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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Couldn’t put this book down!
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I have so much to say about this story but I don’t want to say too much. It's a complex story, about people who have suffered loss but also recovery and healing. It's about family and becoming family, though not traditional. It's about bringing up teenagers, dealing with moods and hormones. It's about the feeling of being grounded.
Even though there are many characters and different branches of the story, it is very cohesive and easy to follow. All the characters are well-developed. All of them are connected. A couple of them need an attitude adjustment. But, in reality, they are all the kind of people that make up a cross-section of life.
There is a fair bit written about the Vietnam War. It is interesting but could be a trigger to some.
One of the main settings in the book is a clock repair shop. Time moves forward, for everyone. I enjoyed reading about the clock and watch repair. We now live in a throwaway society but in this shop everything is fixable. Nothing is worthless.
I love that the story zones in on friends, family and community. They create the global village we live in.
The ending was a surprise but very appropriate. I was happy with it.
The only negative I have is about two young boys who were extreme bullies. I would have liked to see what became of them. It was a piece of the story that needed a bit more resolution.
An excellent read!
Happy release day @alysonrichman 🫶🏻
And thank you @getredprbooks @unionsqandco for the gifted ARC & @recordedbooks for the the ALC!
This was a beautifully written story. Heavily focused on the Vietnam war during several time periods, across many different characters. Some factual information weaved into a fictional story about grief, love, loss, new friends, new homes, after effects of war, PTSD, etc.
I adored so many characters. My heart literally broke seeing the journey and heartache many of them faced. The perseverance they had and the open arms extended to them made my heart in turn so happy.
The audio drew me into the time period and characters personalities. I felt immersed in their grief and trials right along with them. A fantastic historical fiction read and one I feel like I learned so much from.
And thank you @getredprbooks @unionsqandco for the gifted ARC & @recordedbooks for the the ALC!
This was a beautifully written story. Heavily focused on the Vietnam war during several time periods, across many different characters. Some factual information weaved into a fictional story about grief, love, loss, new friends, new homes, after effects of war, PTSD, etc.
I adored so many characters. My heart literally broke seeing the journey and heartache many of them faced. The perseverance they had and the open arms extended to them made my heart in turn so happy.
The audio drew me into the time period and characters personalities. I felt immersed in their grief and trials right along with them. A fantastic historical fiction read and one I feel like I learned so much from.
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
A beautifully done and heartfelt story set during Vietnam and after. It shows the effects of war, through disfigured Jack who fought, and through Bao and his Aunt Anh who escaped from Vietnam with tragedy following them. Grace is a central character that is a help to both of the pre-mentioned parties.
I read this book in a day and grew to love these lovely characters and the joy they brought to my heart. The shop where Tom repaired watches seems to be a theme throughout that gives these characters solace and mends their broken hearts.
I read this book in a day and grew to love these lovely characters and the joy they brought to my heart. The shop where Tom repaired watches seems to be a theme throughout that gives these characters solace and mends their broken hearts.
This is a beautiful story of life and love and loss. The writing immediately drew me in, captured my attention, and made me want to read more books by Alyson Richman. Grace, Anh, and Jack have lived very different lives but they have all experienced loss and are now living as outsiders in a small town. A small boy dealing with his own loss, Bao, causes their lives to collide and change. It is at the Golden Hours, a watch and repair shop, that healing begins for Jack and Bao. Time moves forward and so do their lives but how they have changed. I can’t begin to describe how much I loved this book! It grabbed ahold of my heart and wouldn’t let go. If you like books about life and all that it entails I highly recommend this book!
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Richly drawn and beautifully structured, this novel of the aftermath of the Vietnam War is based on a true event. This story of a young mother, a loving aunt, a lost boy and a lost man is full of heartache and hope. I really enjoyed the peek into this time in history and the effective pacing through multiple POVs.
Thank you to Get Red Publishing and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.
Thank you to Get Red Publishing and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.
