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A lányunk férje
Az élet egy pillanat alatt megváltozhat, de a megbocsátás tovább tart.
Charity Norman
Jodi Picoult méltó vetélytársának nevezik Charity Norman új-zélandi írónőt.
Felkavaró és elgondolkodtató regénye egy véletlenül gyilkossá lett apáról szól. Amikor elkezdjük olvasni, még egyértelműnek tartjuk, hogy egy gyilkos nem érdemli meg a gyerekeit. De mire a végére érünk, nem lesz ennyire magától értetődő a válaszunk. Mert ebben a könyvben senki és semmi nem olyan, mint amilyennek elsőre látszik.
A történet kezdetén Joseph Scott előtt feltárul a börtönajtó, letöltötte a büntetését, és mostantól szabad ember. Csakhogy eddigre már szinte mindenét elveszítette. Véletlenül, egy családi veszekedés közben ölte meg a feleségét, és a tragikus eseményig kiváló férj volt, igazi mintaapa, valamint a városi iskola megbecsült történelemtanára. Az első útja rögtön a gyerekeihez vezet, akiket imád, és akiket a gyilkosság óta az anyai nagyszülők nevelnek. De se a gyerekek, se a nagyszülők nem akarnak hallani Joseph-ről.
Vajon tényleg az a helyes döntés, ha soha többet nem találkozik a férfival a lánya és a fiai? A történetet több szereplő nézőpontjából ismerhetjük meg: az erős karakterű nagymama, az érzékeny nagylány és a bűntudattól gyötört apa szemszögéből. Nemzetközi sikerlistás regény azoknak az olvasóknak, akik minőségi irodalmat keresnek.
Charity Norman
Jodi Picoult méltó vetélytársának nevezik Charity Norman új-zélandi írónőt.
Felkavaró és elgondolkodtató regénye egy véletlenül gyilkossá lett apáról szól. Amikor elkezdjük olvasni, még egyértelműnek tartjuk, hogy egy gyilkos nem érdemli meg a gyerekeit. De mire a végére érünk, nem lesz ennyire magától értetődő a válaszunk. Mert ebben a könyvben senki és semmi nem olyan, mint amilyennek elsőre látszik.
A történet kezdetén Joseph Scott előtt feltárul a börtönajtó, letöltötte a büntetését, és mostantól szabad ember. Csakhogy eddigre már szinte mindenét elveszítette. Véletlenül, egy családi veszekedés közben ölte meg a feleségét, és a tragikus eseményig kiváló férj volt, igazi mintaapa, valamint a városi iskola megbecsült történelemtanára. Az első útja rögtön a gyerekeihez vezet, akiket imád, és akiket a gyilkosság óta az anyai nagyszülők nevelnek. De se a gyerekek, se a nagyszülők nem akarnak hallani Joseph-ről.
Vajon tényleg az a helyes döntés, ha soha többet nem találkozik a férfival a lánya és a fiai? A történetet több szereplő nézőpontjából ismerhetjük meg: az erős karakterű nagymama, az érzékeny nagylány és a bűntudattól gyötört apa szemszögéből. Nemzetközi sikerlistás regény azoknak az olvasóknak, akik minőségi irodalmat keresnek.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
138 people are currently reading
2158 people want to read
About the author
Charity Norman
19 books581 followersCharity was born in Uganda, brought up in draughty vicarages in Yorkshire and Birmingham, met her future husband under a lorry in the Sahara. She worked as a barrister in York Chambers, until - realising that her three children had barely met her - she moved with her family to New Zealand and began to write.
After the Fall/Second Chances was a Richard & Judy and World Book Night title, The New Woman/ The Secret Life of Luke Livingstone a BBC Radio 2 choice. See You in September (2017) was shortlisted in the Ngaio Marsh Awards. The Secrets of Strangers was a Radio 2 choice and shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh and Ned Kelly Awards. Her seventh, Remember Me, was published in March 2022.
After the Fall/Second Chances was a Richard & Judy and World Book Night title, The New Woman/ The Secret Life of Luke Livingstone a BBC Radio 2 choice. See You in September (2017) was shortlisted in the Ngaio Marsh Awards. The Secrets of Strangers was a Radio 2 choice and shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh and Ned Kelly Awards. Her seventh, Remember Me, was published in March 2022.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
February 11, 2025
This is one of those books that I wish the author would rewrite in their later years as the premise of this is fantastic, but you can definitely tell it was one of the authors' earlier works.
We follow three children under the age of 13 who have witnessed the death of their mother at their fathers' hands. They've been living with their grandparents since who have handled their traumas, the moods, the bed wetting, the fears along with daily life, and life has slowly settled.
Then, dad is released from prison.
This isn't a badly written book. It's just below standard to what I expect from this author. It's a bit clunky, and the characters don't feel as solid as they should. The narration doesn't feel as mature as it should for a story like this. It has a debut feel.
It was an explosive plot that wasn't handled as well as it could have been.
Three stars.
We follow three children under the age of 13 who have witnessed the death of their mother at their fathers' hands. They've been living with their grandparents since who have handled their traumas, the moods, the bed wetting, the fears along with daily life, and life has slowly settled.
Then, dad is released from prison.
This isn't a badly written book. It's just below standard to what I expect from this author. It's a bit clunky, and the characters don't feel as solid as they should. The narration doesn't feel as mature as it should for a story like this. It has a debut feel.
It was an explosive plot that wasn't handled as well as it could have been.
Three stars.
July 28, 2013
Opening with a transcript of the harrowing phone call by ten-year-old Scarlett to the 999 operative, the scene was set for a gripping and emotional ride. The story was told from three perspectives; Joseph, father of Scarlett, Theo and Ben; Hannah, mother of Zoe, mother-in-law to Joseph, grandmother to the children; and Scarlett, eldest child of Joseph and Zoe.
Joseph was released from prison after serving three years of a six year sentence for the manslaughter of his wife and mother of his children, Zoe. He had not seen his children since he was arrested on the night of Zoe’s death, and was desperate to be reunited with them. Hannah and Gramps (Freddie) had been caring for the children in that time, had put their lives on hold to be both parent and grandparent to these shattered children. Slowly but surely, with help from counsellors, their lives were beginning to take shape again. So when Joseph began to initiate contact with his beloved children, Hannah was furious, as a matter of fact, far more than furious – totally livid, with a rage that consumed her.
After staying with his friend Akash for a few days, Joseph moved out to the farm where he could live in the old caravan, one which they used to visit as a family in better days. He hoped to have his children visit sometime soon, and it would be a familiar place for them. But he was desperate to see his children, so resorted to sitting at the park where Theo and Ben were kicking a ball around, and sitting on a park bench outside Scarlett’s school in the hopes of seeing her.
The childrens’ lives were being uprooted once again; they hated their father, Ben didn’t even remember him as he was a baby when it happened. Theo went back to wetting his bed at night, and Scarlett was having nightmares, unable to get the rest she needed. Hannah and Gramps were beside themselves, and decided to put everything into the hands of their solicitor in the hopes that she would do what they couldn’t.
As the court case moved forward, the stress and tension took its toll on everyone. On one side were the childrens’ grandparents, Hannah and Freddie, who were adamant in their refusal to forgive Joseph and allow him access to his children. On the other side was Joseph, willing to do anything and everything to have his children back in his life once again. And in the middle were the children – Scarlett, Theo and Ben were torn between their growing desire to be with the father they had once adored, and upsetting Hannah and Gramps who they loved deeply and who had given them everything.
