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Layla
A young woman embarks on a life-changing cross-country trip to face a family secret rooted in America's most turbulent decade. Layla James, a recent graduate and budding photographer, never knew anything about her father except that he named her for the iconic song by Eric Clapton. Her mother--steeped in a political activism that Layla rejects--kept their past shrouded in secrecy, and when she dies of cancer, she leaves only an enigmatic letter--the first in a series that will lead Layla through a cross-country network of '60s radicals and closer to the bombshell at the heart of her parents' past. As Layla makes her way from the East Coast to a commune in the California desert, she discovers more about friendship, love, forgiveness, and the personal repercussions of political activism than she could ever have imagined. A stirring and panoramic story, viewed through the lens of the next generation, this exceptional debut novel brings the gestalt of the '60s into focus and sheds new light on the era's legacy in the new millennium.
From the Back Cover
"Celine Keating's deftly plotted novel takes readers on a gripping journey along the underground railroad of post-'60s radicalism. . . . Every adult has to reinterpret the story of her childhood. Keating beautifully demonstrates the courage it takes for each of us to face that bittersweet truth."
--LARRY DARK, Director of The Story Prize
"A beautiful book--at once nostalgic and fresh--that will go straight to your heart and lodge there."
--ALETHEA BLACK, author of I Knew You'd Be Lovely
" An] emotional page-turner. Layla's coming to terms with her parents' dangerous activism is heart wrenching due to Keating's delightfully drawn characters. This novel also serves as a compelling lesson in our values and how drastically they've changed. It serves as a better history than any essay or screed."
--SUSAN BRAUDY, author of Family Circle
"As Layla James drives cross-country, following the cryptic directions of her late mother, she meets a wide and sharply drawn group of veteran radicals who all play a part in the search for her mysterious father. . . . Keating keeps the pace fast and the suspense high . . . You'll want to ride with her every mile of the way "
--ROBERT HERSHON, editor of Hanging Loose Press
"A triumph of political literature . . . as informative as it is impossible to put down."
--MARNIE MUELLER, author of My Mother's Island
"Evoked in beautiful prose and telling details . . . Layla] brings to life the complexity of family dynamics, with all its conflicts, dangers and rewards."
--NAHID RACHLIN, author of Persian Girls: A Memoir
From the Back Cover
"Celine Keating's deftly plotted novel takes readers on a gripping journey along the underground railroad of post-'60s radicalism. . . . Every adult has to reinterpret the story of her childhood. Keating beautifully demonstrates the courage it takes for each of us to face that bittersweet truth."
--LARRY DARK, Director of The Story Prize
"A beautiful book--at once nostalgic and fresh--that will go straight to your heart and lodge there."
--ALETHEA BLACK, author of I Knew You'd Be Lovely
" An] emotional page-turner. Layla's coming to terms with her parents' dangerous activism is heart wrenching due to Keating's delightfully drawn characters. This novel also serves as a compelling lesson in our values and how drastically they've changed. It serves as a better history than any essay or screed."
--SUSAN BRAUDY, author of Family Circle
"As Layla James drives cross-country, following the cryptic directions of her late mother, she meets a wide and sharply drawn group of veteran radicals who all play a part in the search for her mysterious father. . . . Keating keeps the pace fast and the suspense high . . . You'll want to ride with her every mile of the way "
--ROBERT HERSHON, editor of Hanging Loose Press
"A triumph of political literature . . . as informative as it is impossible to put down."
--MARNIE MUELLER, author of My Mother's Island
"Evoked in beautiful prose and telling details . . . Layla] brings to life the complexity of family dynamics, with all its conflicts, dangers and rewards."
--NAHID RACHLIN, author of Persian Girls: A Memoir
- GenresFiction
234 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Celine Keating
4 books46 followersCeline Keating is an award-winning author living in Rhode Island. Her most recent novel is THE STARK BEAUTY OF LAST THINGS (2023). Portions of the novel awarded her first place winner of the Tucson Literary Festival Award in fiction in 2021 and the 2014 first place winner of the Hackney Literary Award in short fiction. Keating's second novel, Play for Me (2015) was an International Book Award finalist in literary fiction; her first novel, Layla, published in June, 2011, was chosen by both HuffPost and Poets & Writers as a must-read book. Keating is also the co-editor of On Montauk: A Literary Celebration, an anthology of prose and poetry. Her stories and other writing have appeared in Echoes, Emrys Journal, Mount Hope, The North Stone Review, Prairie Schooner, Santa Clara Review, Poets & Writers, Coastal Living, and the Wising Up anthology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 1, 2019
First of all, let's get the legal stuff out of the way: "This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."
