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Nazareth, North Dakota

by Tommy Zurhellen

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1721,254,643 (4.2)None
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This gem of a novelâ??a splendid recasting and modern retelling of the story of the young messiahâ??is a fast, quirky, dirt-kicking ride through the Badlands of North Dakota from the early 1980s to the present, complete with feathered locks, KISS cover bands, and fire-and-brimstone preachers.

It's an adventurous, irresistible tale about everything from a 31-year-old fugitive mom who escapes a motel shootout with an abandoned newborn to a corrupt sheriff, a kindhearted carpenter, the world's oldest man, and the chosen paths of two hell-raising, miracle-bent cousins.

(There's also a county fair elephant on the loose, just to keep you on your toes.)

This incandescent debut is an authentic religious allegory connecting Lakota history with scripture. It contains plot twists and undeniable truths as deep and wide as the Little Missouri River, with ideas and messages so big, so earthshaking, so unmistakably divine, they do more than transform the little town of Nazareth. They change the world… (more)

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I suspected an allegorical tale, but instead got the actual tale of Jesus, as if he had been born in the 1980's. Sure, his name is Sam, but in reality, his could be the Messiah. So why did I like this book so much, given the obviousness of the plot: The writing is beautiful, and the story of Jesus is only the scaffolding that holds this tale up (granted, the scaffolding is showing, and that bothered me a bit). These are fully realized characters who just happen to be based on(or incarnations of) Biblical characters from the Gospels. Given the elephant is an eastern symbol, I suspect there's some play here on rebirth. I guess I'll have to wait for the sequel to find out.

( )
  dogboi | Sep 16, 2023 |
I think it takes a lot of skill to rewrite a famous story well, retaining enough elements to keep the story familiar while burying recognizable threads to such a degree that the end product feels fresh and creative. Tommy Zurhellen has that skill. I have a feeling Nazareth, North Dakota reads differently depending on your knowledge of the stories from which it draws. My general familiarity certainly led to some moments of recognition, but my lack of specific knowledge led, I’m sure, to my missing that added layer at times. But what’s so cool about Nazareth, North Dakota is that it holds up as a good story even without that extra layer. While it’s based on the story of the Messiah, it’s by no means dependent on it.

If you enjoy clever adaptations, stories told from multiple angles, or anything just a little bit crazy, I think you’ll like Nazareth, North Dakota!

My full review is posted on my blog, Erin Reads. ( )
  erelsi183 | Oct 15, 2011 |
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Fiction. Literature. HTML:

This gem of a novelâ??a splendid recasting and modern retelling of the story of the young messiahâ??is a fast, quirky, dirt-kicking ride through the Badlands of North Dakota from the early 1980s to the present, complete with feathered locks, KISS cover bands, and fire-and-brimstone preachers.

It's an adventurous, irresistible tale about everything from a 31-year-old fugitive mom who escapes a motel shootout with an abandoned newborn to a corrupt sheriff, a kindhearted carpenter, the world's oldest man, and the chosen paths of two hell-raising, miracle-bent cousins.

(There's also a county fair elephant on the loose, just to keep you on your toes.)

This incandescent debut is an authentic religious allegory connecting Lakota history with scripture. It contains plot twists and undeniable truths as deep and wide as the Little Missouri River, with ideas and messages so big, so earthshaking, so unmistakably divine, they do more than transform the little town of Nazareth. They change the world

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