What a wonderful book! An emotionally charged story filled with deeply rich characters that absolutely absorb you until you turn the very last page. I made no mention of Rosie in the above review, but I loved Rosie! This is a book I have no hesitation in highly recommending!
Joseph was released from prison after serving three years of a six year sentence for the manslaughter of his wife and mother of his children, Zoe. He had not seen his children since he was arrested on the night of Zoe’s death, and was desperate to be reunited with them. Hannah and Gramps (Freddie) had been caring for the children in that time, had put their lives on hold to be both parent and grandparent to these shattered children. Slowly but surely, with help from counsellors, their lives were beginning to take shape again. So when Joseph began to initiate contact with his beloved children, Hannah was furious, as a matter of fact, far more than furious – totally livid, with a rage that consumed her.
After staying with his friend Akash for a few days, Joseph moved out to the farm where he could live in the old caravan, one which they used to visit as a family in better days. He hoped to have his children visit sometime soon, and it would be a familiar place for them. But he was desperate to see his children, so resorted to sitting at the park where Theo and Ben were kicking a ball around, and sitting on a park bench outside Scarlett’s school in the hopes of seeing her.
The childrens’ lives were being uprooted once again; they hated their father, Ben didn’t even remember him as he was a baby when it happened. Theo went back to wetting his bed at night, and Scarlett was having nightmares, unable to get the rest she needed. Hannah and Gramps were beside themselves, and decided to put everything into the hands of their solicitor in the hopes that she would do what they couldn’t.
As the court case moved forward, the stress and tension took its toll on everyone. On one side were the childrens’ grandparents, Hannah and Freddie, who were adamant in their refusal to forgive Joseph and allow him access to his children. On the other side was Joseph, willing to do anything and everything to have his children back in his life once again. And in the middle were the children – Scarlett, Theo and Ben were torn between their growing desire to be with the father they had once adored, and upsetting Hannah and Gramps who they loved deeply and who had given them everything.
What a wonderful book! An emotionally charged story filled with deeply rich characters that absolutely absorb you until you turn the very last page. I made no mention of Rosie in the above review, but I loved Rosie! This is a book I have no hesitation in highly recommending!
July 2, 2013
In the heat of the moment, Joseph Scott lashes out at his wife, Zoe, and unwittingly destroys everything he loves. Three years later Joseph is released from prison and his first priority is to re-establish contact with his children, thirteen year old Scarlett, ten year old Theo and four year old Ben. The children have been in the care of their maternal grandparents, Hannah and Frederick, who blame Joseph for their daughters death and fight to deny him access. Compelling and thought provoking, The Son-In-Law is a moving story of forgiveness and redemption.
The Son-In-Law is told from the alternating perspectives of Joseph, Hannah and Scarlett, unveiling a tale of tragedy and domestic drama. Zoe's death left her family reeling and three years on they are still struggling to come to terms with her absence. With remarkable insight and compassion, Norman explores the intense emotions of her protagonists- Hannah's righteous bitterness and anger, Scarlett's vulnerability and confusion and Joseph's sadness and fierce love for his children. My support was constantly shifting as the author revealed the complexities of the issues involved in decided what was best for the children. On balance, it was the children who engendered most of my sympathy, caught as they were between the adults whose good intentions were compromised by their own desires.
The only way for this shattered family to heal is to find forgiveness from one another but it is a journey fraught with hurt, anger and confusion. Their conflicts seem irreconcilable but slowly Norman's characters edge towards an understanding of each other and their needs. Norman challenges the reader to negotiate this emotional and moral minefield and our notions of what is best, and what is right.
Beautifully written, The Son-In-Law is a harrowing and powerful story. I was utterly engrossed by the realistic characters, their precarious relationships and the heartwrenching circumstances of this family tragedy, and I think you will be too.
January 23, 2022
Should a convicted murderer be granted child visitation rights/custody after he is released from prison?
"The Son-In-Law" is an emotive domestic drama showcasing a convicted murderer's fight to regain child custody and his deceased wife's parents' fight to terminate these rights.
This book was fast-paced, well written, and not for the faint-hearted.
Author Charity Norman did a brilliant job with her characterizations and addressing the concept of "forgiveness" and "letting go".
The exasperation of caring for a beloved mentally ill family member was also sensitively explored.
Although the author tried to generate sympathy for the penitent father who undoubtedly loved his children, I found it very hard to sympathize with a father who brutally murdered his wife right in front of his children.
I also wasn't sure how/why the husband only served three years in prison for the crime.
There were scattered eye-rolling moments in the book that prevented me from giving it an extra star.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a superb job with the narration.
I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.
"The Son-In-Law" is an emotive domestic drama showcasing a convicted murderer's fight to regain child custody and his deceased wife's parents' fight to terminate these rights.
This book was fast-paced, well written, and not for the faint-hearted.
Author Charity Norman did a brilliant job with her characterizations and addressing the concept of "forgiveness" and "letting go".
The exasperation of caring for a beloved mentally ill family member was also sensitively explored.
Although the author tried to generate sympathy for the penitent father who undoubtedly loved his children, I found it very hard to sympathize with a father who brutally murdered his wife right in front of his children.
I also wasn't sure how/why the husband only served three years in prison for the crime.
There were scattered eye-rolling moments in the book that prevented me from giving it an extra star.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a superb job with the narration.
I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.
August 12, 2013
The Son-In-Law is a brilliantly written book.
This story had me hooked from page one.
Joseph has been released from prison after serving three years of a six year sentence for the manslaughter of his wife Zoe.
He now hopes to have a relationship with his children Scarlet,Theo and Ben.
For the past three years the children's grandparents Frederick and Hannah have been caring for them.
Of course the children,Frederick and Hannah want nothing to do with Joseph.
This then starts a series of court cases which put a huge strain on everyone especially Frederick.
Frederick's health starts to decline which then puts even more pressure on everyone.
I LOVED this story from the first page right through to the last page.
I found this book to be a very emotional read and I would HIGHLY recommend it.
This story had me hooked from page one.
Joseph has been released from prison after serving three years of a six year sentence for the manslaughter of his wife Zoe.
He now hopes to have a relationship with his children Scarlet,Theo and Ben.
For the past three years the children's grandparents Frederick and Hannah have been caring for them.
Of course the children,Frederick and Hannah want nothing to do with Joseph.
This then starts a series of court cases which put a huge strain on everyone especially Frederick.
Frederick's health starts to decline which then puts even more pressure on everyone.
I LOVED this story from the first page right through to the last page.
I found this book to be a very emotional read and I would HIGHLY recommend it.
July 9, 2013
Four and a half stars.The novel opens with the transcript of a dramatic phone call conversation between a child and the operator on the other end of the 999 emergency line.
It then alternates between Scarlet, now a teenager missing her mother, Joseph her father who killed her mother and who has been imprisoned for the past three years for manslaughter, and Hannah the children’s grandmother who harbours bitterness towards the man who not only killed her daughter, Zoe, but with all the children as witnesses to the event.
There were a couple of times I baulked at the bad language. The scene when Joseph emerges from prison and is picked up by his mate, Akash and the scene where Joseph first meets Zoe are a couple that grated and I really hoped that language was not going to continue throughout and spoil the book. Thankfully that wasn’t the case.
