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novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
"The horror of losing a child is somehow made worse when the case goes unsolved for nearly a decade, reports Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Jacquelyn Mitchard in this searing first novel. In it, 3-year-old Ben Cappadora is kidnapped from a hotel lobby where his mother is checking into her 15th high school reunion. His disappearance tears the family apart and invokes separate experiences of anguish, denial, and self-blame. Marital problems and delinquency in Ben's older brother (in charge of him the day of his kidnapping) ensue. Mitchard depicts the family's friction and torment--along with many gritty realities of family life--with the candor of a journalist and compassion of someone who has seemingly been there." (From Amazon)
This novel grabs you from the first page and has a great balance of suspense and what is happening with the family. Usually, when I read about kidnapping it is a suspense mystery novel and how the child will be found. This book focuses more on the emotional impact of a kidnapping on a family. I would highly recommend this novel. The movie is a watered down version of the novel but I still enjoyed it.
"The horror of losing a child is somehow made worse when the case goes unsolved for nearly a decade, reports Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Jacquelyn Mitchard in this searing first novel. In it, 3-year-old Ben Cappadora is kidnapped from a hotel lobby where his mother is checking into her 15th high school reunion. His disappearance tears the family apart and invokes separate experiences of anguish, denial, and self-blame. Marital problems and delinquency in Ben's older brother (in charge of him the day of his kidnapping) ensue. Mitchard depicts the family's friction and torment--along with many gritty realities of family life--with the candor of a journalist and compassion of someone who has seemingly been there." (From Amazon)
This novel grabs you from the first page and has a great balance of suspense and what is happening with the family. Usually, when I read about kidnapping it is a suspense mystery novel and how the child will be found. This book focuses more on the emotional impact of a kidnapping on a family. I would highly recommend this novel. The movie is a watered down version of the novel but I still enjoyed it.
byashleylamar's review against another edition
3.0
When I first picked this book up I thought it would be interesting although the plot line seemed pretty depressing. Essentially, a three-year old boy is kidnapped while his mother's back is turned in a hotel lobby. His older brother was supposed to be watching him but he wasn't paying attention and the little boy disappears.
I didn't love it but I did like it. There were times it was difficult to read and there were parts I didn't enjoy but overall it was good. Even if you don't think you can...finish it. It's worth reading.
I didn't love it but I did like it. There were times it was difficult to read and there were parts I didn't enjoy but overall it was good. Even if you don't think you can...finish it. It's worth reading.
jolleybethany's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ironspinesally's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
darla78's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I absolutely hated the protagonist throughout the entire book. While, I admit, the middle of the book had some hook, the rest of the story was painfully slow (made worse by an unfortunate incapacity to feel empathy for a character who basically lays down to die for the majority of the book). The ending is a fizzle; not redeeming enough to make up for the struggle to get to it.
mrsjkamp's review against another edition
3.0
Not thrilled with this one because it was extremely depressing. So many bad things happened in this family. The mom melted, the dad got sick, the oldest son goes haywire, the younger son goes missing for 9 years, and a daughter shows up. It's wishy-washy at the end with the kid, and that was supposed to be the conclusion. I don't know.. it was just very stressful. I am glad the child was alive, but it all happened by sheer coincidence. That made me feel weird about it because they had police looking. The lady who took him was known by the family, but she became way too ill to take care of even herself. The child had become very attached to his "father" though and feels torn between the two families. The whole thing was tremendously stressful and sad.
alexblackreads's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, just kind of boring and forgettable. If it had been just entertainment, I would have been okay with that, but it felt like it was trying so hard to have more substance than it did. All the characters were pretty unlikable (annoying more so than interesting), and I wasn't invested in anything. I like a good slow build family drama, but this didn't do a whole lot for me.
I think I had a lot of similar issues with this that I often have with Jodi Picoult, so I think if you enjoy a lot of Jodi Picoult's works, you may like this. Otherwise I'd maybe recommend giving it a pass.
I think I had a lot of similar issues with this that I often have with Jodi Picoult, so I think if you enjoy a lot of Jodi Picoult's works, you may like this. Otherwise I'd maybe recommend giving it a pass.
superleeni's review against another edition
3.0
The story of the kidnapping of Ben Cappadora being kidnapped is gripping and moving, but at times there is too much introspection from his mother, Beth. I found the way the older brother reacted to his brother's kidnapping interesting, and I would have liked that to be explored some more.
*spoilers*
I found the ending to be a little too convenient, that Ben came to the door years later asking if they wanted their lawns mowed. I was glad that he was found alive, but I think that there could have been better ways to end the book.
*spoilers*
I found the ending to be a little too convenient, that Ben came to the door years later asking if they wanted their lawns mowed. I was glad that he was found alive, but I think that there could have been better ways to end the book.