erockwell729's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lifeinbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Hoewel het me geen moeite kosten om dit boek uit te lezen en ik het onderwerp, over een man wiens moeder toen hij dertien was der dood werd veroordeeld, ook wel interessant vond, ben ik toch niet erg enthousiast over dit boek. Ik heb de andere boeken van Nicholas Evans ook gelezen, maar het lijkt wel over de schrijver een stuk softer is geworden. Het verhaal vond ik uiteindelijk toch een beetje gekunsteld overkomen.
beckym's review
4.0
Though not nearly as good as his first, and undoubtedly best-selling novel 'The Horse Whisperer', 'The Brave' stands for a good read. The characters are well developed, and the setting was quite marvellous. The 50's Hollywood is described so vividly, and so differently to Hollywood as we now know it, that Nicholas Evans really does transport you there, and beyond into the American Wilderness. With so many different settings, I imagined it to be difficult to follow but this book was quite the contrary. Though I would say that the earlier story line is a little bit predictable, there is a rather unsuspecting twist towards the end of the novel. For me, that is what brought the book back up - after all, who doesn't like a good twist? :)
kellyhager's review
4.0
I loved his novel The Horse Whisperer (and the film version) so I was very excited to get a copy of this in May.
This is told through two separate parts in time. Tommy is a young boy, completely obsessed with Westerns, so imagine his delight when his sister (an aspiring actress in Hollywood) starts dating the star of one. Ray is just as cool as Tommy would’ve expected and things are perfect–until they aren’t anymore, and something really bad happens.
Many years later, the now-grownup Tom lives alone. He’s divorced and barely speaks to his son, Danny (who is a Marine). When Danny’s charged with a crime for something that occurred in Iraq, Tom hopes he can make his way back into his son’s life.
Most of the time when I’m reading a novel that either takes place in different time periods or has different narrators, I tend to prefer one and care more about that particular storyline. With this, though, I was equally excited for both mysteries to play out.
I love the Nicholas Evans novels I’ve read (Horse Whisperer, The Divide and this one) because they’re rich with plot, characterization, scenery, description–everything a book should be, these are. I wish he were more prolific. :)
Recommended.
This is told through two separate parts in time. Tommy is a young boy, completely obsessed with Westerns, so imagine his delight when his sister (an aspiring actress in Hollywood) starts dating the star of one. Ray is just as cool as Tommy would’ve expected and things are perfect–until they aren’t anymore, and something really bad happens.
Many years later, the now-grownup Tom lives alone. He’s divorced and barely speaks to his son, Danny (who is a Marine). When Danny’s charged with a crime for something that occurred in Iraq, Tom hopes he can make his way back into his son’s life.
Most of the time when I’m reading a novel that either takes place in different time periods or has different narrators, I tend to prefer one and care more about that particular storyline. With this, though, I was equally excited for both mysteries to play out.
I love the Nicholas Evans novels I’ve read (Horse Whisperer, The Divide and this one) because they’re rich with plot, characterization, scenery, description–everything a book should be, these are. I wish he were more prolific. :)
Recommended.
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