Whit - Iain Banks

[poohcarrot]

Dotsie recommended I read Whit. I've just finished it and thought it was excellent. Well worth a read.

[Dotsie]

It's cracking.

[poohcarrot]

But did Is really have magical healing powers or not?

[Dotsie]

I suppose that's a question of what you believe. I think no. I think that there isn't anyone who wouldn't be spooked by an amazing coincidence, especially if everyone tells you that you have powers. I think that a major theme of the book is that you can make yourself believe anything if you tell yourself enough times that it's true. Same goes for the sisters, and even Salvador. He really believes all the crap he's been peddling.

[poohcarrot]

I thought Salvador only believed the first vision and couldn't recreate it again.

[Dotsie]

I didn't phrase myself properly. I think he knows when he starts talking crap, but all the worshipping leads him to believe that he really is passing on the word of god. When he's forced to admit the truth to himself, he's a broken man. I bet any of these psychos who run their own cults would pass a lie-detector test, as a measure of just how completely they believe their own lies.