O Sinners! documents a journalist’s infiltration of the nameless—not a cult, not a religion. A philosophy, maybe.

Following a drawn out conflict with a small-town Texas church, claiming the leader of the nameless, Odo, is the antichrist, Faruq decides he wants to find the truth. Still reeling from the recent death of his father, he disappears into the California redwoods—the Forbidden City, the home of Odo.

Of course, the entire time I was reading, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop; anticipating Faruq’s inevitable demise as the nameless managed to suck him in. I was waiting for the truth, the hidden dark underbelly of what for all intents and purposes is a cult. Who really is Odo?

My first few days reading were slow-going and I wasn’t making a lot of progress. I don’t know what changed but last night it was like something came over me and suddenly I was whipping through it; I looked up and it was one in the morning and I was 90 percent through. I remember thinking, Finally, something is going to happen.

The novel itself, I want to preface, is extremely well-written. However, almost nothing happens in the story. I’m not sure if this was purposeful and intended to make the reader feel the monotony of Faruq’s time with the nameless. That feeling only changes when he starts to feel like he’s going crazy, when inexplicable things happen and no one can give him answers.

At the end of a book, I think it should feel like you’ve just finished a really good meal—you’re sated, satisfied, full. Unfortunately, that’s not the feeling I had. The ending didn’t feel like an ending to me; I went to the next page expecting the story to continue, to get the answers I wanted, and they weren’t there.

All in all, I think the concept is really interesting and the way the story was structured worked well in keeping me invested, but it just fell flat at the end.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for the e-ARC.

I was immediately drawn to this not only because of the title but also because of the beautiful cover. After reading the blurb and seeing that it was a story about cults I was beyond excited to receive a copy thanks to NetGalley. The perspectives from which the story is told are extremely well written and the story itself was very intriguing. It just wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be going into it - which isn’t a bad thing. I appreciated Cuffy’s writing and the twists and turns that kept me invested. I’m beyond excited to read more of the authors work in the future.

I found this very interesting. I kind of wish Faruq would have discovered more about Odo, seeing as he was a journalist but it seems all he did was ask Odo and other about the documentary that was already created. I liked that the book takes you back to Odo and how his life experiences shaped him to this person. I think we should have gone further back to his childhood, at least snippets. And also at least a chapter from Odo's perspective on what he did after the war and his reaction to how other people reacted to him. It seemed like the Vietnam parts were in-depth but not enough from Odo's perspective (of course, his name isn't Odo during that time.) And instead of Faruq getting home sick and then driven away out of the compound, I wish he had a more compelling reason for leaving other than realizing Odo is not really who he says he is. That's the definition of every cult leader. Still a good cult story, especially when Faruq is trying to meditate and the friends he makes at this compound try to help him. And the whole birthing the horses was interesting but kind of demented in that they were relying on a stranger to make sure the foals didn't die? I mean that is the cult. Great writing though. I think every character had a defined personality and I enjoyed reading this!

I really enjoyed reading this book.
It was amazing, addictive, and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Hands down the best read of 2025! This story follows the lives of people who question everything and I’m here for the cult chaos. I related to Faruq so much and wanted him to rise above the story and reflect in on his own life and doing. His character does not disappoint and I hope he is finding his way towards his inner peace and happiness.

The best part of the novel was the documentary script and I can already see this novel turning into a Netflix doc with the humorous priests and lawyers telling their sides of Odo’s story in Texas. Overall, I was impressed by the accuracy and flow of the documentary and how we can also have a look into Odo’s mental journey and PTSD while fighting in Vietnam.

A huge thank you to Nicole Cuffy for writing a brilliant work of art, I’m just glad to be alive and be able to read O Sinners! and truthfully enjoy it.

O Sinners! was an amazing read. I'm so glad I got to experience it. I loved the dual timeline storytelling and how we never quite know which soldier is our later "Odo." I loved the reflections on choice, positive thinking, faith, race, and service to country.