Coming out of prison Joseph wants to re-establish contact with this three children Scarlet now 13, Theo 10 and Ben now 4. The grandparents and in particular Hannah, who have been caring for the children since Zoe’s death, are adamant the father not be allowed access to them. I became quite caught up in the story and it’s one of those novel where cannot help but imagine how you would feel and react in similar circumstances. The author makes it easy to understand the feeling engendered by such a horrific event and also to feel for the three children caught in the middle.
It raises lots of questions about forgiveness, parental rights and rights of grandparents who have stepped in to care for the children as well as questions about personal responsibility and mental health issues. An engrossing read that is hard to put down and will induce more than a few tears, anger and various other emotions on the way through. I’ve read a couple of Charity Norman’s novels and to me this is her best, though I perhaps wasn’t a hundred percent convinced about the ending.
It then alternates between Scarlet, now a teenager missing her mother, Joseph her father who killed her mother and who has been imprisoned for the past three years for manslaughter, and Hannah the children’s grandmother who harbours bitterness towards the man who not only killed her daughter, Zoe, but with all the children as witnesses to the event.
There were a couple of times I baulked at the bad language. The scene when Joseph emerges from prison and is picked up by his mate, Akash and the scene where Joseph first meets Zoe are a couple that grated and I really hoped that language was not going to continue throughout and spoil the book. Thankfully that wasn’t the case.
Coming out of prison Joseph wants to re-establish contact with this three children Scarlet now 13, Theo 10 and Ben now 4. The grandparents and in particular Hannah, who have been caring for the children since Zoe’s death, are adamant the father not be allowed access to them. I became quite caught up in the story and it’s one of those novel where cannot help but imagine how you would feel and react in similar circumstances. The author makes it easy to understand the feeling engendered by such a horrific event and also to feel for the three children caught in the middle.
It raises lots of questions about forgiveness, parental rights and rights of grandparents who have stepped in to care for the children as well as questions about personal responsibility and mental health issues. An engrossing read that is hard to put down and will induce more than a few tears, anger and various other emotions on the way through. I’ve read a couple of Charity Norman’s novels and to me this is her best, though I perhaps wasn’t a hundred percent convinced about the ending.
January 22, 2014
Joseph has just been released from prison after serving three years for the manslaughter of his wife Zoe. Their young traumatised children - Scarlet, Theo and Ben - have been cared for by Zoe's parents, Hannah and Freddie, ever since. This is the story of a penitent father's fight to win back his children, and the devastated grandparents' fight to keep him away.
It sounds bleak, and with the added subject matter of mental health issues, it's a heartbreaking read about all those who loved and lost Zoe - her children, her parents and her husband. But it's also a story about responsibility, forgiveness and letting go, about putting those you love above your own deep-rooted guilt or bitterness. With Joseph, Hannah and Scarlet each taking centre stage, we see all sides of this tragic tale as they each struggle to come to terms with the past and the future.
This is a powerful, emotional, compelling book, with as much tender optimism as there is heartache; a haunting, poignant, soul-searching read that touched my heart, made me cry and gave me hope.
It sounds bleak, and with the added subject matter of mental health issues, it's a heartbreaking read about all those who loved and lost Zoe - her children, her parents and her husband. But it's also a story about responsibility, forgiveness and letting go, about putting those you love above your own deep-rooted guilt or bitterness. With Joseph, Hannah and Scarlet each taking centre stage, we see all sides of this tragic tale as they each struggle to come to terms with the past and the future.
This is a powerful, emotional, compelling book, with as much tender optimism as there is heartache; a haunting, poignant, soul-searching read that touched my heart, made me cry and gave me hope.
May 14, 2015
A beautifully written story with no real right or wrong side.
July 25, 2013
I first discovered Charity Norman when I read her book, After The Fall – and if you haven’t read it then please do, it was not only a Richard and Judy Book Club pick bit it is a fantastic read too, and one I would thoroughly recommend! So having enjoyed After The Fall, I was very much looking forward to starting on Charity’s latest release!
Joseph Scott has recently been released from prison, and we soon learn that the reason he was there is that he killed his wife in front of their children. Hannah and her husband Frederick have been bringing up their grandchildren ever since Joseph took away their daughter from them.But now Joseph has been released, he is very keen to start seeing his children again, bit Hannah is determined that this will never happen…
I thoroughly enjoyed The Son-In-Law! Like After The Fall, The Son-In-Law was a book that had me intrigued from the first moments that I opened the book, and as the story progressed I became more deeply involved in what was happening and I could not put this down! I was up late at night desperate to get to the next part and I was often exhausted the next day – but it was worth it to find out a bit more!
The Son-In-Law is told from many different characters perspectives, and this is what makes the book so intriguing and compelling to read. At first I had the same thought that I’m sure many other will…he murdered his wife and committed a serious crime! But as I read on and learned things from the different perspectives, I realised that the story is not as straightforward as it first appears.
Charity Norman has really excelled with her characters, they came to life from the pages and they all seemed ever so realistic. I sympathised with them, I felt for them when they were going through hard times, I was surprised with them and I went through an emotional roller-coaster with everything that they had to deal with. The children especially made me emotional, I really could feel their pain coming from the pages at the loss of their mother, and I so desperately wanted to reach out and give them a hug.
The Son-In-Law is a very emotional novel…at times I was so emotionally involved in the novel that it felt as though I was a family member myself. I poured all of my emotions and feelings into the book and I was gripped to the pages because I was desperate to see how it worked out for everyone involved. At times the story was truly heart-breaking, and at other times I was left shocked by the events.
I don’t want to spoil anything else because it is best to let you unravel things as you read them for the perspectives of the characters involved, but what I will say is that this story had me thinking about it non-stop, I was even dreaming about the plot line in my sleep! I couldn’t get the story and the characters out of my head, and even after finishing, the story has stayed with me. It is surprising, gripping and The Son-In-Law is a book that I can not recommend enough – you must buy this!
Joseph Scott has recently been released from prison, and we soon learn that the reason he was there is that he killed his wife in front of their children. Hannah and her husband Frederick have been bringing up their grandchildren ever since Joseph took away their daughter from them.But now Joseph has been released, he is very keen to start seeing his children again, bit Hannah is determined that this will never happen…
I thoroughly enjoyed The Son-In-Law! Like After The Fall, The Son-In-Law was a book that had me intrigued from the first moments that I opened the book, and as the story progressed I became more deeply involved in what was happening and I could not put this down! I was up late at night desperate to get to the next part and I was often exhausted the next day – but it was worth it to find out a bit more!
The Son-In-Law is told from many different characters perspectives, and this is what makes the book so intriguing and compelling to read. At first I had the same thought that I’m sure many other will…he murdered his wife and committed a serious crime! But as I read on and learned things from the different perspectives, I realised that the story is not as straightforward as it first appears.
Charity Norman has really excelled with her characters, they came to life from the pages and they all seemed ever so realistic. I sympathised with them, I felt for them when they were going through hard times, I was surprised with them and I went through an emotional roller-coaster with everything that they had to deal with. The children especially made me emotional, I really could feel their pain coming from the pages at the loss of their mother, and I so desperately wanted to reach out and give them a hug.
The Son-In-Law is a very emotional novel…at times I was so emotionally involved in the novel that it felt as though I was a family member myself. I poured all of my emotions and feelings into the book and I was gripped to the pages because I was desperate to see how it worked out for everyone involved. At times the story was truly heart-breaking, and at other times I was left shocked by the events.
I don’t want to spoil anything else because it is best to let you unravel things as you read them for the perspectives of the characters involved, but what I will say is that this story had me thinking about it non-stop, I was even dreaming about the plot line in my sleep! I couldn’t get the story and the characters out of my head, and even after finishing, the story has stayed with me. It is surprising, gripping and The Son-In-Law is a book that I can not recommend enough – you must buy this!
October 16, 2013
We very much enjoyed reading Charity Norman's first book After the Fall which made for a gripping read, and was very evocative of New Zealand. So we were really looking forward to reading the next novel - and here it is!
This time Charity Norman has set The Son-in-Law on the other side of the world in Yorkshire, England, and once again she tackles complex issues within one family structure. She really looks in detail at the aftermath of a murder (down-graded to manslaughter) and how each individual family member deals with the knock-on effects of this momentous and pivotal event.
The story is told from the perspectives of the remaining family members, Hannah and Frederick, the Grandparents; Joseph (the son-in-law of the title), who married their daughter Zoe, and whom Joseph killed (no spoilers here, it happens on page 1) ; and finally, their young daughter Scarlet. Their two younger siblings, Theo and Ben are too small to have a voice and real understanding of what has happened.
Clearly killing someone is not OK. But this novel explores the whys and wherefores and the moral thinking of all the characters, delving into the events and behaviour patterns of the characters in the lead-up to the death - people become culpable by their lack of action, people overlook trouble brewing, people have their own agendas. A true moral conundrum for the reader to explore.
The author really trawls back and forth, examining all the individual stories and feelings in a thoughtful, and sometimes provocative way. How much can extenuating circumstances affect life going forward? Challenges are set to the reader's personal moral stance. Ultimately, it is what is the best for the childrens' well-being that drives the outcome, and the author's knowledge of the family court (she has worked as a barrister) really shines through.
And what of location? York comes to life as they characters navigate their way through the city, past the Walls and the Minster, ruminating over the history of the ramparts at Clifford's Tower (right back to the massacre of the Jews in 1190) - over to Whitby on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway; across the landscape of Yorkshire where Joseph lives. First and foremost this is a gripping and thought-provoking read, and it is the strength of the writing and storytelling that makes this a book not to be missed.
This time Charity Norman has set The Son-in-Law on the other side of the world in Yorkshire, England, and once again she tackles complex issues within one family structure. She really looks in detail at the aftermath of a murder (down-graded to manslaughter) and how each individual family member deals with the knock-on effects of this momentous and pivotal event.
The story is told from the perspectives of the remaining family members, Hannah and Frederick, the Grandparents; Joseph (the son-in-law of the title), who married their daughter Zoe, and whom Joseph killed (no spoilers here, it happens on page 1) ; and finally, their young daughter Scarlet. Their two younger siblings, Theo and Ben are too small to have a voice and real understanding of what has happened.
Clearly killing someone is not OK. But this novel explores the whys and wherefores and the moral thinking of all the characters, delving into the events and behaviour patterns of the characters in the lead-up to the death - people become culpable by their lack of action, people overlook trouble brewing, people have their own agendas. A true moral conundrum for the reader to explore.
The author really trawls back and forth, examining all the individual stories and feelings in a thoughtful, and sometimes provocative way. How much can extenuating circumstances affect life going forward? Challenges are set to the reader's personal moral stance. Ultimately, it is what is the best for the childrens' well-being that drives the outcome, and the author's knowledge of the family court (she has worked as a barrister) really shines through.
And what of location? York comes to life as they characters navigate their way through the city, past the Walls and the Minster, ruminating over the history of the ramparts at Clifford's Tower (right back to the massacre of the Jews in 1190) - over to Whitby on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway; across the landscape of Yorkshire where Joseph lives. First and foremost this is a gripping and thought-provoking read, and it is the strength of the writing and storytelling that makes this a book not to be missed.
August 20, 2022
Amikor először láttam a boltban a könyvet és elolvastam a tartalmát, már akkor tudtam, hogy hacsak az író nagyon el nem szúrja, szeretni fogom. Szerencsére így történt. Nagyon nehéz témát választott Charity Norman, mégis sikerült jól és olvasmányosan előadnia, mindezt úgy, hogy én nem éreztem benne semmi mesterkéltet, semmi erőltetettet. Nagyon megkedveltem a szereplőket és kifejezetten tetszett, hogy három szemszögből is átélhettem az eseményeket. Igaz Hannah-t egyszerűen nem bírtam megszeretni. Sajnáltam, mert senki sem érdemli meg, hogy a gyereke halálát meg kelljen élnie, és elhiszem, hogy haragudott Joseph-re, viszont akkor is túlságosan önző és bosszúálló volt, aminek leginkább a gyerekek itták meg a levét.
Amit Joseph tett, borzasztó, mégis úgy gondolom, hogy itt azért több ember is vétkezett, kezdve Zoe szüleivel és Zoéval.
Mindenesetre megszerettem a könyvet.
Amit Joseph tett, borzasztó, mégis úgy gondolom, hogy itt azért több ember is vétkezett, kezdve Zoe szüleivel és Zoéval.
Mindenesetre megszerettem a könyvet.
April 22, 2014
**4.5 stars**
For three years Joseph Scott has been haunted by one moment-the moment that changed his life forever. Now he is starting over, and he wants his family back more than anything.
This is the story of Joseph and his wife, Zoe; of their children, Scarlet, Theo and Ben, for whom nothing will be the same; and of Zoe’s parents, who can’t forgive or understand.
Family Drama. Not my go to type of book when it comes to my choices but I do love a good one. For me there are not many authors out there who can pull off the realism of family life and make it interesting – even in the most extreme of circumstances that can happen to any of us. So last year a very good friend of mine handed me “After the Fall” from Charity Norman and basically said, hey, here you go. HERE is one. And she was right. It was absolutely compelling and yet very real.
So it is true I was looking forward to “The Son In Law” and to finding out if it would have the same resonance for me and it absolutely did. If anything I loved this one even more, probably because it had some extreme emotional truth at its heart and a question I would find hard to answer…how do you forgive the unforgiveable?
Here we meet Joseph, recently released from Prison, wanting to reconnect with his family, but that will not be easy considering the circumstances of his incarceration. As we hear from him, and at various points his Mother in Law Hannah, and Daughter Scarlett, a picture begins to emerge of a tragedy that has torn a family apart. As Joseph tries to put the pieces back together, this is a somewhat dark but also beautiful story, with some truly remarkable characters at the heart of it.
Not least Scarlett. The best part of this one for me was the way she approached things, lost her way occasionally, really wanted to do the right thing without knowing what the right thing is. All her emotions are there on the page and are stunningly real. There is a lot of that going on here, from all the characters. A most terrific reading experience.
Tackling some difficult subjects in a very real, compelling and addictive way this was outstanding. Charity Norman is the latest addition to my “must read” list.
Reviewed originally here: http://lizlovesbooks.com/lizlovesbook...
For three years Joseph Scott has been haunted by one moment-the moment that changed his life forever. Now he is starting over, and he wants his family back more than anything.
This is the story of Joseph and his wife, Zoe; of their children, Scarlet, Theo and Ben, for whom nothing will be the same; and of Zoe’s parents, who can’t forgive or understand.
Family Drama. Not my go to type of book when it comes to my choices but I do love a good one. For me there are not many authors out there who can pull off the realism of family life and make it interesting – even in the most extreme of circumstances that can happen to any of us. So last year a very good friend of mine handed me “After the Fall” from Charity Norman and basically said, hey, here you go. HERE is one. And she was right. It was absolutely compelling and yet very real.
