syren96's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book for free as a Goodreads First Read.
I found this book to be challenging, in both the writing style and the content. At first I was really struggling with the disjointed, run-on writing and it took me awhile to find the rhythm of Hal's thoughts. I haven't read any other works by Rudy Wiebe, so I'm not sure if this is a common theme in his writing or not.
Once I got into the story, I did very much enjoy learning more about Gabe and Hal, despite the fact that it was quite heavy. Definitely not a beach-read, but I don't imagine for a second that this was what was intended with this book. What it did achieve is to force me to think about relationships in my own life and reminded me that we can never really know what is happening underneath the surface; even (or maybe especially) with those we love most.
I found this book to be challenging, in both the writing style and the content. At first I was really struggling with the disjointed, run-on writing and it took me awhile to find the rhythm of Hal's thoughts. I haven't read any other works by Rudy Wiebe, so I'm not sure if this is a common theme in his writing or not.
Once I got into the story, I did very much enjoy learning more about Gabe and Hal, despite the fact that it was quite heavy. Definitely not a beach-read, but I don't imagine for a second that this was what was intended with this book. What it did achieve is to force me to think about relationships in my own life and reminded me that we can never really know what is happening underneath the surface; even (or maybe especially) with those we love most.
ellenjoannecampbell's review against another edition
3.0
Rudy Wiebe has magical writing, and the subject matter of suicide is important to address. There are no answers in the book, only more questions.
elise_is_writing's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking. Exquisitely heartbreaking in every way that it should be.
chrissycoole's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book, I expected to love it, but just never got to the point of feeling engaged enough with any of the characters. Torn between being creeped out by thinking of Gabe as a pedophile and having some sympathy for him as a young man with a clearly tortured mind. The writing is beautiful, though I'm not the biggest fan of Wiebe's sometimes disjointed rambling. Still not sure how I feel about it, and so many unanswered questions: what ever happened to A? Did she know? Did Joan?
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