This is the third novel of Lawson's I've read, and the best so far. I don’t know that any writer has made me loath a child into a man before, quite like Lawson made me loath Jake.

The story is set in a very rural farming community, told in two times, and the brothers Arthur and Jake run through both. The doctors son Ian tells the later part of their story, and his own, but they are intercut. Beautifully managed. ( )

A sweet page-turner. Fun to read, a tiny bit thought-provoking, but reading this book was play, not work. ( )

Funny but sad story. Mary Lawson is wonderful story teller keeps you delighted with the story to the very end. About Ian coming of age in deciding what career to take and his infatuation with Laura the wife of Arthur. The main story revolves around Arthur and Jake and how they grew. ( )

Two brothers in conflict: Arthur and Jake Dunn. Arthur, the elder, is loyal and reliable, but slow witted, clumsy, a bear of a man. He was a failure in school and not allowed to enlist in WWII due to his flat feet.

His younger brother Jake is smaller, agile, much brighter, and his mother’s favorite. Jake shirked farm work and with his twisted character he loved to antagonize and humiliate his slower brother. He enjoyed creating situations where his brother was forced to save him.

And then one day, Jake and Arthur needed to take some cows across a bridge, but the cows were reluctant. Arthur was slowly coaxing the cows across, but Jake decided to cross underneath the bridge hand over hand. When it was obvious he couldn’t do it, he cried out to Arthur that he would fall. Arthur in disgust said “Good!”. Jake fell, broke his back and sustained other serious injuries.

After months in the hospital, Jake was released. He saw his brother wordlessly loving a girl named Laura. Jake made Laura love him, impregnated and abandoned her.

It’s also the story of fourteen years later with a high school boy named Ian, the son of the town doctor, hopelessly crushing on the much older Laura now married to Arthur.

Altogether, it’s a story of destinies and of life throwing curve balls and changing plans and dreams. I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I would read more from this author. ( )

Not a book that I couldn't wait to finish; picked up and read a section, set aside until I had time to read again. Strange, it wasn't exciting or 'unputdownable', the writing was beautiful and uncomplicated, story was interesting, the ending was satisfying. I loved it...will definitely read more by Mary Lawson. Recommend.... .. ( )