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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A Sudden Light by Garth Stein is book that promises a spooky, somewhat Gothic tale of a house, a family, and a timber fortune. It delivers a multigenerational family saga about a dysfunctional family and the power of relationships to build up and to destroy. The writing and imagery is artistic, but the fourteen year old narrator and the story are less so.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2014/10/a-sudden-light.html
Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through Edelweiss
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2014/10/a-sudden-light.html
Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through Edelweiss
Garth Stein's latest book has a big PNW influence and deals with an old Seattle family that made their fortune in the logging business. But throughout the generations the family dysfunction has grown and young Trevor Riddell is left to try to set everything right. After growing up on the east coast, his father brings him to Seattle and to the Riddell family's "North Estate" and he uncovers their sordid past. Beautiful story of love and loss and I can't wait to sell it when it comes out in September.
Eh... Not my favorite. I forced myself to finish it (never a good sign) and it didn't really pay off. It had the potential for a good story and the writing was decent but it never really grabbed me.
A spectacularly awful book. What makes it extra painful is that the plot is just interesting enough not to DNF.
Trevor, the 14 year old narrator was my favorite part of this book! I loved his story.
Boy oh boy, did I miss out by putting this read off for so long! Honestly, this book has been sitting on my TBR shelf for years, and I have only just got round to it! Now that I have read it, I really wish I'd picked it up sooner. It's the perfect Halloween read - ghosts, mystery, a huge house and family secrets. And, from start to finish, I was totally hooked.
The MC Trevor was likeable enough, but it was the characters he surrounded himself with that I found the most interesting. His jittery, secretive father; manipulative, beautiful aunt; and forgetful but often tender grandfather. I really enjoyed watching the story progress and following these complex characters as I learnt more about their pasts and built up a picture of their agendas. The atmosphere in this book was built up very nicely too, especially when Trevor would go exploring on his own and meet up with some spooky ghosts! Stein put a lot of work in building up the backstory prior to the setting of the book, and it showed!
My two slight upsets with this book stopped it from being a five star read. Firstly, Trevor was likeable but a bit bland. Whatsmore, he really didn't read like a fourteen year old POV. More like a thirty year old guy trying to pretend to be fourteen by shooting hints of teenage angst and puberty related erotic thoughts in there. The general voice was far too mature to be a fourteen year old, no matter how clever. Secondly, the pacing was just a tiny bit too slow. I was hooked by the mystery of it all, but nothing really happened until the very end! It suited me okay, but others will find this a little boring as a result, especially if you're looking to be scared.
The MC Trevor was likeable enough, but it was the characters he surrounded himself with that I found the most interesting. His jittery, secretive father; manipulative, beautiful aunt; and forgetful but often tender grandfather. I really enjoyed watching the story progress and following these complex characters as I learnt more about their pasts and built up a picture of their agendas. The atmosphere in this book was built up very nicely too, especially when Trevor would go exploring on his own and meet up with some spooky ghosts! Stein put a lot of work in building up the backstory prior to the setting of the book, and it showed!
My two slight upsets with this book stopped it from being a five star read. Firstly, Trevor was likeable but a bit bland. Whatsmore, he really didn't read like a fourteen year old POV. More like a thirty year old guy trying to pretend to be fourteen by shooting hints of teenage angst and puberty related erotic thoughts in there. The general voice was far too mature to be a fourteen year old, no matter how clever. Secondly, the pacing was just a tiny bit too slow. I was hooked by the mystery of it all, but nothing really happened until the very end! It suited me okay, but others will find this a little boring as a result, especially if you're looking to be scared.
I purchased this book because it was written by Garth Stein and I absolutely adored The Art of Racing in the Rain. I didn't fully know what to expect when I started it - it was so different than Art, but it was still intriguing. My surprise at how different it was made it hard for me to get into the story, in the beginning. I read a chapter here and there, but never sat down reading for an extended period of time. Then, on a road trip, I started really getting into the thick of it and then I was hooked.
The narrative is so engaging - the same way Enzo is in Art. the way Stein writes is so purposeful and meticulous, it is truly an art form. The characters are so deep and rich, you begin to really feel as if you know these people.
I was shocked by the books ending, but it was perfect, in a way. I am so glad that I chose this book, it was a joy to read and I highly recommend it.
The narrative is so engaging - the same way Enzo is in Art. the way Stein writes is so purposeful and meticulous, it is truly an art form. The characters are so deep and rich, you begin to really feel as if you know these people.
I was shocked by the books ending, but it was perfect, in a way. I am so glad that I chose this book, it was a joy to read and I highly recommend it.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I originally bought this book because I read and loved The Art of Racing in the Rain, Stein's most successful novel. To preface this review - A Sudden Light is not at all like The Art of Racing in the Rain content-wise, but it most certainly is as good. Stein's beautiful writing is never too pretentious, it is always easy to follow, yet beautiful. A Sudden Light brilliantly tells the story of the interaction between humanity and the environment, as well as the role that ancestry and our own family histories have on our lives. A touch of supernatural is thrown in, which is often a put-off, but for Stein, it is well done and adds to the book. The characters feel real, the plot moves quickly and is intriguing, and the questions asked are beautifully done. All in all, I'd recommend this book highly to any fiction reader, particularly those interested in the outdoors or ancestry. Four and a half stars, with the potential for upgrading after I've thought on it a bit.