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The Boy Who Loved Rain: They say that what you don't know can't hurt you. They're wrong.
They say that what you don't know can't hurt you. They're wrong.
Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can't save her.
Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed--and certainly not help from beyond the church.
Then they find the suicide pledge.
Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees... but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David's own creation?
This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.
Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can't save her.
Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed--and certainly not help from beyond the church.
Then they find the suicide pledge.
Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees... but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David's own creation?
This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 24, 2016
Instigative narrative along with pestilent and disarming characters. Quite an intense read leaving you emotionally spent. Kelly creates a novel engaging the reader, bringing on numerous questions as you place yourself in the position of the characters and their delicate circumstances. Impassioned, the secrets dark and deep, very well done.
Kelly certainly succeeded in frustrating this reader to no end. It was challenging being a spectator, so many times I wanted to crawl through the pages and shake sense into a few people as well as wrap my arms around them providing comfort, taking on their many burdens and acute pain. David – his presence is felt even though his appearance is infrequent. He frustrates you as well as begs empathy for his behavior good and bad. Fiona, my goodness I felt her pain, her joy, she touched my heart. As a mother I related to all the bittersweet moments this woman, wife, mother dealt with. Colum, fragile yet a sturdy young man entering your heart and burying himself there. His journey is stalled and you hope he finds his way through the rough terrain.
The narrative slowly gains momentum, secrets revealed, decisions questioned and finally all is exposed and the plot hits its apex head on. The secrets are plenty, catching you off guard.
A story exploring the danger of secrets and their affect on the family. Emotionally gripping, undoubtedly profound. Complex piece of literature, looking forward to reading more of Gerard Kelly. Highly recommend, excellent selection for reading groups – loads to discuss.
Kelly certainly succeeded in frustrating this reader to no end. It was challenging being a spectator, so many times I wanted to crawl through the pages and shake sense into a few people as well as wrap my arms around them providing comfort, taking on their many burdens and acute pain. David – his presence is felt even though his appearance is infrequent. He frustrates you as well as begs empathy for his behavior good and bad. Fiona, my goodness I felt her pain, her joy, she touched my heart. As a mother I related to all the bittersweet moments this woman, wife, mother dealt with. Colum, fragile yet a sturdy young man entering your heart and burying himself there. His journey is stalled and you hope he finds his way through the rough terrain.
The narrative slowly gains momentum, secrets revealed, decisions questioned and finally all is exposed and the plot hits its apex head on. The secrets are plenty, catching you off guard.
A story exploring the danger of secrets and their affect on the family. Emotionally gripping, undoubtedly profound. Complex piece of literature, looking forward to reading more of Gerard Kelly. Highly recommend, excellent selection for reading groups – loads to discuss.
March 25, 2016
This is not a light and fluffy novel, but sometimes I don't want that. I want a book that gives me depth, makes me feel, challenges me and tests me. This I got from The Boy Who Loved Rain.
A book essentially about the damage that secrets can be done to a family, how toxic deception can make or break years of creating a life together. It's painful to read in places, it made me feel a lot of emotions ranging from happiness to anger.
It's a book to sink into and lose yourself, but don't expect a marshmallow book, it's more like chewy toffee that gets stuck on your teeth and is hard to get off.
Colom is the teenage son, and Fiona the wife, of David Dryden, pastor of a high profile church in London, who is admired for his emphasis on the Christian family. But all is not well. Colom’s erratic behaviour causes a great deal of family stress. When a commitment to die is discovered in Colom's room after the suicide of a school friend, David finds himself out of his depth - and Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees.
Some reviewers have said that there is a LOT of Christian aspects to this book, I disagree. I mean one of the characters is the Pastor of a high profile church and this has had impact on the family and the entire story so it's got as much element of church and God in it as the book should to enhance the plot.
Colom, ah Colom, when we meet him he is of grave concern to all, acting dangerously, acting out of character, depressed, angry, much more than your average teen angst. One of Colom's friends commits suicide and leave a note behind showing that he decided to die before his sixteenth birthday and was active on many suicide websites. Fiona, Colom's mother finds a similar commitment note in Colom's room and slowly for Fiona it feels like everything is unravelling.
I have a son who is 15, like Colom and I was imagining how I would feel if I knew my son was planning to kill himself. Horrific and terrifying.
She takes off with Colom to find some space to think and to find time to connect with Colom. The plot in this book is sublime, it has surprises and teases you along the way, just as you think you know what's happening it switches direction and you might have as many jaw opening moments as what I did.
As Colom is encouraged to open up more, Fiona is thinking on her marriage, her husband David is back home, protesting he has to keep things going at the church and his image is critical. Needless to say, Fiona feels pretty much alone.
I thought the book was great up to this point, then the secrets start to come through the cracks, the toxic lies are revealed and I began to totally love this book and raced to the end.
Highly recommended for those that like some depth in their reading, enjoy tackling complexities in human relationships and dysfunctional family dynamics. Also recommended for those that like to dig deep to try to guess the secrets and love to be wrong. A unique and solid read.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A book essentially about the damage that secrets can be done to a family, how toxic deception can make or break years of creating a life together. It's painful to read in places, it made me feel a lot of emotions ranging from happiness to anger.
It's a book to sink into and lose yourself, but don't expect a marshmallow book, it's more like chewy toffee that gets stuck on your teeth and is hard to get off.
Colom is the teenage son, and Fiona the wife, of David Dryden, pastor of a high profile church in London, who is admired for his emphasis on the Christian family. But all is not well. Colom’s erratic behaviour causes a great deal of family stress. When a commitment to die is discovered in Colom's room after the suicide of a school friend, David finds himself out of his depth - and Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees.
Some reviewers have said that there is a LOT of Christian aspects to this book, I disagree. I mean one of the characters is the Pastor of a high profile church and this has had impact on the family and the entire story so it's got as much element of church and God in it as the book should to enhance the plot.
Colom, ah Colom, when we meet him he is of grave concern to all, acting dangerously, acting out of character, depressed, angry, much more than your average teen angst. One of Colom's friends commits suicide and leave a note behind showing that he decided to die before his sixteenth birthday and was active on many suicide websites. Fiona, Colom's mother finds a similar commitment note in Colom's room and slowly for Fiona it feels like everything is unravelling.
I have a son who is 15, like Colom and I was imagining how I would feel if I knew my son was planning to kill himself. Horrific and terrifying.
She takes off with Colom to find some space to think and to find time to connect with Colom. The plot in this book is sublime, it has surprises and teases you along the way, just as you think you know what's happening it switches direction and you might have as many jaw opening moments as what I did.
As Colom is encouraged to open up more, Fiona is thinking on her marriage, her husband David is back home, protesting he has to keep things going at the church and his image is critical. Needless to say, Fiona feels pretty much alone.
I thought the book was great up to this point, then the secrets start to come through the cracks, the toxic lies are revealed and I began to totally love this book and raced to the end.
Highly recommended for those that like some depth in their reading, enjoy tackling complexities in human relationships and dysfunctional family dynamics. Also recommended for those that like to dig deep to try to guess the secrets and love to be wrong. A unique and solid read.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2014
This is one of those books that I liked the idea of, but in reality it turned out to be a bit of a let down.
David Dryden is described as a pastor of a high profile church in London. He seems to base his ministry on family values and bases his preaching on “the family”, instructing his parishioners on how to raise their children. He believes that problems in the family should be dealt with inside the church and without outside help. However, when his son Colom reaches crisis point he seems unable and unwilling to do anything to help his wife Fiona try and get to the bottom of what is going on. I did find that rather hard to stomach in all honesty, as he came across as rather cold and uncaring towards his own family for the most part – his church duties definitely taking precedence in his priorities. I would have liked to see Fiona stay and tackle the problems with Colom head on. I would have liked her to stand her ground and say “no, you are wrong” and to have watched the fall out and the ramifications for David. I would have liked to see some conflict between Fiona and the church as she fought for what was best for her son. Instead she takes Colom to France with a counsellor friend, Miriam, an ex nun. They go to stay in Miriam’s house so that she can find a way of counselling Colom and helping him.
The character of Colom as a teenager in crisis is well drawn and very realistic. I could feel the angst in him and, well, feel grateful that I am not going through this with my own son! As the story progresses we find out that there are dark secrets that Colom is “subconsciously” aware of – secrets that Fiona needs to tackle head on. If she is going to have a chance of saving Colom, she is going to need to be honest with him.
This is a very religious book, published by a Christian publishers, and I did feel sometimes as if the religious messages were getting in the way of the story. I did skim through some of them in the end to get back to what was going on with the characters. The book itself could do with some further editing – there were some strange sentence structures which quite often meant that I was having to read sections through a couple of times to make sense of what was being said. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
David Dryden is described as a pastor of a high profile church in London. He seems to base his ministry on family values and bases his preaching on “the family”, instructing his parishioners on how to raise their children. He believes that problems in the family should be dealt with inside the church and without outside help. However, when his son Colom reaches crisis point he seems unable and unwilling to do anything to help his wife Fiona try and get to the bottom of what is going on. I did find that rather hard to stomach in all honesty, as he came across as rather cold and uncaring towards his own family for the most part – his church duties definitely taking precedence in his priorities. I would have liked to see Fiona stay and tackle the problems with Colom head on. I would have liked her to stand her ground and say “no, you are wrong” and to have watched the fall out and the ramifications for David. I would have liked to see some conflict between Fiona and the church as she fought for what was best for her son. Instead she takes Colom to France with a counsellor friend, Miriam, an ex nun. They go to stay in Miriam’s house so that she can find a way of counselling Colom and helping him.
