Douglas Thiel’s Gritty Coming-of-Age Tale “Forgiveness” Earns High Praise Across the Review Spectrum

Douglas Thiel’s “Forgiveness: Another Philosophy Novel” is a powerful story of one man’s journey from a deeply fractured past toward personal clarity and, possibly, peace.

This semi-autobiographical historical fiction centers on Petie Jones, a young man coming of age in 1960s Kentucky under the weight of generational trauma, wrongful accusations, and institutional betrayal. A brutal misunderstanding at home launches Petie into a cycle of flight, violence, and personal reckoning that spans from the Vietnam War to the Los Angeles Police Department – and deep into the realm of philosophy.

The reviews for “Forgiveness” speak volumes about its impact.

The U.S. Review of Books praises Thiel’s philosophical layering, writing: “Each chapter begins with a primer of sorts… these moments begin to feel almost like a lesson that is then used for the protagonist to reflect on the larger moments of his life… realistic dialogue and responses to trauma make this tale feel painfully true to life.”

San Diego Book Review calls the novel “emotionally searing” and “philosophically rich,” highlighting the tension between Petie’s inner world and the brutality of his external reality. The review concludes: “‘Forgiveness‘ is an often painful, occasionally beautiful, and relentlessly thought-provoking work.”

Seattle Book Review reflects on the emotional intensity, saying: “It’s like being dropped into a philosophical thesis while watching a train wreck… What makes this book so hard-hitting is its refusal to let anyone off the hook—not Petie, not the cops, not even the system itself.”

Tulsa Book Review emphasizes the story’s emotional weight: “Thiel has written a feel-good and touching story about family, love, and understanding,” adding that Petie’s evolution from “defiant teen to hero soldier to exemplary police officer” offers readers an emotionally satisfying arc.

BlueInk Review offers a sobering take: “Forgiveness ultimately succeeds less as polished literary fiction than as a raw philosophical testament… its achievement is not in providing an answer to the problem of forgiveness, but in meticulously mapping the haunting wounds that make such a question necessary.”

From the haunting scenes of Petie’s assault in a jail cell to the visceral chaos of war, “Forgiveness” doesn’t shy away from its themes – violence, free will, justice, and the challenge of spiritual healing. Thiel’s prose remains unsentimental and stark, allowing the philosophical moments to land with greater force.

Through it all, readers are asked the same questions Petie must face: Can we forgive the unforgivable? Can we reclaim agency from trauma?

This novel is an uncompromising, deeply reflective journey that merges philosophical depth with emotional truth. A must-read for those who seek more than just storytelling—those who want to think and feel through the pages.

Get a copy of “Forgiveness: Another Philosophy Novel” by Douglas Thiel on Amazon.

Author Bio
Douglas Thiel is a Vietnam veteran, retired police officer, and longtime philosophy instructor who brings all his life experience to bear in “Forgiveness: Another Philosophy Novel.” With over twenty years of teaching philosophy at the college level, Thiel’s writing challenges readers to engage with the deeper meanings behind suffering, agency, and redemption. His novel is a raw but intelligent testament to the way philosophy meets flesh-and-blood reality.

“Forgiveness: Another Philosophy Novel”
Author: Douglas Thiel
Genre: History
Publisher: Independently Published
Published date: September 17, 2024

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