“Nora would have never done this if you’d paid half as much attention to her as you did to Nico.”
Did Angie really love Nico more than Nora?
Can there really ever be true forgiveness?
Perhaps.
This debut novel concerning fratricide is a dark family drama of long held secrets, of mental health, heartache, shock and a debilitating disease. It is also a book that may stay with you long after the last page is turned. I received an early copy from Netgalley and Celadon Books, a Division of Macmillan Publishing. This review of flawed characters, secrets, festering animosity and the breakdown of a family was hard to read, but definitely thought provoking.

4.5 debut stars

Penitence – remorse for your past conduct

I am thinking about the title of this book and the themes of forgiveness and penitence that this book explores. This powerful debut novel still has me thinking after I’ve finished. Are you a forgiving person?

Set in a Colorado mountain town and NYC, the story features several families and follows them through a lifetime of choices, actions, and consequences.

Julian and Angie have grown up together, are deeply in love, and plan to spend their lives together until a tragic ski accident forces them apart. Julian heads off to college in Vermont while Angie attends art school in New York.

The book hops around in time, feeding us the story in bits and pieces. We know that Angie and Julian don’t stay together, but we don’t know why until near the end of the book. Angie moves back to Lodgepole, the mountain town they grew up in, marries, and has two children, Nora and Nico.

Tragically, at age 13, Nora fatally shoots her older brother Nico three times. Julian’s mother, Martine, is an attorney in Lodgepole representing Nora. Julian is drawn back into Angie’s orbit because he is an attorney in New York and has experience representing juveniles in the criminal system.

The book explores the concepts of treating some juveniles as adults and how a case like this might play out. As Angie, Julian, and Nora grappled with past mistakes and forgiveness, I was captured by the compelling writing and storytelling.

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Bryan Stevenson (If you aren’t familiar with him, I encourage you to check out Just Mercy)

I keep reading wondering how it is all going to tie together- as the decades old storyline rumbles towards the modern storyline.

The story follows a dual timeline of Julian and Angie as teens and young adults- starting with a tragedy in 2016. The second timeline is modern time, with Nora in jail for a horrible crime, Nico’s diagnosis, and Angie + Dave’s decisions in the midst of tragedy. We walk these two remarkably different paths, both filled with tragedy alongside the characters.

Set in Colorado, Koval investigates the side of childhood trauma, past secrets and second chances, living life to the fullest and punishments for severe crimes committed by children.

It sounds like a lot to take in, and it is, but it is also done in a way that really asks the reader to connect with characters, walk through the mystery of what happened and why, and then think through some very challenging moments for the adults in the novel.

A well done debut novel, for sure! This should be one of the first novels you grab in 2025!

Penitence has an interesting premise but the execution fell a little flat for me. Right before the story begins, 13 year old Nora has shot and killed her 14 year old brother Nico. Their parents are left trying to figure out how to grieve one child while setting up a defense plan for the other. The book begins with the Bryan Stevenson quote “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” This was definitely enough to draw me in. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook and audiobook to review.

From here on will be spoilers about what didn’t work for me so please stop reading here if you don’t want to see more.

There were a few examples where the writing really didn’t work for me - the one that stuck with me the most was “She’s not sure what hurts more, her feelings or her heartburn.” Randomly since I read it I’ll just think that to myself and laugh.

The foreshadowing was so heavy handed that anything that could have been a surprise was not at all. The heart of a great story was in there but the execution could use some polishing - I’m interested to read what’s next from the author and see her writing evolve.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy.

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel, for how well crafted the characters are and how nuanced the layers of the story are. From the setup (a young girl is arrested for murdering her brother, someone she'd been almost like a twin to, and her parents have to rely on the mother's ex-boyfriend to try and save the only child they have left), it's clear Koval isn't interested in a neat and tidy story. With each new layer added into the mix, understanding Angie's and Julian's backstories, I was overcome by how much the writer made me care about two people who were at times selfish, self-centered, and careless with others. The end gutted me and I know this will be a book that I continue to think about for a awhile. If you're someone who enjoys lives lived in the messy gray, this is the book for you.

Penitence comes out January 28, 2025

Penitence is a story about ultimate forgiveness. A mother coming to terms with decisions made in her past that impact her future. When the unthinkable happens, this mother needs to learn to forgive herself and her family members. Heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time.

