This Book Did A Number On Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           It was in 2003--16 years ago; can you believe it?--that a then 23-year-old Matthew Pearl appeared on the scene with his novel, "The Dante Club."  It was enthralling, an award winner, and Mr. Pearl went on to have quite the literary career.  But I always wondered why he never returned to his first triumph, by writing a sequel.  Well, now he has.

                                            The first novel was set in Boston, amidst a group of Dante scholars. The murders all relate to Dante's work, particularly the Inferno.  This second book covers "Purgatorio," or what we know as Purgatory.  Well, I was raised in a real, Right Wing Catholic environment, where practically everything from missing church to not praying is a sin to send one to Hell.  I am terrified to this day.

                                                Now, Purgatory always held out hope for me.  My conception of it was some beautiful garden, where one waits.  Not so, darlings.  It is a mountainous climb up the Circle of Sins, from which the visitor must endure agony like stones on shoulders, or eyes sewn shut, to make it up the mountain, and into Heaven.  And if one dares look back, one has to start over again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   The suspense part of the book, and its resolution, which came as a surprise, only solidified Pearl's skill as a novelist.  I have now read all six of his books, and cannot wait for the next one.  I am not going to read Dante.  It is a lifetime commitment.

                                                     I discussed this book with my therapist, who says that now, according to the Catholic church, Purgatory no longer exists.  So, I guess I am screwed.   If I choose to believe all this, and many don't, or not literally, but I was raised on it, and it is hard to shake those childhood teachings.

                                                       Thanks, Mr. Pearl, for an entertaining work.  But don't lay a guilt trip on me, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         I already have enough to deal with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!