Review: Prophet fails to envision satisfactory ending

Religious visionaries are usually depicted as bearded men with
strange names living in Biblical times, not young runaways
moonlighting as mushroom pickers in the woods of Washington. In
“Our Lady of the Forest,” David Guterson creates a
modern-day prophet as a hypothetical figure similar to Moses or St.
Paul, in a world of Ms. Cleo and CNN.

The story follows 16-year-old Ann in the six days surrounding
her miraculous vision of the Virgin Mary ““ from the exclusive
first appearance to a gathering of thousands traipsing through the
forest to witness the divinely promised reoccurrences.

Though based on a novel situation, the story is propelled by its
compelling characters. Aside from the the innocent, sickly Ann,
Guterson populates his story with realistic human characters
““ a lustful priest, Ann’s greedy, doubting disciple and
a depressed ex-logger being the three most important.
Guterson’s ability to create fully developed secondary
characters is what makes this novel work, and one cannot help but
be swept up into the dark and dreary world they inhabit.

Unfortunately, Guterson’s disinterest in his protagonist
is just as apparent as his talent at creating secondary characters.
Beyond constantly repeating Ann’s holy appearance, he does
not flesh her out as much as he does the others.

The author’s tendency seems to be that the more sinful the
character, the more interesting the portrayal; Ann is too pure and
sedate to be interesting. More time and space is dedicated to the
character of Tom Cross, the ex-logger, whose memories and thoughts
make him the most empathetic character, even though Guterson firmly
establishes that he is considered the most evil.

Though the momentum builds throughout, the sudden and
appropriately dismal ending disappoints. None of the characters
gets the ending they deserve, not even in the epilogue that takes
place one year later.

In fact, the epilogue itself is the greatest letdown, taking
away from the final mystery that should conclude any religious
message, whether traditional or modern. It restores the book to the
boring calm of a world without controversy or character.

This is one instance where the author should have left the loose
ends dangling and the mystery intact because, after all, it is the
mystery that always remains.

-Lisa Dracolakis