All right, so what did I think of Layla?
There were a lot of things that I liked about the book. First of all, the voyage aspect is done well. It's very believable that Layla's mother would send her out on a journey like this, to reconnect to the past and the people who knew her father, who she never knew. I like the way she adapted to the new people and places, and learned a little from each stop on the journey. I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail, but the end of the book definitely goes in a different direction than I suspected. I like the way it ended, with equal parts of reality and idealism.
The narration was pretty well done on the audiobook. The sound quality was excellent, with no background noise, audio errors, or rough transitions to be found. The narrator did a pretty good capturing and portraying the drama and tension in the story.
One thing that bugged me (and this is something that I find occasionally in audiobooks, and it bugs me every time) was that exactly one character in the book was portrayed with an accent. The son of one of the couples that she stays with has a thick Boston accent, which is very well done, but still seems really odd because no one else speaks with any kind of accent. Which is unusual, since she literally traverses the entire country in the course of the novel.
Overall, this was a good book which addresses some important issues and real-life topics. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys a family drama with a little mystery or tension, or a story about someone trying to connect to their past.
All right, so what did I think of Layla?
There were a lot of things that I liked about the book. First of all, the voyage aspect is done well. It's very believable that Layla's mother would send her out on a journey like this, to reconnect to the past and the people who knew her father, who she never knew. I like the way she adapted to the new people and places, and learned a little from each stop on the journey. I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail, but the end of the book definitely goes in a different direction than I suspected. I like the way it ended, with equal parts of reality and idealism.
The narration was pretty well done on the audiobook. The sound quality was excellent, with no background noise, audio errors, or rough transitions to be found. The narrator did a pretty good capturing and portraying the drama and tension in the story.
One thing that bugged me (and this is something that I find occasionally in audiobooks, and it bugs me every time) was that exactly one character in the book was portrayed with an accent. The son of one of the couples that she stays with has a thick Boston accent, which is very well done, but still seems really odd because no one else speaks with any kind of accent. Which is unusual, since she literally traverses the entire country in the course of the novel.
Overall, this was a good book which addresses some important issues and real-life topics. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys a family drama with a little mystery or tension, or a story about someone trying to connect to their past.
September 15, 2012
This interesting story teaching much about recent cultural history in America would really be a treasure as a gift for any thinking teenager. Layla's poignant predicament, losing her mother to death and then searching for and finding her alive father who is an old anarchist fugitive, will hold the emotional interest of young people and inform them.
The book also provides a great service in putting the 60's culture out there so it is not forgotten. I was a part of that culture and we were very serious, many of our generation died in the Vietnam War, and we had plenty to be angry about. Racism and racial poverty were still at barbaric levels, sexism and hatred of gay people was enough to cause rioting in the streets--and that's exactly what we had. So much anger, and more than anger. We had violence. This book does get into the why's of that violence, but is about the next generation, and it does a good job of presenting this girl Layla to us. It's a personal story, not political.
We had politics back then. Everything was political, the personal was political. We ALMOST had organized insurrection and revolution back then, but thank God we didn't. We had a cultural revolution, where society changed enough to ward off the worst. I am glad. At 60, I have no use for violence--but at 21, I am sorry to say I did because I was young, angry, and had nothing to lose. It did not go that far for me--but it could have happened, and it came too close. People physically suffered and died at that time. It was very real.
To me, the one thing that stands out most from that time, rarely written about, is the incredible sense of brotherhood that was pervasive everywhere in this hippie/freedom/culture, the way you could trust someone with long hair (you really could!): the way it created a raised moral code for a whole generation of people based on wonderful, good and right things that bonded us in a way I have never seen in this country since. It was a wonderful thing to be part of that. It was a wonderful and terrible time, with war, death, and riots in the streets on the TV news every night, driving us to loyalty and risks and caring and bonding. It drove us to re-write culture. And we did.