This is a wonderful book which covers multiple generations of secrets, love, and regrets. Overall, it is a touching family drama that may leave you wondering if the worst thing you've ever done will be the one thing that defines you, You can feel the raw emotion (including love, loss, anger, betrayal, grief, guilt, depression, loneliness, and death). This book is so well done and engaging that it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. If you enjoy stories full of family drama, dual timelines, and themes of forgiveness, this is one to add to your list.

"Penitence" by Kristin Koval begins with a horrific murder that implodes the lives of Angie and David Sheehan. As they seek help from Martine Dumont, the small-town lawyer who is also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian Dumont, the plot thickens with layers of unresolved emotions and shared histories and uncovers many secrets and lies.

Overnight, Angie and David go from being parents of two to their fourteen-year-old son, Nico, being shot dead and their thirteen-year-old daughter, Nora, in police custody after a 911 call admitting her guilt. The brother and sister were always so close and loved each other dearly, but things started to change after Nico was diagnosed with uncurable Huntington's disease. The family was already dealing with the tragedy that comes with slowly losing a grandparent to dementia, and now they were preparing themselves for a similar scenario with Nico. But he wasn't to that point yet, and Nora won't talk about why she killed her brother.

The family begs Julian to return to town to assist his mother, Martine, with representing Nora. He agrees, and it's the first time he's been near Angie in fourteen years.

Koval skillfully navigates the complex relationships among her characters in this story, particularly between Angie and Julian, whose past is fraught with tragedy, addiction, loss, and regret. The realization for Angie and David that they have essentially lost both of their children, even though one is still alive, is beyond heartbreaking. And how do you forgive that child for murdering the other for no apparent reason?

There are several stand-out moments in the book for me:
* One is when Nora is being transported to court from the detention center by the officer, and he hits a wolf running across the road. That entire moment and the conversation between them was so profound, emotional, and impactful! Wow.
* And the second was Angie finally understanding forgiveness or maybe coming to terms with forgiveness. I was angry with her throughout most of the book, but the scene with Nora truly moved me.

While the writing and storytelling show so much emotional depth and character development, it delves deeply into loss and suffering (child death, child loss, parent loss, addiction, depression), which may be difficult for some. It was hard for me. But overall, Koval's debut is a thoughtful exploration of the human experience and the weight of forgiveness. It certainly left a lasting impression.

Thank you, #NetGalley, #KristinKoval, and CeladonBooks, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of #Penitence.
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"Penitence" by Kristin Koval is a poignant and suspenseful exploration of love, forgiveness, and the complexities of family loyalty. Koval's debut novel is a compelling page-turner that delves deep into the emotional landscapes of its characters, making it a truly immersive reading experience.

The story revolves around Angie Sheehan, whose life is marked by tragedy and loss. When her daughter, Nora, commits a shocking murder, Angie's world is shattered. Desperate to defend her family, Angie turns to Martine Dumont, a small-town lawyer who happens to be the mother of Angie's first love, Julian. As Julian returns to help with the legal defense, old wounds are reopened, and long-buried secrets come to light.

Koval skillfully weaves together the past and present, spanning decades from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the bustling streets of New York City. The narrative is rich with emotional depth, exploring the themes of guilt, redemption, and the journey towards forgiveness. The characters are intricately developed, each grappling with their own culpability and unresolved feelings.

This story explores the human capacity for both good, evil, loss and love. Koval challenges readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done, prompting introspection and empathy. The writing is evocative and insightful, capturing the nuances of human relationships and the complexities of personal growth.

The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense suspense interspersed with quieter, reflective passages. Koval's prose is lyrical and accessible, making the story engaging for a wide range of readers. The settings are vividly described, adding to the atmospheric tension that permeates the novel.

"Penitence" is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant story that will leave a lasting impression on its readers. Kristin Koval's debut is a testament to her talent as a writer, offering a suspenseful and thought-provoking exploration of the human experience. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of love, loss, and redemption.

