Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger – 307 pages
Book Blurb:
New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were at the ready at Halderson’s Drug Store soda counter, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a summer in which death assumed many forms. When tragedy unexpectedly comes to call on his family, which includes his Methodist minister father, his passionate, artistic mother, Juilliard-bound older sister, and wise-beyond-his years kid brother, Frank finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal.
My Review: 4.5 stars
I’m convinced no other author could tell this same story that spans one summer, nearly as well as this author did. Krueger works magic with the written word and ignites tastes, smells and vivid scenery of small town America. This book is a coming of age story about Frank Drum who tells the story in first person as he recalls it from memory decades later. Often when a narrator tells a story from his past, the reader has to decide if he or she should trust the way the memories are being recalled. In this book, the reader will absolutely consider the first person narration to be reliable and accurate.
There is a lot of despair, death and deceit thrown at Frank and his family during this one summer. Faith is tested and retested. Frank goes from boy to man as he untangles the truth from a bed of mystery, secrets and lies.
A few Good Book Fairy followers recommended this book to me as their Book Club’s favorite book this year. I’m glad I took their suggestion and was introduced to this author.
Quotes I liked:
The miracle is this: that you will rise in the morning and be able to see again the startling beauty of the day.”
-“The dead are never far from us. They’re in our hearts and on our minds and in the end all that separates us from them is a single breath, one final puff of air.”
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I liked this book, a lot!
Have heard his other novels are the same caliber.
That’s good to know Debbie. I’ll have to check out his other books.