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A review by cathyatratedreads
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti
3.0
I don't think I expected what this book actually ended up being; it's really an exploration of a very flawed man's heart, of what it can mean to be a hero even if you're a criminal. It's an exploration of the love between that flawed man and his daughter, of family. It's not a literary thriller, in my opinion, as described here. It is very literary, and it would be great for a book club to discuss.
On some levels, I didn’t care too much about Hawley because his life was so much about just carrying out the “jobs” he signed up for, going from crime to crime. But as his life is revealed, chapter by chapter, the love that he shares for just a short time with his wife, and then his fierce protection of his daughter, makes him the hero of the story. A very flawed hero, but one who’s human, who carries off the tale. The relationship he has with his daughter, who by reason of her upbringing is pretty flawed herself, is still moving. They are a team against the world. They are a family unit. And they have more power than they know.
As I pondered the story and took the time to read the Q&A with the author after the book ended, I came to appreciate more Tinti’s mastery of her craft, the symbolism of the 12 bullets survived, the structure of the book. I don’t think I loved the book, but I really appreciated it. 3.5 stars but not 4.
* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/twelve-lives-samuel-hawley-fiction-book-review/
On some levels, I didn’t care too much about Hawley because his life was so much about just carrying out the “jobs” he signed up for, going from crime to crime. But as his life is revealed, chapter by chapter, the love that he shares for just a short time with his wife, and then his fierce protection of his daughter, makes him the hero of the story. A very flawed hero, but one who’s human, who carries off the tale. The relationship he has with his daughter, who by reason of her upbringing is pretty flawed herself, is still moving. They are a team against the world. They are a family unit. And they have more power than they know.
As I pondered the story and took the time to read the Q&A with the author after the book ended, I came to appreciate more Tinti’s mastery of her craft, the symbolism of the 12 bullets survived, the structure of the book. I don’t think I loved the book, but I really appreciated it. 3.5 stars but not 4.
* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/twelve-lives-samuel-hawley-fiction-book-review/