This book was floating around on bookstagram, getting a few five star reviews, so I figured I would give it a shot. Immediately I was hooked! The story is so intricately woven and deep, spanning decades in the character’s lives. It seems impossible that this is a debut, these characters and their stories are imprinted in my mind and I can’t stop thinking about them! There are two different families that the story follows and it goes back and forth in time showing how much they have impacted one another. The characters are flawed, make mistakes, broken, and that makes this story feel even more real to me. It is a story about forgiveness ultimately and how much heartbreak one can endure in a lifetime. I cannot stop raving about this book and won’t be happy until every one has read it!

Penitence is the debut novel from Kristin Koval.

"A shocking murder happens in the home of Angie and David Sheehan. Their lives shattered, they turn to retiring lawyer Martine Dumont for help. Martine happens to be the mother of Angie's first love, Julian, who is now an attorney in New York. Julian is asked to help with the case. He says yes but must work through the secrets that he and Angie still share."

This is a melancholy story from Koval. There are not many good moments for any of the characters. The whole situation is tragic and awful. Koval's story looks at how families deal with secrets and tragedy and past choices.
There's a big twist - you'll mostly see it coming. I like Angie's ending. I would have liked resolution from one part of the story.

An interesting look at people and relationships from Koval.

Bookish thoughts: Author Kristin Koval wrote a beautiful debut novel about family drama, secrets, an unthinkable event and the aftermath of choices made. I love when stories center its plot around forgiveness and the struggles characters face on the journey of redemption.

I appreciated the author’s acknowledgment of where the inspiration came from for this book.

My only complaint is that I am not a big fan of nonlinear timelines so I had to make sure I paid attention.

Title: Penitence
Author: Kristin M.E. Koval (Debut Author)
Publisher: Celadon Books
Genre: Suspense, Family Drama
Pub Date January 28, 2025
My Rating: 4.2 Stars
Pages: 320

Story takes place in Lodgepole, Colorado a small ski town
Angie and David Sheehan have two children thirteen year old daughter, Nora and fourteen year old son Nico. Angie is an art teacher and David a park ranger, Nico has always been active as well as an excellent skier. However once he learned he had juvenile Huntington’s disease his life as well as family’s changed. The nightmare the family was experiencing turned to a horror movie as Nico is now dead and Nora is responsible.

The Sheehan’s hire lawyer Martine Dumont, who is the best lawyer in Lodgepole. However to add to this drama -Martine and Angie have history. Martine is the mother of Julian- Angie’s first love,
Angie and Julian were ‘THE’ couple in high school. And then something terrible that happened.

We learn Angie, Julian and Angie’s young sister Diana were out skiing when a tragic accident happened and Diana died. Ruled an accident when she hit a tree but guilt still follows both Angie and Julian.
Story goes back and forth between what is happening now and what happened nearly twenty years ago. Although the back story was somewhat slow I was curious and hang onto every word.

Things are looking bad for Nora and although Martine is working pro bono she doesn’t have a lot of experience. Daniel did research on her son Julian and saw he is one of New York City’s best criminal defense attorneys. Daniel asks Martine if perhaps her son might help.
Angie is furious with Daniel for asking. Julian is surprised about being asking and considers that helping Angie’s daughter might bring the release of guilt he has been carrying all these years

Nora kept me curious (I read a lot of thrillers and had an idea why she did it.)

No doubt the story stirs up many emotional, Felt terrible for Nora as well as Nico.
I was angry at times as well as liked and disliked these adults, with all their drama and secrets.
~Some of the secrets weren’t all THAT secretive. ~
However the entire story held my attention and I will definitely read another story by Ms. Koval.
In fact, thank You Ms. Koval for this GREAT debut!!!!

I believe this story would be great for a book club discussion.

As for Penitence – I did look up the difference between penance and penitence…Penance refers to a prescribed act of atonement for sins, as guided by religious authority.
Penitence, however, is an internal state of remorse or regret for past wrongdoings, which can lead to acts of penance.
I also enjoyed the author’s “Acknowledgements” -definitely worth reading.
Ms. Koval thanks the many who helped in her journey in writing this additionally tells readers her inspiration for this story is personal. - One of being forgiving as well as forgiving others. Also that fratricide might be the framework for a novel about forgiveness.
The meaning of fratricide - Is the killing of one's brother or sister.
Also the accidental killing of one's own forces in war-s
Such as in the Vietnam War were fratricide increases because of the close-in jungle fighting.