The character of Colom as a teenager in crisis is well drawn and very realistic. I could feel the angst in him and, well, feel grateful that I am not going through this with my own son! As the story progresses we find out that there are dark secrets that Colom is “subconsciously” aware of – secrets that Fiona needs to tackle head on. If she is going to have a chance of saving Colom, she is going to need to be honest with him.
This is a very religious book, published by a Christian publishers, and I did feel sometimes as if the religious messages were getting in the way of the story. I did skim through some of them in the end to get back to what was going on with the characters. The book itself could do with some further editing – there were some strange sentence structures which quite often meant that I was having to read sections through a couple of times to make sense of what was being said. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
October 1, 2020
Gerard Kelly’s debut novel ‘The Boy Who Loved Rain’ revolves around a mother’s struggle to find a road forwards for her adopted son Colom, as she faces up to her own part in his present brokenness. Though it begins in an uneasy place of crisis, with foundation stones of their family history long-hidden, the arc of the story is one of redemption, not easily-achieved, that leaves the reader ultimately warmed with a sense of hope. The two principle locations of Portivy in Brittany and Amsterdam are evoked with telling details: a poet’s command of prose and a painterly awareness. There is a mounting ‘emergence into dawn’ as the cast moves towards Amsterdam, with obstacles to seeing a key character from Colom’s childhood there, Amy, ratcheting up the tension. There is too the sense of a greater work of Providence having been wrought, bigger than just Colom’s life, involving those around him, as the ‘Weaver’s Fingers fly through the loom’. With many layers and allusions, I found myself very satisfied with the novel’s coherence. A good read, artistically rendered.
By this reviewer:
By this reviewer:
November 27, 2014
The Boy Who Loved Rain centres around families, secrets and the ways in which the unknown can effect us.
We firstly meet Colom, who although has seemingly had the perfect childhood, is suffering deeply during his teenage years.
He keeps having horrific dreams that his sister is drowning and he is unable to save her; which is odd in itself as he doesn’t have a sister.
Colom becomes more and more withdrawn, barely leaving his room, getting into difficulty at school and starts to believe that suicide is his only option. His mother, Fiona, is distraught and desperately wants Colom to receive specialist help, however his father, David, who is a pastor of an extremely high profile church in London, refuses outright. He believes that any help Colom receives should come from within the church.
The situation worsens when Fiona finds her son’s own suicide pledge and she decides to take immediate action. She reconnects with one of her old friends, Miriam, who she believes can help Colom. With no backward glance Fiona takes Colom to France with Miriam in an attempt save Colom from himself before it’s too late…
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one extremely gripping, hard hitting, page turner of a novel. As soon as I started reading this novel I knew that I was going to enjoy it, immediately getting immersed within the lives of these seemingly ‘normal’ characters as they go through such turbulent times.
This is such a highly charged story and I found it to be a really emotional read. Not only will your heart break for Colom in an attempt to understand what he’s going through but also for his mother. Can you imagine finding out that your son has made a pledge to kill himself and there’s nothing that you can do? Fiona’s struggle was documented so realistically and you can’t help but imagine how helpless she must have felt. Gerard Kelly not only does a brilliant job at evoking emotion within this story but he is also fantastic at his characterisation. The characters in this novel are brought to life with such feeling that you can’t help but get emotionally involved with them yourself, which goes for Colom, Fiona and Miriam. You’ll be desperately hoping that the characters get the ending that they deserve.
I had quite high expectations for The Boy Who Loved Rain as it sounded very much like a Jodi Picoult novel (which is a very, very, VERY good thing) and it didn’t disappoint, plus it definitely did have remnants of the kind of stories that Jodi Picoult writes. There was that issue of asking yourself what you would do if you were in the characters situation and I always find that makes for a thought provoking read, and it certainly did in this case.
I also really liked how there were rain related quotes and definitions at the start of each chapter. I was desperate to find out how rain applies to the goings on in the story and felt that this made it that extra bit mysterious, causing me to want to read on and on in order to find out.
The blurb on the front of the book “They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They’re wrong” sums up this novel perfectly. It fits this novel so well and once you’ve read it you’ll completely understand.
The Boy Who Loved Rain examines the effect that secrets can have on a whole family and makes for a gripping, emotional and highly unusual read. I’m immensely looking forward to more from Gerard Kelly after enjoying this novel so much
We firstly meet Colom, who although has seemingly had the perfect childhood, is suffering deeply during his teenage years.
He keeps having horrific dreams that his sister is drowning and he is unable to save her; which is odd in itself as he doesn’t have a sister.
Colom becomes more and more withdrawn, barely leaving his room, getting into difficulty at school and starts to believe that suicide is his only option. His mother, Fiona, is distraught and desperately wants Colom to receive specialist help, however his father, David, who is a pastor of an extremely high profile church in London, refuses outright. He believes that any help Colom receives should come from within the church.
The situation worsens when Fiona finds her son’s own suicide pledge and she decides to take immediate action. She reconnects with one of her old friends, Miriam, who she believes can help Colom. With no backward glance Fiona takes Colom to France with Miriam in an attempt save Colom from himself before it’s too late…
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one extremely gripping, hard hitting, page turner of a novel. As soon as I started reading this novel I knew that I was going to enjoy it, immediately getting immersed within the lives of these seemingly ‘normal’ characters as they go through such turbulent times.
This is such a highly charged story and I found it to be a really emotional read. Not only will your heart break for Colom in an attempt to understand what he’s going through but also for his mother. Can you imagine finding out that your son has made a pledge to kill himself and there’s nothing that you can do? Fiona’s struggle was documented so realistically and you can’t help but imagine how helpless she must have felt. Gerard Kelly not only does a brilliant job at evoking emotion within this story but he is also fantastic at his characterisation. The characters in this novel are brought to life with such feeling that you can’t help but get emotionally involved with them yourself, which goes for Colom, Fiona and Miriam. You’ll be desperately hoping that the characters get the ending that they deserve.
I had quite high expectations for The Boy Who Loved Rain as it sounded very much like a Jodi Picoult novel (which is a very, very, VERY good thing) and it didn’t disappoint, plus it definitely did have remnants of the kind of stories that Jodi Picoult writes. There was that issue of asking yourself what you would do if you were in the characters situation and I always find that makes for a thought provoking read, and it certainly did in this case.
I also really liked how there were rain related quotes and definitions at the start of each chapter. I was desperate to find out how rain applies to the goings on in the story and felt that this made it that extra bit mysterious, causing me to want to read on and on in order to find out.
The blurb on the front of the book “They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They’re wrong” sums up this novel perfectly. It fits this novel so well and once you’ve read it you’ll completely understand.
The Boy Who Loved Rain examines the effect that secrets can have on a whole family and makes for a gripping, emotional and highly unusual read. I’m immensely looking forward to more from Gerard Kelly after enjoying this novel so much
March 25, 2015
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://tinyurl.com/ot6o2r6
The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly is an exquisite novel, atmospheric and emotive, a story that I will eventually take great pleasure in reading again. While I have discovered many outstanding reads in Christian fiction - and occasional rare gems, even - I often bemoan the fact that literary-style writing isn't often found in this genre. And "literary" doesn't mean slow moving and rather boring, as some might think. Instead, this type of fiction tends to focus on complex issues, character depth, and the beauty of the writing itself, which perfectly describes The Boy Who Loved Rain.
The prose is simply beautiful - lyrical, elegant, layered, even poetic at times. With themes of child abuse and suicide, the subject matter might seem complex and heavy, but in the hands of an author who cares about his topic, the readers will experience hope and joy. The pace is somewhat slower at first, but I felt like an essential foundation was carefully being laid, one precious stone at a time. Everything picks up about one-third of the way in, and what was already an enjoyable read becomes a thoroughly engrossing one as secrets and motivations are slowly exposed.
Fourteen year old Colom experiences nightmares and violent mood swings, going between an anger and indifference that even he doesn't understand. The thoughts of his mother, Fiona, reflect both her frustration and the beauty of Gerard's writing: "How could their bright, smiling son have become this passive-aggressive teen who slalomed daily between rage and indifference? . . . And then there were the constant eruptions, anger blowing in like a storm and staying as an unwelcome lodger, a fourth member of the family."
I loved how each chapter begins with a foreshadowing fact or literary quote about rain - fascinating to read along the way, but with a meaningful twist that only becomes obvious toward the end.
Sections of this story take place in London and Amsterdam, but the main setting is the quaint harbor town of Portivy and the Côte Sauvage area on the wild coast of the French-Atlantic peninsula. This is another instance where setting practically becomes a main character, for Gerard is gifted at taking what is already an awe-inspiring part of God's creation and describing it in vivid ways that add much richness and completely held my attention.
