Name: We Sinners
ISBN: 9780805095333

Hanna Pylväinen

Describes a large family in modern-day Michigan who belong to a church that doesn't permit drinking, dancing or television and discusses their individual reactions when two siblings leave the faith for the temptations of modern culture. 50,000 first printing.

A Novel

We Sinners

Ariel Himboi

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what this story was about. I just finished reading this at three in the morning and although I hadn't shed a tear, I felt emotionally perturbed by it. This starts off with a story about the Rovaniemis family, a couple and their nine children. It is about their religious faith and how it changes their lives from childhood to adulthood and how it affects their romantic and personal lives as well as their relationships with their family. This was a surprising read for me considering I had heard slightly pessimistic reviews on this book. However, despite being the type of person who is strongly opposed to religion, I found this to be incredibly moving. 

I wasn't expecting this to be an emotional rollercoaster that would have me turning the pages at impossible speeds. I fell in love with the characters of this story, of the family especially getting to know Brita, Leena, Julia, and Uppu. I loved seeing these women grow and choose whether or not faith dictated their choices. We got a cameo of every family member in the story, I believe, and the author did a great job of making me feel invested in the story. 

I also enjoyed that it wasn't just the family. Jonas Chan was a pivotal character towards the end of the story, of how he was brought into the world of the Rovaniemis family despite some of their children choosing to leave the nest and God. I loved that was saw a character from the opposite side, who truly didn't experience the kind of faith that Uppu had growing up. I loved that they were all flawed characters who made mistakes, that sometimes relied on family and sometimes they bucked up and took care of themselves. 

I didn't actually have any problems with the book, and maybe my only critique was that the last story felt out of place. It was a good story, it felt right with the plot and the story being told... but there was just something off about how it was inserted. It felt like a "kick-off" ending, a "blast to the past" that connected to the current present and yet it didn't have the emotional punch I was looking for. However, it didn't take away too much from the overall writing 

Hanna has such a beautiful way of writing characters and I couldn't believe how real these characters felt. I felt that at some points I had lived a part of them. Their genuine thoughts and feelings, they felt far too realistic and I must say I nearly shed some reluctant tears.

The reason this gets a star less than a perfect score is that a part of me feels that these stories aren't over, that these characters are still out there. And might I mention again that the ending was a little disappointing. I keep thinking to myself, "What if there was more?". I want to know more about Simon, Nels, Anni and I wanted to see more of that sweet, sweet character development. I felt that both parents didn't get enough justice and that there were things left unsaid, left unscathed. The surface was only brushed upon. 

But I suppose I am happy for what I've read. I am incredibly happy I decided to pick up this book as I had a grieving afterthought to give it away or donate it, as it had sat on my shelf for quite some time. This is absolutelt a hidden gem amongst new debuts. Please pick it up.

We Sinners A Novel

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