This was a riveting read. I will never buy clothing again without giving thought to how it was produced.

The only drawback from the book is that there is a fair amount of foul language that I wouldn't have expected with Thomas Nelson as the publisher.

A Harvest of Thorns is a book that will challenge you and make you reconsider American consumerism. The book follows the aftermath of a tragedy at a foreign garment factory. It feels like a John Grisham novel as it takes you from corporate boardrooms to locations around the world and finally into a courtroom. This story is gripping and has truly made me consider the supply chain effect of where our goods come from, but all within a story that I couldn't put down.

Corban Addison is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of his books, so I was very excited to receive this book from Netgalley. Thank you to the Author, publisher, and netgalley.
I really like the basis for this story. I think that everyone is aware that the majority of clothing made in North America is made in other countries. I think that everyone knows that the people that are making our clothing are making extremely low wages. But the reality is that people in North America want good quality clothing for good prices. This book is a fictional story that looks deeper into the realities of the clothing industry. This book is very eye opening because, although it is fiction, I am sure that many of the things that happen in this book are based on reality.
I really enjoyed this book, but I found it a bit of a slow read. The book is very interesting, but it never really grabbed me and made me want to stay up all night to read it. Not as good as Corban Addison's other books, but definitely worth the read.

It's hard to know how to rate this book. I selected it from NetGalley for review because it was a new-to-me author (and a male!), in a genre I enjoy (legal thriller), and from Thomas Nelson (an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, which is important to me when I'm choosing books to review. Hey, my blog is called Iola's Christian Reads. The clue is in the title. I want to read and review Christian fiction).

As far as I can tell, this is Corban Addison's first book with Thomas Nelson.
His previous highly acclaimed books were from a general market publisher. As this should have been, because A Harvest of Thorns is a general market legal thriller, not Christian fiction.

It has swearing and a rape scene and while a couple of characters go to church a couple of times, it's clearly because that's what people 'do'. The only people of faith were Muslim--and I have no objection to reading fiction about Muslims if that's what I'm looking to read. But in this case, it wasn't (see point above about the name of my blog!).

Okay, that's enough ranting about the genre. What about the book?
Some of the writing was outstanding, like the opening line:
The sparks danced like fireflies in the semi-dark of the storeroom.
Some of the writing was below average, like the awkward dialogue tags. Some was overly intellectual. I have a pretty large vocabulary, but found myself stopping to look words up at least half a dozen times while reading (hurray for the Kindle dictionary!). I also found the structure awkward, as it flip-flopped back and forward in time, and was written in several Parts, each of which started at Chapter One.

Now to the actual plot and theme of the novel.
Cameron Alexander is head legal counsel for Presto, a multi-billion-dollar retail chain, and the centre of a scandal involving a factory fire in Bangladesh. Cameron is responsible for putting out the resulting PR fire, and for improving internal compliance so Presto’s reputation isn’t compromised again. Almost two years later, Joshua Griswold is the journalist challenged with finding the truth behind the fire and Presto’s real involvement, and bringing it to the world’s attention through a legal case.

There were a lot of excellent things about A Harvest of Thorns.
The author obviously has an extensive understanding of the law, business, global supply chains, and how easily things can go wrong (which makes me wonder how many other companies have such irregularities in their supply chains). It also reinforces that people do what you pay them to do, even if you tell them otherwise.

The underlying theme of A Harvest of Thorns is social justice: can we in the First World truly justify our never-ending consumption of cheap imported goods, made by sweatshop workers and slaves? And if we do have a problem (and as Christians, we should), what do we do? From this point of view, it’s certainly a novel that Christians should be reading.

Overall, I think this is a 4-star book.

The writing ranged from average to outstanding. The plot, characters and overall theme were solid to excellent. But it wasn’t Christian fiction … which is what I expect from Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

A HARVEST OF THORNS by Corban Addison. A great story dealing with an overseas clothing business, in Bangladesh, when something terrible goes wrong. Presto Corp got a lot of negative press and photos from it. Presto Is a known name in America, for clothing. They have Cameron a general counsel to launch investigation and to issue damage control. Cameron has great sympathy for the people, and facing morality issues as well. Whistleblower has information about Presto. A summon goes out to Joshua.,a disgraced journalist, from the Washington Post. Courtroom war Joshua is determined to win. The story alternates between Cameron and Joshua, on the investigation. An in depth story, in which a lot of research has been done. Those that like a story that goes beyond the information of the fire, and the media. But touches on the emotion they were dealing with
Given ARC by Thomas Nelson for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

A Harvest of Thorns opens dramatically on a garment factory fire in Bangladesh – the fire kills hundreds of workers, especially young girls and women working for little pay in the unregulated industry. In the aftermath of the fire, a shocking photo goes viral. It is the image of a teenage girl who jumped out of a factory window and lies broken on the ground, with a piece of clothing worn as a mask over her face in a futile attempt to protect her from smoke. The clothing clearly shows a label from Presto Corporation, one of the biggest retailers in the U.S.

