S
Sister Jesme writes in an intense, informal voice, as if she were standing in the room, haranguing the reader
What becomes clear, however, is that it’s not the Catholic Church but the individuals who rise to power within its hierarchy who are to blame. Through anecdotes ranging from petty rivalries and hormonal tides to serious corruption, Sr Jesme shows us the familiar picture present in other walks of life, of people projecting the meanest, most spiteful shades of the human spectrum.
The writing lacks flair and is often turgid, as the narrative lurches from one closet-drama to another. Yet Sr Jesme comes through as someone lively with intellectual doubt, yearning for moral certitude. Her passions, aside from Jesus, are Literature and Cinema: even during an encounter with a lusty priest she quotes Sylvia Plath! It’s impossible not to warm towards her, to wish her well and to hope her courageous expose will result in reforms, not retribution.