Laura McBride (1)

I read this book on a strong recommendation - and it lived up to its hype. I was surprised to learn it is a first book - it seems very accomplished for a debut. It used the technique of chapters rotating between the 4 main characters. At its core it's a story of relationships - a marriage falling apart & the grown son struggling with PTSD, a young immigrant boy trying to figure out how to survive a sudden tragedy, a damaged soldier trying to find meaning in his life on his return home, and a CPS woman trying to make the world better for shattered families and hurt children. The 2 storylines I really enjoyed were the damaged soldier and the lovable young boy - Each of the characters was well developed (except maybe the CPS woman) and had distinctive voices. It's a sad, distressing, almost depressing book, but with moments of care and love that save it. I found many insightful passages; here's a fave:

"But if, sometimes, an unspeakable horror arises from the smallest error, I choose to believe that it's possible for an equally unimaginable grandeur to grow from the tiniest gesture of love. I choose to believe that it works both ways. That great terror is the result of a thousand small but evil choices, and great good is the outcome of another thousand tiny acts of care."

Highly recommended - I think this book would lend itself well for bookclubs.....… (more)