So it is true I was looking forward to “The Son In Law” and to finding out if it would have the same resonance for me and it absolutely did. If anything I loved this one even more, probably because it had some extreme emotional truth at its heart and a question I would find hard to answer…how do you forgive the unforgiveable?
Here we meet Joseph, recently released from Prison, wanting to reconnect with his family, but that will not be easy considering the circumstances of his incarceration. As we hear from him, and at various points his Mother in Law Hannah, and Daughter Scarlett, a picture begins to emerge of a tragedy that has torn a family apart. As Joseph tries to put the pieces back together, this is a somewhat dark but also beautiful story, with some truly remarkable characters at the heart of it.
Not least Scarlett. The best part of this one for me was the way she approached things, lost her way occasionally, really wanted to do the right thing without knowing what the right thing is. All her emotions are there on the page and are stunningly real. There is a lot of that going on here, from all the characters. A most terrific reading experience.
Tackling some difficult subjects in a very real, compelling and addictive way this was outstanding. Charity Norman is the latest addition to my “must read” list.
Reviewed originally here: http://lizlovesbooks.com/lizlovesbook...
July 30, 2013
The Son-In-Law is an emotional roller-coaster from the very first page, and you can tell that there are many different levels of this story that need to be explored before anything is going to be resolved. There is much more to the story than meets the eye and nothing is black and white.
Charity Norman has written this book from the perspectives of three major players in the narrative and thankfully for my concentration they are all written in the third person so through all three perspectives we are still looking in at the story rather than trying to jump in between three very different characters heads.
We have Joseph Scott who is quite a difficult character to get a concrete handle on, his thirteen year old daughter Scarlet and her maternal grandmother Hannah as the three perspectives but the primary players number much greater with Hannah’s husband Freddie and Scarlet’s brothers Theo and Ben. Possibly the most important character is Zoe, the complicated lady who ties them all together – Wife of Joseph, mother of Scarlet, Theo and Ben and the only child of Hannah and Freddie.
To read the entire review: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
Charity Norman has written this book from the perspectives of three major players in the narrative and thankfully for my concentration they are all written in the third person so through all three perspectives we are still looking in at the story rather than trying to jump in between three very different characters heads.
We have Joseph Scott who is quite a difficult character to get a concrete handle on, his thirteen year old daughter Scarlet and her maternal grandmother Hannah as the three perspectives but the primary players number much greater with Hannah’s husband Freddie and Scarlet’s brothers Theo and Ben. Possibly the most important character is Zoe, the complicated lady who ties them all together – Wife of Joseph, mother of Scarlet, Theo and Ben and the only child of Hannah and Freddie.
To read the entire review: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
September 20, 2013
I believe this wonderful story to be a must read. This is fiction at its best. By that, I mean that the story rings true. One often hears excuses for less than believable stories as "it is fiction after all". However, I believe that good fiction is also realistic - even fairy tales can be "true" if the message that is meant to be conveyed has meaning to the reader and enhances their understanding and/or empathy for issues/people that the story is about.
This story is about forgiveness and how hatred affects the hater more than the one who is hated along with many other vulnerable victims. Not that this novel is written like a moral lesson - it is too much like real life for that - but that only makes the story more poignant than the fables etc that we read to discover new ways of thinking and behaving. I won't go into details of this family saga as others will do it much better but I thoroughly recommend this novel. I hope this makes some sense. Congratulations to the author.
This story is about forgiveness and how hatred affects the hater more than the one who is hated along with many other vulnerable victims. Not that this novel is written like a moral lesson - it is too much like real life for that - but that only makes the story more poignant than the fables etc that we read to discover new ways of thinking and behaving. I won't go into details of this family saga as others will do it much better but I thoroughly recommend this novel. I hope this makes some sense. Congratulations to the author.
December 5, 2020
A story of redemption, how we all deserve to be loved, so well written. The tears could not stop falling.
Loved that the story was told from three different perspectives got to see how this major tragedy/loss affected the people involved. Pain affects people in many different ways, the only way we can heal is when we open our hearts to forgiveness.
Loved that the story was told from three different perspectives got to see how this major tragedy/loss affected the people involved. Pain affects people in many different ways, the only way we can heal is when we open our hearts to forgiveness.
June 30, 2021
There are two sides to every story. A brilliant tale of family and love… and conflict.
September 15, 2013
This is the second novel I have read by Charity Norman; I was very impressed by After the Fall, and though that remains my favourite of the two, there is much to admire in this, her latest offering, The Son-in-Law. (You can read my thoughts on After the Fall here. Freeing Grace is on my to be read asap pile).
The Son-in-Law opens with an explosive short section – one of the exhibits in a criminal case at Leeds Crown Court - the transcript of a telephone call made to the emergency services by a ten-year-old girl named Scarlett, recounting what has just happened to her mother Zoe; Scarlett’s father Joseph hit her.
Then the main narrative begins, we move forward a few years, and we discover the aftermath of what happened, and we learn what the present and future might hold for all those affected by Zoe’s death. (Her death is no secret; it is revealed in the synopsis to the novel that she was killed.)
Three voices tell us the tale: we hear about the lives of Scarlett and of Hannah, Zoe’s mother, in their own intimate first-person accounts, and then Joseph Scott, Zoe’s husband and Scarlett’s father, whose side is told at a slight distance through a third-person narrator.
Hannah's holds her son-in-law Joseph fully responsible for Zoe's death. Hannah is riddled with grief, bereft that her only child is gone from the world. Together with her husband, she has cared for the three children left behind when Zoe passed away and Joseph went to prison. Scarlett is Zoe's daughter and her eldest child; there are two brothers as well. Scarlett is now in her teenage years. Joseph is emerging from prison in Leeds having served his sentence. He has lost his wife, his career as a teacher, and his three children. He feels that Hannah never liked him and that he wasn't good enough for Zoe. Now he wants his children back, something Hannah can't even contemplate.
The family is so torn, filled with pain and hurt, wanting to do the right thing for the children. The anguish and loss is strongly felt by the reader; it’s an emotional read, and one that makes you think, it causes the reader to debate internally and consider the outcomes and where the children might be best suited, who they ought to be with, and it’s certainly a tricky one, despite what your gut reaction might be. I had to think twice about what I thought the best outcome was.
The novel deals with another difficult subject, that of mental health. I didn't realise this when I started reading, and I found it a bit upsetting when I discovered this. I felt strongly that Zoe ought to have had more help and support and I would have liked this area to have been explored in a bit more detail; this was the main weakness of the story for me.
I do enjoy this author's writing style very much. She writes convincingly in different voices, from that of a girl to a grandmother, building rounded characters, and revealing character cleverly. The interactions between the characters feel believable, with credible dialogue used very effectively. The touching relationship between Hannah and her ageing, wonderful husband Frederick, whose health starts to fail, is tenderly portrayed. We are drawn into this family's life, and there is light and shade in these characters, as with real life, no one is perfect, they have redeeming features and they have weaknesses, and there is no easy answer to what they face; far from it.
I also enjoyed the Yorkshire setting, the mentions of the city of York, and the use of authentic expressions. (Between this and After the Fall, Charity Norman has used two of my favourite places in the world, Yorkshire and New Zealand, as her settings, which I've really enjoyed.) The author's background as a barrister added authenticity to the sections dealing with legal procedure, and the dealings with the family court advisor Lester Hardy felt plausible; I liked how his character was brought into the tale, someone who looked at both sides and offered an unbiased interpretation of the situation.
This is a painful, emotionally raw story that examines the deep wounds left behind after the tragic death of a beloved daughter, mother and wife. It was heartbreaking and at times upsetting, and Charity Norman doesn't avoid the sad realities of this difficult situation for all concerned, but the story also offers hope and looks at people's ability to forgive and build bridges even when it feels impossible. This author isn't afraid of tacking life-changing themes, and she is a must-read for me now.
The Son-in-Law opens with an explosive short section – one of the exhibits in a criminal case at Leeds Crown Court - the transcript of a telephone call made to the emergency services by a ten-year-old girl named Scarlett, recounting what has just happened to her mother Zoe; Scarlett’s father Joseph hit her.
Then the main narrative begins, we move forward a few years, and we discover the aftermath of what happened, and we learn what the present and future might hold for all those affected by Zoe’s death. (Her death is no secret; it is revealed in the synopsis to the novel that she was killed.)
Three voices tell us the tale: we hear about the lives of Scarlett and of Hannah, Zoe’s mother, in their own intimate first-person accounts, and then Joseph Scott, Zoe’s husband and Scarlett’s father, whose side is told at a slight distance through a third-person narrator.
Hannah's holds her son-in-law Joseph fully responsible for Zoe's death. Hannah is riddled with grief, bereft that her only child is gone from the world. Together with her husband, she has cared for the three children left behind when Zoe passed away and Joseph went to prison. Scarlett is Zoe's daughter and her eldest child; there are two brothers as well. Scarlett is now in her teenage years. Joseph is emerging from prison in Leeds having served his sentence. He has lost his wife, his career as a teacher, and his three children. He feels that Hannah never liked him and that he wasn't good enough for Zoe. Now he wants his children back, something Hannah can't even contemplate.
The family is so torn, filled with pain and hurt, wanting to do the right thing for the children. The anguish and loss is strongly felt by the reader; it’s an emotional read, and one that makes you think, it causes the reader to debate internally and consider the outcomes and where the children might be best suited, who they ought to be with, and it’s certainly a tricky one, despite what your gut reaction might be. I had to think twice about what I thought the best outcome was.
The novel deals with another difficult subject, that of mental health. I didn't realise this when I started reading, and I found it a bit upsetting when I discovered this. I felt strongly that Zoe ought to have had more help and support and I would have liked this area to have been explored in a bit more detail; this was the main weakness of the story for me.
I do enjoy this author's writing style very much. She writes convincingly in different voices, from that of a girl to a grandmother, building rounded characters, and revealing character cleverly. The interactions between the characters feel believable, with credible dialogue used very effectively. The touching relationship between Hannah and her ageing, wonderful husband Frederick, whose health starts to fail, is tenderly portrayed. We are drawn into this family's life, and there is light and shade in these characters, as with real life, no one is perfect, they have redeeming features and they have weaknesses, and there is no easy answer to what they face; far from it.
I also enjoyed the Yorkshire setting, the mentions of the city of York, and the use of authentic expressions. (Between this and After the Fall, Charity Norman has used two of my favourite places in the world, Yorkshire and New Zealand, as her settings, which I've really enjoyed.) The author's background as a barrister added authenticity to the sections dealing with legal procedure, and the dealings with the family court advisor Lester Hardy felt plausible; I liked how his character was brought into the tale, someone who looked at both sides and offered an unbiased interpretation of the situation.
This is a painful, emotionally raw story that examines the deep wounds left behind after the tragic death of a beloved daughter, mother and wife. It was heartbreaking and at times upsetting, and Charity Norman doesn't avoid the sad realities of this difficult situation for all concerned, but the story also offers hope and looks at people's ability to forgive and build bridges even when it feels impossible. This author isn't afraid of tacking life-changing themes, and she is a must-read for me now.
October 14, 2013
This book is the recipient of 5 stars because not only is it well written, gripping and moving, but also because it exceeded all the expectations I had when I began it, I wanted to prolong the ending and immediately let other people know just how much I had enjoyed it.
The storyline has been well documented by other reviewers, so I won’t spend time on that, but for me the highlight of this novel of fractured family lives following the untimely death of Hannah and Freddie’s adored daughter Zoe at the hand of her husband Joseph, is the outstanding and realistic characterisation.
People who know the books that I love, also know that I am forever banging on about “wooden” or “one dimensional characters” who fail to come convincingly to life. I very often don’t care if they are lovable or hateful, sympathetic or abhorrent. It matters much more if they can inspire empathy, anger, passion, irritation, in fact any emotion that you would attribute to a real living breathing person.
Without doubt the main players in this novel do all of these things and more! I found the dialogue, and especially the conversation convincingly realistic and was totally immersed in the drama being played out. I particularly liked the unusual way in which the female characters were depicted in the first person and the male character in the third person. I had not come across this before; it was both unusual and added a different feel and pace to the narrative.
A number of other reviewers of this book seemed to have definitive views and opinions of the characters and their actions at the outset. I was more than happy to reserve judgment, taking time to listen and be carried along by the different voices and arguments of the protagonists, so compelling were their voices. Scarlet was particularly well portrayed.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to have known a little bit more! A little more background, a little more of about Joseph’s “time away”. This is only a small gripe really and it’s because I just wanted it be longer!.
The storyline has been well documented by other reviewers, so I won’t spend time on that, but for me the highlight of this novel of fractured family lives following the untimely death of Hannah and Freddie’s adored daughter Zoe at the hand of her husband Joseph, is the outstanding and realistic characterisation.
People who know the books that I love, also know that I am forever banging on about “wooden” or “one dimensional characters” who fail to come convincingly to life. I very often don’t care if they are lovable or hateful, sympathetic or abhorrent. It matters much more if they can inspire empathy, anger, passion, irritation, in fact any emotion that you would attribute to a real living breathing person.
Without doubt the main players in this novel do all of these things and more! I found the dialogue, and especially the conversation convincingly realistic and was totally immersed in the drama being played out. I particularly liked the unusual way in which the female characters were depicted in the first person and the male character in the third person. I had not come across this before; it was both unusual and added a different feel and pace to the narrative.
A number of other reviewers of this book seemed to have definitive views and opinions of the characters and their actions at the outset. I was more than happy to reserve judgment, taking time to listen and be carried along by the different voices and arguments of the protagonists, so compelling were their voices. Scarlet was particularly well portrayed.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to have known a little bit more! A little more background, a little more of about Joseph’s “time away”. This is only a small gripe really and it’s because I just wanted it be longer!.
August 15, 2013
This book had me captivated from the start. Starts off with an 911 emergency call and you hear a little girls plea for help as her mum is laying on the dead.
Fast forward a few years and we are told about the lives of the people it affected that night, 3 young children, the father, and the mother's grandparents. We hear how the father was jailed for the manslaughter of his wife and how the grandparents looked after the children from that time on.
Throughout the story we hear the feelings and anxieties of everyone this affects while a custody battle is going on.
I really loved the way the author, Charity Norman, brought out your own thoughts and feelings towards the characters in this novel. I found myself pausing throughout the book, thinking, what would I do in that situation? How would I feel?
Truly loved the characters in this novel as they I felt these could have been real life people, who could very well find themselves in this situation.
Throughout this novel you get this feeling that something isn't right and that it's not just black and white as it first seems, and it's not. Charity Norman does an excellent job in keeping it a mystery, revealing only little bits at a time, until finally the pieces all fit together.
Loved, loved, loved this book, I'm really looking forward to reading more from Charity Norman
Fast forward a few years and we are told about the lives of the people it affected that night, 3 young children, the father, and the mother's grandparents. We hear how the father was jailed for the manslaughter of his wife and how the grandparents looked after the children from that time on.
Throughout the story we hear the feelings and anxieties of everyone this affects while a custody battle is going on.
I really loved the way the author, Charity Norman, brought out your own thoughts and feelings towards the characters in this novel. I found myself pausing throughout the book, thinking, what would I do in that situation? How would I feel?
Truly loved the characters in this novel as they I felt these could have been real life people, who could very well find themselves in this situation.
Throughout this novel you get this feeling that something isn't right and that it's not just black and white as it first seems, and it's not. Charity Norman does an excellent job in keeping it a mystery, revealing only little bits at a time, until finally the pieces all fit together.
Loved, loved, loved this book, I'm really looking forward to reading more from Charity Norman
August 7, 2013
If I could give more than 5 stars I would……I loved this book, as emotional and heart wrenching as it is, it is an incredible page turner that I highly recommend. Told from three different people – we have Joseph, the father of Scarlett and Son-in-Law of Hannah who is released from prison after committing a horrendous crime and wants to re-connect with his three children. Charity Norman has that incredible gift to be able to convincingly tell the story from the three different people so well that you can feel the emotions deeply yourself. This story is very compelling with the theme of family and forgiveness……..incredible read.
August 29, 2013
If your daughter had been killed by her husband who was then released from prison, could you forgive him? He now wants to be a part of his children's lives, but they have been looked after by the wife's parents. They want nothing to do with him and neither do the children who witnessed the killing.
At first I was very much on the side of the grandparents, but as the story unfolds you realise there is much more to it.
I can't recommend this story highly enough. It is a brilliant follow up to her previous books. Can't wait for the next one!
At first I was very much on the side of the grandparents, but as the story unfolds you realise there is much more to it.
I can't recommend this story highly enough. It is a brilliant follow up to her previous books. Can't wait for the next one!
October 28, 2023
Charity Norman has written another good book there is a note paper in our library books where readers can comment someone had put "the road to acceptance" which sums it up well though I didn't think anyone would get a happy ending but it did and i cried buckets while my husband watched the final of thr rugby world cup and we are New Zealanders so he didn't notice!! he might be crying soon
July 22, 2013
Life can change in a moment. Forgiveness can take much longer’ … so says the cover blurb for Charity Norman’s third novel, The Son-In-Law, which hooks the reader from the very first lines. The book opens with the transcript of a 999 call, which is in use as court evidence. A frantic caller tells the operator that her mum is unconscious and her dad is attempting CPR. As they wait for an ambulance, the operator gently pushes the caller to describe the scene. She reveals her name is Scarlet and she’s ten years old. Her two young brothers are also in the room. Everyone is crying – one brother is hiding. Her Dad is frantically attempting to revive her mother even though, Scarlet reveals, it was a punch from her father that left her mother dying on the floor. Scarlet cries into the phone ‘Is my mum going to be alright?’ As a reader, it’s already clear that whatever the outcome, no one is going to be ‘alright’ after this.
From this dramatic beginning, The Son-In-Law tells the story of how devoted husband and father Joseph Scott was pushed to the point of killing his wife, Zoe. He emerges from prison after serving time for Zoe’s death and longs to reconnect with the children he hasn’t seen for several years. The children – Scarlet, Ben and Theo – are now in the care of Zoe’s parents, Hannah and Frederick, who continue to grieve for their beloved lost daughter. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of the family members as Joseph tries to overcome his guilt and move on with his life, while Hannah does her best to ensure he never has another chance to damage his children’s already fragile world.
Norman is a skilled story teller with a great talent for slowly revealing the details of her complex characters’ lives. In this book, Norman poses the kinds of moral questions that are superficially black and white – would you ever forgive your daughter’s killer, for example? The answer seems obvious, but at every step of this family’s journey, the reader is asked to acknowledge the nuanced tapestry of events that have brought about Zoe’s death. There is no simple answer or easy moral position. It is impossible not to feel great sorrow for Hannah as she mourns for her precious daughter; and yet, equally strong is the love Joseph feels for his children – is one parent’s love more valid than another’s?
The Son-In-Law treats each generation within this family saga with equal respect. Hannah and Frederick are intelligent people with their own interesting back story, not stereotypical doddering grandparents. Similarly, Scarlet’s teenage perspective and the differing responses of her brothers are all shown as valid in their own ways; the adults do not always know what’s best. As the legal case for Joseph to have access to and, eventually, custody of his children progresses, The Son-In-Law asks us to look well beyond the surface when it comes to issues like domestic violence, mental health and the penal system. Norman makes use of her own experience as a criminal barrister, specialising in family law, in her realistic descriptions of the painful back-and-forth communications between the family members and their legal representatives as they try to come to some agreement.
I was lost in thought for days after reading this intense and compassionate story. It struck me how vulnerable adults can become in the face of love for their children. It also looks at the fact that what’s ‘best’ for children in any custody situation may require huge sacrifice on the part of parents and carers, who – understandably – may bring their personal desires for revenge and control to the negotiations. Finally, it alerts us to the hidden costs of mental illness within families – such as the stress and expense endured by the partner of someone who is ill as they try to continue living an outwardly functional life while their home life is in chaos. Without wishing to give too many spoilers, the slow, subtle revelation of the impact of mental illness on Zoe and Joseph’s marriage is heartbreaking.
This is a book that will hold your attention right to the last page and will leave you debating its moral dilemmas for weeks to come. Highly recommended for book club reading or sharing with a friend!
This review along with an interview with author Charity Norman can be viewed at http://thischarmingmum.com
From this dramatic beginning, The Son-In-Law tells the story of how devoted husband and father Joseph Scott was pushed to the point of killing his wife, Zoe. He emerges from prison after serving time for Zoe’s death and longs to reconnect with the children he hasn’t seen for several years. The children – Scarlet, Ben and Theo – are now in the care of Zoe’s parents, Hannah and Frederick, who continue to grieve for their beloved lost daughter. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of the family members as Joseph tries to overcome his guilt and move on with his life, while Hannah does her best to ensure he never has another chance to damage his children’s already fragile world.
Norman is a skilled story teller with a great talent for slowly revealing the details of her complex characters’ lives. In this book, Norman poses the kinds of moral questions that are superficially black and white – would you ever forgive your daughter’s killer, for example? The answer seems obvious, but at every step of this family’s journey, the reader is asked to acknowledge the nuanced tapestry of events that have brought about Zoe’s death. There is no simple answer or easy moral position. It is impossible not to feel great sorrow for Hannah as she mourns for her precious daughter; and yet, equally strong is the love Joseph feels for his children – is one parent’s love more valid than another’s?
The Son-In-Law treats each generation within this family saga with equal respect. Hannah and Frederick are intelligent people with their own interesting back story, not stereotypical doddering grandparents. Similarly, Scarlet’s teenage perspective and the differing responses of her brothers are all shown as valid in their own ways; the adults do not always know what’s best. As the legal case for Joseph to have access to and, eventually, custody of his children progresses, The Son-In-Law asks us to look well beyond the surface when it comes to issues like domestic violence, mental health and the penal system. Norman makes use of her own experience as a criminal barrister, specialising in family law, in her realistic descriptions of the painful back-and-forth communications between the family members and their legal representatives as they try to come to some agreement.