Want to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 28, 2025.

I love having a new author to follow!
Family story set in Colorado. We are introduced to them as the daughter, Nora, is arrested for shooting her brother Nico to death and the parents, Angie and David, need a lawyer fast. Nora is only 13 and is being held by the police so of course you would want the best attorney and fast.

Who do they turn to? Martine, the mother of Angie's old boyfriend Julian, who is himself a defense attorney; he plays a large role in the entire story, not just the criminal defense part. Are the past and the present intertwined? Oh yes.

I expected this would be a story of why Nora did it, as she admitted to doing, but that was not the center of the story. What Angie and Julian had was a somewhat typical boyfriend/girlfriend relationship that was cut short by Martine and this one act changed the course of life for all of them.

I definitely look forward to this author writing more! It's a very comfortable read and one that you will say to yourself, just one more chapter....

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

A thought provoking book about grief, love, and family. A well written debut novel with well developed characters!

This was a tough read because of the serious subject matter, but it was well-written. It kept me engaged and caring about the characters. I’d definitely read more by this author.

This story is tragic and deep. Most times dark and sad. Nora, a 13 year old girl shoots and kills her brother. Now a mother and father has to navigate life with a child that is murdered and a child that is the murderer. While burying one, and trying to support the other at court hearings you see how they cope, place blame, self soothe and try to carry on. The lawyer defending Nora is her mother's ex-boyfriend from long ago. You do get their back story from the past which involves a separate tragic incident. And secrets from that incident carries on through current times. There was a twist in the story which was very welcomed, almost like you were reading a mystery. It made me even more interested to keep turning the pages. In the end you find out if forgiveness can be attained. You can put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself if you could act in the same way as they did. Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I really enjoyed this debut novel by Kristin Koval.

What an amazing debut novel!! Penitence by Kristin Koval grabbed my attention with the first paragraph; the richly drawn, complex characters and the complex, interlacing storyline kept me riveted throughout. This is one of my favorite reads of the year!

Thirteen-year-old Nora Sheehan has murdered her 14-year-old brother Nico. Their parents, Angie and David, struggle to come to grips with the horrific shock of knowing their daughter has deliberately killed their son as they try to get help for their daughter. David turns to neighbor and lawyer Martine Dumont for help with Nora's defense. Martine, a small-town lawyer who knows a murder trial is out of her expertise, asks her son Julian, a NYC criminal defense attorney (and Angie's first love) to assist in the case.

This dark and emotional read is a story of two families told in two timelines (with a family tragedy happening in each of them) from the POV of most of the main characters. It looks at family loyalty, grief, loss, anger, blame, guilt, remorse, regrets, redemption and forgiveness.

This powerful debut novel is beautifully written and executed. I look forward to reading Kristin Koval's next book!

My thanks to Celadon Books for allowing me to access a DRC of this novel via NetGalley. Publication is 1/28/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This book was a lot! What a first novel - complex, dark and overall well written. Koval obviously understands the dark and light of humans deeply. While I didn’t find myself championing any of the characters, you are left with a feeling of hope for each and everyone of them. This is a long and detailed book but at the end you will find yourself challenged and reflecting on humanity. It’s not an easy read, but it’s worthwhile. Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read Penitence in exchange for an honest review.

Penitence will pull you into the story from the first paragraph!
Angie and David Sheehan live in their small Colorado hometown, and have been peacefully raising their two children, Nico and Nora. After a heartbreaking medical diagnosis, they regroup, with Angie refocusing all of her energies on her sick child.
But, then, the unspeakable happens: 13 year old Nora fatally shoots her 14 year old brother. My expectation was that the focus would be on the two children, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, Penitence takes a deeper look at the stories of Angie and David, Martine (their neighbor and lawyer), and Julian, Martine’s son and Angie’s former partner.
I felt there was a missed opportunity for education about Huntington’s disease. Nico was introduced to us suffering from this fatal illness, but his story was only on the periphery. The combination of illness, legal matters, and strong character development did, however, remind me of the earlier style and subject matter tackled by Jodi Picoult.
Penitence definitely didn’t go in the direction I expected, but it was still a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Koval. Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read Penitence in exchange for an honest review.