Customer Reviews

Faith And The Good Thing

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Faith Cross's mother is dying. Before she releases her spirit, the woman entreats her daughter to search for the "good thing" then she dies. Thus begins the metaphysical journey of Faith as she attempts to find the good thing. Author Charles Johnson introduces us to a woman who is not satisfied with the medicrity of life but is determined to find something far more meaningful. She wants the good thing but finding out what it is becomes her dilemma.

Faith is led into poverty, prostitution, and false promises that look like the good thing but disappoints her every time. This tale is told through the lens of folklore, philosophy
and religion. Johnson's attempt to weave all of these elements together confuses and weakens the story. The reader is never sure of just what is happening with Faith.

Johnson's characters spew out philosophical musings about the good thing but are unable to sort out their own lives. Although the musings are good, they fail to capture the attention of the reader and fall flat. I enjoyed Faith who like many of us are on the same journey seeking the good thing. Defining what the good thing is and getting it are the challenges that faces everyone. Unfortunately, Johnson was unable to clearly articulate this through this tale but it was a good effort.

This book is overly literary, too didactically philosophical, inaccessible, and a terrible, terrible read. Do not buy this book, I had to for a class and I did not enjoy it at all (the beginning of the book was Ok, then it got worse and worse. I hate you Charles Johnson, you pretentious man).