The Saint of Bright Doors (July and August 2024)

  

The Saint of Bright Doors by Chandrasekera

Reddit's 2024 Hugo Readalong: The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandraseker  Also from Reddit, a nice explication of the religious aspects of Buddhism that are embedded as well as some commentary on Sri Lankan politics and culture.

Spoilery Review from Asking the Wrong Questions 

Book review from Reactor.com 

Another review from Every Book a Doorway

Another spoilery review, that actually explains some of what's going on from Paige Reviews Books

 

 Characters

The Unchosen: Caduv (unchosen to be Singer of the Red), Koel (unchosen daughter of the Prophet of the Walking), Ulpe (unchosen of the Man in the Fire),

Hejmen: Fetter's love interest. 

Coema, Gerau, and Tomarin-- the committee who oversee Nine Yellow Oxen, the door that Fetter (as Peroe) studies. 

Pipra-- the head of the group who studies the appearance of bright doors at the abandoned mall. (First Blue Heron is one of these doors)

Janno part of mall research team,

Magellan and Salyut (Saints) and Vido (not enlightened) who serve the Perfect and Kind

Unfettered

Discussion Questions from Reddit: 

Obviously a focus is how religion can be wielded for gain, but more broadly the novel examines how certain systems effectively disempower individuals - the Paths, the Luriati bureaucracy, the caste system, racial sciences and the like. What other themes did you enjoy or want to see explored more? 

What did Fetter’s shadow represent? Were the last few chapters exhilarating or jarring? Were you surprised? 

Did Mother of Glory know what Fetter's shadow was destined to do?

Have you read any of Chandrasekera's short fiction (like the Sturgeon Award Finalist The Translator, at Low Tide or the weird watching-a-tv-watching-you Peristalsis)? If so, how did you find The Saint of Bright Doors compared? If not, does reading The Saint of Bright Doors make you want to seek out his other work? 

Were there enough bright doors? Was the mystery of the bright door satisfying?  

Did The Man in the Fire ever come back? Most of the almost-chosen were trying to put their pasts behind them, but that one seemed like a potentially active storyline, and then Fetter ended up being someone who could literally walk through fire unscathed. Was there supposed to be a linkup there? Or did the entire non-revolutionary support group just got dropped as the narrative progressed?

 prompts from ChatGPT & Gemini (culled, edited, and corrected)

• Discuss the role of women in the novel, particularly Koel, Pipra and Asha.
• How do the characters grapple with their identities in a society filled with religious fervor and violence?
• What are some ways that Luriat and Acusdab are different?
  
• The novel explores themes of faith, violence, and the search for meaning. How are these themes interconnected?
  
• Who is the narrator? Are they a reliable narrator? 
  
• How does the concept of multiple selves and identities play out in the story? How does the protagonist's perception of self change throughout the narrative?
• The setting of the novel is heavily influenced by Sri Lanka. How does the novel's portrayal of Sri Lanka differ from your expectations or experience?
  
• Do the bright doors serve as symbols in the story? What do you think they symbolize? How does their significance evolve as the narrative progresses?
• Discuss the blurred lines between reality and imagination in the story. How does the author use this ambiguity to convey deeper meanings?
• Analyze the protagonist’s decisions throughout the story. How do their motivations drive their actions, and what do these choices reveal about their character?
• How does the non-linear narrative structure contribute to the storytelling? What effect does it have on the reader’s understanding of the events and themes?
• In what ways does the story explore metaphysical questions about existence and reality? How do these elements contribute to the overall themes of the narrative?
• How does the setting, particularly the description of the different worlds and realms, enhance the narrative? What role does setting play in shaping the mood and atmosphere of the story
• Discuss your interpretation of the ending. What does it suggest about the protagonist’s journey and the larger themes of the story?
• Are there other works of literature or media that explore similar themes or use comparable narrative techniques? How does The Saint of Bright Doors distinguish itself within this genre?
• How does Chandrasekera use language, imagery, and symbolism to convey the themes and ideas explored in the story? What impact does his writing style have on your reading experience?

My take: The reviews linked above are better if you want analysis and a more balanced opinion. I did not personally care for this book, and it was probably not a great choice for the bookclub that I am in, This was a very literary book and one that I might assign for a relevant class, if that ever comes up. The Saint of Bright Doors is complex and beautiful, but not always to me, satisfying. Characters come and go with little development and many of them are not very likable. Fetter, the protagonist, often feels trapped by his potential in a way that "gifted" children, especially neurodivergent "gifted" children, often are. It is hard to live up to one's potential in a world that has demands that you just can't meet. 

Fetter is chained by his past. His father's abandonment of his mother was not something that she could ever forgive. So she poisoned Fetter against his father. To be fair to her, The Perfect and Kind used her for her understanding of the otherworldly and took that knowledge to become very powerful in his own right, abandoning her and their son. She shaped young Fetter into a weapon to be deployed, rather than nurturing him to be a leader or prophet. So I guess it is no wonder that Fetter seems so lost. 

Because of the complexity of the book, I think I wish I'd read it in paper instead of an eBook. I think I would have done better with a stack of post-it notes and a highlighter. 

Update: most of my group really enjoyed the book, which was actually a relief. I kind of expected a lot of pushback.