I read this because I absolutely loved We Begin at the End, also by Whitaker. I am honestly surprised by some of the negative reviews of this book. Whitaker so beautifully tells this story of the human experience - of good and evil, love and loss, darkness and light. Religion is a strong theme throughout, as the morality of some heavy topics is presented. I am not religious and it didn’t turn me off at all. If you’re looking for a light beach read, maybe this isn’t the book to choose. But if you’re looking for a thought-provoking, emotion-stirring page Turner, I highly recommend.