I have studied history since those days. Now I know that those things we experienced were indeed the beginnings of what could have been a real civil war. It could have escalated that far. I am greatly relieved it didn't, and that much good change came out of it. Today I see a black president of the USA--I would never have believed it! I see a black middle class, and how glad I am to see that! I see gay marriage fighting to get accepted, and it is going to win that fight.
Our country needed to change, and it did change and is still changing as much as it can, just enough to keep us from the horror of civil war. I am sure all wise people are glad of that, as I am.
Layla's venture was personal, her relationship to her dad and his relationship to his belief system, all personal and all in retrospect. The passion and the necessity of the whole thing, and the pathos of a country on the brink of civil war--that does not come out in this book because the story is in retrospect, told from and for young people who grew up afterward. Layla is 22 and she sees a black president on the TV screen. She cannot understand what it took to put that man in the White House. Of course, she cannot. And it is so easy to forget. Sometimes I forget myself. I am glad for this book that made me remember.
Well done, Celine! Thank you for preserving history and perspective for us. We must not forget who we are.
The book also provides a great service in putting the 60's culture out there so it is not forgotten. I was a part of that culture and we were very serious, many of our generation died in the Vietnam War, and we had plenty to be angry about. Racism and racial poverty were still at barbaric levels, sexism and hatred of gay people was enough to cause rioting in the streets--and that's exactly what we had. So much anger, and more than anger. We had violence. This book does get into the why's of that violence, but is about the next generation, and it does a good job of presenting this girl Layla to us. It's a personal story, not political.
We had politics back then. Everything was political, the personal was political. We ALMOST had organized insurrection and revolution back then, but thank God we didn't. We had a cultural revolution, where society changed enough to ward off the worst. I am glad. At 60, I have no use for violence--but at 21, I am sorry to say I did because I was young, angry, and had nothing to lose. It did not go that far for me--but it could have happened, and it came too close. People physically suffered and died at that time. It was very real.
To me, the one thing that stands out most from that time, rarely written about, is the incredible sense of brotherhood that was pervasive everywhere in this hippie/freedom/culture, the way you could trust someone with long hair (you really could!): the way it created a raised moral code for a whole generation of people based on wonderful, good and right things that bonded us in a way I have never seen in this country since. It was a wonderful thing to be part of that. It was a wonderful and terrible time, with war, death, and riots in the streets on the TV news every night, driving us to loyalty and risks and caring and bonding. It drove us to re-write culture. And we did.
I have studied history since those days. Now I know that those things we experienced were indeed the beginnings of what could have been a real civil war. It could have escalated that far. I am greatly relieved it didn't, and that much good change came out of it. Today I see a black president of the USA--I would never have believed it! I see a black middle class, and how glad I am to see that! I see gay marriage fighting to get accepted, and it is going to win that fight.
Our country needed to change, and it did change and is still changing as much as it can, just enough to keep us from the horror of civil war. I am sure all wise people are glad of that, as I am.
Layla's venture was personal, her relationship to her dad and his relationship to his belief system, all personal and all in retrospect. The passion and the necessity of the whole thing, and the pathos of a country on the brink of civil war--that does not come out in this book because the story is in retrospect, told from and for young people who grew up afterward. Layla is 22 and she sees a black president on the TV screen. She cannot understand what it took to put that man in the White House. Of course, she cannot. And it is so easy to forget. Sometimes I forget myself. I am glad for this book that made me remember.
Well done, Celine! Thank you for preserving history and perspective for us. We must not forget who we are.
August 29, 2012
GOODREADS FIRST READS WIN: I won this book through Goodreads and am still reading it, but I wanted to post a "pre-review" of it. The book starts off with Layla losing her mother and her subsequent journey to go on a visit that she and her mother were to have gone on together. But she and a friend go on the trip instead, in hopes of learning about Layla's father.
The book makes me wonder what's going on with Layla, if her mom was really a spy of some kind or what it is that her mother was so secretive about.
I will do a full review when I finish, but wanted to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying it thus far.
Finally finished...review: I enjoyed the book very much, but I guess I wasn't in love with it. The characters were well-developed, but I just didn't fall in love with them. I'm not sure why I had that reaction to the characters, but probably because I didn't really become emotional at any point in time. There was nothing that really "hit" me or brought me to much thought.
