A review by kbranfield
A Good Man by Ani Katz
4.0
A Good Man by Ani Katz is an unsettling novel with ominous overtones.
Thomas Martin takes pride in caring for his wife Miriam and their eleven year old daughter Ava. He is well settled into his career with an advertising agency. Thomas and Miriam own a lovely home and Ava is enrolled in an exclusive school. But all is not perfect in his world. His childhood was dysfunctional and even now, his mom and sisters live an eccentric life. Ava has made a huge error in judgment. Real world tragedies are unfolding all around him. So when Thomas's life takes an unexpected turn, his reaction leads him to make shocking decisions that are irreversible.
On the surface, Thomas's narration of events seems straight forward and honest. His childhood is dysfunctional but he has managed to build a good life for himself. Thomas is deeply in love with Miriam but is their life as idyllic as he presents? His career is on upward swing but his current pitch is stressful. As Thomas's story unfolds, it becomes clear his impressions and memories might not be quite accurate. As Thomas's life begins to spiral, can his narration and recollections be trusted?
A Good Man is a dark yet absolutely mesmerizing character study. Over the course of the story, it does not take long to realize Thomas's perspective of events is a little skewed. With a heavy sense of foreboding, Ani Katz brings this suspenseful and troubling debut to a completely shocking conclusion. A deeply disquieting read that is as riveting as it is disturbing.
Thomas Martin takes pride in caring for his wife Miriam and their eleven year old daughter Ava. He is well settled into his career with an advertising agency. Thomas and Miriam own a lovely home and Ava is enrolled in an exclusive school. But all is not perfect in his world. His childhood was dysfunctional and even now, his mom and sisters live an eccentric life. Ava has made a huge error in judgment. Real world tragedies are unfolding all around him. So when Thomas's life takes an unexpected turn, his reaction leads him to make shocking decisions that are irreversible.
On the surface, Thomas's narration of events seems straight forward and honest. His childhood is dysfunctional but he has managed to build a good life for himself. Thomas is deeply in love with Miriam but is their life as idyllic as he presents? His career is on upward swing but his current pitch is stressful. As Thomas's story unfolds, it becomes clear his impressions and memories might not be quite accurate. As Thomas's life begins to spiral, can his narration and recollections be trusted?
A Good Man is a dark yet absolutely mesmerizing character study. Over the course of the story, it does not take long to realize Thomas's perspective of events is a little skewed. With a heavy sense of foreboding, Ani Katz brings this suspenseful and troubling debut to a completely shocking conclusion. A deeply disquieting read that is as riveting as it is disturbing.