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Pew

Questions About Pew

by Catherine Lacey (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author)

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Answered Questions (5)

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James (JD) Dittes I'll try to answer this: to me, the forgiveness festival was meant to atone for a crime of past racial injustice (the human sacrifices). I thought the…m´Ç°ù±ðI'll try to answer this: to me, the forgiveness festival was meant to atone for a crime of past racial injustice (the human sacrifices). I thought the "white police cars" was a nice touch, alluding the the historic complicity of local law enforcement.

But the festival is really about covering up the believers' own sins through confession and "forgetting." It gives them white robes of righteousness while the community is still divide by race and gender, as Pew's experience demonstrates.(less)
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James (JD) Dittes This is such a great question. As a rhetorical question, it is near perfect because it made me go back and read the ending again. More carefully. They…m´Ç°ù±ðThis is such a great question. As a rhetorical question, it is near perfect because it made me go back and read the ending again. More carefully. They should put it on the book jacket, TBH.

But if there is an answer, I would say No. At the end of the festival, the church members are invited out the front door for a picnic. Pew goes out the back door. Annie, who expressed indifference to the mindset of the church, also goes out the back door. They go out into 'The World' where they are a mixture of everything: race, gender, ground, and sky.

The reader is reminded that Pew didn't exist before she awoke in the church. Her/his background is opaque--the word "uncertain" pops up multiple times in the last two pages. Pew exists as the church embraces then tries to define him/her, then Pew doesn't.

Writing as one who grew up in a Manichean, fundamentalist, Christian sect, I think I understand this. I didn't realize that I was defined by the sect until I left it. To members other than my family, I 'died' or 'disappeared' socially from the map and lifelong acquaintances acknowledge me only on the rare occasion that I visit the church--even those who live just down the street.

Pew doesn't need the church, and s/he doesn't seek the answers that the church is looking for. After the forgiveness festival, the church loses its need to 'look nice' and allows her to pass on.(less)
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Who was Annie? She walks out of the festival with Pew and seemingly disappears, but I can't find any other mention of her in the book.
Cynthia Annie is Kitty’s daughter. She talks to Pew when they’re in the bathroom together earlier in the book.
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Well, at least it was short?
Kara My thought exactly.
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can anyone give me a list of trigger warnings for this book ? im particularly interested in knowing if there are descriptions or depictions of sexual assault, and if so, how graphic or detailed are they ? ill probably be able to read it in any case, but id prefer to know what im getting into. thanks !
cacio e petal i read it anyway, theres no sa or graphic violence in the book, but there's (often euphemized) references to sa, lynching, domestic abuse, animal crue…m´Ç°ù±ði read it anyway, theres no sa or graphic violence in the book, but there's (often euphemized) references to sa, lynching, domestic abuse, animal cruelty, and probably a lot more. the book has an eerie and menacing atmosphere but i didn't find anything traumatizing or especially triggering(less)
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