I thought there would be more emotional conversations between Layla and her father, something which I like. But to me the dialogue between them was too detached.
I would recommend this book to people who don't necessarily like lots of twists and don't like to think things through as they read. In other words, if you don't like more of a challenging read, this might be more for you.
The book makes me wonder what's going on with Layla, if her mom was really a spy of some kind or what it is that her mother was so secretive about.
I will do a full review when I finish, but wanted to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying it thus far.
Finally finished...review: I enjoyed the book very much, but I guess I wasn't in love with it. The characters were well-developed, but I just didn't fall in love with them. I'm not sure why I had that reaction to the characters, but probably because I didn't really become emotional at any point in time. There was nothing that really "hit" me or brought me to much thought.
I thought there would be more emotional conversations between Layla and her father, something which I like. But to me the dialogue between them was too detached.
I would recommend this book to people who don't necessarily like lots of twists and don't like to think things through as they read. In other words, if you don't like more of a challenging read, this might be more for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2018
I received this book for free through Goodreads first reads, and I am happy to give this FIVE stars.
Points awarded for grabbing my attention in chapter one.
Points awarded for revealing just the right amount of detail at just the right moments to make it feel like a mystery all the way through.
Points awarded for developing the characters in just enough scope to lead me on the emotional journey. I want to be friends with Jenny, I want to date Trent, I want to go hiking with Nina, and I want to go to a concert with Philip.
Points awarded for opening my eyes just a little bit to an era. A political and social environment tnat I've heard so much about. That I thought I understood. That was conveyed in a light never before shown to me with this story. Good stories make you want to read more, and Keating surely did that for me.
It's a book I'll want to read again, loan to friends and harass them with questions about how far they've read, and share with my coworkers, both of this era and not.
Points awarded for grabbing my attention in chapter one.
Points awarded for revealing just the right amount of detail at just the right moments to make it feel like a mystery all the way through.
Points awarded for developing the characters in just enough scope to lead me on the emotional journey. I want to be friends with Jenny, I want to date Trent, I want to go hiking with Nina, and I want to go to a concert with Philip.
Points awarded for opening my eyes just a little bit to an era. A political and social environment tnat I've heard so much about. That I thought I understood. That was conveyed in a light never before shown to me with this story. Good stories make you want to read more, and Keating surely did that for me.
It's a book I'll want to read again, loan to friends and harass them with questions about how far they've read, and share with my coworkers, both of this era and not.
March 11, 2016
This was a really good read, mystery, suspense, family relationships and a good cross country trip. A young woman, Layla after her mother dies, decides she would follow through on a trip, that they had planned to take together, a trip that would allow Layla to know a bit about her father, whom she had never met.
Both of her parents had been activist in the 60's and a lot about her father history was shrouded in mystery. On this trip across country, stopping to spend a few days in each place with old time friends of her mothers, Layla learns a bit more of the story and she also receives a letter at each location, that her mother had sent before she died.
The characters are great and it was interesting to hear and sense the feelings and beliefs of the different generations.
I do not really want to say too much as you should discover the unfolding of this story for yourselves. It is definitely a book that will keep your interest, at least it did mine.
Both of her parents had been activist in the 60's and a lot about her father history was shrouded in mystery. On this trip across country, stopping to spend a few days in each place with old time friends of her mothers, Layla learns a bit more of the story and she also receives a letter at each location, that her mother had sent before she died.
The characters are great and it was interesting to hear and sense the feelings and beliefs of the different generations.
I do not really want to say too much as you should discover the unfolding of this story for yourselves. It is definitely a book that will keep your interest, at least it did mine.
May 22, 2012
I won this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Very good book. The character brings to light a vibrant tale. Well written and a great leading character. From the moment you open this book and begin reading you will not want to put the book down. As the story begins Layla's mother is on the verge of death. Her mother leaves her a letter that will take her on a journey to reveal the past.Can Layla face the truth of her past and that of her parents. Please read this book you will not be sorry you did.
September 12, 2011
Keating's story left me thinking about my relationship with my family, my parent's histories, and how their lives have influenced who I am and I how I think about what's happening in our world. It sparked some interesting conversations about politics and history.
Learn more about writer Celine Keating in her interview for Words With Writers: http://wordswithwriters.com/2011/06/0...