As to the spiritual element, this story doesn't feature the normal evangelical point of view that is often found in Christian fiction. Fiona's husband, David, pastors a large Anglican church in London - and Miriam, a wonderful woman who reached out to help Collom, had previously been a nun. But The Boy Who Loved Rain is spiritually moving, as Fiona and other characters are drawn closer to the Lord, and there are some touching prayer scenes, reminiscent of the spiritual discipline of contemplative prayer.
Secrets are at the very heart of this story - unthinkable secrets thought best to remain hidden in order to protect a loved one, but needing to be exposed so that healing can begin. What a beautiful word picture Fiona's thoughts paint . . .
She imagined the sea itself laid bare; its every rock and secret channel uncovered. Formations of stone and sand submerged for centuries, caressed by the ocean's currents, hidden from view by a dark weight of water: brought now to the light, laid open for all to see. A single fork of lightning; a wind like the very breath of God. Secret things, exposed at last.
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one of the best stories I've ever read. Highly recommended to everyone who enjoys a multilayered, emotionally nuanced drama with the promise of hope.
Thank you to Kregel for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly is an exquisite novel, atmospheric and emotive, a story that I will eventually take great pleasure in reading again. While I have discovered many outstanding reads in Christian fiction - and occasional rare gems, even - I often bemoan the fact that literary-style writing isn't often found in this genre. And "literary" doesn't mean slow moving and rather boring, as some might think. Instead, this type of fiction tends to focus on complex issues, character depth, and the beauty of the writing itself, which perfectly describes The Boy Who Loved Rain.
The prose is simply beautiful - lyrical, elegant, layered, even poetic at times. With themes of child abuse and suicide, the subject matter might seem complex and heavy, but in the hands of an author who cares about his topic, the readers will experience hope and joy. The pace is somewhat slower at first, but I felt like an essential foundation was carefully being laid, one precious stone at a time. Everything picks up about one-third of the way in, and what was already an enjoyable read becomes a thoroughly engrossing one as secrets and motivations are slowly exposed.
Fourteen year old Colom experiences nightmares and violent mood swings, going between an anger and indifference that even he doesn't understand. The thoughts of his mother, Fiona, reflect both her frustration and the beauty of Gerard's writing: "How could their bright, smiling son have become this passive-aggressive teen who slalomed daily between rage and indifference? . . . And then there were the constant eruptions, anger blowing in like a storm and staying as an unwelcome lodger, a fourth member of the family."
I loved how each chapter begins with a foreshadowing fact or literary quote about rain - fascinating to read along the way, but with a meaningful twist that only becomes obvious toward the end.
Sections of this story take place in London and Amsterdam, but the main setting is the quaint harbor town of Portivy and the Côte Sauvage area on the wild coast of the French-Atlantic peninsula. This is another instance where setting practically becomes a main character, for Gerard is gifted at taking what is already an awe-inspiring part of God's creation and describing it in vivid ways that add much richness and completely held my attention.
As to the spiritual element, this story doesn't feature the normal evangelical point of view that is often found in Christian fiction. Fiona's husband, David, pastors a large Anglican church in London - and Miriam, a wonderful woman who reached out to help Collom, had previously been a nun. But The Boy Who Loved Rain is spiritually moving, as Fiona and other characters are drawn closer to the Lord, and there are some touching prayer scenes, reminiscent of the spiritual discipline of contemplative prayer.
Secrets are at the very heart of this story - unthinkable secrets thought best to remain hidden in order to protect a loved one, but needing to be exposed so that healing can begin. What a beautiful word picture Fiona's thoughts paint . . .
She imagined the sea itself laid bare; its every rock and secret channel uncovered. Formations of stone and sand submerged for centuries, caressed by the ocean's currents, hidden from view by a dark weight of water: brought now to the light, laid open for all to see. A single fork of lightning; a wind like the very breath of God. Secret things, exposed at last.
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one of the best stories I've ever read. Highly recommended to everyone who enjoys a multilayered, emotionally nuanced drama with the promise of hope.
Thank you to Kregel for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 28, 2015
4.5/5
Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2014...
The Boy Who Loved Rain told the beautiful, unusual story of Colom, a teenager who is suffering from dreams he can’t understand and secrets he feels are there but has no knowledge of. I found this to be a really moving, unpredictable story and I was captivated by Gerard Kelly’s emotive writing.
Each chapter begins with a quote or a definition of rain, which I found really fascinating. Rain was a mysterious underlying theme in the novel, one that had me hooked trying to work it out. There were some parts of this book that I felt could have been explored a bit more, but the portrayal of rain was stunning and captured the essence of the story strongly.
The character development was well done – I thought Colom especially felt realistic and though we’re unaware of the course of events that have turned him into who he is, he still showed signs of a teenage boy who isn’t confronted by confusing dreams and scary thoughts. I almost felt the need to protect him and was fascinated and hopeful that he would discover more about himself in order to live a comfortable life.
The Boy Who Loved Rain was such a thought-provoking novel, with a deep and intriguing look at how secrets can affect a family. As the novel moved on, I felt drawn to this family and ultimately enthralled. This novel did not disappoint at all – it was touching, affirming and conveyed a special story that I really loved.
*Book received in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2015
The Boy Who Loved Rain begins with a scary premise: Fiona's teenage son Colom (yep, I agree: what a weird name -- Column? Cuh-LOM?) is troubled, to the degree that he's writing suicide notes and withdrawing from life. But Fiona's husband is the pastor at a high-profile church and doesn't want to get outside help that would sully his reputation. In a panic, Fiona flees with Colom to France where she seeks the advice of a counselor-nun friend. I was interested up to this point.
Then, much of the book deals with all the angst of the various characters as they spend a few weeks in France. Miriam the nun is emoting and giving advice. Fiona is distraught and overcome with mom-guilt, untold secrets-guilt, you name it. Colom is just distraught, although he does come around in a way that seems (to me) a bit too convenient. I just kept feeling like I was in a never-ending counseling session throughout much of the middle of the book.
It's well-written overall, although in the author's fervor to write lyrically, some of his similes struck me as a bit strange: Tears pressing at the back of her eyes like teen fans trying to force their way into a concert ... questions gathering in his mind like a traffic jam on the M25.
To sum up: the premise had promise, but didn't really deliver.
Thanks to Kregel for a review copy of this book.
Then, much of the book deals with all the angst of the various characters as they spend a few weeks in France. Miriam the nun is emoting and giving advice. Fiona is distraught and overcome with mom-guilt, untold secrets-guilt, you name it. Colom is just distraught, although he does come around in a way that seems (to me) a bit too convenient. I just kept feeling like I was in a never-ending counseling session throughout much of the middle of the book.
It's well-written overall, although in the author's fervor to write lyrically, some of his similes struck me as a bit strange: Tears pressing at the back of her eyes like teen fans trying to force their way into a concert ... questions gathering in his mind like a traffic jam on the M25.
To sum up: the premise had promise, but didn't really deliver.
Thanks to Kregel for a review copy of this book.
March 21, 2015
The boy who loved rain, will keep you captivated from the beginning when you are introduced to Colom as he is dreaming, of the drowning of a sister, a sister whom he does not have, and it is not the first time he has had this terrifying dream. Colom has issues, and not just those of an average 13 year old. It's more than normal adolescence and is causing problems both at home and at school. He is the son, and only child, of Fiona and David Dryden. David is a church pastor and yet he can not deal with the 'issues' his son Colom is having, nor is he willing to speak with anyone at his church about it. Fiona, desperate for help for Colom, reaches out to a friend, Miriam, from many years ago whom opens not only her heart but also her home to help.
While visiting with Miriam at her old family home, she is introduced to long time family friend Thierry, whom works at the cafe and who not only welcomes them to the village, but also to his life. She visits often for coffee or to eat, and it is not long before he takes Fiona on a walk that leads to a memorial for 49 local men whom were killed by the Nazis, one of them being the relative of Thierry.
"Thierry moved along the displays, stopping before a particular panel, inviting Fiona to read it. It was a facsimile of a letter written by one of the prisoners the night before he was shot. Addressed to his young son, Robert, the letter had been hidden under the dirty mattress in the man's cell and was discovered after his death. It told of his determination to die courageously for France, just as his brother had, and urged his son to care for his mother and grandparents.
It was a moving plea to a son he knew he would never see again; an attempt to speak life and a future into him; to pour into a few short paragraphs a lifetime's worth of advice and encouragement. Fiona thought of David, struggling to overcome his own fear and guilt; unable to speak such a message of hope to Colom. She finished reading and guessed why she had been brought here." pg. 131
The time away was to be a chance for Miriam to get some much needed one on one with Colom, but this time away was proving to be a real blessing for Fiona as well.
"It was like my own fragile faith. It was Colom's spirit fighting to survive. It was the tiny hope I still cling to that has long since shake off the words once attached to it....My hope is fragile, but it is still burning, and somehow this place, this Portivy, has become the sheltered harbor in which it will not be snuffed out." pg. 140
Thierry, too, has much to teach Colom and Fiona about life, God, if only they are willing to listen and learn.
"All at once she understood. A key was turning. She all but heard the tumblers falling. Thierry's desire to stay in this place. Miriam's need to return. Her own fragile but growing peace here. It was the ocean, this brooding presence; constant in its tides and yet different every day. It was the sea that had made of this shoreline a thin place, as if the curtain of spray that hovered in the sky was a veil between heaven and earth....It lay just beyond her reach; coming into focus; drawing closer; calling to her. If she could only touch its hem, would she be healed?" pg. 186
Miriam explains why she thinks Jesus had everyone leave so he could heal the daughter of Jairus, the young girl whom had died and whom all were loudly mourning and how she uses this to lead Fiona into what it is she is wanting her to understand from this story.
"To focus on her. They are mourning her death, but he says she is only sleeping. They haven't understood her; haven't spoken to her. She is the object of their sufferings. He makes her the subject of her own. He is the only adult who addresses her directly; the only one who places her at the heart of her own story. It's the whole shape of the room; the dynamics. In their story she is dead already. In her own she is alive still. He restores her to the centre." pg. 222, 223
More than just Colom have secrets in their past that they must deal with, and I think you will be surprised at just how many twists and turns this story will take, and will keep you reading until the very end at a very fast pace, as you will not be able to put it down. Pick up this wonderful book today and see if you agree with me.
I was given this wonderful book by bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.
While visiting with Miriam at her old family home, she is introduced to long time family friend Thierry, whom works at the cafe and who not only welcomes them to the village, but also to his life. She visits often for coffee or to eat, and it is not long before he takes Fiona on a walk that leads to a memorial for 49 local men whom were killed by the Nazis, one of them being the relative of Thierry.
"Thierry moved along the displays, stopping before a particular panel, inviting Fiona to read it. It was a facsimile of a letter written by one of the prisoners the night before he was shot. Addressed to his young son, Robert, the letter had been hidden under the dirty mattress in the man's cell and was discovered after his death. It told of his determination to die courageously for France, just as his brother had, and urged his son to care for his mother and grandparents.
It was a moving plea to a son he knew he would never see again; an attempt to speak life and a future into him; to pour into a few short paragraphs a lifetime's worth of advice and encouragement. Fiona thought of David, struggling to overcome his own fear and guilt; unable to speak such a message of hope to Colom. She finished reading and guessed why she had been brought here." pg. 131
The time away was to be a chance for Miriam to get some much needed one on one with Colom, but this time away was proving to be a real blessing for Fiona as well.
"It was like my own fragile faith. It was Colom's spirit fighting to survive. It was the tiny hope I still cling to that has long since shake off the words once attached to it....My hope is fragile, but it is still burning, and somehow this place, this Portivy, has become the sheltered harbor in which it will not be snuffed out." pg. 140
Thierry, too, has much to teach Colom and Fiona about life, God, if only they are willing to listen and learn.
"All at once she understood. A key was turning. She all but heard the tumblers falling. Thierry's desire to stay in this place. Miriam's need to return. Her own fragile but growing peace here. It was the ocean, this brooding presence; constant in its tides and yet different every day. It was the sea that had made of this shoreline a thin place, as if the curtain of spray that hovered in the sky was a veil between heaven and earth....It lay just beyond her reach; coming into focus; drawing closer; calling to her. If she could only touch its hem, would she be healed?" pg. 186
Miriam explains why she thinks Jesus had everyone leave so he could heal the daughter of Jairus, the young girl whom had died and whom all were loudly mourning and how she uses this to lead Fiona into what it is she is wanting her to understand from this story.
"To focus on her. They are mourning her death, but he says she is only sleeping. They haven't understood her; haven't spoken to her. She is the object of their sufferings. He makes her the subject of her own. He is the only adult who addresses her directly; the only one who places her at the heart of her own story. It's the whole shape of the room; the dynamics. In their story she is dead already. In her own she is alive still. He restores her to the centre." pg. 222, 223
More than just Colom have secrets in their past that they must deal with, and I think you will be surprised at just how many twists and turns this story will take, and will keep you reading until the very end at a very fast pace, as you will not be able to put it down. Pick up this wonderful book today and see if you agree with me.
I was given this wonderful book by bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2015
One of the most poignant and emotionally-charged novels which I won through Goodreads/First Reads in 2015 is "The Boy Who Loved Rain" which begins with Colom Dryden a thirteen year old whose unpredictable behaviour has warranted repeated warnings at school. His father a well-known vicar in a London church fears the repercussions of outside counselling and depends on Fiona, Colom's mother to treat the source of his growing instability and constant nightmares. Frustrated not only by her husband's disconnection with his family and Colom's downward spiral into apathy especially after the suicide of his best friend and their discovery of a blood-signed letter Fiona flees, taking him for help to an old friend in Brittany.
Threads of this intriguing and heart-wrenching story wrestle not only with Colom's struggle to understand what is happening , his mother Fiona's pain and anguish as she fights demons from the past that threaten his life, but also a father whose deflated, defeated and angry with circumstances beyond his control. In this life and death crisis the author skilfully weaves in the thoughts of Colom, the passive-aggressive teen who induces self- pain and is haunted by remembrances of a past buried deep within his consciousness. As events progress the healing that began in Portivy becomes a ray of light as the past becomes reality when Colom comes face to face with his young guardian.
Slowly, with stark realism and vivid description Gerard Kelly sets the stage for exposing the truth behind Colom's self-destructiveness after Fiona flees her troubled marriage, seeking the counsel of a friend in Portivy, Brittany. What she doesn't expect is to open up old wounds, revealing secrets and a crime of abuse she wanted to keep hidden. Cleverly he builds emotional intensity with the setting on the coast of France; the moodiness and changeability of the sea so reminiscent of the inner turmoil that Fiona, and Colom undergo as Miriam searches for a clues to his behaviour and the promise of healing. This is a page-turner filled with the pain of lies, denial, fabricated histories and secrets that only with truth and the healing balm of love will bring forgiveness and deliverance.
The characters in this riveting story are well-developed realistic and complex, caught up in a web of fear, heartbreak and doubt. Colom Dryden a well-loved and intelligent teen plagued by a terrifying recurring dream slowly has become angry and apathetic with the world, and indifferent to his parents. Wanting to end his torment, he looks to suicide as a way out; signing a letter of intent with his blood and hiding it. Fiona Dryden feels helpless in resolving the problem as her husband distances himself from them. Yet, with an iron-will, her unconditional love and steely courage she embarks on a journey to save Colom that uncovers lies and secrets, and helps rekindle her faith. Reverend David Dryden the head of a successful church is a perfectionist who wants to keep Colom's trouble hidden, fearing any fallout to his job. Although enraged at first by his wife's decision, love for his family emerges and brings a change to his attitude. Miriam Casselles a determined and composed older woman haunted by tragedy in her past is the catalyst that unlocks the mystery behind Colom's behaviour and with it finds the love she thought she'd missed with the loss of her child.
I rate "The Boy Who Loved Rain" highly with twists in the plot that keep you captivated from beginning to end. In a story about choices, some that bring heartache and others the promise of forgiveness, I strongly recommend it.
Threads of this intriguing and heart-wrenching story wrestle not only with Colom's struggle to understand what is happening , his mother Fiona's pain and anguish as she fights demons from the past that threaten his life, but also a father whose deflated, defeated and angry with circumstances beyond his control. In this life and death crisis the author skilfully weaves in the thoughts of Colom, the passive-aggressive teen who induces self- pain and is haunted by remembrances of a past buried deep within his consciousness. As events progress the healing that began in Portivy becomes a ray of light as the past becomes reality when Colom comes face to face with his young guardian.
Slowly, with stark realism and vivid description Gerard Kelly sets the stage for exposing the truth behind Colom's self-destructiveness after Fiona flees her troubled marriage, seeking the counsel of a friend in Portivy, Brittany. What she doesn't expect is to open up old wounds, revealing secrets and a crime of abuse she wanted to keep hidden. Cleverly he builds emotional intensity with the setting on the coast of France; the moodiness and changeability of the sea so reminiscent of the inner turmoil that Fiona, and Colom undergo as Miriam searches for a clues to his behaviour and the promise of healing. This is a page-turner filled with the pain of lies, denial, fabricated histories and secrets that only with truth and the healing balm of love will bring forgiveness and deliverance.
The characters in this riveting story are well-developed realistic and complex, caught up in a web of fear, heartbreak and doubt. Colom Dryden a well-loved and intelligent teen plagued by a terrifying recurring dream slowly has become angry and apathetic with the world, and indifferent to his parents. Wanting to end his torment, he looks to suicide as a way out; signing a letter of intent with his blood and hiding it. Fiona Dryden feels helpless in resolving the problem as her husband distances himself from them. Yet, with an iron-will, her unconditional love and steely courage she embarks on a journey to save Colom that uncovers lies and secrets, and helps rekindle her faith. Reverend David Dryden the head of a successful church is a perfectionist who wants to keep Colom's trouble hidden, fearing any fallout to his job. Although enraged at first by his wife's decision, love for his family emerges and brings a change to his attitude. Miriam Casselles a determined and composed older woman haunted by tragedy in her past is the catalyst that unlocks the mystery behind Colom's behaviour and with it finds the love she thought she'd missed with the loss of her child.