This is an unsettling, fascinating, and revelatory book. Faruq is a journalist who’s felt adrift since his father died, and his next assignment is immersing himself in a cult - wittily named the Nameless - nestled deep in the redwoods of California. The book goes back and forth between Faruq’s investigation of and immersion into the cult, the cult leader Odo’s formative experience in the Vietnam War, and the script of a documentary about the cult’s clash with a Texas fundamentalist church.

This is both a fast paced and meditative book, which is definitely an impressive feat, and I enjoyed it immensely. We follow Faruq as he goes deeper and deeper into the cult, and I appreciated that we really got to see the seductive nature of a group like the Nameless, as well as the ways in which cults require their members to cede their identities, privacy, autonomy, and so much more. The Nameless want Faruq and their followers to release themselves from society’s expectations and mores and be truly themselves, but this book masterfully teases out how that is a form of control and expectations too. Faruq is an incredibly introspective protagonist, and he provides the emotional beats and depth that anchor the narrative.

The documentary portions move fast and give us great insight into the context Faruq arrives into, as well as one of the central characters in the cult. There were times when the Vietnam War timeline dragged, and I don’t think the book totally made the connection between Odo’s time in Vietnam and his decision to start his group. But overall, this book made me think a lot and kept me flipping the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

n O Sinners! there are two men who play the key roles. One is Faruq, a young man raised by an observant Muslim father and, until her death in a car accident, a mother who was less observant. Faruq writes for an online site but he needs a break shortly after his father dies. His grief is overwhelming and his guilt is as well: Faruq's relationship with his father was complex, because Faruq is an atheist, but he never told his father. Faruq's cousin, ever loyal, knew and had his back and has his back at all times. Faruq lived with his father in a New York Brownstone he now inherited. This means they prayed together and observed holidays and religious practices consistently. Faruq believes his father made his mother's life too hard by choosing not to learn about depression/mental health issues and because his father recognized she was not a devout Muslim. He yelled at her for her deficiencies, worsening her depression. So his feelings about his father include pain around not being able to be himself with him, his mother not being able to be herself with him how this caused them tremendous pain.

Odo is the head of a large, nationally known movement called, the Nameless. He is African American and he is a Vietnam Vet, having served in the late 1960s. He and his followers have created a large community among the redwoods. It is a sophisticated town with a variety of small industries. It is common for Odo's followers to be educated and wealthy. Many donate what they have to the Nameless.

Odo experienced a lot in the frontlines in Vietnam. We know about his time in Vietnam through stories of days here and there while he was serving there. But try as I could, I kept failing to figure out which soldier from the close knit group of African American men, each with a nickname and a story to tell was Odo. It was a relief and I thank the author for giving us enough information to eventually figure it out.

Faruq's editor suggests he spend six weeks embedded with the Nameless and put together an article about them. There are contentions as to just what they are: a cult? a religious group or religious cult? a secret and possibly dangerous movement? Faruq, does manage to get an invitation to the Forbidden City and audiences with Odo. Odo does not live lavishly, cars are shared, golf carts are used to get around the property. As to "religion," there are 18 utterances everyone masters that represent a kind of doctrine/creed/philosophy to live by, but they are not explicitly a religion. Faruq uses his in the Forbidden City to interact with members. He takes his morning runs and has some sort of mystical experiences. He stays far longer than intended. This is of serious concerns to the New York Aunties who wish to get him married off to a good Muslim woman.

Before they moved to their the Forbidden City, the Nameless tried to establish themselves in a rural area in Texas near a small town largely made up of people who always knew each other and who largely attended the same church. When a local girl who is 18, i.e., an adult, joined the Nameless and then claimed Odo was the father of her unborn child, the town goes crazy, lawsuits are filed, words that cannot be forgotten are hurled. So, the Nameless leave Texas. But both sides participated in a documentary about the period that these events occurred. We know this because parts of the script are in the novel.

The Nameless has an Instagram page. We know this because some of the photographs are described in the novel. And it helps Faruq understand how the Nameless choose to present themselves to the world.

