2001 320 pages, $19.99 I rather enjoyed this provocative tale of a 20-year-old Toronto man who decides to pursue the formal theological Christian studies at the Overcome Bible Institute in Calgary. While fascinated by the notion of an ex-Communist, rock'n'roll music fan (strange enough for a man of his age in today's world) foregoing his sexual rite-of-passage into manhood for more spiritual gratification, I couldn't help but be sceptical. Especially since he admits to previously embracing the Communist ideology "only when Mother no longer approved, so it felt properly wicked and delicious." While the main protagonist, Gideon Gast, maintains a rather voyeuristic stance instead of becoming fully indoctrinated, his involvement does seem genuine, if tenuous. Jeff Wells (an editor and principal satirist with Frank magazine) narrates Gideon's intellectual and emotional conflicts in pleasing God while battling the more earthly itching of hormonal impulses. Perhaps it's the idea of resisting forbidden pleasures which challenges the defiant rebel within Gideon's soul. Mr. Wells also provides an interesting array of side characters such as the self-described "harpy in leather", Oppie (not Opie), a like-minded seeker of spiritual inspiration, Delbert Moon, a misguided theological student who goes to extreme lengths to "connect" with God, an attached set of evangelically-inspired Siamese twins ("original Jesus Freaks"), and Gideon's "Ana�s Ninja", Grace. The text is wildly hilarious at times, as the author draws a recurrently irreverent allegory between the business of Jesus-worshipping and show business in general. The idea of scoring Christian Service points brought back memories of my own Roman Catholic elementary schooling, where students were expected to compete monthly for a table full of religious "swag" (I never did get that much-coveted soapstone carving of the Virgin Mary and had to settle for the crocheted crucifix). The nocturnal basso profundo voices emanating from turned-off speakers and a telekinetically- possessed Doobie Brothers tape are perceived by Gideon as personal incitements from Satan ("Ol Sooty Face"), which only reinforces his belief that he has been chosen as a "headhunter for Christ". As opposed to a Roman Catholic novitiate, who would be expected to maintain a permanent status of celibacy (at least with the opposite sex), Gideon is in fact allowed to eventually take a wife. His relationships with the various female characters in this novel belie this fact and take on a sense of sexual urgency that is not really credible if we are to believe he will succeed in his spiritual accreditation. Put simply, he's portrayed as a somewhat horny young man in denial, and it's obvious to the women he meets, which makes for a predictable d�nouement, titillating though the journey is. Nevertheless, one is left feeling sympathetic towards Gideon once we realize his ultimate goal. It's very insightful for anyone interested in reciprocated love, whether deities are involved in the equation or not, and is chock-full of witty, original catch-phrases most likely offensive to anyone who doesn't care to have their religious beliefs scrutinized, however humourously, through the eyes of an impartial observer. |
| ANXIOUS GRAVITY: A NOVEL - JEFF WELLS Book Review by Diane Wells |
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