Book Blurb:
What Jonah Knew by Barbara Graham: Helen Bird will stop at nothing to find Henry, her musician son who has mysteriously disappeared in upstate New York. Though the cops believe Henry’s absence is voluntary, Helen knows better.While she searches for him—joined finally by police—Jonah is born to Lucie and Matt Pressman of Manhattan. Lucie does all she can to be the kind of loving, attentive mother she never had, but can’t stop Jonah’s night terrors or his obsession with the imaginary “other mom and dog” he insists are real. Whether Jonah’s anxiety is caused by nature or nurture—or something else entirely—is the propulsive mystery at the heart of the novel.
All hell breaks loose when the Pressmans rent a summer cottage in Aurora Falls, where Helen lives. How does Jonah, at seven, know so much about Henry, Helen’s still-missing son? Is it just a bizarre coincidence? An expression of Jung’s collective unconscious? Or could Jonah be the reincarnation of Henry?
My Review: 4.5 stars
What Jonah Knew by Barbra Graham is a compelling, fascinating, and compulsively readable novel that grabbed my interest from the very first page. This debut author has created a cross between a mystery, psychological thriller, literary fiction, with some suspense and a supernatural twist. The story follows three families whose lives connect in unexpected ways around a 22-year-old man who disappears, and a 7 year old who has memories of the missing man. The story is predominantly told from the points of view of Lucie and Helen, between the years of 2002 and 2010, with some jumping back in forth between time frames.
I was absorbed by the subject matter and how the author sensitively and credibly explored issues of spirituality, reincarnation, trauma, grief, loss, life, the mysteries of death, motherhood, and the love between mothers and sons. Both the characters and the plot were equally strong. The characters were so multidimensional and easy to identify with. The emotions of the characters were delved into with depth. The stories start off separately, but when Jonah’s family arrives in Aurora Falls for vacation, and the stories of the individual families intersected, the book became hard to put down. There were some clues sprinkled throughout which made it easy to predict one of the twists, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment, since I was so invested in all the characters. The resolution was suspenseful and satisfying.
The author incorporated some scientific and religious studies to explore the topic of past life memories in children and reincarnation in a more detailed way, which flowed nicely into the plot. What Jonah Knew was a wonderful read that had so much heart and was uplifting and life affirming. This book was so thought provoking and would make for wonderful book discussions. It may even have readers questioning some of their beliefs. This debut author is deserving of the buzz that this book has been getting. This book will stick with me for a long time. I loved it!! Review thanks to Guest Fairy Ronna.
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