Michael French (1)

Once I picked this book up I did not want to put it down. I found myself trying to sneak in an extra few pages of reading every chance I got. The Ryders seemed so alive and real to me. I felt a connection to the characters and cared about them so much that it was hard for me to stop reading.

As the mother of a child with cleft lip and palate I could relate to fierce protectiveness of Will’s father and sister. I understand that animal instinct that takes over when someone cruelly harms your child. I could also relate to the delicate balancing act of trying to protect them from the hurt you know the world will eventually inflict on them and allowing them the freedom to grow into all they can be.

As the book progresses we watch as Will grows from an isolated overprotected child to an confident up and coming artist. Though the three of them were very much in their own little world in the beginning Will and Hannah eventually assert their independence and leave the safety of their father’s nest. Through the years they drift further and further apart then come back together closer and stronger than ever.

Throughout the book Will is in a constant struggle for acceptance, desperately seeking the approval and acceptance of his distant mother. He also seeks to be accepted by society for who he is and not what he looks like. Inside himself he battles onwards towards self-acceptance.

This was the first Michael French book for me so I had no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. Mr. French has a great gift for writing. He was not only able to keep me interested from the first page onward; he took me inside the book.

This was a complex family drama with multiple layers of emotion and trauma that revealed themselves throughout. I was so deeply moved by this story that I did not want it to end. This book has left a mark on me. I will carry it with me for a long time to come.

Add this to your reading list. You will not be disappointed. It’s definitely a must read book.

FYI- I received an advance copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.… (altro)