I couldn't finish this book. I think i wasn't in the right frame of mind for it, A story about father and son, and the effect of the Vietnam War.

It was a good novel just not much of my taste but doesn't take away from the fact that it was good. The author tells a wonderful story about families and regrets and unrevealed stories and secrets that haunt people in their lives - the decisions they made and may or may not have lived to regret.

This book helped me understand the ravages of war without it being a book about a war. It told of the impacts upon family and individuals, when the decision about whether or not to be involved was divisive. The fallout from these decisions which permanently changed lives and caused gaping holes in families. The torment that resulted from being involved in a controversial war.

Written in a gentle pace with a unique take on a story about families and the destruction caused not so much by weapons as by individuals attitudes toward war. Also, a story about love. The enduring love between husband and wife, mother and son and to an extent between brothers. A story about fathers and sons and how strongly held attitudes can cause lifelong rifts in that relationship. It provided an insight into what happens when long held convictions are reassessed and found wanting.

I read this book at an unusually slow pace due to a busy schedule so perhaps did not feel as invested as I might have felt if I'd read from beginning to end in one session as I normally do. However the characters and the story remained with me and each time I returned go the book I immediately found myself settling back into the point where I last left off. Reading an electronic version I was not cognisant of my place in the story so found I was taken unawares when I read the last page, but with hindsight I shouldnt have been. The loose ends had been tied and the story had a fitting end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free electronic copy of this book.

One of his best recent titles. Perfect ending. Well drawn characters. A craftsman at the top of his writing game.

I’m a keen student of the Vietnam War and have ‘enjoyed’ exploring its legacy in Vietnam itself.
I found this novel intensely thought-provoking in its depiction of the repercussions of war and its impact on relationships (familial and otherwise).
Unlike some other reviewers, I did not find it an easy read, but I did find it an immensely rewarding one.