Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet by Joanne Proulx

Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet by Joanne Proulx

A coming of age novel with a twist. The teenage narrator’s ability to foretell and somehow experience the death of others is used as a metaphor for the pain and loneliness of adolescence, as a symbol of the inner belief that one is alone in the world, naked and vulnerable, full of nasty faults and hidden deficiencies. The author does an excellent job, for the most part, of painting a believable picture of teen angst. The protagonist, Luke Hunter, sometimes appears wiser than his years, but perhaps those were just flashes of insight that everyone occasionally experiences.

The plot line of the novel moves along nicely, with just enough surprises to keep the reader interested and engaged. The author uses humour effectively to balance some of the meatier, emotion-laden scenes. Luke’s relationship with his best friend, the semi-mysterious character of Fang, provides the most pivotal and moving conflict. In contrast, Luke’s potential girlfriend is perhaps the most cliched character in the novel - maybe because she’s an enigma from the narrator’s point of view.

The one not-quite-right part of the novel was, in my opinion, the manner in which the character expresses his interest of music. Luke catalogues the music of the day in a way that felt too much like the author showing off her research skills. And of course, these references have already dated the novel. Like the Smashing Pumpkins are so late 90's, okay, even if they’re on tour again.