Tuesday, May 24, 2011

One Summer-David Baldacci

One Summer
David Baldacci
Grand Central, Jun 14 2011, $25.99
ISBN: 9780446583145

In Ohio terminally ill Jack Armstrong prays to God that he lives to Christmas to be there for his wife and their three young children. However, his wife Lizzie dies in car accident on Christmas Eve picking up Jack’s medicine.

Lizzie’s mom Bonnie ships her three grandchildren to the separate homes of her adult children, sells her late daughter’s house and directs Jack to enter a hospice. Jack somewhat recovers his health as his illness goes into remission and picks up his kids. He moves to South Carolina where years ago Lizzie’s twin died; there he plans to raise his children as a single dad. Bonnie sues for custody.

This interesting family drama is insightful when the story line focuses on an ailing widower battling to keep his children with him. Bonnie is too much a villainous instead of a concerned grieving grandma worried about the well being of her late daughter’s children; while a romantic interest detracts from the tale of battling relatives. Still fans will root for Jack and his three children to make it in a world in which they learn the twists of life and death.

Harriet Klausner

No comments: