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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I read this for book club and it was the story behind Hawley's 12 bullet wounds and how he raises his teenage daughter. I read an NPR article that explained it is about atonement and was inspired by the myth of Hercules. There is a mystery about his wife's drowning. I thought the writing was good and I wish I knew more about Hercules because the story would have had more meaning for me. I gave it four stars instead of five because it was a little gory and sad reading about the gunshot wounds. Good book for book club discussions though.
Sam and his daughter Loo (short for Louise) have spent their lives living in temporary locations and moving often. They finally settle in Massachusetts where Loo's family is from. Alternating chapters between present day in Loo's voice and the past in Sam's voice tell the reason behind their many moves and what happened to Loo's mother.
I saw this book recommended in a magazine that I was reading recently. The premise intrigued me, that of a man with multiple bullet scars on his body, which each held an individual story, trying to raise his daughter as a single parent. I think that the dust jacket for this book, with 12 different holes that show through to the book underneath, was creative. I also liked the contents page layout with chapters listed in one column and each bullet hole chapter alternately listed in another. I really liked that the bullet hole chapters gave the backstory on Samuel's life which the consequences of had an effect on his present life. I really liked that the final bullet chapter was not told from the past, but took place in the present.
I wish I could have connected with the story more. Both main characters were amoral, which is very different from my own life. I found my brain not being able to push aside standards and right and wrong in order to connect with them. The story also included plenty of violence and rough language. Interesting story, and I'm sure a great book for discussion. In fact I found myself thinking about it long after I had finished. It just wasn't one of my favorites.
2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge: #16 A book that's published in 2017
I wish I could have connected with the story more. Both main characters were amoral, which is very different from my own life. I found my brain not being able to push aside standards and right and wrong in order to connect with them. The story also included plenty of violence and rough language. Interesting story, and I'm sure a great book for discussion. In fact I found myself thinking about it long after I had finished. It just wasn't one of my favorites.
2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge: #16 A book that's published in 2017
Took me quite awhile to get through this one - the writing was good, but I didn't care for/about the characters.
It is rare when I read a book and it all comes together perfectly. Sometimes the story is fantastic, but the writing isn't, or vice versa. However, occasionally there are books where it all works: the story, the prose, the framework, the characters, etc. When this happens, it feels like magic. The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley has made my short list of books that are what I consider to be magic books. It's a book that if I was an author, I would aspire to write.
Part coming-of-age story, part Tarantino saga. Guns, crime, and an unforgettable father-daughter relationship.
Part coming-of-age story, part Tarantino saga. Guns, crime, and an unforgettable father-daughter relationship.
I started the book annoyed with the predictability of the Herculean tales of each of the bullet scars... but after about #5, I liked the characters enough to find this an entertaining tale, rooted in Samuel's love for his wife and daughter.
Fun read. Wasn’t necessarily gripping but I enjoyed the storyline.
Samuel Hawley is a mysterious man. His daughter, Loo tries to uncover this hidden life of her father. As she pieces together bits and pieces of their lives, we learn about Hawley's past by looking at the scars on his body, scars caused by the bullets that pierced him. I liked how Hawley's story is revealed as Loo grows up. You'd think that she will become just like her father, but the ending reveals that sometimes you, the reader, can be very wrong.
Although it is clearly said that Samuel Hawley was shot, you are still kept in a tense state because you don't know how he got shot. Every new bullet is a surprise, both because it lets you learn more about him, but also because you most certainly don't see it coming.
My favourite parts were those where Lily, his wife was present. She is a well-constructed character, and she seems to be the one holding Hawley in one piece. Loo, too, is a good character, and though she is a developing one, you can tell she has complexity and can be a stand-alone protagonist. She is my favourite character, with her quirks and shortcomings, her attempts to get by and add another day to her life. My least favourite character is Marshall. He is not good enough for Loo.
I read in the interview with the author, interview you can read at the end of the book, that the structure of the book was well thought - each Bullet Part had the same recurring elements: the bullet, the woman, the watch to point to love, time, death. I didn't think of this as I was reading the book, but you sense the tension created by these three elements. I find this very smart and so very good!
I strongly recommend this book to those who like suspense, but without the detective and police drama, mystery and alternating perspectives, as the book shifts from present to past to tell the story of each bullet. With each new bullet story you can't help but wonder where the new bullet will take you, since each shooting took place in a different part of the country. It was a good read, indeed! I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a free e-book copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
Although it is clearly said that Samuel Hawley was shot, you are still kept in a tense state because you don't know how he got shot. Every new bullet is a surprise, both because it lets you learn more about him, but also because you most certainly don't see it coming.
My favourite parts were those where Lily, his wife was present. She is a well-constructed character, and she seems to be the one holding Hawley in one piece. Loo, too, is a good character, and though she is a developing one, you can tell she has complexity and can be a stand-alone protagonist. She is my favourite character, with her quirks and shortcomings, her attempts to get by and add another day to her life. My least favourite character is Marshall. He is not good enough for Loo.
I read in the interview with the author, interview you can read at the end of the book, that the structure of the book was well thought - each Bullet Part had the same recurring elements: the bullet, the woman, the watch to point to love, time, death. I didn't think of this as I was reading the book, but you sense the tension created by these three elements. I find this very smart and so very good!
I strongly recommend this book to those who like suspense, but without the detective and police drama, mystery and alternating perspectives, as the book shifts from present to past to tell the story of each bullet. With each new bullet story you can't help but wonder where the new bullet will take you, since each shooting took place in a different part of the country. It was a good read, indeed! I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a free e-book copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
Samuel Hawley has been shot twelve times; his skin bears the scars of each wound and they serve to remind him of his mistakes, his regrets. He does not, however, regret the circumstances that provided him with his daughter, Loo, who has been in his care since childhood; the two of them make a great team. Loo would love to know more of her past, of her father's story, and that's where things get interesting, emotionally raw, and breathtaking.
For the first quarter of the novel, I questioned whether I'd be able to stick with The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley; it seemed to drag a little bit and I wasn't sure if it would be worth the time/pages. Trust me when I say that it is! The reward is the beauty found in this novel's second half.
After a shaky start, I ended up awarding five stars to The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley (it may end up one of my favorites for the year), which was completely unexpected. With an emotionally moving and magnificent story, I will definitely recommend it to many others!
Find more of my book-related musings at Running 'n' Reading.
Their hearts were all cycling through the same madness - the discovery, the bliss, the loss, the despair - like planets taking turns in orbit around the sun. Each containing their own unique gravity. Their own force of attraction. Drawing near and holding fast to whatever entered their own atmosphere.
For the first quarter of the novel, I questioned whether I'd be able to stick with The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley; it seemed to drag a little bit and I wasn't sure if it would be worth the time/pages. Trust me when I say that it is! The reward is the beauty found in this novel's second half.
After a shaky start, I ended up awarding five stars to The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley (it may end up one of my favorites for the year), which was completely unexpected. With an emotionally moving and magnificent story, I will definitely recommend it to many others!
Find more of my book-related musings at Running 'n' Reading.