Across the globe, at Presto’s headquarters in Virginia, the company’s lawyer attempts to do damage control after the photo is released to the public. Cameron starts an investigation into the disaster at the factory, and attempts to find out who was supposed to be monitoring the working conditions in Bangladesh. His research reopens the company’s controversy about sweatshops, labour rights and the ethical implications of globalization.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., disgraced journalist Joshua receives a tip about the fire that includes confidential information about Presto Corp. The details he learns could expose the company and force them to accept culpability for the deaths of the Bangladesh workers. For Joshua, this story could be his shot at redemption – but while he starts out simply trying to salvage his tarnished reputation, he ends up building a case that will provoke the conscience of the fashion industry and change the way consumers feel about cheap clothing.

Addison uses his background in law to write a novel that explores the hidden costs of low-priced fashion. In a globalized world, we often don’t know where the products we buy are coming from, or how the workers have suffered to make them for us. The fictionalized Bangladesh factory fire is based on real events from 2012, in which a factory with no fire code became a death trap, and the cheap fabric fueled the flames.

The plot is very relevant, fast paced, and clearly researched by the author. Despite its length, it was a fairly quick, thrilling read. However, it is almost entirely plot-driven, and the characters lack any real complexity. The story is intellectually stimulating, but I was unable to empathize with the characters, which leaves a barrier between the reader and the book. If you enjoy the thriller genre, this is an exciting, political story – an entertaining novel that also makes you think.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What menacing, negligible, extremely memorable, breathtaking, well-informed and GOD Blessed book this novel is - when I say GOD Blessed I don't mean the book itself I mean the people who this book is about. How hard it must have been for the author to have written such a hear wrenching story and to start off with a gut wrenching one sets the tone for the whole book and it lets you know what to expect for the rest of the book - and this book is about a true event people - disgusting - that is why it is heart wrenching - and it still is going on today - and it will continue to happen until - anyways - the story is AMAZING - you really feel like you are there and that you are the third person or a second person in the room - sometimes you even feel embarrassed for being there knowing their thoughts and feelings like you were eaves dropping or reading their diary. This is intense and so worth the read - it is about a fire in a workhouse and the workers were not permitted to leave - can you believe that - some of them just jumped out of windows and either died or got seriously injured - where do your clothes come from? I never started asking until now. GOD was there waiting for any cry for help....

A Harvest of Thorns by Corban Addison in a dramatic fiction story takes on the very real issue of manufacturing supply chains and the issues that underlie low cost merchandise and corporate profits. A fictional setting allows that message to be conveyed to a wider audience than a nonfiction book on the topic might. If it gets one reader to pay attention the next time he or she buys a piece of clothing, then it succeeds in its mission. I know that I will remember the names of the characters and their stories.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/02/a-harvest-of-thorns.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

This book had depth, focused on a very real and present problem in our society and was very well written but I struggled with the language as I feel it did nothing to add to the book and was not needed nor was it expected in a Christian book. Some of the content was objectionable, some added sensuality was not needed.
Still a well written book for a more mature audience,.wish the author would clean up a bit more as it is a powerful read,.

While marked as fiction, the author notes that the idea for the book is based on a true incident that occurred in a fashion factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A fire broke out, over 100 people died and over 200 hundred were injured. American corporations (no surprise one of them was Walmart) who had clothing made there denied responsibility. Sadly, that story slowly faded away from the news media. Forgotten by all except for the factory workers whose lives were forever changed by the event.

What is it worth for us to be able to buy “cheap” products? Would we pay more to guarantee safe work environments, even when the factory is in another country? Does the consumer have a responsibility or is the onus only on the corporations?

I wasn’t sure when I started this book that it would be for me. But I found it thought provoking and I’m very glad I read it.

ARC from Thomas Nelson via Netgalley.

This is the second book written by Corban Addison that I have read. I read The Tears of Dark Water last year and was captivated by his writing style, his fearless tackle of a very difficult social dilemma, his thought-provoking and complex characters, the unforeseen twists and turns in the plot, and his ability to still deliver a satisfying and relatively happy ending when all seems lost.
So with these high expectations, I dove into Harvest of Thorns, knowing that he will address an extremely sensitive and complicated social injustice that will make me ponder long after the last page of the book has been read.

