Scan barcode
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
In 2018, Sean Courtland has truck problems which find him a small Wisconsin town where he is able to find work to keep him there for a bit. From there dominos start falling and many events happen from there. At the same time, woven throughout the book are storylines that happen in 1975, 76, and 77, where young boys go missing and there are no clues to their whereabouts. This one had a large cast of characters, some of whom show up in both timelines, so I took notes to keep everyone straight!
Sean Courtland is our main character and he is a young man who has lived a life already and has maybe been through a thing or two. When he ends up in this small town in Wisconsin, he is able to find a job at the Devereaux home helping him with some construction. Then another encounter with a woman at a bar puts him on the radar of the local PD. And another with Dan Young will change the course of his life.
In 2018, Sean Courtland has truck problems which find him a small Wisconsin town where he is able to find work to keep him there for a bit. From there dominos start falling and many events happen from there. At the same time, woven throughout the book are storylines that happen in 1975, 76, and 77, where young boys go missing and there are no clues to their whereabouts. This one had a large cast of characters, some of whom show up in both timelines, so I took notes to keep everyone straight!
Sean Courtland is our main character and he is a young man who has lived a life already and has maybe been through a thing or two. When he ends up in this small town in Wisconsin, he is able to find a job at the Devereaux home helping him with some construction. Then another encounter with a woman at a bar puts him on the radar of the local PD. And another with Dan Young will change the course of his life.
justacatandabook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Sean Courtland's truck breaks down in a small Wisconsin town, where he meets Dan Young, another wanderer like himself. The two work a carpentry job for "old man" Marion Devereaux, who is the object of many rumors in the town. Sean also falls for Denise Givens, a local waitress with a jealous ex-boyfriend. All of them come together, joined by Detective Corinne Viegas, whose father was on the local force back in the 1970s when three young boys went missing.
This is a slow burn read, filled with details and insights. It's part mystery, part character study. It's often sad and carefully studies loss and grief. I didn't realize it, but DISTANT SONS has characters (especially Sean and Dan) who appeared in previous Johnston books. It seems to stand on its own, but I wish I had more of their backstory.
The format is told mostly in the present, focusing on Sean and Dan, but flips back to the 1970s, around the time the boys disappeared and rocked the small town. Sometimes the story bogs down; the meticulous carpentry descriptions as Dan and Sean work at Marion's for instance. They can be a little much. The central mystery surrounding the boys is also fairly obvious, but perhaps that is the overall point.
I found this to be a different type of read but an interesting and thoughtful one. It's heartfelt and both sad and hopeful. Definitely worth a read.
This is a slow burn read, filled with details and insights. It's part mystery, part character study. It's often sad and carefully studies loss and grief. I didn't realize it, but DISTANT SONS has characters (especially Sean and Dan) who appeared in previous Johnston books. It seems to stand on its own, but I wish I had more of their backstory.
The format is told mostly in the present, focusing on Sean and Dan, but flips back to the 1970s, around the time the boys disappeared and rocked the small town. Sometimes the story bogs down; the meticulous carpentry descriptions as Dan and Sean work at Marion's for instance. They can be a little much. The central mystery surrounding the boys is also fairly obvious, but perhaps that is the overall point.
I found this to be a different type of read but an interesting and thoughtful one. It's heartfelt and both sad and hopeful. Definitely worth a read.
pambo's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Gun violence and Violence