Dog on the Cross: Stories
This haunting debut collection features eight loosely related stories set in the sleepy town of Perser, Oklahoma. The centerpiece of the town--as well as most of the stories--is the Pentecostal church, a bastion of fundamental Christianity artfully poised to protect the faithful and condemn the sinners scattered across the harsh Oklahoma landscape. Much of the action takes place during a pivotal summer when the church is in revival mode and a charismatic teen faith healer directly or indirectly touches the lives of a broad spectrum of characters. Although each of these stories is capable of standing on its own, together they represent a potent glimpse into the occasionally uplifting but more often dangerously fanatical elements of religious fundamentalism. Reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor, Gwyn uses faith as the foundation for a compelling analysis of human behavior.Margaret FlanaganCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved