This book leaves you for want. You journey quite a distance with some very interesting characters with whom I became a bit attached. It moves slow in great detail. Some in the group found it to be exasperating, I however, thought it brilliant! The details were essential to the ending and worth the time and effort.
A religious quest? I don't think for me that this book causes you to "believe in God" as the beginning suggests. I have a deep faith already and this did nothing to further it.