Despair

The worst thing about this novel is the whole rehashing of the Jews awaiting the Messiah to come. But the way Chabon writes about it--especially from a suicidal homicide detective's POV--is very witty. The fact Chabon places emphasis on religion as a panacea to all the despair and hopelessness should have been a dead giveaway that the Messiah won't come no matter how many red heifers are sacrificed. Just as Meyer will never find absolution no matter if he does solve his sister and Mendel's deaths. So in a way, Chabon manages to give religous despair a timeless depiction while renewing it.