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A review by universalbookworm
Faithful by Alice Hoffman
4.0
This read was my first ever ARC provided by Net galley and the Publisher for an honest review.
Faithful, follows Shelby Richmond after a horrible tragedy befalls herself and her high-school friend. As a reader, you watch Shelby try to make sense of her life (often unsuccessfully) and get to a "new normal" state of life.
Much like actual life, Shelby's journey is not linear and often double backs on itself. she takes a few steps towards a healthier state of living, and then she falls into an unhealthy rut just as quickly.
To Hoffman's credit, the syntax and pacing of this book is beautiful. When Shelby hits
a rough patch, sentences re disjointed and the pace is slow. It is a genuine way to convey grief, which I found I could relate to.
Unlike most authors, Hoffman kept up this syntax style and reflects the full spectrum of emotions one feels in the wake of a tragedy.
Overall, Hoffman's masterful use of syntax, realistically flawed characters, and an accurate non-linear representation of grief and self-recrimination effectively made me cry, laugh, and stay up way past a reasonable bed time the first night I had the book.
I recommend this novel for anyone who loves animals (there are some touching pieces of Shelby's journey to which animals are crucial), anyone who has ever struggled with grief or self-recrimination, and those who want to believe in guardian angels, though they may be pedestrian.
Faithful, follows Shelby Richmond after a horrible tragedy befalls herself and her high-school friend. As a reader, you watch Shelby try to make sense of her life (often unsuccessfully) and get to a "new normal" state of life.
Much like actual life, Shelby's journey is not linear and often double backs on itself. she takes a few steps towards a healthier state of living, and then she falls into an unhealthy rut just as quickly.
To Hoffman's credit, the syntax and pacing of this book is beautiful. When Shelby hits
a rough patch, sentences re disjointed and the pace is slow. It is a genuine way to convey grief, which I found I could relate to.
Unlike most authors, Hoffman kept up this syntax style and reflects the full spectrum of emotions one feels in the wake of a tragedy.
Overall, Hoffman's masterful use of syntax, realistically flawed characters, and an accurate non-linear representation of grief and self-recrimination effectively made me cry, laugh, and stay up way past a reasonable bed time the first night I had the book.
I recommend this novel for anyone who loves animals (there are some touching pieces of Shelby's journey to which animals are crucial), anyone who has ever struggled with grief or self-recrimination, and those who want to believe in guardian angels, though they may be pedestrian.