Author: R.O. Kwon
Phoebe and Will meet during the first year at college. Everything seems wonderful at first – all love and sharing. And yet, the shadow of John Leal looms dark over their relationship complicating things.
Will only recently lost faith and turned his back on religion. Phoebe has long buried her sense of guilt over her mother’s death. She had never been a believer – not until John Leal entered her life with his extreme religious cult.
The Incendiaries is without a doubt one of the stand out novels of the year – and it is R.O. Kwon’s debut which makes it all the more of an achievement.
The writing is in itself one of the distinguishing elements that sets this novels apart from others. It is colourful, messy (in a good way), and thoroughly artistic – one can almost imagine the words dancing. Rather than reading a book, it is almost as if one is looking up an abstract painting telling the whole story.
The Incendiaries is short and straight to the point. It is a carefully crafted emotional rollercoaster of a tale. Topics of loss, guilt, faith and commitment are artfully enmeshed in the tapestry of Will and Phoebe’s love story.
It asks questions such as: Who do we turn to when the worst happens? How do we forgive ourselves for the mistakes we’ve made? When tragedy strikes, is it possible to pick oneself up again? Or do you just lose your way?
R.O. Kwon’s inventive prose has undoubtedly gifted us one of the most special reads in recent years.
> Naomi Round