And so, in this nonlinear novel, we meet Faruq in the present time in New York, trying to set boundaries with his Muslim aunties but continually having them make copies of his new keys so they can do things in his house. He is smart, bilingual, well regarded professionally for a person still near the beginning of his work as a journalist. But, he lacks a sense of self and is therefore not confident.

We meet Bigger, a young man who ends up in Vietnam in 1969 because he ran out of money he wants to finish college. He ends up being accepted by a group of men who mentor him, name him Bigger an look after him. The Vietnam segments of the book beautifully tell the stories of Black men drafted to fight that war, how they interact in both negative and positive ways with the White soldiers, and each section that tells a story of a day or a few days lets us know various the men individually, although the portraits do not run too deep.

As Faruq works in the Forbidden City, he watches -- again -- the documentary, "NERO," to get a feel for his subjects during that time and to understand others' perspectives about the Nameless. He interviews Odo, but not always to his satisfaction, because Odo is also trying to work on or help Faruq. He will only interact with Faruq, as opposed to responding to questions. Faruq must give too. He regularly checks the Instagram page, which shows some of the highlights of day to day life. He traverses through the community where people are uniformly friendly to him, all have work to do and they are doing it. Eventually, he is assigned a rather lovely job himself. But I dare not spoil that.

Faruq is constantly conflicted about the Nameless. sometimes experiencing amazing understanding of himself and how he fits into the world, but always trying and generally succeeding in maintaining his emotional and intellectual distance. Still, this is a coming of age story -- about Faruq and a reflection on Odo's post-Vietnam coming of age that led him into his present role.

I was really moved by this novel and the complexities it raises about people who are not interested in conforming to their culture or live conventional lives, and who have been very thoughtful about this. The language the Nameless members use include lots of inside cult like words and the practices seem cult like. A lot of people give all of their possessions to the community. And yet, Odo seems to see this as communal living with deep principles and always non coercive. I don't think our author, Cuffy tells us the answers. She gives us the questions to ask and then, generally, has an objective but vulnerable journalist ask them.

The writing is lovely. It takes a while to get used to the script for the documentary being offered up in script form intermittently. You don't have to read all the directions. Just find where a person answers a question in a longer paragraph. Then it will not be an issue. The characters we are meant to know are well developed, with lots of interesting extras included to fill out the scenes and give us the information we need. I appreciated the way this book was structured and the way the subject gets addressed from every possible perspective. It is one of those books tat never bored me. I did not want it to end.

This is a well-written look into a “cult” and its creator. I enjoyed the two timelines that included present day, with Faruq visiting the cult and learning about them for an article he’s writing while also learning about himself, and the past timeline which was about the cult leader’s time in the Vietnam War. Though we never quite get some answers, it is still an intriguing storyline. The reason I didn’t give 4 or 5 stars is because I was left feeling like it was all a bit pointless at the end. It did not wrap up well for me, as I needed some connections cleared up and needed to know what happened with Faruq. This wasn’t a mystery or horror really, but there was some disturbing stuff that did seem necessary to the story, so I wasn’t mad about it. Basically, if you enjoy reading or watching things about cults, you will probably like this at least some!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to review.

What to say about "O Sinners!"? First off, Nicole Cuffy can write. Like with "Dances," I was impressed by her strong and unique style—there's something so fluid about how she builds a story. And the premise was very intriguing. A charismatic cult leader, a haunting past, a documentary being made in the aftermath—yes, please. There were entire chapters I couldn't put down.

Maybe it's because I'm a full-blown true crime obsessive, especially when it comes to cult-like behavior. I've always been fascinated by what makes people follow someone so blindly, and sometimes I even find myself wondering if, in the right (or wrong) situation, I could've been one of them. So naturally, I was hooked by Odo and Faruq's story early on.

But then the book started shifting gears… a lot. Different timelines, different perspectives, different formats. Sometimes, it worked, but after a while, I started to dread flipping the page and seeing that it was another script excerpt or a chapter set in Vietnam. It pulled me out of the story more than it pulled me in.