Learn more about writer Celine Keating in her interview for Words With Writers: http://wordswithwriters.com/2011/06/0...
June 8, 2012
I won this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I have to tell you, I loved the story. I laughed and cried along with the characters during their journeys. It’s not just Layla’s journey, but all who enter into her life. It is about looking into yourself and discovering who you are, even if you may not like everything you see. It also lets you know, there can be a second chance.
February 2, 2013
A timely and heartfelt work about the eccentricities of and longing for family; the search for identity, and the power of the times that shaped us. A truly compelling read – I can't wait for Keating's next book.
September 23, 2011
What a fabulously written and heart-wrenching book! Layla is hard to put down - you're on tenterhooks as Layla uncovers her family's past.
April 1, 2012
Loved this book as well as my mom. Wasnt really my age level, but I enjoyed it.
March 27, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It really seems like it is a story that could could happen in real life.
March 25, 2021
When I have hundreds of books in my bookshelves, it may take me 5 years to get to it, as is the case with Layla.
It was very well written. It kept me wanting to read more and I finished it in two short days. The story was very believable too, which is a very good thing when it's based on real times from the 1960's with the protests with the Vietnam War etc. There were real activist named in the book and a movie, Salt of the Earth, which I see I can watch for free on Amazon Prime when I have a chance.
Layla has been brought up by a single mother. She is 22 when her mother dies of cancer. Her father was always a mystery and her mother never told her much about him, other than he died before she was born. Layla and her mom, Audrey, were supposed to go on a cross country trip together with the aim of learning more about her parents and of that time period in parent's lives.
Both her parents were big activists and hippies in the 60's. Her mother still was, but Layla never paid much attention when her mother went off with this and that from that time era. She heard it all her life. She wasn't interested. On her death bed, her mother instructs her to do this trip on her own, but she isn't given much information. At each stop is of an old friends of her parent's from the 60's who were also radical activists. She stays a few days at their home. There they have been instructed to tell her just a little bit and nothing more. Plus she is given a letter, once again, with very little information, that her mother has written for her (and mailed ahead of time).
I cannot say anymore as it would give the story away.
It's funny because half way through the book I got to thinking about the cover, what's up with the sand? And that's when my question was answered. I'm glad I didn't have to wait long. It was kinda freaky how that happened.
I liked the ending.
It was very well written. It kept me wanting to read more and I finished it in two short days. The story was very believable too, which is a very good thing when it's based on real times from the 1960's with the protests with the Vietnam War etc. There were real activist named in the book and a movie, Salt of the Earth, which I see I can watch for free on Amazon Prime when I have a chance.
Layla has been brought up by a single mother. She is 22 when her mother dies of cancer. Her father was always a mystery and her mother never told her much about him, other than he died before she was born. Layla and her mom, Audrey, were supposed to go on a cross country trip together with the aim of learning more about her parents and of that time period in parent's lives.
Both her parents were big activists and hippies in the 60's. Her mother still was, but Layla never paid much attention when her mother went off with this and that from that time era. She heard it all her life. She wasn't interested. On her death bed, her mother instructs her to do this trip on her own, but she isn't given much information. At each stop is of an old friends of her parent's from the 60's who were also radical activists. She stays a few days at their home. There they have been instructed to tell her just a little bit and nothing more. Plus she is given a letter, once again, with very little information, that her mother has written for her (and mailed ahead of time).
I cannot say anymore as it would give the story away.
It's funny because half way through the book I got to thinking about the cover, what's up with the sand? And that's when my question was answered. I'm glad I didn't have to wait long. It was kinda freaky how that happened.
I liked the ending.
October 24, 2017
The period of social upheaval during the late sixties and early seventies was such a part of my life, that it was very interesting to see those times through the lens of the next generation. I liked the idea of a daughter in search of her father, but thought the discovery was a little weak. Dad did not seem genuine or real and was a bit single dimensional.
At times the language and descriptions were wonderful. Sometimes, character were a bit too stereotypical and predictable.
In all, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
At times the language and descriptions were wonderful. Sometimes, character were a bit too stereotypical and predictable.
