STRANGE WAY HOME

by Nancy Faber ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1963

A remarkable story, this tells of a seven-year-old Jewish boy who is kidnapped in Washington Square by a Catholic fanatic and spirited away to a tiny French village in Canada where, eventually, he becomes a monk.... In 1904 little Henri Fath's utor, Paul Dupier, abducts him to save his soul from the Jews and give it to Christ. eep in Quebec, Henri can turn to no one for help in the village of Ste. Anne because no one there speaks English. By the time he learns French no one believes his story. His kidnapper has him baptized and catechized so that Henry can begin taking Communion. Although Henri tries to run away, and is caught, he learns that his family has moved and left no forwarding address. Since he has no money to make a search with, he stays put at Ste. Anne. Meanwhile, he becomes thoroughly Catholicized and, at ighteen, chooses to study for holy orders rather than marry the girl he's engaged . He becomes a monk. After several years he requests to be made a priest, because working with parishioners seems more satisfying. His good works multiply. When his eyes become affected by glaucoma, he finally returns to New York for an operation. The police locate his family, though it is now 30 years since the crime, and the priest confronts his Jewish mother, brother and sister in a set of very affecting scenes. The story is well-observed and told economically, with many admirable moments, but Author Faber's doctrinaire piety is sometimes lugubrious.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1963

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: egnery

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1963

Categories: FICTION