Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

O Sinners! has a lot going for it that I usually like—cults, journalism, family drama. For whatever reason, it just didn’t suck me in like I expected it to. I think the opening was slower than I wanted it to be and the parts that really sang were buried in an obtuse narrative that didn’t move the reader along at the right pace.

Readers should also know that this book has some experimental parts and structures, like instagram posts and parts of scripts. Again, usually as a reader this doesn’t bother me but here it did feel a little jolting and detracting from the overall plot—but maybe that’s part of the point?

I would say that this is for a reader who is willing to work with the author to get at the heart of the story—your efforts will be rewarded!

I had trouble following the plot for this story. I enjoyed the chapters that reflected on the character's experiences during the Vietnam War and also the time spent at the compound in the woods. The sections that were written as script or as interviews and posts threw me off the trail for a bit.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group-Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is March 18, 2025.

I was drawn to this book because I pretty much eat up anything about cults and I loved the eye-catching cover. It had a few issues that bugged me but not enough to take away my overall enjoyment of the work.

"O, Sinners!" is Nicole Cuffy's sophomore effort that takes a literary look at a spiritual movement that may or may not be a cult through the eyes of a reporter who specializes in immersive journalism. It moves between present day, alt text of social media posts, the script of a documentary filmed about the movement, and cult leader Odo's Vietnam War experiences. I found the social media posts and the script chapters hard to read because they felt clunky in ebook format; it probably would be even weirder in audio book. This book is likely best read as a physical copy.

Faruq, the journalist, embeds with the cult in their compound in Northern California. Another quibble: The geography kind of got to me, a beach so close a different type of environment, but that's just from someone who's been there. Anyway, he's grieving his dead parents - a strict, religious Muslim father who drove away his mother, who killed herself years before. Probably not the best state of mind to investigate a cult specializing in emotional manipulation, so for that I forgive him some of his journalism faux pas.

Once in California, Faruq finds a community of people who are expert social media influencers who take in people who have experienced trauma, most of whom are conventionally attractive. He keeps getting the feeling that something's not quite right there even as he finds himself drawn to their ways to help process his grief and extends his stay from six weeks to three months. He's long convinced there's something nefarious just under the surface but he can never quite find it, and his general aversion to religion makes him biased.

As a journalist I found Faruq annoying, since I'm a former journalist myself. He only ever asked soft leading questions, he didn't ask obvious questions, he let himself become part of the story and he let his emotions get the better of him. But that was also the point. In a vulnerable position, he fell for the cult's tactics, even as he denied it to the end.

I found this refreshing because the cult was a group of hippie progressives and it was entirely plausible that a movement like this could exist in real life. I also found it refreshing that the question of whether it was a harmful cult or just a spiritual movement that brought people peace was never quite resolved.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't like this as much as I'd expected :( this has all the makings of a book I'd love but I found it super hard to follow for too long which just really lowered my enjoyment of the whole thing.

Some of this really worked for me some of it really didn’t. So it sits right in the middle.

Faruq is a journalist going to investigate a cult. (Loved) we also have snippets of a documentary about the cult(meh) and then flashbacks of the cult leader’s time in the Vietnam war. (Could have left this out)

I think Faruq was a an interesting character and had some heartbreaking backstory. I think leaving the focus of the book on him would have felt less jarring.
Thanks to netgalley and random house for an eARC

Characterizing cult behavior seems to have become a thing in America following the success of the MAGA movement. History teaches us about certain commonalities among cults: charismatic leadership, devoutly held beliefs, intense devotion to a cause, isolation from mainstream society, and potential for violence. Cuffy’s novel depicts a fictional group (“the nameless”) that seems to satisfy many of those criteria. Superficially, they appear beneficent enough, but her protagonist, Faruq Zaidi, questions that assumption. As an investigative journalist, Faruq seeks to uncover the true nature of the group and especially its charismatic leader—Odo—by embedding himself in their isolated commune—the Forbidden City—located in a California redwood forest.

