kabernathy13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
lazygal's review against another edition
4.0
Who are the Orphans of Race Point? Well, the original orphan is Gus, who isn't quite an orphan (his mother's dead, his father in jail for that murder). Hallie, daughter of the town doctor, goes Gus' aunt's house in an attempt to bring him out of his shocked silence. Eventually, he does and he, Hallie and Neil become a tight triumvirate until the boys blood swear their friendship. Later, Gus and Hallie reconcile and three once again are partners, until high school graduation when the unthinkable happens.
It's the aftermath of that night that forms the basis of the rest of this book, playing with the themes of love, forgiveness, hate, revenge, faith and disbelief. New characters join the plot, and the events leading to Gus' "orphanhood" repeat themselves, this time with very different results. Gus - now a priest, albeit one too trusting and naive - is framed for a death, which is when some of my credulity was strained. With no body, where was the absolute proof of his guilt? Given his popularity, wouldn't someone have tried to free him far earlier?
The last third is one of redemption and resolution, although the ending will probably disappoint readers looking for a more conventional resolution. For me, it was equal parts disappointment and relief that the characters stayed true to themselves.
ARC provided by publisher.
It's the aftermath of that night that forms the basis of the rest of this book, playing with the themes of love, forgiveness, hate, revenge, faith and disbelief. New characters join the plot, and the events leading to Gus' "orphanhood" repeat themselves, this time with very different results. Gus - now a priest, albeit one too trusting and naive - is framed for a death, which is when some of my credulity was strained. With no body, where was the absolute proof of his guilt? Given his popularity, wouldn't someone have tried to free him far earlier?
The last third is one of redemption and resolution, although the ending will probably disappoint readers looking for a more conventional resolution. For me, it was equal parts disappointment and relief that the characters stayed true to themselves.
ARC provided by publisher.
boleary30's review against another edition
4.0
I have never read a multigenerational book, where it takes you through people's life from 9 years old to adulthood. For the most part I enjoyed it, the characters were well written, the pacing was good, some of the twists were enjoyable, some were not. But overall I would recommend the book.
bgg616's review against another edition
2.0
Yuck. Not only did the narrator drive me up a wall (happy, chirpy voice for dialogue) but the writing did. Instead of developing a coherent storyline that keeps the reader in suspense, the author inexplicably skips 12 years, 10 years, whatever so she doesn't have to explain characters' motivations etc. Lazy story development and a very improbable plot. Yuck.
shailydc's review against another edition
2.0
I don't know how to feel about this book. At times it was great, other times it was dragging. It was like many different novels all brought into one. Overall, I just don't know.
staceynerdin's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of those bait-and-switch books for me. It started out so strong. Engaging characters, interesting setting and decent story line. But with the time jump (when it switches to Gus' story), the floor just fell out from under it. The pace slowed to a terrible crawl. The characters - especially Gus - were unbelievable, and I even laughed out loud at some of his amazingly stupid and unrealistic actions. I quit reading it. I just quit. So I guess I'm going to miss all the twists and surprises in the plot that other reviewers have mentioned. But I'm also going to save myself about 300 more pages of reading and a lot of aggravation.
jcansdale's review against another edition
3.0
Great story, but too many places where it felt contrived.
leslee_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book by Patry Francis (who I've known for years through her blog). Though I meant to read it much sooner, the timing was perfect as I spent a few days last month in Provincetown, where much of the story is set. It's well-plotted and I loved these characters, including the minor characters who are part of the town's non-tourist backbone, richly described.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm, there were some really good things about this book. I loved the concept of these broken, orphaned people coming together to make a family. I loved the message about forgiveness. But the resolution of all the problems in the story was, on one hand, too coincidental, and on the other, completely unsatisfying. I was left feeling like I wanted Francis to re-write the last third of the book. 3.5 stars.
astauff's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. I got bored with it by the end. Characters were likable, but I felt like the book should have ended 100 pages sooner. Also the twist was too predictable. Writing was good though. Worth a read, I just prefer a faster paced novel.