What do you think?
Rate this book
Isaac Hunt Series #1
The Making of Isaac Hunt
At his grandfather's deathbed, Isaac Hunt, a black man with blue eyes and skin so fair he looks white, learns his parents aren't really his parents. Armed with only his birth mother's name and the city where she last lived and reeling from betrayal, he goes in search of her and in search of the truth about his past.
His odyssey takes him deep into the south, where the racism still rules the small town of his birth, and where more than one person does not want Isaac to uncover the truth about who he his. Along the way, he must deal with issues of faith and forgiveness in this coming-of-age novel about race, identity, courage, and truth.
His odyssey takes him deep into the south, where the racism still rules the small town of his birth, and where more than one person does not want Isaac to uncover the truth about who he his. Along the way, he must deal with issues of faith and forgiveness in this coming-of-age novel about race, identity, courage, and truth.
- GenresFiction
342 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2007
7 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Linda Leigh Hargrove
26 books57 followersLinda Leigh Hargrove blends suspense, humor, and faith into compelling stories about race and class in America. Her writings include contemporary novels, romance novellas, and self-help books. She resides in North Carolina with her husband and three sons. She blogs at LLHargrove.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 9, 2023
While I've read romance novellas by Hargrove before, it was someone else's inquiry about ChristFic suspense from diverse authors that prompted me to finally start the Isaac Hunt series.
This novel isn't suspense in the sense of fast pacing or high action. Most of the story is rather contemplative, taking its time much like a literary novel. But the dark crime thread running through it does eventually reach a critical point for Isaac.
I don't always get through books that take longer than about two chapters to give me more than a cursory sense of what's going on and exactly why it matters. Although I felt like this novel spent a fairly significant amount of time speaking in riddles, something simmering, sometimes rumbling, just beneath the surface compelled me to keep reading. That and this author's way with words, as I really like sharp phrasing and stirring descriptions that aren't predictable for me.
There's a scene where one of the villains sits and monologues to himself for a while, which can feel like a contrived way to reveal information to the reader. But that aside, this story's evil characters aren't caricatures. As for the emotion through the read, though I think the effect of Isaac's tears could have been stronger if he had them in fewer scenes, I found the overall emotional development to be compelling.
I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
(Note: While I read an earlier edition of this book where the N-word doesn't appear, in the latest edition, the author includes a heads-up about her use of the word. I understand various Black writers' choices about whether or not they use the word in their works, and Hargrove also touched on the issue in her guest post on my blog some years ago.)
This novel isn't suspense in the sense of fast pacing or high action. Most of the story is rather contemplative, taking its time much like a literary novel. But the dark crime thread running through it does eventually reach a critical point for Isaac.
I don't always get through books that take longer than about two chapters to give me more than a cursory sense of what's going on and exactly why it matters. Although I felt like this novel spent a fairly significant amount of time speaking in riddles, something simmering, sometimes rumbling, just beneath the surface compelled me to keep reading. That and this author's way with words, as I really like sharp phrasing and stirring descriptions that aren't predictable for me.
There's a scene where one of the villains sits and monologues to himself for a while, which can feel like a contrived way to reveal information to the reader. But that aside, this story's evil characters aren't caricatures. As for the emotion through the read, though I think the effect of Isaac's tears could have been stronger if he had them in fewer scenes, I found the overall emotional development to be compelling.
I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
(Note: While I read an earlier edition of this book where the N-word doesn't appear, in the latest edition, the author includes a heads-up about her use of the word. I understand various Black writers' choices about whether or not they use the word in their works, and Hargrove also touched on the issue in her guest post on my blog some years ago.)
May 16, 2020
Wow. This was a very weird book. With the COVID-19 crisis continuing and the local library still closed, I have had to search around to find reading material. This book is a Christian novel about a young biracial man finding out the truth about his biological mother and father. It is written in a very confused, disjointed style, and when all the secrets begin to be revealed, it is one bizarre story that strains credibility. Also: The author is a black woman, and the story is about a biracial man, but it is still peculiar that she feels compelled to describe the skin tone of every black character in the story. Not the white people, just the black people. I never dreamed there needed to be so many ways to describe a person's complexion.
April 17, 2009
About generational sins and Isaac's finding his place in the world.
December 24, 2011
C'était sympa et sans prise de tête jusqu'à ce qu'elle introduise Dieu, Jesus dans l'histoire.
September 1, 2011
very good
Read
November 16, 2012This inspirational novel has some of the same serious social themes found in My Hands Came Away Red, in addition to a fast-paced mystery and strong characters.
January 12, 2014
Really enjoyed this story. Linda Leigh Hargrove is an excellent author. I hope she's working on a new book. I would love to read more from her.
Read
April 17, 2009read my review here:
http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2009...
http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2009...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews