Play Book Tag discussion

The book begins with a chapter titled “The Life Before” which gives the reader a clue that what happens next will affect this family in a tragic way. While on vacation, Caitlin Courtland, who is about the enter college, sets out with her brother, Sean, for a run in the mountains. She’s the star of her high-school track team and someone who loves the freedom of running, but on this isolated road Sean will be injured and she will disappear.

Over the next three years, her parents’ troubled marriage falls apart. At first, they all remain in Colorado to search for Caitlin, but in time the mother returns home to Wisconsin while the father remains and and Sean embarks on his own journey.

The novel is filled with an undercurrent of tension and foreboding. Four storylines, one for each family member, thread together to show how each has a different approach to dealing with trauma.

The writing itself is beautiful. Johnston is a meticulous and careful storyteller who captures all of the turmoil and determination of a desperate family. This isn't a genre thriller, but more literary in a way that reminded me of Cormac McCarthy. The narrative builds slowly but once you reach the halfway point it's difficult to put down. I've had this book for months and am glad I finally got around to reading it.

This was the first book I read this year and I loved it. So glad that you did as well.

Wow! That sounds like an amazing book! You totally had me hooked with your review and I'm gonna get the book soon :)