The Madness of the Faithful

The Madness of the Faithful is a riveting page-turner that explores questions about finding meaning in a godless world with sensitivity and lightness of touch. The story navigates the consequences of a bizarre, unexplained opening "revelation" through the eyes of Paul, a recovering alcoholic haunted by visions of his dead wife, as he journeys from Salford to Anglesey in an effort to outrun his demons. It's fast-paced with complex, well-drawn characters – especially the troubled and dark central character - and a startling conclusion. The opening event, in which "faith is ripped from humanity in an instant", is a fascinating idea that I'd love to see further explored - perhaps in a sequel? Suffice to say it does not lead to worldwide peace and harmony, at least not in this novel's timeframe. A great read.

what a fantastic read, thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. I could not put it down.

The book cover was initially what caught my eye. It gave me vibes of loneliness, drifting and feeling bereft. I don't know if that's just my state of mind at the moment, that it instantly took me straight there, but whatever, it did it's job and drew me in. The synopsis as well. I've never actually seen this before and I was instantly intrigued and had to read it. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book as it's a completely new premise for me, but, it delivered. The characters were really well developed and book itself was perfectly balanced and executed. I really enjoyed this one, such an immersive story. Totally different to anything else I've read, this has that stand out quality. Loved it. Would highly recommend. I'm now eagerly awaiting more releases from this author. Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for this arc. 5 out of 5

I believe this is the author's first book (?), but you wouldn't know. It's an original idea - even for someone who doesn't have any religious faith! - that it is convincingly done. I found it very easy to read, liked most of the characters (except Karl, who very much reminded me of a character from The Boys!) and was invested to the end. Highly recommended.