The godlessness of the books is peculiar to me. And it ruins the ending, I decided today.
It would be impossible to erase the idea of divinity from the human mind. As long as people can look up into the night sky, they’re going to wonder who arranged the stars.
But all mention of God, even in language, is absent. This is intentional, and it’s what makes the end of the trilogy so unsatisfying.
Perhaps you've missed the point of the books. The story isn't about redemption, its about being irrecoverably damaged. Its survival, not triumph. Triumph is possibly an option for the next generation.
What form do you suppose God takes for North Koreans who have known nothing but the Kims from infancy? And that regime has only been in place for 60 years.
I think the stark absence of a practiced religion is a strong statement completely in keeping with the underlying tone and hopelessness of the story. Totalitarian regimes aren't big on competition.