I rate "The Boy Who Loved Rain" highly with twists in the plot that keep you captivated from beginning to end. In a story about choices, some that bring heartache and others the promise of forgiveness, I strongly recommend it.
October 23, 2014
The Boy Who Loved Rain, by Gerard Kelly, is a story about parenting, teenagers and the difficulties inherent in communicating with those we love. When the truth will hurt it can be hard to confront, especially when a lie has been perpetuated for many years.
Fourteen year old Colum suffers from recurring nightmares that he cannot explain. He feels numb, depressed and harbours suicidal thoughts. Despite an apparently loving and happy childhood he now feels alienated from his parents who put his moods and silence down to his age. His father has immersed himself in his work while his mother struggles to cope with their sullen, uncommunicative son. When serious issues at school are brought to her attention she recognises that he needs help but will not defy her husband’s wish to keep things within their church.
The church, religion, is a recurring theme that I felt was overdone. Having established its importance in the lives of several of the characters and the subsequent impact on their decision making I felt that it should have been given less prominence. I am now aware that this book is published by Lion Hudson who are ‘committed to publishing quality literature which is true to the Christian faith’ but I read it unaware of this, regarding it as I would any other work of fiction.
Putting that aside, the depiction of this troubled family was credible and universal. There were interesting issues of nature versus nurture to explore as well as the selective blindness that can occur when parents see their child as all he has been rather than what he is now. The apathy, simmering resentment and truculence of the teenager were well described.
I was less impressed with the subsequent mellowing of the boy as the friend and counsellor gradually uncovered and addressed the issues that were causing so much pain. I felt that, by the end, the teenage character had become a little too much how adults would like children to be. The development of the parents as the story progressed seemed more believable. I would be interested to know if the psychological issues explored had any basis in scientific fact.
The story is nicely written with plenty of food for thought about how we see ourselves and those we are close to. It will perhaps appeal more though to those who choose to live their lives by the tents of the Christian church to which the key characters ascribe.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Lion Hudson.
Fourteen year old Colum suffers from recurring nightmares that he cannot explain. He feels numb, depressed and harbours suicidal thoughts. Despite an apparently loving and happy childhood he now feels alienated from his parents who put his moods and silence down to his age. His father has immersed himself in his work while his mother struggles to cope with their sullen, uncommunicative son. When serious issues at school are brought to her attention she recognises that he needs help but will not defy her husband’s wish to keep things within their church.
The church, religion, is a recurring theme that I felt was overdone. Having established its importance in the lives of several of the characters and the subsequent impact on their decision making I felt that it should have been given less prominence. I am now aware that this book is published by Lion Hudson who are ‘committed to publishing quality literature which is true to the Christian faith’ but I read it unaware of this, regarding it as I would any other work of fiction.
Putting that aside, the depiction of this troubled family was credible and universal. There were interesting issues of nature versus nurture to explore as well as the selective blindness that can occur when parents see their child as all he has been rather than what he is now. The apathy, simmering resentment and truculence of the teenager were well described.
I was less impressed with the subsequent mellowing of the boy as the friend and counsellor gradually uncovered and addressed the issues that were causing so much pain. I felt that, by the end, the teenage character had become a little too much how adults would like children to be. The development of the parents as the story progressed seemed more believable. I would be interested to know if the psychological issues explored had any basis in scientific fact.
The story is nicely written with plenty of food for thought about how we see ourselves and those we are close to. It will perhaps appeal more though to those who choose to live their lives by the tents of the Christian church to which the key characters ascribe.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Lion Hudson.
March 14, 2015
http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
The Boy Who Loved Rain is heart wrenching, emotionally charged and punishing on your feeling and thoughts. Gerard Kelly writes with intensity and the reader can sense the pain and anguish in the characters, as well as the exuberance and concern in other characters. Lila Dryden and her husband David face a horrific situation but not together. David is the pastor of a high-profile church in London. Their son Colom is getting into trouble at school and wants to have nothing to do with either parent. His erratic and progressively dangerous behavior has them both at wits end.
When one of Colom’s school friends takes his own life the parents learn the friends had a suicide pack. David wants to lean on his church and Fiona can not deal with his attitude. Fiona takes Colom and flees with an old friend to Portivy France. Her friend Miriam takes them to her home town. Miriam has been working with people in the same situations and mind sets that Colom is experiencing. His dreams haunt him, he cares about no one and wants to leave it all behind and die.
In this peaceful setting of Portivy, Colom talks to Miriam. As she puts his words together, she finds something disturbing. Maybe Fiona is not telling her the whole truth about their lives. As things become revealed, the heartache Fiona is dealing with is so intense the reader feels it with her. Colom’s pain is also so fierce it hurts. This is not a feel good read. It pulls at your heart and sense of how things should be. At times I wanted to smack Fiona and Colom. Other times I wanted to grab them in a huge hug.
This is truly an intense novel, full of so many ups and downs, heartaches and pain. I think this is a novel that really crosses all genres of literature. I would recommend it to anyone that likes to be grabbed by a book. It is powerful and impressive. This novel tells the story of pain that comes from keeping secrets and the fallout that comes when they creep in to spill out. This is a griping novel that even though at times it can be hard to read, you have to read it through to the end. It does not let go. I highly recommend The Boy Who Loved Rain.
*OBS would like to thank the author and TLC Book Tours for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
The Boy Who Loved Rain is heart wrenching, emotionally charged and punishing on your feeling and thoughts. Gerard Kelly writes with intensity and the reader can sense the pain and anguish in the characters, as well as the exuberance and concern in other characters. Lila Dryden and her husband David face a horrific situation but not together. David is the pastor of a high-profile church in London. Their son Colom is getting into trouble at school and wants to have nothing to do with either parent. His erratic and progressively dangerous behavior has them both at wits end.
When one of Colom’s school friends takes his own life the parents learn the friends had a suicide pack. David wants to lean on his church and Fiona can not deal with his attitude. Fiona takes Colom and flees with an old friend to Portivy France. Her friend Miriam takes them to her home town. Miriam has been working with people in the same situations and mind sets that Colom is experiencing. His dreams haunt him, he cares about no one and wants to leave it all behind and die.
In this peaceful setting of Portivy, Colom talks to Miriam. As she puts his words together, she finds something disturbing. Maybe Fiona is not telling her the whole truth about their lives. As things become revealed, the heartache Fiona is dealing with is so intense the reader feels it with her. Colom’s pain is also so fierce it hurts. This is not a feel good read. It pulls at your heart and sense of how things should be. At times I wanted to smack Fiona and Colom. Other times I wanted to grab them in a huge hug.
This is truly an intense novel, full of so many ups and downs, heartaches and pain. I think this is a novel that really crosses all genres of literature. I would recommend it to anyone that likes to be grabbed by a book. It is powerful and impressive. This novel tells the story of pain that comes from keeping secrets and the fallout that comes when they creep in to spill out. This is a griping novel that even though at times it can be hard to read, you have to read it through to the end. It does not let go. I highly recommend The Boy Who Loved Rain.
*OBS would like to thank the author and TLC Book Tours for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
March 23, 2015
March has found me reading books with pretty heavy subjects. Four books involved abuse of one kind or another, with three involving children. You would think I would be pretty depressed by now, but all of the books have a Christian worldview and writers that care about the subject and their craft. The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly is a beautifully written novel that, while not an easy read, was nevertheless a page-turner and is one of the best books I have read this year.
Colom is a fourteen year old boy who may not live to see his next birthday. Filled with anger that seems to have no source, Colom and his parents struggle to get from one day to the next. After the suicide of one of Colom’s friends, Fiona, Colom’s mother, flees with him to the wild coast of Brittany to try to unearth the demons that torment her son. With the help of an old friend, the family comes to grips with long buried secrets and trauma.
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one of the best written books I have read. Its prose is lyrical and the story nuanced. Kelly uses third person narrative and first person reflections with great success. The relatable characters gradually disclose their fears, doubts and motivations as the story unfolds. Most of the book takes place on the Breton coast, a place wild with waves and weather which takes on its own personality and place in the story. Secrets designed for pride and self-preservation as well as protection are exposed for their destructive nature. Truth, no matter how ugly, is shown to be the only means to healing. The book does not have an overt faith message; many of the characters are either agnostics or tepid in their faith. But the untamed nature of a God bigger than our boxes is explored in a subtle manner. Each chapter is introduced with a fact or a quote featuring rain. While each foreshadows the action or mood of the chapter, it wasn’t until the end that I finally had the aha moment for them and the title (which is indeed very clever).
Because The Boy Who Loved Rain is a British novel, there were some things I had to look up. But I find that to be a plus. I like to be challenged and stretched now and again. ;) And I now know what a Renault Espace is!
Moving, poetic, and riveting — The Boy Who Loved Rain is a highly recommended read.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine.)
Colom is a fourteen year old boy who may not live to see his next birthday. Filled with anger that seems to have no source, Colom and his parents struggle to get from one day to the next. After the suicide of one of Colom’s friends, Fiona, Colom’s mother, flees with him to the wild coast of Brittany to try to unearth the demons that torment her son. With the help of an old friend, the family comes to grips with long buried secrets and trauma.
