Faith

Jennifer Haigh’s 2011 novel “Faith” turned out to be a good pick for our book club this month as it concerns various issues that made for an interesting discussion: notably those having to do with religion, morality, loyalty, family and the secrecy and silence that often dwell within. It’s about an Irish-American family and what happens when a sibling is accused of a horrendous crime.

The story’s narrator, Sheila McGann, is trying to get to the truth surrounding accusations against her brother (Art), a Catholic priest, who’s been charged with molesting a child. In doing so, she uncovers the history of her family and the roles it played in her brother’s ultimate undoing.

The story takes place outside Boston in 2002 at the height of the priest-pedophile scandals that were rocking the country then. It’s not a topic I ever thought I’d seek to read a novel about, but it’s not a story so wrapped up in Catholicism or the priesthood that those with different or more secular views wouldn’t enjoy it. It happens to be about an Irish-Catholic family but also could be true for so many other kinds of families who keep quiet about unseemly or unredeemable things among themselves.

The story flows along speedily and is suspenseful. You wonder what the sister will find out about her brother, Art, and whether he is guilty, and if not, why someone would make such an accusation. Sheila, the narrator, seems convinced Art’s not guilty and sets out to redeem him until she finds out something about his past that casts some doubt in her mind. Her other brother, Mike, thinks Art is guilty and needs evidence to prove otherwise. He can’t take Art’s innocence on “faith” but goes to dubious lengths to get to the truth. The parents, too, are an interesting mix (the mother a diehard Catholic, the stepfather a non-believer) that lend complexity to the plot — not to mention Art’s accuser who seems to have a lot of issues herself.

I hadn’t read author Jennifer Haigh before, but found her a compelling and natural storyteller. It surprised me taking to such a book about the priesthood scandal. But it’s a story with characters who aren’t just black and white, or good and bad, but are morally more nuanced facing a very difficult situation. The narrator is self-effacing, and it’s interesting how she comes to grips with uncovering what she finds out. I think the narrator’s voice makes it quite a worthwhile journey into discovery.

I’d read Haigh again and have heard her latest book, a short-story collection called “News From Heaven,” is good as well. Let me know if you have read “Faith” and what you thought of it, or other books from this author.