I kept reading mostly because I wanted to see how it ended, not because I was still fully invested. The present-day scenes—especially the ones between Faruq, Odo, and the rest of The Nameless—were easily my favorite. But that only made up about a third of the book, and I found myself wishing the whole thing had stayed there.

So… mixed feelings. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. If you enjoy experimental storytelling and books that play with structure, you might have a very different experience. Cuffy is clearly a powerful writer—this one just didn't totally land for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love the premise, but on paper the plot fell a little flat for me. As I was reading often found myself a bit confused, and some of that was left unresolved even after flipping back a few pages to make sure I had my bearings. I was also disappointed it was less "culty" that I'd expected.

The experimental format I tip my hat to, though. I'm a sucker for IG posts in books.

Thank you bunches to Nicole Cuffy, RHPG, One World and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I was immediately mesmerized by the prose and structure of this book. a unique premise that switches between contexts allowing the reader to make their own connections that the story isn't saying outright.

We join as a modern day journalist goes to northern California to investigate a cult-like group called 'the nameless' led by a Black Vietnam war vet. We switch then to a script of a documentary about a lawsuit between the cult and a fundamentalist Christian group in Texas. We switch again to see a Black man fighting in the Vietnam war and what happens to him psychologically and physically when he witnesses his friends kill and his friends die. Interspersed in these narratives are instagram posts 'documenting' the varied experiences.

Nicole Cuffy is masterful in writing driving prose that keeps you immersed into each of the storylines.

Because of how carefully deep and thoughtful the book was, I found myself wanting more from the ending and can't tell if that was actually the intention of the author because of how many places we are already asked to make our own connections outside of the prose as readers. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away the plot. I think it's important to go into this one without a lot of things spoiled for you.

I really enjoyed this and was refreshed by how different it was, grieved with our characters, and was on the edge of my seat for experiencing a psychological mystery. I'll absolutely recommend this book!

O Sinners is about Faraq Zaidi, a young journalist investigating a cult, following the death of his father. While living with the cult, Faraq crossed the line between journalist and cult member, especially with female in the cult. The book had several subplots and jumped from one to another. The cult leader's experiences as a soldier during the Vietnam War were not clear as the reader has no idea which soldier of several he was. Another subplot resembled a news feed or documentary about a fundamentalist religious group in Texas that had a past conflict with the cult. I did not see the relevance. I struggled to feel connected to Faraq, or any of the chatacters. I found the story to be long with little clarity of where it was going. If you have an interest in cults, especially how new members are groomed or enticed to join, this may be a read for you. Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the ARC of O Sonners.

This story sounded so interesting to me-a guy (Faruq) heads out to live with a sorta-cult called "the nameless" to write an article about them after having seen a documentary about them. Faruq is both pulled in by it all but also skeptical, but is that because he's dealing with a lot of grief and might have come here at the wrong/right time? The story cycles between Faruq's POV, clips from the documentary, and flashbacks to Vietnam during the war.

I was sucked into this story so fast. Cults, creepy coincidences, grief commentary, and the documentary bits really had me. The writing was good, the story seemed like it was going somewhere, and I enjoyed it! But then there was the ending, and the ending just kinda gave nothing. I wouldn't say questions were left unanswered, I would say questions were forgotten. I expected there to be a point, or some kind of finality, to the story, and then there just wasn't. Bummer.

Still recommend, and I do think some readers would like the way it ends. Just not me!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House One World for the e-ARC!

O Sinners!
Nicole Cuffy

Faruq Zaidi is a respected journalist, who has been tasked with infiltrating The Nameless. Faruq and his boss, Anita, aren’t worried about the possibility that this encounter could have a lasting effect on Faruq.

The Nameless is a an eccentric group of people that have an infinity for beauty. They bask in the beauty of the arts, themselves, each other and most importantly Odo, as an extension of Vutu. You see Vutu as their supreme being. Although, the followers of the 18 utterances don’t believe they’re in a cult even though it’s clear as day. Their actions exhibit the basic characteristics of a cult.