In all, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
April 6, 2019
Although this is categorized as historical fiction, the historical elements are rather weak. This is very much a character-driven story. The action and suspense is low key. I don't feel particularly sympathetic towards these characters, but I do like them, especially Layla. And Sarah Pavelec's performance of Layla is spot on.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 23, 2017
Gripping
Anyone wondering about the 60's should read this book. Or anyone trying to establish a relationship with a parent. It has great insight.
Anyone wondering about the 60's should read this book. Or anyone trying to establish a relationship with a parent. It has great insight.
July 12, 2020
Loved it
Captivating, heart wrenching and a trusty read. Wasnt sure how ot was going to pan out. Couldn't put it down!!!
Captivating, heart wrenching and a trusty read. Wasnt sure how ot was going to pan out. Couldn't put it down!!!
February 24, 2015
What Is It About?
Layla is a women’s fiction novel about a young woman’s cross country journey, where every stop unravels a small part of her past, and shocking family secrets are revealed.
Born to left wing politico parents. Layla has been told her entire life how great the ’60s were. She strongly resists this ideology, and resents politics in general. Layla feels politics took her mother’s attention from her growing up.
Layla develops her own point of view, and discovers her true self along the way.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books that I may have never picked up/heard of if it wasn’t offered to me in exchange for a review, and I am so glad it was, because I absolutely loved it. The slow winding suspense, and likability of the main character will make this book a memorable one for me.
I loved being along for Layla’s cross country journey, interacting with her parents’ hippy friends, an odd hitchhiker with her son in tow, and of course all the evasive letters that were strategically sent to her along the way. Layla is an empathetic character, and someone who you want to see succeed. I enjoyed watching her grow as a person, and I was proud of the woman she had become because of it all! Layla represents women’s fiction at its finest!
What I Loved:
There were a few gasp worthy moments and plot twists that I didn’t see coming, which propelled the story forward into a direction I wasn’t expecting. I love it when a story can ‘keep me on my toes’!
The suspenseful writing makes this novel hard to put down. I love a story that I can stay immersed in, and doesn’t lose my interest. Layla never lost my interest.
What I Disliked:
Now that I have finished Layla, I miss being along for the ride! I sighed as I closed the book, knowing that Layla’s, (and my), journey was over.
I didn’t understand why Jenny, who was accompanying Layla on her trip, left after one stop. Why was it necessary for her to come at all? However, I think the author made a wise decision in sending her home, because we got to see Layla grow as an individual, and bravely navigate on her own.
Recommendation:
I believe that so many people could enjoy this novel; specifically, anyone who lived through the tumultuous ’60s, political activists, and anyone who enjoys a slow winding suspense.
Full review @ https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2015...
Layla is a women’s fiction novel about a young woman’s cross country journey, where every stop unravels a small part of her past, and shocking family secrets are revealed.
Born to left wing politico parents. Layla has been told her entire life how great the ’60s were. She strongly resists this ideology, and resents politics in general. Layla feels politics took her mother’s attention from her growing up.
Layla develops her own point of view, and discovers her true self along the way.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books that I may have never picked up/heard of if it wasn’t offered to me in exchange for a review, and I am so glad it was, because I absolutely loved it. The slow winding suspense, and likability of the main character will make this book a memorable one for me.
I loved being along for Layla’s cross country journey, interacting with her parents’ hippy friends, an odd hitchhiker with her son in tow, and of course all the evasive letters that were strategically sent to her along the way. Layla is an empathetic character, and someone who you want to see succeed. I enjoyed watching her grow as a person, and I was proud of the woman she had become because of it all! Layla represents women’s fiction at its finest!
What I Loved:
There were a few gasp worthy moments and plot twists that I didn’t see coming, which propelled the story forward into a direction I wasn’t expecting. I love it when a story can ‘keep me on my toes’!
The suspenseful writing makes this novel hard to put down. I love a story that I can stay immersed in, and doesn’t lose my interest. Layla never lost my interest.
What I Disliked:
Now that I have finished Layla, I miss being along for the ride! I sighed as I closed the book, knowing that Layla’s, (and my), journey was over.
I didn’t understand why Jenny, who was accompanying Layla on her trip, left after one stop. Why was it necessary for her to come at all? However, I think the author made a wise decision in sending her home, because we got to see Layla grow as an individual, and bravely navigate on her own.
Recommendation:
I believe that so many people could enjoy this novel; specifically, anyone who lived through the tumultuous ’60s, political activists, and anyone who enjoys a slow winding suspense.
