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Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
In I Am the Whore and the Holy One, Leonce Gaiter crafts a complex narrative set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in the 1990s. The story follows Sam Youngblood, a former district attorney turned investigator, who is embroiled in the investigation into the mysterious death of Alex Shipman, a Catholic priest. Shipman's death is steeped in scandal, implicating the church's hidden truths and his own sexual identity, which intertwines with the themes of faith, love, and hypocrisy. Sam’s investigation unearths disturbing facts about Shipman’s activities, especially his quest to uncover the identity of Jesus, facts that someone in the Church’s hierarchy might not have wanted anyone to know. As the plot progresses, it explores the relationship between religious institutions and personal integrity, delving into personal grief and the search for redemption. The lingering question that moves the story forward is: Was Shipman murdered or did he commit suicide?
The primary characters—Sam Youngblood, Amanda Shipman, and Bishop Bishop—represent varying identities within the different institutions and spheres of power. Youngblood, burdened by the death of his partner, Radley, and while struggling with grief and a perennial sense of despair, must unravel the mystery surrounding the death of the priest. Amanda Shipman, fiercely protective of her deceased son, exemplifies the destructive power of a wealthy family with influence. Bishop symbolizes the entrenched religious authority, uncomfortable with the secrets that lurk beneath the surface of church doctrine. Leonce Gaiter handles these characters with great care, fleshing them out and building them like a master sculptor. The setting is detailed, and the vibrant yet harsh reality of Los Angeles is well-painted. I Am the Whore and the Holy One ripples with drama. Leonce Gaiter’s prose is excellent, and I enjoyed the short sentences for dramatic effect and the author’s economy of words. The sparkling dialogue and blend of humor and tragedy capture the human experiences of joy and sorrow, holiness and sin, public persona and private turmoil.
