The Friar’s Lantern is a nostalgic adult throwback to a Choose Your Own Adventure books. It’s filled with great ethical dilemmas and some interesting psychological challenges. First you enter a trial where you have to make one choice and may win $1M and the next trial is a real one, in court where you must judge whether a man has committed murder. I really enjoyed the unique premise but at times the execution didn’t work for me.
I know with a Choose Your Own Adventure the idea is for you to be the main character but some sections were all too descriptive for my taste and I found myself skimming. Some descriptions were downright wacky: “… clipping along with the somber gumption of the champion sperm kicking down the homestretch to the egg as the befogged pod membrane opens to suck him in with a great vaginal slurp…” I mean that’s a heck of a visual but completely unnecessary way to say you were drawn to a place. So if you love over the top descriptions that make you smirk, this is the right book for you!
You could tell by the wording sometimes of the choices which way the author wanted you to go. Truthfully, because I’m a contrarian and always pick the path no one else chooses, it may frustrate you if you’re a person like me when the author is trying to nudge you onto a path. I read both endings (because yeah, I’m that person too) and was intrigued by the differences and similarities.
Definitely try this one if you like being in charge of your own destiny, or if you’re looking for a unique read with an intriguing turn of events or if you just love thinking about ethical dilemmas. It was a fun read with lots of spots to make you think.
Thanks to the author for sharing this novel with me in exchange for my honest opinion.
Are you someone who easily goes with the flow of what’s expected of you or do you swim against the tide?
~ Dana
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