Full review @ https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2015...
March 23, 2016
I fell in love with Layla on page 1. Her voice is very strong and she really does sound like a young adult. I felt like I knew her mom, Audrey, even though I never met her alive and didn't even know her name until halfway through the book. Celine Keating has a talent for providing the right vivid detail at the right time - I can see Audrey sitting with her knees tucked up under her chin, twisting a strand of hair as she furrows her brow over a paper she's grading or an article she is working on. (Oddly, I don't have a good sense of what Layla looks like, perhaps because the point of view is so intimately hers, that I never see her from anyone else's perspective.)
There are some breathtakingly beautiful passages. I particularly liked this one "He blanched, as if I had punched him. I felt a ping, the kind of ping I felt when a frame fit one of my photographs so perfectly it was as if they were long lost lovers I was reuniting. What I felt now was the words hitting the exact center of the pain inside me. A perfect match."
There was a short stretch in the middle where the story dragged a bit and I considered skimming, but flipping just a few pages ahead let me know that I was coming to another twist. The ending seemed perfect, if expected. Keating clearly knows what she is talking about, this is not rebel fiction from an outsider's lens. She shows both deep respect for the politics of the characters, and an awareness of where their ideals come up short.
Only one quibble: Abbie Hoffman had been aboveground and out of prison for years when he killed himself. It doesn't seem like the book's characterization of that incident is correct. But that is not important to the story.
This is a great introduction for those who are not familiar with the radical politics of the 60s and their progeny (which include, loosely, Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter), but it will also be satisfying to those who lived them.
There are some breathtakingly beautiful passages. I particularly liked this one "He blanched, as if I had punched him. I felt a ping, the kind of ping I felt when a frame fit one of my photographs so perfectly it was as if they were long lost lovers I was reuniting. What I felt now was the words hitting the exact center of the pain inside me. A perfect match."
There was a short stretch in the middle where the story dragged a bit and I considered skimming, but flipping just a few pages ahead let me know that I was coming to another twist. The ending seemed perfect, if expected. Keating clearly knows what she is talking about, this is not rebel fiction from an outsider's lens. She shows both deep respect for the politics of the characters, and an awareness of where their ideals come up short.
Only one quibble: Abbie Hoffman had been aboveground and out of prison for years when he killed himself. It doesn't seem like the book's characterization of that incident is correct. But that is not important to the story.
This is a great introduction for those who are not familiar with the radical politics of the 60s and their progeny (which include, loosely, Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter), but it will also be satisfying to those who lived them.
April 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Layla had a strained relationship with her mother, growing up in the shadow of the "glory days" of the 60's, protests, passion, fights. All of it still active with her mother up to her dying breath. Layla doesn't share her mother's passions and is baffled as to why it is still so important to carry on in this day and age.
Her mother planned a cross country trip to introduce Layla to friends, learn about the "cause" from others and hopefully repair some damage between them. There was also some secrets to be revealed along the way that may or may not shed some light on Layla's life. With her mother's passing, Layla seemed to begrudgingly keep with the schedule of the trip. Along the way, she finds growth, love, and forgiveness. She also realizes her mother truly loved her, in her own way, even though Layla felt she was an inconvenience.
Having a strained/tumultuous relationship with my own mother, I applaud the path this story took. I only wish our issues were as "simple" as me not having the same political passion. Secrets can do more harm than good.
I appreciate the personal growth Layla had, and her ability to learn how to relax within herself.
Her mother planned a cross country trip to introduce Layla to friends, learn about the "cause" from others and hopefully repair some damage between them. There was also some secrets to be revealed along the way that may or may not shed some light on Layla's life. With her mother's passing, Layla seemed to begrudgingly keep with the schedule of the trip. Along the way, she finds growth, love, and forgiveness. She also realizes her mother truly loved her, in her own way, even though Layla felt she was an inconvenience.
Having a strained/tumultuous relationship with my own mother, I applaud the path this story took. I only wish our issues were as "simple" as me not having the same political passion. Secrets can do more harm than good.
I appreciate the personal growth Layla had, and her ability to learn how to relax within herself.
March 10, 2016
This was a very gripping novel, which I couldn't put down.
The plot is great -- a girl who has just graduated from college, and whose mother has just died, going on something like a scavenger hunt to learn about her missing father. It's sort of like a mystery in that respect.
