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A review by deecreatenola
The Orphans of Race Point by Patry Francis
3.0
The Orphans of Race Point is Hallie's story, especially the story of Hallie and Gus. But it's also Ava's story. And Mila's story. And there are smaller stories amidst the larger ones, like the story of Hallie and her father, Nick, and the loss of her mother. The friendship among Hallie, Gus, and Neil. Gus and church. Mila and Ethan. And numerous side characters: Wolf, Sam, Sandy and Julie, Alvaro, Luna Colmenares. It's a love story and a story about friendships and relationships. And it's a bit of a mystery. And it tells the story of Cape life.
Although Patry wants to tell a very detailed story, there are so many stories here and so many side characters, the heart of the story gets a little lost. I wanted to relate much more to Hallie, but I felt a distance to her throughout the book. Perhaps that was intentional, perhaps not. So many characters and side stories, while interesting, took away from the main story rather than adding to it.
The story is told in third person until we meet the teenaged Mila. I'm not quite sure why she gets to tell her story in first person except maybe because she is the one who figures it all out and ultimately "belongs" to everyone. I almost wish that the story were told from her perspective from the beginning, with flashbacks to help us along the way. The story would have been more immediate and more personal.
It's a good story and a compelling story. It's just strung out too long and over too many other stories. The ending is a surprise yet you somehow know that something has been up. (I have to say that for a long time, I thought Neil was gay and even when he declared his love for Hallie, I couldn't feel it and I continued to think his coming out was something coming in the story, which it never did.)
Although Patry wants to tell a very detailed story, there are so many stories here and so many side characters, the heart of the story gets a little lost. I wanted to relate much more to Hallie, but I felt a distance to her throughout the book. Perhaps that was intentional, perhaps not. So many characters and side stories, while interesting, took away from the main story rather than adding to it.
The story is told in third person until we meet the teenaged Mila. I'm not quite sure why she gets to tell her story in first person except maybe because she is the one who figures it all out and ultimately "belongs" to everyone. I almost wish that the story were told from her perspective from the beginning, with flashbacks to help us along the way. The story would have been more immediate and more personal.
It's a good story and a compelling story. It's just strung out too long and over too many other stories. The ending is a surprise yet you somehow know that something has been up. (I have to say that for a long time, I thought Neil was gay and even when he declared his love for Hallie, I couldn't feel it and I continued to think his coming out was something coming in the story, which it never did.)