A young boy commits suicide. The town folk believe it was another result of bullying but two brothers discover the truth and decide to take matters into their own hands.
(Warning: This novel contains material about sexual abuse of children and domestic physical abuse. Although there is no graphic content some may still find the content disturbing).
4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling 8 Mar 2014
By Aurora TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was a deeply moving book. It explores the deep bonds between brothers and their friends. This is a close knit group of friends who will go to great lengths to protect and defend each other. A deep and profound hurt to many of their friends is discovered when one of them takes his own life; this sets in a horrific chain of events in motion. The loyalty and morality of the brothers is so deeply ingrained that despite the impossible circumstances find themselves in, they still manage to find a way to bring reassurance to those of their friends who need it and make a form of restitution for a wrong they didn't commit. Despite their youth and inexperience, they do not shy away from the consequences of the dreadful crime which they did commit, they do not reveal the mitigating circumstances which would give the watching world an understanding of their actions, even though it is very obvious to the reader that what they did was not intentional, and could even be described, in part, as accidental. . Through all the horrors of what they had discovered and of what they did, they refused to reveal what they know as to do so will hurt their friends and countless other people whom they may not know. All of this will seem contradictory to those who have read the book and know what the boys did, but their actions were a blind, in the moment, reaction to what they had just discovered. These boys have real courage and ironically have been brought up to treat people with dignity and respect which in the aftermath of the tragedy they do throughout. The irony is that the dignity and respect which they have been trained in was denied to other people by a parent who taught it to them.
This book is many layered, with the boys showing amazing maturity in some ways but at the same time not having the maturity to deal with the situation they find themselves in on that fateful afternoon. At different times the story involves most of the reader's emotional range, no less so because of the parallel story which crashes into the main plot, bringing everything together and setting up a dramatic finale.
It is a compelling read, which makes the reader think deeply about the issues involved, and makes them will all those involved to find a way to resolve the issues without further harm, but will demons from the past prevent a peaceful resolution?
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!, July 31, 2014
By cat - See all my reviews
Loved this book. Once the story started, I couldn't put it down. Full of mystery and suspense. Would make a good movie.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book from start to finish, July 10, 2014
By anita bokuniewicz - See all my reviews
Great book from start to finish, now reading another book by R E Swirsky, Bumsteads Well. I am enjoying all of his books.
