Description

In this captivating novel that shifts between modern-day California and the Vietnam War era, a young man grieving the loss of his father finds himself captivated by the influence of a magnetic cult leader, bringing him to question why people willingly surrender control and what it truly means to belong.

One of the Season’s Most Anticipated Books according to Time, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Men’s Health, WNYC, Electric Lit, Feminist Book Club, and Lit Hub.

Described by Emma Donoghue in The Boston Globe as “a gorgeously written literary excavation of belonging and belief,” the novel follows Faruq Zaidi, a young journalist struggling with the recent death of his devout Muslim father. Seeking clarity and distraction, Faruq decides to immerse himself within a mysterious cult known simply as “the nameless,” whose members refuse all external labels. Led by Odo, a mysterious Vietnam veteran, the group, secluded in the California redwoods, lives by the teachings of the “18 Utterances,” embracing principles such as “all suffering is distortion” and “see only beauty.”

Initially skeptical yet increasingly drawn in by curiosity and fascination, Faruq extends his stay among them, gradually penetrating deeper into the group’s intriguing beliefs and inner workings. However, the closer he gets to Odo, the more Faruq’s carefully maintained emotional barriers begin to unravel. Confronted by memories and emotions he’s long avoided, Faruq finds himself dangerously close to succumbing to Odo’s charismatic influence.

Seamlessly weaving together three perspectives—the present-day account of Faruq’s investigation, glimpses into Odo’s experience as an infantryman alongside three other Black soldiers in the Vietnam War before he founded the movement, and a documentary script detailing the tense conflict between “the nameless” and a fundamentalist church in Texas—O Sinners! thoughtfully explores relationships, faith, power, and identity. Ultimately, it seeks to answer a profound question: what exactly are we searching for in the people we admire, and what do we ultimately hope to find in ourselves?