The Origin of the Brunists

The Origin of the Brunists begins with Giovanni Bruno, the sole survivor of a mine disaster that killed 97 of his co-workers, and the apocalyptic cult that forms around him. In truth, Bruno is almost incidental. He appears rarely and barely speaks when he does. The novel is less about the man than about the town and how easily people lose themselves in belief.

I read this a year ago, so consider this a micro throwback review. Much of the plot has faded, but one line has stayed with me: True knowledge is the discerning of pattern, and wisdom is its right interpretation. That idea feels central to the book’s current of meaning-making and misreading.

Robert Coover, who died in 2025, had a remarkable ability to slip in and out of his characters. One moment you’re inside one mind, the next you’re inhabiting another. It’s a difficult technique to pull off without disorienting the reader. He does it with ease.