Cuffy’s approach to examining the nameless comes in three parts. First, she follows life in the commune through the eyes of Faruq while simultaneously raising questions about his own demons and how they may be impacting his perspectives. Meanwhile, she explores Odo’s backstory as an infantryman during the Vietnam war. Despite these chapters being intensely violent, they carry a strong sense of comradery and brotherhood. Thirdly, through a faux documentary, we learn of an example of the type of community unrest and prejudice that cults frequently encounter. Each of these settings focusses on a separate element: beliefs and behaviors; origins and motivations; and challenges fitting into mainstream society.

Using this structure, Cuffy masterfully explores a rich array of themes, including belief/doubt, isolation/community, violence/emotion, prejudice/religion, and leadership/grifting. However, in the final analysis, she leaves an unsettling array questions unanswered. Is the nameless harmful to its followers or society? Is Odo a charlatan or a devout leader? Has Faruq lost his journalistic objectivity? What will the ultimate fate or the nameless be? In fairness, the novel seems to end on a note of hope.

Faruq Zaidi, investigative journalist is sent on an immersive assignment to live among a cult known as "The Nameless". Odo is the charismatic leader who preaches "seeing the beauty in all". Faruq's journey will cause him to focus on many aspects of his own life that he would rather stay hidden.

The multiple timelines of this story work so well together (Vietnam War, a documentary on Odo and the Nameless' confrontation with a conservative Christian church in Texas, and the present --Faruq's time and observations in the California home of the Nameless-Forbidden City).

Maybe its time we all got "hipped" to help make this world a better place.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House | One World for the eARC of this fantastic Read.

While at times it felt like SO much was going on, it all had an important purpose that spins together a tale hard to look away from. Cuffy has so much to say about so much here, and it all just...worked. A must read that will engage readers of all genres.

I almost almost gave this one 5 stars but the ending let me down a little bit. What an amazing read though! A concept that was refreshing in its uniqueness and thought provoking and extremely well-delivered. I did not expect this at all to be honest.
I wish there’d been just a bit more at the end, I wanted to know the “beautiful truth” and I wish Faruq’s realization got just a bit more development, but those small things didn’t take away from the story or the message very much, so it was still enjoyable.
(4.75/5 stars)

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an arc of O Sinners!

This was fine. Not bad, but I needed more.

The cult was super interesting. The documentary format worked really well. But the actual story didn’t hit the way I expected it too. The flashbacks felt unnecessary. They added context, but they didn’t actually add to the story in a meaningful way. Faruq was incredibly introspective, but none of that reflection led to any real growth. He left the cult the same way he entered it, making the whole journey feel stagnant.

The vibes were there. The setup was solid. But by the end, it felt like something was missing.

Pub date is March 18th! I think this will work for some people, but I went into it with different expectations for the story.

Something that I particularly enjoyed about “O Sinners!” was the multipart timeline that established both the present-day status of the characters and the Vietnam background of one man in particular. I also quite enjoyed the inclusion of lawsuit transcripts. I feel that these types of elements, while providing nuance to the story that may not be accessible within the main storyline itself, also allows the reader a short break, especially with heavier subject matter. This was a great, thought-provoking read.

O Sinners! is a book that takes place between contexts. A journalist goes to northern California to investigate a cult-like group led by a black male Vietnam vet in the modern day. a script of a documentary about a lawsuit between the cult and a fundamentalist Christian group in Texas, a black man is fighting in the Vietnam war and watching his friends die and kill.

Over the course of the book you see connections between the characters' stories and come to understand ways they are and aren't connected. It's hard to say too much without giving away plot points, but this was a book that really made me think and I can't wait for some of my friends to read it so that we can talk about it. Even with its power and narrative complexity, I found the writing digestible and the book itself to be pleasant to read, other than the graphic descriptions of violence in Vietnam (unfortunately hard to avoid with this subject matter.)

This book was really interesting and will stay with me for a long time. I predict that it will be up for some big awards this year. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fairly quick (for a book of this depth) read that will make them think!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for the ARC for unbiased review.

