A review by chubby_little_butter_books
One Night in a Thousand Years by Craig Cunningham

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

2.5

“Everything is just like it used to be, except the field. What was once the promise of more time, has been transformed into a reminder that time eventually runs out for all of us.” 

Colt’s senior year gets off to a rough start, broken bones and a pissed principal mean things are going to have to change. When a girl invites him to a mentorship program at the church, he is reluctant to attend. What follows is a year spent with Lucas, a free thinker who encourages the young men in his group to question everything and make up their own minds.  

This book was blurbed as being a new Dead Poets Society, which are big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, I am not sure that Craig Cunningham has quite met the mark, though I imagine the personal experiences he is basing this book on felt like DPS. It is important to say that Cunningham’s writing was lovely, I really enjoyed it when he got going. This story was at its strongest when it slowed down and took the time to exist in a scene, to show rather than tell. However, I feel like we skipped over a lot of important information and details. The large time jumps did not serve the story Cunningham was trying to tell. Given the short run time, it felt like more attention could have been given to the quieter moments of growth these boys were having off page, and how their bond strengthened over time. I felt like I didn’t really know any of the characters, which meant I wasn’t invested in their stories, with some of the background characters feeling interchangeable. Instead, it felt like we rushed between moments of meaning making, moments of ‘male bonding’ or when important speeches took place. Most of us are the sum of all the parts, and it felt like I was getting the highlight reel rather than the full story. It is a shame, as I feel Cunningham certainly has the talent to write the book he wanted to. I would not be put off reading another offering.  

As this was audio, I think it is worth mentioning that James Van Der Beek was doing an excellent job. His voice is calming and engaging, and probably bumped my review up half a star. I would seek out his narration again if given the opportunity.