This is a series of short stories that are autobiographical. Almond shows us a childhood filled with religious questioning (he's Irish Catholic so you can imagine how well that went over) and being haunted by the death of a sister at a young age.
This book reminded me of Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, except it is for children instead of adults. I enjoyed the subtle humor that came from some of the situations in the stories. I feel very lucky to have grown up with a much less angry and unquestioning kind of Catholicism. I never had teachers or nuns or brothers telling me that I would be doomed to Hell or Purgatory if I didn't say my rosary or something. I had ones that invited questioning as a way to strengthen faith.
I could definitely relate to the way, no matter what you believed then or what you believe now, Catholicism soaks into your mind. Like other philosophies, it guides the way you think about just about everything. I often learn something new, especially theological, and compare it to the way a Catholic would see it. No matter how hard you try, you can't forget the religion you were brought up in. You might not believe it anymore, but you'll remember it.
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