Another wonderful thing about the book is the background on the social unrest in the 1960's and 70's. I believe that the book will help to educate generations who weren't there, to understand the magnitude of what was happening then.
My only peeve was that the viewpoint character was a little too bratty, especially given that her mother had just died. But then, that whole mother-daughter dynamic is so tricky in real life. I was willing to skip over a lot of the emotional stuff because I wanted to find out how the plot panned out.
The plot is great -- a girl who has just graduated from college, and whose mother has just died, going on something like a scavenger hunt to learn about her missing father. It's sort of like a mystery in that respect.
Another wonderful thing about the book is the background on the social unrest in the 1960's and 70's. I believe that the book will help to educate generations who weren't there, to understand the magnitude of what was happening then.
My only peeve was that the viewpoint character was a little too bratty, especially given that her mother had just died. But then, that whole mother-daughter dynamic is so tricky in real life. I was willing to skip over a lot of the emotional stuff because I wanted to find out how the plot panned out.
July 12, 2012
Layla's mother has passed away and has asked her daughter to take the trip that she has planned out for Layla to learn about her father.
I thought I'd really be able to get into this book being from that generation. Unfortunately I found it a very slow and to me a boring read. There was so much she could of used history that she could of used to really make this book much more exciting, she touched on things but never built on them.
Now it is probably just not my type of story because I believe it was well written, the main character was well develped although I do believe she could have done better on the people she met along the way on her journey.
I can only give it a 3. But again I'd recommend it, just because it's not for me does not meen it's not a book you'd enjoy.
I thought I'd really be able to get into this book being from that generation. Unfortunately I found it a very slow and to me a boring read. There was so much she could of used history that she could of used to really make this book much more exciting, she touched on things but never built on them.
Now it is probably just not my type of story because I believe it was well written, the main character was well develped although I do believe she could have done better on the people she met along the way on her journey.
I can only give it a 3. But again I'd recommend it, just because it's not for me does not meen it's not a book you'd enjoy.
June 7, 2012
Not often does one find a novel set in the turbulent 60s. I loved the story line of a young woman finding her father, whom she had never met, through meeting her parents friends and finding out their history in bits and pieces. Such an original story line and very well written. Recommended to anyone who remembers the 60s and wants to learn about the idealism and culture of the times. I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
June 10, 2012
A young girl watches as her mother dies and promises her she will make the cross country trip they had planned to make together. She wants her daughter to find out more about her dad that died when she was a baby. The girl stays with friends of her mother's along the way and receives letters her mother has written beforehand. The characters were a little weak and the story seemed to drag at times but overall a good read with a surprising end.
February 2, 2014
First attempt at reading this = confusing. But because this was a book club requirement, I tried again and was glad that I did. The protests of the sixties and early seventies were brought to real life by vivid characters. I learned a lot about this era (I was just a young child at the time) by reading this novel. I have to admit that I had to rethink my feelings about the social upheaval prevalent in this era!
September 17, 2014
I just finished listening to this one and I am so sad that it's over. Keating does a great job with drawing the listener in to the story. The premise is that a woman named Layla embarks on a cross country trip to visit her mother's old radical friends from the 60s and learns some shocking truths about her parents along the way. Well done, Celine Keating! Bravo!
October 13, 2014
Read this for the political fiction panel I'm moderating. Fascinating story about a young woman looking to connect with her father, a man who has been in hiding since he killed a guard during the 1960s. I will never figure out what I think about that time period, but this is a serious and generous exploration of the issues. It's also beautifully written.
April 23, 2016
A riveting story that took me back to my college days as Layla embarks on a journey to find out about her parents who were activists in the late 60's. I became eager to take each step with her and watch her discovery and her emotional challenges that shaped her future life. Thoroughly enjoyed this look back at familiar times and places and the strong tug of family ties.
June 15, 2016
If I could I would have given this 3.5 stars.. why doesn't Goodreads have half stars yet?
Overall I enjoyed this, I thought it ended quite quickly but still a good read although found Layla not overly likeable.
Overall I enjoyed this, I thought it ended quite quickly but still a good read although found Layla not overly likeable.
Want to read
May 1, 2012Book won on Goodreads.com on 4-30-12.
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