O Sinners! is a well-written book with an interesting structure that kept me reading. The book juxtaposes a contemporary story about a journalist's immersive investigation of a cult, the Vietnam backstory of the cult leader, and the script of a documentary about the cult from several years before the contemporary story. I was interested in all three of sections, though I think both Vietnam and the contemporary story occasionally got bogged down in repetition. There were clear points of connection among the story, of course, but I never felt that the narrative came together as a whole, and at the end I was left with a bit of a "what is the point" feeling.

The construction of O Sinners! is incredibly unique. This is the best experience I’ve had with a multipart timeline. Each section gives us a separate and fascinating story. I loved the breakup provided by the documentary script, and found the Vietnam War story interesting in that it’s near impossible to identify Odo, the cult leader present in the other timelines. I thought this makeup was clever and would love to see more authors approach this type of format.

My issues with the novel where with our present-day timeline which follows a journalist living with and reporting on the working of Odo’s cult “The Nameless.” I found the pacing of this section to be far too slow – it seemed like entire sections passed with a lot of reflection and little action. I think I can understand the author’s intention of mundanity leading to the passage of time, and normalization in living with the cult, but this did not feel very tangible. At several points our reporter is gaslight by the cult, yet he shows no agency until the very end of the novel. If the intention for the cult to either 1) be malicious or 2) bring him in as a member was there, I wish it would have been more obvious. Where this timeline tied the rest of the novel together, I thought there were a lot of missed opportunities for a more compelling story.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A fascinating book about a fictional cult told on different timelines? Sign me up!

This book follows a man named Faruq who is trying to get close to a cult he wants to write a piece about. The book follows his journey of staying with The Nameless and learning about the members of the cult, namely their leader Odo. On a separate timeline, we are following Odo before he created The Nameless while he was serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. And finally we get snippets of a documentary transcript about The Nameless.
I love a book told on different timelines and O Sinners! was a perfect book for that format. These three timelines wove perfectly together to provide a full picture of the cult and the characters in the story. I felt that the author did a fantastic job of providing a full picture through these different formats. I also appreciated how the current and past timelines had different voices since they were being told from two different character's point of views.
The only criticism I have of this book is that I felt the past timeline during the Vietnam War wasn't written as strongly as the present timeline and the documentary transcript. These sections tended to drag for me, and sometimes I found myself lost in what was happening during these past sections. I still feel that the writing and story were strong, but ultimately this did diminish my enjoyment of the story.

I would still recommend this book, especially if you are like me and enjoy books about cults (specifically fictional books). The cult itself was fascinating and it was cool getting to watch Odo go from a soldier in a war to the man we meet in the present. Overall I had a great time reading this!

Thank you to Random House for an advance review copy of this novel. I can't imagine this book not being well-loved by its audience, which I predict will be erudite, serious readers who like character development, slow-burn plots, and ideas.

The story unfolds in three different but beautifully interwoven arcs. There's Faruq, an intrepid but grieving journalist who travels to California to attempt to embed with a group called the nameless. The second arc takes the reader to Vietnam with a small group of Black soldiers as they brave the horrors of that war. One of them will become Odo, the leader of the nameless. If there was one irritating aspect of this novel, it's the secrecy about which solider would become Odo - I don't think anything would have been lost if that had been clear from the start.

The third arc - my favorite - was a script for a documentary that details the nameless' clash with an evangelical church in Texas.

I flew through this book. It's propulsive and captivating, yet accessible. I'll have my eye on it for a Booker nomination.

I enjoyed parts of this but I am walking away a little confused. I enjoyed parts of the story but overall the format felt a little too disjointed to full keep my attentinon.

