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moonpie's review
5.0
So I guess I'm officially a Hannah Tinti fan! The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley was filled with violence (not my fave) and a dude who's a bad person, overall, and a terrible father if you think about it too much, but we're supposed to feel sympathy for him, and normally that'd be enough to make me check out pretty fast. I couldn't stop reading this one, though.
I loved the novel's structure, wherein Hawley's daughter Loo's story switches off with flashbacks to various notable times in Hawley's life; I thought the characters were interesting even when they were mostly awful; and I wanted to know what happened next in both storylines badly enough that I ended up cheating a little. And to top it all off, Tinti's style is right up my alley. I didn't exactly imagine myself loving this novel when I read the description -- I only picked it up because I thought the cover was pretty and I liked The Good Thief -- but I enjoyed the heck out of it.
I loved the novel's structure, wherein Hawley's daughter Loo's story switches off with flashbacks to various notable times in Hawley's life; I thought the characters were interesting even when they were mostly awful; and I wanted to know what happened next in both storylines badly enough that I ended up cheating a little. And to top it all off, Tinti's style is right up my alley. I didn't exactly imagine myself loving this novel when I read the description -- I only picked it up because I thought the cover was pretty and I liked The Good Thief -- but I enjoyed the heck out of it.
wonderwoman619's review
4.0
Interesting to read, something different and keep me entertained. Enjoyed the back and forth storylines.
lindseyzank's review
4.0
This story gripped me in unexpected ways. I cared about Samuel Hawley, a lawless, selfish, careless man. His lonely, painful journey to navigate life after the death of his beloved wife and birth of his daughter Loo captivated me. He makes all of the mistakes and choices that bad husbands and fathers do and yet I found myself rooting for him because of the fierce love he has for Loo and the memory of Lily. Loo's irreverence yet strong desire to be loved kept the pages turning for me. The novel alternates between telling the past stories of the 12 bullets Hawley has taken in his life and present day Loo's coming of age back in the town where her mother grew up. Even though there were many gun-slinging action scenes, I found the flashback chapters to burn slowly. I felt more invested in the current story and how Loo was making her way in a world and with a birth history she has yet to understand. I've also got to mention how talented of a writer Tinti is, not only for her imaginative blending of shoot em up, lawless action scenes in the likes of No Country for Old Men with a heartful account of a father/daughter relationship that builds to a poignant and redemptive crescendo, but also for her often breathtaking descriptions of people and place. I can see why she has won awards for her writing and I'd definitely read her other novel and short story collection.
bibliobethica's review
3.0
The author took an interesting approach to the storyline going back and forth in time. It was enjoyable, but by the end, I was just reading to finish it. Loo is lovable, but overall the violence was too much and didn't add to the novel. Oh, Samuel got shot again. Eh.
ecs_etera's review
5.0
This book was enchanting. I don't give out five stars easily, and this one deserves every bit of them. It was the perfect book for anyone raised on mythology, who cut her teeth on the stories of Hercules. Like any work of art, you probably don't have to "get" this book to appreciate its beauty, but it helps.
jenniferlyoung's review
4.0
I couldn't put this down. So well done. Bravo to the author for making me like characters who should be very unlikeable.
flajol's review against another edition
4.0
This is a gritty, beautiful, touching and deeply affecting coming-of-age tale, detailing the complex relationship between a career criminal and his tough, devoted daughter.
smderitis's review against another edition
3.0
I still don't know how I feel about this one... the characters were all really well written, and despite all their flaws, very likable. The story seemed slow in places, a lot of background leading up to the height of the plot and then rushed action at the end that ran out of time to fully develop (but that seemed to be the author's intention). Some poignant moments and some emotional tolls here, but still not sure how I would recommend this book as a whole.
adliteracy's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book overall. My life was going through a bit of a tough time when I originally read it (nearly two years ago), and it was great at keeping me distracted from life and engaged in its plot and characters.
SYNOPSIS: A girl and her father travel from place to place, meeting new people and experiencing adventures, before settling into a new town and trying to fit in with their new community. Meanwhile, the reader is shown glimpses of her father's past, juxtaposed with his daughter's current coming-of-age, culminating in the convergence of old secrets with new hopes.
REVIEW: This story is an easy read that starts out slow but becomes somewhat more thrilling as it goes along. It was a good book for me to read during my winding-down from a long day; it's not overly emotional or violent but still compelling and interesting.
SYNOPSIS: A girl and her father travel from place to place, meeting new people and experiencing adventures, before settling into a new town and trying to fit in with their new community. Meanwhile, the reader is shown glimpses of her father's past, juxtaposed with his daughter's current coming-of-age, culminating in the convergence of old secrets with new hopes.
REVIEW: This story is an easy read that starts out slow but becomes somewhat more thrilling as it goes along. It was a good book for me to read during my winding-down from a long day; it's not overly emotional or violent but still compelling and interesting.