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Set in 1960s Cleveland, Stephen A. Robbins’ The Healer’s Miraculous Discovery tells the story of a man who questions his community’s religious beliefs and influences its residents through his strong philosophical convictions and supernatural abilities. Stevie’s life is drastically changed after coming onto a mysterious object in a basement while carrying out a tedious task. The 13-year-old boy decides to keep the object to himself, which proves to be a prudent move as he performs one miraculous act after another over the course of the years, attracting a lot of attention. As a result, the people around him are compelled to reexamine their beliefs and all they know about life while remaining unaware of his secret. Is the world prepared for the serious questions and thought-provoking ideas that Stevie raises?
The Healer’s Miraculous Discovery is filled with complex philosophical concepts that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Because I spent a significant portion of my reading time reflecting on the profound ideas and dialogues, I occasionally forgot I was reading fiction. One of my favorite quotes from the book suggests that if we didn’t have to confront death, religions would probably not exist. Another remarkable aspect of the novel is its strong historical components, which appear throughout the tale in the form of religious intolerance, racial conflict, crime, and other crucial depictions of the 1960s Cleveland milieu.
Readers will be intrigued by the characters’ complex planning and techniques for navigating the religious world and its politics. It was fascinating to see the drama unfold in various scenes, such as when Stevie begins publicly confronting religious leaders, causing some to feel uncomfortable and others to respond emotionally.
The book’s uncomfortable, quick pace is one of its biggest flaws. Because of how fast the years pass throughout the novel, it’s difficult to establish a deep sense of familiarity with the characters. Additionally, information about their religious beliefs and dealings with the general public is revealed much more frequently than specifics about their daily routines and intimate relationships.
The novel will appeal to sci-fi aficionados and fans of works that logically critique society. However, it includes a wide range of themes such as law, war, history, religion, philosophy, miracles, extraterrestrials, starting, interracial relationships, prejudice, family troubles, and more.
I don’t believe I’d forget any of the lessons I gleaned from this fascinatingly insightful book. Every time I remember the relationship between death and religion henceforth, it’s the first thing that would come to my mind. If individuals challenged everything they believed in the manner Stephen A. Robbins’ characters do, the world would experience a far more enlightened reality than its current state.
Reviewed by: Foluso Falaye
Author: Stephen A. Robbins
Star count: 4/5
Format: Trade
Page count: 362 pages
Publisher: Book Baby
Publish Date: November 16, 2022
ISBN: 9781667865614
Buy This Book: Bookshop.org
Issue: April 2023
Category: Science Fiction & Fantasy
