Title: The Dean’s Wife and Three Young Curates
Author: Sydney James
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 9781796000047
Pages: 224
Genre: Religious Science Fiction & Fantasy
Reviewed by: Rae C. Bernard

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Growing up, many of us were raised in religious beliefs and following laws from the sacred text. From attending spiritual gatherings every Sunday at church, we had high hopes that it would strengthen our faith and build a relationship with God. The leaders of the church were well respected and were our figure heads for modeling how each of us should carry ourselves. Why do we automatically assume that just because there are leaders of the church, they aren’t flawed human beings? Placing such pressure for one to be a perfect example of what and how a congregation to act in life, could very well be exhausting. We seek counsel from them in believing they have all the answers to our difficult questions and when they can’t provide proper guidance, we take that as a failure.

Unfortunately, they are sinners too and struggle with their inner demons and challenges in life. By having spiritual guidance from a higher power, it’s ok to not look towards the next human as a way out because that’s not what our belief encourages us to do aside from loving each other as ourselves. It is very important that we don’t take scripture in a literal sense as they weren’t written for our understanding; we just need to rely on the sacred text for strength and wisdom to get us through each day. When we realize that our leaders are not setting the best examples we should inform higher authorities to handle the situation. Who can we go to for help when situations are out of human’s abilities?

In The Dean’s Wife and Three Young Curates, author Sydney James showcases just how unholy individuals of the church are when they’re supposed to lead by example. They are just as flawed humans like anyone else, facing life difficulties and challenges daily. It’s up to everyone to set their path to a successful, happy and meaningful life with some form of religion on their side. The three childhood friends, Brian, Charles, and Alex, have all discovered that finding a path for their future wouldn’t be as easy as they thought. By trying out conventional ways of working in the corporate world, they soon learned it wasn’t the life for them so they all joined the church in hopes of easy living. Little did they know they would attract the dean’s wife and will be fulfilling her sexual appetite while her husband, the dean, is away for oversea trips. While the dean is exploring his suppressed sexuality in other countries, his wife is getting acquainted sexually with the three young friends. Understandably, marriage life between the dean and his wife has been nothing but a just business transaction to the point they can barely stand each other’s presence. They put on an act in front of the people who matter most, but when they return home together they are estranged. Stopping sinful acts outside of their marriage and rebuilding their commitment to each other is the only way things can start to improve for the better. Until then, their extramarital acts will spiral out of control and soon enough someone will either expose or make more of a messy situation. There is a chance to come clean and clear their guilt by confessing to involved parties, handing over their sins to God, and aiming to do better going forward. Being human and committing actions based on flesh desires can be difficult to overcome, but with proper help along with the love and support of others, one can finally be free of their sins.

I learned about the church life behind the pulpit and what occurs amongst the clergymen and spiritual leaders. Working as a member of the church granted the opportunity for three very unique individuals the ability to continue through life without the stresses and politics of the corporate world. In the beginning, they assumed it was an easy task but soon learned that there is so much more than just standing at a pulpit and regurgitate scriptures from the Bible, they also had to build a supportive community within their congregation, despite the side affairs with the dean’s wife. I felt bad for every character involved because it affects reputations, lives, and any potential opportunities in the future. This is why it is extremely important to be careful of the things you do, as all things done in the dark will come to light. What stood out to me was the three young curates not wanting to end their relationship with the dean’s wife, it comes off a bit upsetting especially in Brian’s case because he already has a wife. Everyone will have their troubles no matter what, it’s all about how to figure it out and work through them that builds character. A phenomenal read that demonstrates that no one is perfect, including people who dedicate their lives to the church, I highly recommend it.