In this book, the author addresses the atrocities involved within the internationally outsourced garment industry. He mingles the corporate world with law and journalism. The book focuses on Cameron, an African American lawyer who is general counsel to the biggest corporation in US, and Joshua, a Pulitzer-winning journalist who becomes involved in Cameron's plot of uncovering the atrocities in the factories located in developing counties that the corporation contracts to make apparel.

The characters feel a bit stiff and not quite relatable. They seem less personal and somewhat detached in this book compared to The Tears of Dark Water. The point of view flips back and forth from Cameron to Joshua and the transition is somewhat rough and takes awhile to get used to. The plot spans over four different countries - US, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Jordan - from 2008 to 2015. By the middle of the book, the transitions of time, place, and person feel less strained.

The plot and events seem very thoroughly researched to my untrained eye. The legal and corporate jargon gets a little overwhelming at times. The true intention and motivation of Cameron's actions are not revealed until the end of the book which keeps the element of suspense and the circling question of WHY lingering until the end....and keeps the reader turning the pages. It is also quite clever how the author ties in Cameron's heritage in American slavery with the modern version of slavery in the form of low-cost labor overseas.

There is mild profanity in the book, which I realize the author placed strategically to emphasize a point or two. But it still stopped me for a second every time I encountered it before I could move forward. There are also some sexual innuendos that perhaps did not add much to the overall plot.

There are quite a few emotional and poignant moments and reflections in the book, mostly on Cameron's part as he remembers his wife and his mother.

If you've read The Tears of Dark Water, you'll see some similar themes in this book - law and justice, power of the privileged, infidelity (and tons of it), seconds chances, forgiveness and redemption, and triumph of the underdog. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been my first Corban Addison book without something for comparison. I was somewhat disappointed at the end of my much anticipated journey. It is clearly a well-researched, well-planned, and well-written book with Addison's signature flair but I didn't feel as emotionally connected to this book as I did with the previous one I read.

I received a digital review copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

This should be a required read for business ethics courses!

Dhaka, Bangladesh is home to several garment factories that make products sold in stores all across the world. Some are better suited for working conditions than others. One night, an electrical short in a generator causes a fire at the Millennium factory while workers are trying to complete a last minute order. As the fire roars up the stairs, which is also the upper floors only exit, several workers try to remove the bars from the windows. Finally, they get them free only to jump five levels above the ground, many to their death. A photo of a young girl on the ground, bloody and battered, is shown throughout the news media. On her face is a mask made of pants sold by one of the world’s largest retailers, Presto.

The next morning in Washington, D.C. Cameron Alexander, Presto’s general counsel, is called into the CEO’s office to watch the scene unfold. The factory was on the company’s red list, meaning they should not have any products being manufactured there. Cameron’s main job is damage control as well as company reputation and he must figure out why this happened and how to spin it in a positive light. As he digs into the investigation, he is shocked to find out the code of conduct is not only misused, but many times completely ignored. He starts cracking down on the factory that the order was with and other items begin to come to light, not just in Bangladesh, but in Malaysia and Jordan as well. Can the poison be stopped, or will it just keep spreading?

A year later, Joshua Griswold meets a confidential informant from Presto urging him to investigate the matter. Josh has won two Pulitzers, but was disgraced after one of the articles was used to uncover an unfortunate scandal. Now with his marriage in shambles, he hopes he can rebuild his career with the Presto case and maybe even his family.

This book was an incredible read. From the start of the book, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down until I figured out what was going on. Then once I did, I was along for the ride to see how everything played out. As a consumer, this book can really open your eyes if you let it. Most of us have heard about sweatshops and working conditions, but living in a first world country, you don’t really want to go there, either in person or your mind. So reading this book can definitely give you an education. It really makes you think about where the products you purchase come from. It may have a sticker that says Made in Taiwan, but what do the people who make it go through? How much do they get paid? And then the whole set up with labor trafficking and supervisor rape. It’s sickening to even imagine, but it does happen.

I think this would be a powerful book for business majors to read. Just to get them in a mindset about decisions they will be making and how they can affect other people’s lives. If we are going to change the system, it will have to be from the top down and everyone will have to work to make a difference. Thank you Corban Addison for bringing this issue to light and giving these workers a voice to be heard.

Aside from some of the content that will undoubtedly make some people uncomfortable, there is also some harsh language throughout. I would recommend this book to college age and above.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Harvest of Thorns
by Corban Addison

Rating 4.5
A beloved American corporation with an explosive secret.
A disgraced former journalist looking for redemption.
A corporate executive with nothing left to lose.
(from the book description)

The story begins in the corporate offices of Presto. From there it hopscotches through Asia and the Middle East leaving a farflung trail. The chapters are headed by date and location so it is imperative that you pay attention to these chapter headings otherwise you will get terribly lost. The story itself is full of background investigative stories and courtroom drama which was both interesting and disturbing at the same time. The writing is well done, the research superb and the characters are believable, albeit, flawed but they are believable. The ending I think will surprise you. I know I was surprised….

I thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book. Little did I know. I was totally unprepared for this story to unfold before my eyes as I read each and every word on every single page. The imagery was so vivid that I couldn’t stop reading and yet …and yet I didn’t want to know. Yes, it is fiction; but it is loosely based on facts, real clothing corporations and people giving their lives for barely enough to sustain themselves with food to eat, clothing to wear, basic shelter to live and above all, be able to send money back home…wherever home may have been. All of this so we can have something to buy and to wear and companies make enough profits for their shareholders. No one sees what is behind this paper facade as long as the money keeps rolling in. Other books come to mind that tell of past social injustices such as The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and another not nearly quite as well known, Counting Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop. What is moving is the Author’s Note at the end of the book. READ IT. DO NOT SKIP IT.

I have received an electronic copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shaped or influenced my opinion of the book. I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity.

Would you continue to wear your favorite shirt if you knew a 13 year old girl in Bangladesh who works 19 hours every day and makes 38 dollars a month is the one who made it? Would you continue to buy from your favorite brand if you knew the workers who produced their clothing worked in dangerous, inhumane conditions while the company looked the other way and allowed it so they could meet their quotas and stock the shelves ahead of their competitors?

Corban Addison’s “A Harvest of Thorns” is based off events that happened in 2012 when a fire broke out in the Tazreen Fashions Factory in Dhaka, Bangldesh. The eight story building had no fire escapes, no emergency exits and the windows in every room were covered with iron bars. 117 workers died that night with another 200 injured. They were working overtime on what was supposed to be their holiday to fulfill a last minute order for Walmart. Now we all know that had this happened in America there would have been a huge lawsuit with the workers receiving a hefty settlement sum since the building was not up to fire code, violation of labor laws etc. But because this happened overseas, the injured and their families received NO monetary compensation from the factory owner or from the brands that had sourced their clothing to this factory. Walmart pleaded ignorance and differed responsibility to the supplier and basically that was that.

Addison traveled to Bangaladesh and interviewed the survivors and inquired as to what other brands they made in the factory. All of them named Walmart, Target, Gap, Zara and many more. I will be the first to say that Target is my happy place - put a Starbucks coffee in my hand and let me wander the aisles and I could spend hours in that store. Not once while I am browsing do I ever wonder where the clothing or home décor items come from. It just honestly has not ever crossed my mind. This book has changed that. This story made me very uncomfortable and has sparked a need in me to ask more questions, do more research. 4.5 gut wrenching stars. This book hits shelves January 24. Buy it. Read it. Then do something about it; how you shop and where you choose to spend your money makes a difference. Many thanks to Netgalley for my advanced copy of this powerful book.

A HARVEST OF THORNS by Corban Addison is a riveting novel centred around corporate values, greed, and power. When a factory fire in Bangladesh occurs, images are captured of a broken girl lying on the ground with an American piece of clothing wrapped around her head, and it breaks hearts around the world but causes a media nightmare for Presto Corporation. Why was their clothing being made in a factory that was not fit for purpose? How did this happen? Cameron Alexander, counsel for the company, is determined to find out the truth and he discovers a lot more than he bargained for. Add in a journalist who is desperate to redeem himself with a story of this magnitude, and the hunt to blow this story wide open to the world is on. A HARVEST OF THORNS by Corban Addison is a complex, powerful story about right and wrong, about how far our moral compass goes astray at the feet of commercialism and corporate greed and will leave you questioning where your fashion comes from, and at what cost to those who make them. A compelling and uncomfortable read.

A Harvest of Thorns

The blurb to this book intrigued me and I just had to read it. My husband's family are originally from Bangladesh and so I liked that link, especially as it's based on true events.

When a garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, burns down, a bystander snaps a picture of the broken body of a teenage girl amidst the rubble, the label of one of America's largest retailers across her face.

The picture goes viral and controversy ensues.

This legal story is slightly different to my usual genre but I absolutely loved it! I found every bit of this book gripping. There's controversy, corruption, suspense and tragedy. It's thought provoking and makes you question your own values but most of all it gives you hope for change.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book, with thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. 5*

An interesting well-researched story about globalization and the fashion industry. The characters were very well described here. Writing was mediocre.

In the book A Harvest of Thorns, author Corban Addison takes the reader on a journey into the world of garment factories. A garment factory burns down, the cover-up, the plot to change things and the feel good story at the end that changes the world garment industry. This is a back and forth across the world story with some very unbelievable conclusions.
This was is a good story and plot. It almost seemed like the author was trying to write the behind the scenes from the headlines of the day. At times the plot was slow. I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.