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poodlemama99's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rampaginglibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Before You Know Kindness is the first novel i have read by Chris Bohjalian and it has left me longing for more. I would not be giving away anything to tell you that it is about the accidental shooting of animal rights' activist Spencer McCullough by his twelve year old daughter Charlotte, as the prologue begins with two EMTs rushing to the scene and tending to his gushing shoulder wound, speculating how he will probably never regain the use of his right arm and wondering how such an event could transpire. We are then taken back days to learn how.
"Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth."
~Naomi Shihab Nye, "Kindness"
The events of the novel take place mostly across a few July weeks at the summer home of the Seton clan headed by a very athletic, energetic matriarch named Nan. Her son John is married to a former wild-child/hippy turned therapist named Sara and together they have a rather precocious ten year old daughter, Willow and
a five month year old son, Patrick. Then there is John's sister Catherine who is married to the afore mentioned Spencer with their verging-on-the-obnoxious (or not so much verging on) teen-years daughter, Charlotte.
Spencer is the Marketing Director for a group called FERAL an extremist animal rights organization and is a rather uptight proselytizing vegan. John has recently taken up hunting in anticipation of father/son bonding (although he has kept this secret from Spencer). Spencer has made a family project of starting a vegetable garden at the New Hampshire homestead to provide summer sustenance for the family. The deer come to feast...
it all makes for wonderful family drama, and i think all sides are drawn with equal shades of intolerance and/or tolerance
"Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth."
~Naomi Shihab Nye, "Kindness"
The events of the novel take place mostly across a few July weeks at the summer home of the Seton clan headed by a very athletic, energetic matriarch named Nan. Her son John is married to a former wild-child/hippy turned therapist named Sara and together they have a rather precocious ten year old daughter, Willow and
a five month year old son, Patrick. Then there is John's sister Catherine who is married to the afore mentioned Spencer with their verging-on-the-obnoxious (or not so much verging on) teen-years daughter, Charlotte.
Spencer is the Marketing Director for a group called FERAL an extremist animal rights organization and is a rather uptight proselytizing vegan. John has recently taken up hunting in anticipation of father/son bonding (although he has kept this secret from Spencer). Spencer has made a family project of starting a vegetable garden at the New Hampshire homestead to provide summer sustenance for the family. The deer come to feast...
it all makes for wonderful family drama, and i think all sides are drawn with equal shades of intolerance and/or tolerance
nuscheda's review against another edition
2.0
What a real disappointment. A talented author in search of a plot. The characters were beautifully drawn but the storyline was ridiculous. I've heard this is true of others of his books so I am done with him.
cbendixe's review against another edition
3.0
I'm torn about giving this one 3 or 4 stars. It was quite a page turner--most of the characters are so real and memorable, and I knew that the very sad events at the beginning of the book were leading up to something big. And in the end, it made me think that sometimes it take a tragedy to remind you that family comes first. Yes, life gets in the way sometimes and you forget about what matters.
My main quibble with this book is that there are a few characters--namely the animal rights co-workers of one of the main characters--are pretty one-dimensional. Sure, they are fanatics. And I suppose they aren't integral to the plot, but it's like the author wants the reader to be automatically prejudiced against them.
Overall, I think this book raises some interesting questions...and it mostly lets you come to your own conclusions.
My main quibble with this book is that there are a few characters--namely the animal rights co-workers of one of the main characters--are pretty one-dimensional. Sure, they are fanatics. And I suppose they aren't integral to the plot, but it's like the author wants the reader to be automatically prejudiced against them.
Overall, I think this book raises some interesting questions...and it mostly lets you come to your own conclusions.
kategci's review against another edition
4.0
I had started this last fall and put it down to read other book group "required" reading. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, although at times it was a little preachy. The animal rights folk seemed to be dead on, with their narrow minded manner of seeing the world and their tone of moral superiority. For the most part I think the voices of the two young girls were true and the overall plot was interesting. This is the third novel I have read by Chris Bohjalian and while [b:Midwives|5166|Midwives|Chris Bohjalian|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1288812909s/5166.jpg|3221872] is so far my favorite, this book is a close tie with [b:The Double Bind|126807|The Double Bind|Chris Bohjalian|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171924042s/126807.jpg|122117] for second place. Midwives and Before You Know Kindness are similar in some respects with child narrators for part of the story, but they are different in more ways making them both very worthwhile reads.
expatally's review against another edition
3.0
Just couldn't connect with the characters in this one...seemed more like caricatures than people with whom I could identify.
themadmadmadeline's review against another edition
2.0
This one really didn’t do it for me. I gave it two stars because I like some of the descriptions (especially of New Hampshire) but the story and characters were not compelling. This is especially disappointing, because Midwives is absolutely sensational, and this didn’t even feel like the same author.
There was a lot of built-up for a short and unsatisfying climax.
There was a lot of built-up for a short and unsatisfying climax.
edwardsw's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
erinmp's review against another edition
3.0
This book cannot compare to Bohjalian's best known work, Midwives. It is, however, a decent read with interesting insight into families and the underlying (and obvious)tensions that ran rampant throughout. Gun control and animal rights are also predominant themes.