Ruth
By Kate Riley
Reviewed by Renata
At its simplest, Ruth presents the thoughts and feelings of one woman living in a closed Christian community, from childhood to middle age. If that sounds dry or limited, let me assure you, this book is a true original. Kate Riley’s unique heroine has such a wry, funny, subversive voice that her day-to-day reflections on God, regulation underwear and failed custards are completely absorbing. Ruth is a natural renegade; at the same time, she genuinely longs to sublimate her anarchic tendencies and achieve spiritual harmony with her Anabaptist brethren. Through her, Riley explores a universal human tension: the desire for individuation and freedom vs our longing for connection and community.