The Boy Who Loved Rain is one of the best written books I have read. Its prose is lyrical and the story nuanced. Kelly uses third person narrative and first person reflections with great success. The relatable characters gradually disclose their fears, doubts and motivations as the story unfolds. Most of the book takes place on the Breton coast, a place wild with waves and weather which takes on its own personality and place in the story. Secrets designed for pride and self-preservation as well as protection are exposed for their destructive nature. Truth, no matter how ugly, is shown to be the only means to healing. The book does not have an overt faith message; many of the characters are either agnostics or tepid in their faith. But the untamed nature of a God bigger than our boxes is explored in a subtle manner. Each chapter is introduced with a fact or a quote featuring rain. While each foreshadows the action or mood of the chapter, it wasn’t until the end that I finally had the aha moment for them and the title (which is indeed very clever).
Because The Boy Who Loved Rain is a British novel, there were some things I had to look up. But I find that to be a plus. I like to be challenged and stretched now and again. ;) And I now know what a Renault Espace is!
Moving, poetic, and riveting — The Boy Who Loved Rain is a highly recommended read.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine.)
March 23, 2015
The Boy Who Loved Rain
By Gerard Kelly
Colom is haunted by a dream. A dream that keeps coming. His sister is drowning and he can't save her. But Colom has never had a sister. But why can't he clear her from this dreams?
Colom's dreams are slowly breaking his family. His behavior attributed to normal adolescent swings is becoming destructive. As he slides deeper into himself his mother determines to save him.
Desperate to save the life of her teenage son Fiona Dryden, makes a decision that she hopes will keep Colom from taking his own life. Calling on an old friend for assistance, Fiona, with Colom, flees England for a coastal town in France. Can the peace offered by a town cut off from the rest of the world break down the wall of pain and silence Colom lives behind?
But Colom's pain is one that has been buried by years of lies and secrets. Can the truth set him free? Or is it too late? And who is the sister Colom can't save?
The Boy Who Loved Rain is a powerful and moving story that looks into the fabric of a family slowly losing itself to lies and half truths. Lies given out of love but nonetheless destructive. This story explores the persistence of memory and how traumatic events can lay dormant eating away at the core of one's being until eventually manifesting in destructive behavior. But more importantly it is a story of the power of love.
I don't normally read stories quite like this and the few times I have I've come away feeling rather depressed. The Boy Who Loved Rain didn't leave me with this feeling. There is hope in this book which was refreshing. Like the first rain at winter's end, something new can be felt. The bleakness of winter's end gives way to the new growth of spring.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Lion Hudson, through Kregel's blogging program in exchange for my honest review.
By Gerard Kelly
Colom is haunted by a dream. A dream that keeps coming. His sister is drowning and he can't save her. But Colom has never had a sister. But why can't he clear her from this dreams?
Colom's dreams are slowly breaking his family. His behavior attributed to normal adolescent swings is becoming destructive. As he slides deeper into himself his mother determines to save him.
Desperate to save the life of her teenage son Fiona Dryden, makes a decision that she hopes will keep Colom from taking his own life. Calling on an old friend for assistance, Fiona, with Colom, flees England for a coastal town in France. Can the peace offered by a town cut off from the rest of the world break down the wall of pain and silence Colom lives behind?
But Colom's pain is one that has been buried by years of lies and secrets. Can the truth set him free? Or is it too late? And who is the sister Colom can't save?
The Boy Who Loved Rain is a powerful and moving story that looks into the fabric of a family slowly losing itself to lies and half truths. Lies given out of love but nonetheless destructive. This story explores the persistence of memory and how traumatic events can lay dormant eating away at the core of one's being until eventually manifesting in destructive behavior. But more importantly it is a story of the power of love.
I don't normally read stories quite like this and the few times I have I've come away feeling rather depressed. The Boy Who Loved Rain didn't leave me with this feeling. There is hope in this book which was refreshing. Like the first rain at winter's end, something new can be felt. The bleakness of winter's end gives way to the new growth of spring.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Lion Hudson, through Kregel's blogging program in exchange for my honest review.
March 9, 2015
Writing
Kelly isn't just a fiction writer, he also writes poetry and non-fiction. He's hugely prolific and his interest in poetry is evident throughout the book. However, I'm not sure this is for the best. I kept getting the feeling as I read that this was a first draft. There was so much information provided and so much description that just didn't add to the story or to the quality of writing. I think it's full of great potential, but I didn't feel like it was as polished as it could have been.
Entertainment Value
Positives first: I loved reading a story where a family is Christian but the story isn't about their faith. It plays a large role in the lives of the characters and certainly has an impact on the story, but it wasn't the central theme of the story and there wasn't a religious message to be gathered. The characters were also nuanced and, for the most part, believable.
I did feel like a ton of description could have been taken out without hurting the novel and would have made it more fun to read. I wanted to be engrossed because I feel like the plot has a huge amount of potential, but I just never got to a point where I overcame my apathy towards the characters.
Overall
There's definitely an audience for this book. It will appeal to fans of women's literature and "ripped from the headlines" stories. I also think it would be a great choice for readers of Christian fiction who want more than a story with a moral. That said, it just wasn't for me. I never really started to care for the characters and found myself bored at times.
Thanks to TLC for providing me with copy to review.
Kelly isn't just a fiction writer, he also writes poetry and non-fiction. He's hugely prolific and his interest in poetry is evident throughout the book. However, I'm not sure this is for the best. I kept getting the feeling as I read that this was a first draft. There was so much information provided and so much description that just didn't add to the story or to the quality of writing. I think it's full of great potential, but I didn't feel like it was as polished as it could have been.
Entertainment Value
Positives first: I loved reading a story where a family is Christian but the story isn't about their faith. It plays a large role in the lives of the characters and certainly has an impact on the story, but it wasn't the central theme of the story and there wasn't a religious message to be gathered. The characters were also nuanced and, for the most part, believable.
I did feel like a ton of description could have been taken out without hurting the novel and would have made it more fun to read. I wanted to be engrossed because I feel like the plot has a huge amount of potential, but I just never got to a point where I overcame my apathy towards the characters.
Overall
There's definitely an audience for this book. It will appeal to fans of women's literature and "ripped from the headlines" stories. I also think it would be a great choice for readers of Christian fiction who want more than a story with a moral. That said, it just wasn't for me. I never really started to care for the characters and found myself bored at times.
Thanks to TLC for providing me with copy to review.
November 25, 2014
Thank you to Lion Fiction for having me as part of the blog tour for this book. I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would!
This novel is about Colom, a teenage boy who is having dreams he can’t understand and has secrets he feels are there but has no knowledge of. Colom felt so real and I started to feel like I had to protect him in some way. You root for him throughout the whole book and want him to be able to live a normal teenage life.
I loved that something as simple as rain was the theme of this book, it is something that I have never seen before and it worked brilliantly. It is explored so well and although you might think ‘what? A story about rain?’it is written so beautifully that you can't not enjoy it. This book makes you think but without knowing you are doing so, it is so powerful, intriguing and has the power to take over you completely. I loved how at the beginning of each chapter he gave us a quote about rain, I didn't think there could be so many!
Gerard Kelly is a brilliant writer, he has the ability to keep you hooked on the story and make it impossible to put down. There is so much emotion in his novel that you can’t help but feel like you are living it.
I don’t want to say too much more about this book because it is so good that I want everybody to read it and don’t want to ruin it.
I would definitely recommend this book to anybody, it is a thought provoking, engaging and intriguing novel that you just can’t put down. I loved this story and I cannot wait to read more of Gerard’s novels.
This novel is about Colom, a teenage boy who is having dreams he can’t understand and has secrets he feels are there but has no knowledge of. Colom felt so real and I started to feel like I had to protect him in some way. You root for him throughout the whole book and want him to be able to live a normal teenage life.
I loved that something as simple as rain was the theme of this book, it is something that I have never seen before and it worked brilliantly. It is explored so well and although you might think ‘what? A story about rain?’it is written so beautifully that you can't not enjoy it. This book makes you think but without knowing you are doing so, it is so powerful, intriguing and has the power to take over you completely. I loved how at the beginning of each chapter he gave us a quote about rain, I didn't think there could be so many!
Gerard Kelly is a brilliant writer, he has the ability to keep you hooked on the story and make it impossible to put down. There is so much emotion in his novel that you can’t help but feel like you are living it.
I don’t want to say too much more about this book because it is so good that I want everybody to read it and don’t want to ruin it.
I would definitely recommend this book to anybody, it is a thought provoking, engaging and intriguing novel that you just can’t put down. I loved this story and I cannot wait to read more of Gerard’s novels.
March 23, 2015
REVIEW
As you read this book you will find it is a deep book, it will bring about emotions and it will put you to the test.
We all have secrets, some that could be very damaging if brought to the surface. Secrets can be hurtful, not all of the time but usually. They can tear a family apart. I found the book hard to read in places as it angered me. There were other places that put a smile on my face.