Odo provides a pseudo-parental landing pad for those who need it. But, it shouldn’t be ignored that Odo enjoys the attention and greatly benefits from the adoration and loyalty of his followers.

Three storylines are told simultaneously: Faruq’s analysis, Odo’s wartime story, and the recount of a documentary script about The Nameless.

I’ll break down my interpretation for each storyline and then how they connect.

Faruq is still dealing with the grief of his father‘s death. That grief further ignites the pangs that his mother‘s death caused 15 years prior. There is no place that feels completely his own. He’s living in the essence of his parents limitations. His extended family tries to show that they care but often overstep his boundaries. Farooq is both lost and hiding in the pain of those losses. In many ways, being with The Nameless forces him to stop hiding and stop running.

During Odo’s in Vietnam, he lost a lot of friends. Forced to engage in a battle that would not benefit him when he came home. I don’t think it’s far-fetched to understand why or how Odo has the wherewithal to lean into an establishment like The Nameless. Yes, I think it has a lot to do with wanting a safe space for himself after dealing with so much death and horror.

Lastly, the unfortunate events that occurred in Texas shown through the documentary script, provided context. It would appear that Odo
and his followers were merely exercising their free rights. Only attaching themselves to people that wanted to be involved in what they were doing. But the church took issue with their approach.

Nevertheless, I think the real or another underlining perspective is of this cycle in life. There are points when a person is inquisitive about life or has hit a unthreaded path. They seek comfort of like-minded people. Even when those beliefs are challenge by others that are outside of that circle or group of beliefs, they have to push pass whatever is comfortable to really find out what makes sense for themselves or what they may gain from this situation, perspectively.

I thoroughly enjoy this novel. It forces me to think about how I do or don’t process grief. Thank #netgalley and #randomhousepublishinggroup for the ARC.

O Sinners! (and the title means nothing because it only appears once in a song, one of many songs sung throughout the book) is the story, more or less, of a cult that claims (like most cults) to be THE TRUTH. It is told through three recurrent viewpoints - a photojournalist of Arab-American descent, four young Black soldiers serving in Vietnam, and a middle-aged Vietnamese-American filmmaker.
Faruq leaves his home in New York City to investigate a group known as the nameless. He an atheist whose devout Muslim father has just died. His mother died many years before, under strange and tragic circumstances. Faruq travels to the Forbidden City, a nameless community in the woods of Northern California, to meet the group's leader, Odo, and learn enough to write an article about the nameless. He plans to spend six weeks in the Forbidden City.
The soldiers - Preach, Crazy Horse, Silk, and Bigger - are still in their late teens, and unprepared for the experience of war. All are used to poverty and racism, but they have never encountered anything like Vietnam. It took me several chapters to realize that Odo was one of the soldiers (this is NOT a spoiler, because his identity is not revealed until the end of the book) His real name is unimportant.
Minh-An is the creator of "Nero," a documentary about the nameless and their experience in a small Texas town where the pastor of a Christian fundamentalist church decides that Odo is the Anti-Christ. Minh-An identifies herself as a follower of the nameless.
The idea behind O Sinners! is compelling and the book is beautifully written, but it goes on for too long. About half-way through, I felt that I really didn't need to hear any more about Vietnam or the Forbidden City. I got the point of both situations and felt like I was treading water for the rest of the book. The documentary sections were briefer and less repetitive, but I found it a bit frustrating to follow footnotes that listed sound effects ("SILENCE") and musical selections that I could not appreciate unless I stopped reading and looked them up on YouTube. There are also Instagram posts that I chose to ignore.
There are a few loose ends (the character of Zephyr, the origin of Odo's name -I thought it was a Star Trek Deep Space Nine reference!- and who was actually moving stuff around in Faruq's rooms) that bothered me, but I suppose the nameless would see that as proof of my Distortion.
O Sinners! is an interesting book that could have been much better if it were tighter.
I am grateful to NetGalley and One World for the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading O Sinners by Nicole Cuffy. This captivating book is brilliantly written, thought-provoking, and quite fascinating. I read the author’s previous book, and loved it. I was so excited to have the opportunity to read her latest effort. This book totally surpassed my eagerness, and expectation. I continued thinking about the story long after I finished it. A huge thank you to One World, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