2 STARS! 🌟 Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group - One World & NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

Okay, so I hated it—well, not hated it, but I’m 64% in and I just can’t continue. 🚨 DNF ALERT 🚨

I don’t even know how to explain it, but this book was way too different from what I usually read—too philosophical, too slow, and honestly, just not my vibe. Also, I have no idea why I even requested this ARC. 🤦‍♀️

Faruq is a Muslim journalist (which I somehow didn’t notice before requesting), and the book leans into the usual Western stereotypes—strict parents, rigid rules, and the classic “leaving Islam” narrative. His struggle with faith, his overbearing father, and the Islamophobia he faces are all realistic but also frustrating. 😮‍💨 And while that didn't affect my rating, the execution of everything else did.

This book had so much potential. A journalist infiltrating a mysterious cult in the California redwoods?? YES, PLEASE. But then... BAM. Vietnam War flashbacks. WHY. Just WHY. They completely ruined the pacing. I signed up for cult drama, not war stories.

Also, the way this book is structured? Confusing as hell. 🚨
✧ One part is about Faruq investigating the cult.
✧ One part follows Odo, the cult leader, during the Vietnam War.
✧ One part is literally a fake documentary script.
✧ AND there are Instagram post descriptions. 😭

WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA??

The cult parts? Actually interesting. 🧐 The Vietnam parts? Snore-fest. 💤 Every time I started getting into the story, it would jump back in time and completely kill the momentum.

And let’s talk about Faruq. I really wanted to root for him. His grief? Heartbreaking. His struggle with his faith? Handled well.
His time in the cult? Interesting… at first. But did I feel connected to him? Nope.

The ending? I have no idea, because I didn’t finish. But from what I skimmed, it didn’t sound satisfying.

Look, if you love slow-burn literary fiction with heavy themes, maybe you’ll love this. But for me? Not enough mystery. Not enough cult drama. Too much filler.

Final thoughts?🫠
✧ Cults? Cool. ✅
✧ Philosophical rambling? No thanks. ❌
✧ Vietnam War flashbacks? Absolutely not. ❌❌
✧ A documentary script?? WHY. 🤦‍♀️
✧ Would I recommend? Nope.

Sorry, but this book just wasn’t it for me. 😬

Nicole Cuffy's forthcoming novel, O Sinners!, slated for release on March 18, 2025, is a compelling exploration of faith, identity, and the human desire for belonging. The narrative intricately weaves together multiple perspectives and timelines, offering readers a multifaceted view of a mysterious commune known as "the nameless."

At the heart of the story is Faruq Zaidi, a Muslim journalist grappling with personal loss, who embarks on an immersive investigation into the nameless, a group led by the enigmatic Odo and nestled in the California Redwoods. Faruq's journey is driven by both professional curiosity and a personal quest for understanding, as he seeks to uncover the true nature of the commune and its charismatic leader.

The novel's structure is particularly noteworthy, alternating between Faruq's present-day experiences, a documentary script detailing the nameless's controversial history, and vivid flashbacks to Odo's harrowing past as a teenage soldier in the Vietnam War. This layered storytelling approach not only enriches the narrative but also challenges readers to piece together the complex puzzle of motivations and histories that define the characters.

Cuffy's prose is both fluid and evocative, capturing the nuanced emotions of individuals drawn to the commune's promise of enlightenment and community. Themes of trauma, redemption, and the blurred lines between devotion and fanaticism are explored with depth and sensitivity. As Faruq delves deeper, he confronts unsettling truths about the nameless and, ultimately, about himself.

DNF @ p118

Pre-Read notes

I have few expectations going in, but that title and cover design combo was completely irresistible to me!

Final Review (partial)

Review summary and recommendations

I like absurdism, but it was impenetrable in this book. I do think readers out there will like this, it's just not a good fit for me!

Partial Reading Notes

Two things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. The screenplay format is hard to read and follow. I don't understand the purpose of using experimental form here. It's needlessly convoluting the story.

2. This book is so absurd that I have no idea what's going on.

3. DNF @ p118

Rating: DNF @ p118
Recommend? I think some readers will love this!
Finished: Feb 24 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🥸 absurdism
🤡 absurdism
🙈 absurdism
🪢 experimental form

Thank you to the author Nicole Cuffy, publishers Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of O SINNERS. All views are mine.
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