The characters are Colom, the teenage son, Fiona, the wife and David Dryden. David pastors a high profile church in London and is admired by his parishioners.
Colom has some behaviour issues that bring about family stress. A friend of Colom's committed suicide and afterward a suicide commitment is found in Colom's room. David finds he doesn't know what to do and Fiona in a panic, runs with Colom. As you read the book, you think you have it all figured out and you know what direction the plot is going. Wrong, it's going in a different direction. As time goes on, the secrets start to pop up. Secrets and lies go hand in hand and both are dangerous. As the secrets and lies are revealed, the reader turns the pages faster to find out what the ending is. If you like books that make you think you have it figured out and then find you are wrong and you still love it, this book is a good one for you. It might make you sit back and think about some secrets or lies you have tried to hide.
I received a complimentary copy of THE BOY WHO LOVED RAIN from the author, Gerard Kelly and Kregel Blog Tours for my view of the book.
As you read this book you will find it is a deep book, it will bring about emotions and it will put you to the test.
We all have secrets, some that could be very damaging if brought to the surface. Secrets can be hurtful, not all of the time but usually. They can tear a family apart. I found the book hard to read in places as it angered me. There were other places that put a smile on my face.
The characters are Colom, the teenage son, Fiona, the wife and David Dryden. David pastors a high profile church in London and is admired by his parishioners.
Colom has some behaviour issues that bring about family stress. A friend of Colom's committed suicide and afterward a suicide commitment is found in Colom's room. David finds he doesn't know what to do and Fiona in a panic, runs with Colom. As you read the book, you think you have it all figured out and you know what direction the plot is going. Wrong, it's going in a different direction. As time goes on, the secrets start to pop up. Secrets and lies go hand in hand and both are dangerous. As the secrets and lies are revealed, the reader turns the pages faster to find out what the ending is. If you like books that make you think you have it figured out and then find you are wrong and you still love it, this book is a good one for you. It might make you sit back and think about some secrets or lies you have tried to hide.
I received a complimentary copy of THE BOY WHO LOVED RAIN from the author, Gerard Kelly and Kregel Blog Tours for my view of the book.
March 10, 2015
“Lies, denial, fabricated histories – these only bury the bruises, sometimes in a place where they can even grow and spread, because no one’s watching them.”
THE BOY WHO LOVED RAIN (LionHudson) by Gerard Kelly is a novel about slowly peeling back deeply hidden layers of shame and exposing secrets and memories that are destined to destroy lives.
Fourteen-year old, Collom keeps waking up screaming to the same nightmare where he’s drowning and can’t save a mysterious girl he knows from the past. His mother, Fiona wants to take him for professional help because he’s fighting and having other behavior problems at school, in addition to the nightmares. Collom’s father, David is the Pastor at the local church, but he wants to keep their issues within the Church Family. After a serious row, Fiona packs up and moves with Collom and meets with a professional.
Gerard Kelly is a poet and a well-known speaker of Faith in Europe. His writing is beautiful and lyrical. You will not rush through THE BOY WHO LOVES RAIN. His use of metaphor is rich and breathtaking. He starts with a bare canvas and slowly fills it, while you the reader at times see no future for this family, Gerard Kelly always offers hope.
“…with you, I find peace from pain – You are gentle and healing the landscape – like rain …” John Geddes, A FAMILIAR RAIN
Feel free to check out http://www.cindyroesel.com for more reviews and news about my novel, “Viewer Discretion Advised.” Have a wonderful week.
THE BOY WHO LOVED RAIN (LionHudson) by Gerard Kelly is a novel about slowly peeling back deeply hidden layers of shame and exposing secrets and memories that are destined to destroy lives.
Fourteen-year old, Collom keeps waking up screaming to the same nightmare where he’s drowning and can’t save a mysterious girl he knows from the past. His mother, Fiona wants to take him for professional help because he’s fighting and having other behavior problems at school, in addition to the nightmares. Collom’s father, David is the Pastor at the local church, but he wants to keep their issues within the Church Family. After a serious row, Fiona packs up and moves with Collom and meets with a professional.
Gerard Kelly is a poet and a well-known speaker of Faith in Europe. His writing is beautiful and lyrical. You will not rush through THE BOY WHO LOVES RAIN. His use of metaphor is rich and breathtaking. He starts with a bare canvas and slowly fills it, while you the reader at times see no future for this family, Gerard Kelly always offers hope.
“…with you, I find peace from pain – You are gentle and healing the landscape – like rain …” John Geddes, A FAMILIAR RAIN
Feel free to check out http://www.cindyroesel.com for more reviews and news about my novel, “Viewer Discretion Advised.” Have a wonderful week.
March 15, 2015
What a heart wrenching read, people in denial, a mother desperate for help. Where do you go, who do you turn to, she needs to save her son’s life. This is now a sweet romantic book, it deals with a very tough subject, and pray we are never are put in this position.
The author has developed these characters so well, they are so real, and could be any one. A mother so desperate to save the life of her son, a son with recurring nightmares that has him suicidal? There is Fiona the Mom, David Dryden, the high profile pastor, and the troubled teenage son Colom.
I had problems with David, he works at promoting the Christian family, and his is crumbling. Will he wake up in time, he walks a fine line between his work and his own family.
As the story moved along the bombshells began to fall as we tried to get to the bottom of what is going on. I never saw most of it coming, and a lot was very shocking. We find the harm these family secrets are causing, what can happen next, what will be revealed? Through it all the back of your mind keeps asking if we will be in time, and if there will a break through.
You won’t regret picking this book up, come travel with these people as they look for answers, and we travel from one country to another.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
The author has developed these characters so well, they are so real, and could be any one. A mother so desperate to save the life of her son, a son with recurring nightmares that has him suicidal? There is Fiona the Mom, David Dryden, the high profile pastor, and the troubled teenage son Colom.
I had problems with David, he works at promoting the Christian family, and his is crumbling. Will he wake up in time, he walks a fine line between his work and his own family.
As the story moved along the bombshells began to fall as we tried to get to the bottom of what is going on. I never saw most of it coming, and a lot was very shocking. We find the harm these family secrets are causing, what can happen next, what will be revealed? Through it all the back of your mind keeps asking if we will be in time, and if there will a break through.
You won’t regret picking this book up, come travel with these people as they look for answers, and we travel from one country to another.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
May 5, 2015
The Boy Who Loved Rain is not the usual type of book that I read. I like the stories that end in happiness and make me feel good. However, this novel brings about many emotions. They could range from joy to anger. I found that I really enjoyed it. It opened my eyes to the reality of suicide and long buried family secrets which can eventually come to the surface and break someone to the point that one does not know if they can return. Being there myself at times growing up, I was able to relate to the emotions.
Colom and his parents appear to have the perfect life. I mean he is an only child whose Mother dotes on him. His Father is a Pastor of a large Church which carries prestige but also too much responsibility at times. He is distracted and often distant from his family. As Colom though slips into further trouble and depression, his Father strives to keep up appearances and refuses to admit there is a problem. He does not allow outside help to be sought. Fiona, the Mother, soon realizes that without the outside help she stands to loose her son. Fleeing in order to seek the help Colom needs seems to be the only solution. But what will the solution show? Will it tear them apart or bring them back together as a family?
This is a wonderful book to read. It left me rethinking many things.
I received my book from bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
Colom and his parents appear to have the perfect life. I mean he is an only child whose Mother dotes on him. His Father is a Pastor of a large Church which carries prestige but also too much responsibility at times. He is distracted and often distant from his family. As Colom though slips into further trouble and depression, his Father strives to keep up appearances and refuses to admit there is a problem. He does not allow outside help to be sought. Fiona, the Mother, soon realizes that without the outside help she stands to loose her son. Fleeing in order to seek the help Colom needs seems to be the only solution. But what will the solution show? Will it tear them apart or bring them back together as a family?
This is a wonderful book to read. It left me rethinking many things.
I received my book from bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2015
"The Boy Who Loved Rain" is sort of like a flower bud. It opens to us one petal at a time, slowly, very slowly, revealing the beauty inside. This is a very deep, and often slow moving, story written by Gerard Kelly. There is a lot of mystery, most of it because of lies that have been told, many of them used to protect loved ones, but lies nevertheless.
The themes in this book are serious, dealing with teen suicide. Another huge theme is a mother's love! The mother in "The Boy Who Loved Rain" will do anything in her power to help her son! She stands by him, and makes decisions that go against her husband's wishes. Saving her son's life was worth giving up every thing! I love the power of a MOM! When her child is hurting, she comes through! I totally understand that "mother bear" thing.
Kelly switched characters with each chapter and I often found the change a bit choppy, sometimes taking a page or two to figure out who we had switched to, yet, I can see that was part of the process of that "bud" slowly opening and revealing itself. While I found this to be a slow read, the ending of this book totally worth it!!
I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
The themes in this book are serious, dealing with teen suicide. Another huge theme is a mother's love! The mother in "The Boy Who Loved Rain" will do anything in her power to help her son! She stands by him, and makes decisions that go against her husband's wishes. Saving her son's life was worth giving up every thing! I love the power of a MOM! When her child is hurting, she comes through! I totally understand that "mother bear" thing.
Kelly switched characters with each chapter and I often found the change a bit choppy, sometimes taking a page or two to figure out who we had switched to, yet, I can see that was part of the process of that "bud" slowly opening and revealing itself. While I found this to be a slow read, the ending of this book totally worth it!!
I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
March 2, 2015
I wasn't exactly sure what The Boy Who Loved Rain was going to be about and if I was going to like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. The book is mainly about the family dynamic of the Drydens, and though they might seem like a relatively normal family on the surface, they are hiding some events from their pasts that are affecting the well-being of their child. The book was really open in the beginning, and I had no idea where the story was going to be taken. It comes together quite nicely after everything is revealed, but I would have liked more time spent in the "dealing with the revelations" time than during the "secrets are kept" time. It felt a little rushed at the end, but nothing terribly. Though David Dryden is a pastor, I didn't feel like the book was overbearingly religious at all. It felt spiritual to me, and was not a HUGE focus of the novel, though many characters were religious. It felt natural to listen to the former nun's thoughts on god, as it made complete sense that she would be thinking about god and praying often.
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
February 24, 2015
Read my review on my blog at http://palmerspageturners.blogspot.co...
This book was so eloquent and so beautiful! It was thought provoking, emotional, and had so much depth. I loved the theme of rain throughout the book--all the rain themed quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and how it all made sense at the very end of the book.
In addition to the beautiful, poetic writing, I absolutely loved the story and the characters. I really felt for Fiona in particular, who was so desperately fighting to help her son despite her husband's wishes to not seek help outside the church. I felt for Colom, who is clearly at a turning point in his life and has no idea how to move forward, as he is haunted by a dream he does not understand.
Kelly has a fantastic writing style--he takes readers on a journey through Colom's past that makes the book impossible to put down. I kept wanting to know more and more. The story snowballs until you reach the end that ties everything together. I highly recommend this beautiful, heart wrenching book. It will make you think long after you've read the last page!
This book was so eloquent and so beautiful! It was thought provoking, emotional, and had so much depth. I loved the theme of rain throughout the book--all the rain themed quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and how it all made sense at the very end of the book.
In addition to the beautiful, poetic writing, I absolutely loved the story and the characters. I really felt for Fiona in particular, who was so desperately fighting to help her son despite her husband's wishes to not seek help outside the church. I felt for Colom, who is clearly at a turning point in his life and has no idea how to move forward, as he is haunted by a dream he does not understand.
Kelly has a fantastic writing style--he takes readers on a journey through Colom's past that makes the book impossible to put down. I kept wanting to know more and more. The story snowballs until you reach the end that ties everything together. I highly recommend this beautiful, heart wrenching book. It will make you think long after you've read the last page!
February 25, 2015
Actually 4 1/2. It is a wonderfully written book, but what marks it down 1/2 a point is the novel takes about 1/3 of the book to get started. No matter how beautifully an author writes - and this author does - there are only so many ways to say, "The family is in crisis; the son is contemplating suicide; the parents are scared out of their minds and not communicating," before I want to scream, "I get it; move on!!!!!!!!" Then, however, the female protagonist does, and the book is amazing. The author is so descriptive!!!!!!!!!! Not only the scenery is pictured well (the book ends in Amsterdam; I have been there, and I could easily recognize where the characters were), but when she deals with emotional states, or spiritual wrestling (the author has the best descriptions of God and contemplative prayer I have read in a long time), the author excels. So, be patient with the first 1/3, because the last 2/3 are worth it.
March 20, 2015
What a thought provoking book! This book was good at the beginning but ended up being very exciting towards the middle/end. It had so many twists that I didn't see coming. The author hid those hints until the end. Colom is a pastor's kid who is very troubled. He constantly has problems in school and with life in general. He also consistently has nightmares where he is trying to save his sister. His father, David, a pastor, tries to just ignore Colom and his problem. However, Fiona, David's wife and Colom's mother, is determined to solve Colom's problems/issues. So she and Colom end up going away to try to solve his problems. This is where so many secrets and twists come out in the book. I really enjoyed all the roller coaster action in this book. Gerard Kelly is a very talented writer. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! I received this book from bookfun for my honest opinion.
March 24, 2015
I really liked this book. It is haunting and very thought provoking. There are so many questions the novel generates I think it would be great for discussion groups, even though no discussion questions are included. One issue is our past. If we don't know our past, does it still have an effect on us? What about adoption and knowing the history of the child? Is it ever right to keep secrets from your children? How honest should parents be with them? Why do children cut themselves? There are lots more issues too. the subject matter and the way the novel was written, revealing information a bit at a time, made the novel compelling. I really liked it.
You can read my complete review at http://bit.ly/1xYxQ7r.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
You can read my complete review at http://bit.ly/1xYxQ7r.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
March 19, 2015
This is a story about a boy. keeps having horrific dreams that his sister is drowning and he is unable to save her; which is odd in itself as he doesn't have a sister. this is a novel that grips you and makes you want to read it!This is a griping novel that even though at times it can be hard to read, you have to read it through to the end. It does not let go. It made me consider in depth how people might seem normal but ne thinking many things inside of them. This book was really fro me as it showed me how words do have an affect on people.
Those that do not react verbally or physically might be storing up ones words and something might happen later on. Very well written.
Worth the read if you can borrow from some one.
Those that do not react verbally or physically might be storing up ones words and something might happen later on. Very well written.
Worth the read if you can borrow from some one.
March 10, 2015
I won this book as a Librarything giveaway. This book started slowly but by the end I didn't want to put it down. A great insight into the troubled teenage mind and the impacts on family. The characters were well developed and the prose flowed beautifully. It was evident that the author is also a poet. And picks his words carefully.
June 5, 2020
I'm sorry but this was not a great book to read. Although I must admit at the beginning of the novel, it was quite interesting. A mysterious fathomless boy who seems to be struggling with strange dreams and his social life in school. The mother, Fiona is, even more, conflicted herself with her son and her strong religious and stubborn husband.
However, I was very much disappointed in how the story ended up unfurling itself. The story is so much focused and revolves on the ideas of God and the Christian stories. Each time a secret was revealed from a character, it just made it all more confusing and invokes further questions of the characters.
I thought the characters were all very strange and poorly written apart from Fiona. Fiona is literally the only character you can seem to have an intimate connection with and feel her frustrations from within. Miriam on the other hand, she is this religious old woman who helps Fiona after reconciling with Fiona after several years with the mere reason that she's a friend (yes this is very generous of her but realistically, who would offer this much help to someone you've just met) She seems to know all the emotions of Colom and due to her religious status, the book seems to be portraying Catholic as the holy solution to everything. With Colom, no one really understands him. Really not even till the very end. Why did he long to see this girl for so long? How can a girl that he never even met or can vaguely remember have such a huge impact on him? His relentlessly fluctuating emotions are just difficult to comprehend particularly at the beginning when he wants to commit suicide (?) but do seem to make sense at the end. Thierry's character, in my opinion, was redundant. The only significant role he had was his influence on Colom's interest in art and his style. I'm sure the story would have flowed without him.
Moreover the plot was horrible. Why would one fly to Canada and then to Amsterdam for the sake of investigating a girl that may not even matter. You could call that the "power of love" but seriously?
However, I was very much disappointed in how the story ended up unfurling itself. The story is so much focused and revolves on the ideas of God and the Christian stories. Each time a secret was revealed from a character, it just made it all more confusing and invokes further questions of the characters.
I thought the characters were all very strange and poorly written apart from Fiona. Fiona is literally the only character you can seem to have an intimate connection with and feel her frustrations from within. Miriam on the other hand, she is this religious old woman who helps Fiona after reconciling with Fiona after several years with the mere reason that she's a friend (yes this is very generous of her but realistically, who would offer this much help to someone you've just met) She seems to know all the emotions of Colom and due to her religious status, the book seems to be portraying Catholic as the holy solution to everything. With Colom, no one really understands him. Really not even till the very end. Why did he long to see this girl for so long? How can a girl that he never even met or can vaguely remember have such a huge impact on him? His relentlessly fluctuating emotions are just difficult to comprehend particularly at the beginning when he wants to commit suicide (?) but do seem to make sense at the end. Thierry's character, in my opinion, was redundant. The only significant role he had was his influence on Colom's interest in art and his style. I'm sure the story would have flowed without him.
Moreover the plot was horrible. Why would one fly to Canada and then to Amsterdam for the sake of investigating a girl that may not even matter. You could call that the "power of love" but seriously?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
I really love how the author give Colom only 2 pov's here in this book; First chap & Last Chap. He also give Amy the same, Prolouge & Epilouge. I got goosebumps knowing that Amy is the girl who named Rain. If you're wondering why the title look like this, I cannot spoil u babe, please just continue on reading b'cos I promise you this was worth of your time. Just be mindful enough when you read this, it tackles about mentality. More on depression, anxiety, suicidal, also some physical abuse. You shoul've be ready for that. I won't suggest you to read this if you're not. Cuz that's what I feel while reading this one, it actually take me almost 2 months I think to finish this, except for having a reading slump and a lot of house chores to do I couldn't wait to finish this as soon as possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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