The premise of this searing, cult-focused novel is told from three perspectives. Faruq Zaidi, a young journalist who has just recently lost, and had to bury his father, a devout Muslim man. Faruq has never been as dutiful in his own religious practice, so as he grapples with the loss, and grief of his father’s death he becomes swept up in investigating, and then gets fully involved with a cult called the nameless. Base in the California redwoods. This cult is led by Odo, who was once a Black infantryman that served during the Vietnam War, and there is a documentary script that depicts the fight between the nameless and a Texas fundamentalist church. Even though Faruq is skeptical of the nameless cult’s unorthodox beliefs and teachings, he continues to find himself more entangled within the cult, determined to figure out their mystery. But as he does so, Faruq finds himself steadily drawn to Odo’s magnetism, he begins to spiral, fall apart and has to deal with his own issues.

O Sinners is an exhilarating, highly engaging, immersive masterpiece. Nicole Cuffy does an exceptional job of really differentiating between each of the various perspectives and timelines. The story explores religion, family, loss, grief, spirituality, politics, violence, racism, longing and belonging. O Sinners raises the question: What happens when we relinquish control, and truly find our own place in the world? This lyrically, penetrating book is a must read.

3.5 This was fun. I enjoy a good cult book, and this one was no different; its psychological, its spooky, its revelatory. I enjoyed the way the story was told through three interwoven narratives. I feel like the scrip and the insta posts could have been tightened up a little, but otherwise is was a fresh and interesting way to tell the story. I think there were times pacing could have been tightened up and some of the characters and their backdrops could have been more nuanced and polished, but overall I enjoyed. recommend!

This was well written but the plot was ultimately disappointing for me. I was bored and all of the characters were written in such a way that they were extremely hard to understand or like. I was unhappy reading this but I hope you have better luck!

O Sinners! comes out next week on March 18, 2025, and you can purchase HERE.

"I need answers."
"To what? What're you asking?"
"I don't know-nothing new. The same thing everyone asks: Why? What's the meaning?"
"Nah, don't do that-stay inside yourself. What are you asking? What are you trying to get to?"
"The truth, I guess."
"What truth?"
"I don't know, general truth, truth of the world, of my life?"
"And what's the truth gonna do for you? Hold you down?
Anchor you? Give you some promise that makes all the shit worth living through? Make you feel like what you've lost, you haven't lost in vain?" Odo chuckled. "You believe in Nothing, scholar. And I mean that with a capital N. But you ain't comfortable with it. Nah. You trying to fill all that Nothing with truth."

This is a tough book for me to rate. I enjoyed the experience of reading it and was intrigued to see where the story was leading, but ultimately, I was left unsatisfied. I didn't really understand the point of it, and I felt like there were so many loose ends.

There were certain plot points that were given a decent amount of focus (the wolf, the foals, the strange things happening to Faruq's belongings), but never truly explained.

There was a present day storyline and well as flashback storylines, one of which detailed the cult leader's experiences in Vietnam. However, while I expected the Vietnam flashbacks to explain how the cult leader was shaped into who he became, I didn't really feel that they did that (unless it totally went over my head, which is possible).

I don't think this was a bad book; as I said, it kept my interest throughout. I just would have liked some answers to the questions that were brought about through the course of the story, and I would've liked to have felt like there was more of a "point" to the story.

To be fair, though, I seem to do best with understanding things at face value. I suspect there is a lot of underlying meaning on inferences in this book that escaped me, simply because that's not the way my brain works. So I do think many others will love this book and rate it higher than I did. For anyone that is good at understanding implied meanings or reading between the lines, I think it'll be a well-loved read.

Thank you to Random House/OneWorld and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.