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jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
The Prodigal by Michael Hurley
I wanted to read this book because it's the story of a boat from very long ago and the front cover looks fabulous. The story line I knew it would keep my interest.
Story starts out with a lawyer Aidan Sharpe and he's a lawyer but on the outer banks island for a few days. Just drifting around drinking and with his law buddies.
Upon returning to the mainland and work they discover they are to be in court for a major trial but things don't quite go as planned and we find Aidan back on the island indefinitely. He is able to live with Father Marcus and work around the island doing odd jobs. He and others land a job doing carpentry work at the boatyard til
a fight breaks out and they get banned. Lots of love scenes and the lure of the island life is abundant.
Loved the boat racing and all the nautical terms as I live close by to Narragansett Bay and am very familiar with the America's cup and Newport to Bermuda races. Lots of action and adventure-the kind I'd expect off the shores of the outer banks.
Felt at peace while reading this story and you wonder if they do find their paradise...Loved knowing that the work the author has done is put into his novel-it's all firsthand knowledge. Loved hearing all about the technical side and what comes into play to make it all work.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I wanted to read this book because it's the story of a boat from very long ago and the front cover looks fabulous. The story line I knew it would keep my interest.
Story starts out with a lawyer Aidan Sharpe and he's a lawyer but on the outer banks island for a few days. Just drifting around drinking and with his law buddies.
Upon returning to the mainland and work they discover they are to be in court for a major trial but things don't quite go as planned and we find Aidan back on the island indefinitely. He is able to live with Father Marcus and work around the island doing odd jobs. He and others land a job doing carpentry work at the boatyard til
a fight breaks out and they get banned. Lots of love scenes and the lure of the island life is abundant.
Loved the boat racing and all the nautical terms as I live close by to Narragansett Bay and am very familiar with the America's cup and Newport to Bermuda races. Lots of action and adventure-the kind I'd expect off the shores of the outer banks.
Felt at peace while reading this story and you wonder if they do find their paradise...Loved knowing that the work the author has done is put into his novel-it's all firsthand knowledge. Loved hearing all about the technical side and what comes into play to make it all work.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
ajreader's review against another edition
4.0
Read my full thoughts over on Read.Write.Repeat.
I really enjoyed The Prodigal. It is not a book that you sit down and read all at once. You must take it chapter by chapter and truly digest its intricacies and the paths of the characters. It's a book for people who like people, not people who like explosions.
I really enjoyed The Prodigal. It is not a book that you sit down and read all at once. You must take it chapter by chapter and truly digest its intricacies and the paths of the characters. It's a book for people who like people, not people who like explosions.
readhikerepeat's review against another edition
5.0
What do an alcoholic priest, a towboat operator, a disgraced lawyer, and a mysterious woman have in common? In The Prodigal by Michael Hurley, the answer is Ocracoke Island. Telling the story of four people trying to come to terms with their inner demons, The Prodigal offers a stunning portrait of human vulnerabilities.
This book is two really two stories in one, though they blend together seamlessly and come full-circle in the end. The first is about redemption and overcoming past mistakes, for each of the main characters is battling their own demons and mistakes. The second is of a more mythical nature, which centers around Sarah and an ancient ship that the characters stumble upon. It is their quest to find the origins of the boat that sends them down a path of danger, which draws the attention of both a powerful businessman and the Vatican.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
This book is two really two stories in one, though they blend together seamlessly and come full-circle in the end. The first is about redemption and overcoming past mistakes, for each of the main characters is battling their own demons and mistakes. The second is of a more mythical nature, which centers around Sarah and an ancient ship that the characters stumble upon. It is their quest to find the origins of the boat that sends them down a path of danger, which draws the attention of both a powerful businessman and the Vatican.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
crofly's review against another edition
3.0
Takes a while to get going. The story picks up 100 pages in after the protagonist's life takes an unexpected turn. Aidan must pick up the pieces of his life and start over after an error in judgement. The latter part of the book sets up a boat race with a climactic ending. The plot is a bit uneven and the writing is inconsistent. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book overall. It's worth struggling through the first third of the book to get to the satisfying later chapters.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
After a well-intentioned deception on a case is revealed, hot-shot lawyer Aiden Sharpe finds himself suddenly without a job. A helpful friend sends him to Father Marcus on Ocracoke Island, a man known for helping lost souls in more ways than one. Island life is much simpler for Aiden and here he begins to put the pieces of his world back together. Soon, however, Aiden and his friends become part of a mystery that's generations in the making.
Hurley's book is packed with interesting characters - from Aiden and Marcus to Ibrahim and Zoot and of course, Sarah. And we get to spend quite a bit of time with each of them, learning their histories and their quirks, before really getting into the meat of the story. I guess, though, that the characters could really be considered the "meat" of this particular story. The promised mystery doesn't so much come into play until about 2/3 of the way through the book, which I initially found a bit confusing. After all, we begin with a prologue from 1851 and then jump directly into Aiden's story spending the next two hundred pages (give or take) wondering when they'll come back into play and how they relate to the rest of the book.
They do say patience is a virtue and THE PRODIGAL is a book where patience pays off.
All of that said, I would be doing the book a disservice if I led you to believe that any part of it is without merit or in any way something other than a joy to read. Because it is - a joy to read. Getting to know Aiden and the islanders, learning some of the ins and outs of island life and boating, all of it is incredibly descriptive and well written. Really, it's a wonderful character driven literary read that would stack up against the best of book club choices.
Hurley's book is packed with interesting characters - from Aiden and Marcus to Ibrahim and Zoot and of course, Sarah. And we get to spend quite a bit of time with each of them, learning their histories and their quirks, before really getting into the meat of the story. I guess, though, that the characters could really be considered the "meat" of this particular story. The promised mystery doesn't so much come into play until about 2/3 of the way through the book, which I initially found a bit confusing. After all, we begin with a prologue from 1851 and then jump directly into Aiden's story spending the next two hundred pages (give or take) wondering when they'll come back into play and how they relate to the rest of the book.
They do say patience is a virtue and THE PRODIGAL is a book where patience pays off.
All of that said, I would be doing the book a disservice if I led you to believe that any part of it is without merit or in any way something other than a joy to read. Because it is - a joy to read. Getting to know Aiden and the islanders, learning some of the ins and outs of island life and boating, all of it is incredibly descriptive and well written. Really, it's a wonderful character driven literary read that would stack up against the best of book club choices.
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