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cindy_f's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting story and characters.
Lucas reflects on his life as a 14 year old teen during the summer of ‘69. As a way of escaping his troubled family life, he explores the woods were he meets a couple of dogs and eventually befriends the dogs’ owner Zoe. She’s had a tragic past and lives as a recluse as she’s somewhat a pariah. This is a coming of age story of compassion and empathy as we explore topics such as depression, suicide ideation, the Vietnam War, drug addiction, and is done so honestly. I like this author’s style and I’ll definitely read more books by her.
Lucas reflects on his life as a 14 year old teen during the summer of ‘69. As a way of escaping his troubled family life, he explores the woods were he meets a couple of dogs and eventually befriends the dogs’ owner Zoe. She’s had a tragic past and lives as a recluse as she’s somewhat a pariah. This is a coming of age story of compassion and empathy as we explore topics such as depression, suicide ideation, the Vietnam War, drug addiction, and is done so honestly. I like this author’s style and I’ll definitely read more books by her.
positivewoman2013's review against another edition
5.0
Very well written! A story letting us see everything happens for our good, even when we don't think so at the time.
cjake177's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
storybookcorner's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
runsforcoffee's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
julieb118's review against another edition
4.0
I "won" this from a Good reads give-away. And, I'm so glad I did.
this is an author I've not read before, but see that she has many other books - which I'll now seek out.
I found this to be a really well-written book. I loved the character development & honesty of each character. I loved the "twist" at the end of who he is telling the story to.
the book managed to tackle some tough issues - addiction, PTSD, divorce, and growing up with sensitivity, but also with honesty, and without being too syrupy.
Well worth reading.
this is an author I've not read before, but see that she has many other books - which I'll now seek out.
I found this to be a really well-written book. I loved the character development & honesty of each character. I loved the "twist" at the end of who he is telling the story to.
the book managed to tackle some tough issues - addiction, PTSD, divorce, and growing up with sensitivity, but also with honesty, and without being too syrupy.
Well worth reading.
christinebeswick's review against another edition
3.0
A tale of friendship and healing, well told without any syrupy sentimentality. I enjoyed it, but sometimes felt that Lucas, the central character, was too good to be true
notinjersey's review against another edition
4.0
Firstly, I want to say that the cover of this book is beautiful! It kind of reminds me of a picture I took this year, but it’s much nicer, obviously! This was a very character driven book about how one person can effect the lives of others. Although Lucas is the main character of the book and it is told by him, the story is really about the other people in his life – Zoe, Connor, and his brother Roy. When Lucas meets Zoe, he finds a way to help her feel better about her life by introducing her to the others and asking her to help them. If you recognize the name of the author, it’s because she wrote Pay It Forward. I haven’t read it, but I definitely loved that movie!
booklover1974's review against another edition
3.0
I was not the fight reader for this book. The writing was good and the characters were well developed but I just couldn't muster the interest in the story. It felt dull and nothing really happened.