I was lost in thought for days after reading this intense and compassionate story. It struck me how vulnerable adults can become in the face of love for their children. It also looks at the fact that what’s ‘best’ for children in any custody situation may require huge sacrifice on the part of parents and carers, who – understandably – may bring their personal desires for revenge and control to the negotiations. Finally, it alerts us to the hidden costs of mental illness within families – such as the stress and expense endured by the partner of someone who is ill as they try to continue living an outwardly functional life while their home life is in chaos. Without wishing to give too many spoilers, the slow, subtle revelation of the impact of mental illness on Zoe and Joseph’s marriage is heartbreaking.
This is a book that will hold your attention right to the last page and will leave you debating its moral dilemmas for weeks to come. Highly recommended for book club reading or sharing with a friend!
This review along with an interview with author Charity Norman can be viewed at http://thischarmingmum.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2013
Wow. I read Charity Norman's After The Fall last year and loved it. This year, I was offered the chance to read an advance copy of The The Son-in-Law and I've just been blown away. I do love books and reading, but it takes a lot for me to say I love one book in particular, but I can honestly say that I really did love this one.
To be honest, because I really enjoyed Norman's previous novel, I quickly accepted this book for review even before reading the blurb - I liked her writing and ideas enough last time to be sure enough that I would enjoy her latest release. After reading the blurb, I was even more excited as it definitely sounded like a book I would enjoy, even though the description was quite vague. The premise of this book is a compelling one, and I can't help but think of it turned into a serial-drama or short film. The descriptions were vivid - it was not at all difficult to imagine yourself there with the characters. Norman made a fantastic job of setting the different scenes and using them to add to the formation of an atmosphere surrounding the characters.
This is the story of a family which has been torn apart after the death of Zoe, a mother, a daughter and a wife. We follow Joseph after his release from a prison, where he was held for killing his wife. We also follow Hannah and Frederick, Zoe's parents and the main caregivers of Zoe and Joseph's children, Scarlet, Theo and Ben. We don't know the full story of Zoe's death from the beginning of the book, but as we progress in the book, we start to see what happened and why it happened. As always, not everything is as it first seems. As aforementioned, the book is written in two points of view, from Joseph and Hannah's thoughts, which are strongly in contrast. Nothing is clear-cut, everything has you thinking and wondering who you're most in support of - at no point did I know who I really supported, I almost continuously had conflicting emotions. Norman has done a wonderful job of getting two differing points across fairly and believably.
The children play a very large part in this book, and I think that as a reader, Scarlet was probably easiest to connect with in the sense of conflict of thoughts and feelings - it often felt like the reader was also one of the children, being pushed and pulled by the two different sides. The children were vital in this book and they were so well written. Norman didn't hold anything back, and the kids felt so real, their thoughts and feelings often openly displayed, or painfully suppressed. The psychological aspect of the book was obviously very well thought through and did seem very real. I especially liked reading about Scarlet, the oldest child and a very visceral character. You could really sense the torment inside her and I could never really predict what she was going to do, how she would react to her father or her grandparents.
Another relationship that I'd like to mention and praise, without giving any spoilers, is that of the two grandparents, Hannah and Frederick, which was truly heartbreaking at points. Their bond was incredible and the other issues they had to face at the same time as the release of Joseph Scott really did show their strength and courage. This book is just packed with emotion and Norman has done a stellar job of portraying several struggles and portraying each individual's unique reactions to the issues. This author really has a way of getting through the paper and into both your head and heart.
Overall, I really loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone, especially fans of authors such as Jodi Picoult. I really hope that Norman gets the praise and recognition that she deserves for not only this book but for her writing in general. Her writing feels so natural and believable - I really can't fault her in any way. I thought that After the Fall was a huge hit, but I honestly think that this book is even better. This is her best release to date and it will definitely be one of the top books I read in 2013. I can't wait to see what Norman releases next!
To be honest, because I really enjoyed Norman's previous novel, I quickly accepted this book for review even before reading the blurb - I liked her writing and ideas enough last time to be sure enough that I would enjoy her latest release. After reading the blurb, I was even more excited as it definitely sounded like a book I would enjoy, even though the description was quite vague. The premise of this book is a compelling one, and I can't help but think of it turned into a serial-drama or short film. The descriptions were vivid - it was not at all difficult to imagine yourself there with the characters. Norman made a fantastic job of setting the different scenes and using them to add to the formation of an atmosphere surrounding the characters.
This is the story of a family which has been torn apart after the death of Zoe, a mother, a daughter and a wife. We follow Joseph after his release from a prison, where he was held for killing his wife. We also follow Hannah and Frederick, Zoe's parents and the main caregivers of Zoe and Joseph's children, Scarlet, Theo and Ben. We don't know the full story of Zoe's death from the beginning of the book, but as we progress in the book, we start to see what happened and why it happened. As always, not everything is as it first seems. As aforementioned, the book is written in two points of view, from Joseph and Hannah's thoughts, which are strongly in contrast. Nothing is clear-cut, everything has you thinking and wondering who you're most in support of - at no point did I know who I really supported, I almost continuously had conflicting emotions. Norman has done a wonderful job of getting two differing points across fairly and believably.
The children play a very large part in this book, and I think that as a reader, Scarlet was probably easiest to connect with in the sense of conflict of thoughts and feelings - it often felt like the reader was also one of the children, being pushed and pulled by the two different sides. The children were vital in this book and they were so well written. Norman didn't hold anything back, and the kids felt so real, their thoughts and feelings often openly displayed, or painfully suppressed. The psychological aspect of the book was obviously very well thought through and did seem very real. I especially liked reading about Scarlet, the oldest child and a very visceral character. You could really sense the torment inside her and I could never really predict what she was going to do, how she would react to her father or her grandparents.
Another relationship that I'd like to mention and praise, without giving any spoilers, is that of the two grandparents, Hannah and Frederick, which was truly heartbreaking at points. Their bond was incredible and the other issues they had to face at the same time as the release of Joseph Scott really did show their strength and courage. This book is just packed with emotion and Norman has done a stellar job of portraying several struggles and portraying each individual's unique reactions to the issues. This author really has a way of getting through the paper and into both your head and heart.
Overall, I really loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone, especially fans of authors such as Jodi Picoult. I really hope that Norman gets the praise and recognition that she deserves for not only this book but for her writing in general. Her writing feels so natural and believable - I really can't fault her in any way. I thought that After the Fall was a huge hit, but I honestly think that this book is even better. This is her best release to date and it will definitely be one of the top books I read in 2013. I can't wait to see what Norman releases next!
June 8, 2020
Another amazing book from Charity Norman. I became so engrossed in this that I hated getting to the end. Charity writes such beautifully rounded and warm characters that you really feel that you know them. You learn what makes them tick and what they are feeling, not just what they are doing.
This book explores another moral dilemma.
After their father kills their mother, the children go to live with their grandparents and their father goes to prison. Seems simple? But this is not so black and white, and gradually we get to know the full story. We see inside the heads of all the characters and the inner war that they are all fighting. Our loyalties shift as we see these people trying to rebuild their lives. Emotions are high. Who should the children live with now that Dad is back on the scene? Is it OK to still love Dad? Why did he kill Mum?
So many questions.
A fantastic read. Thank you Pigeonhole and Charity Norman.
This book explores another moral dilemma.
After their father kills their mother, the children go to live with their grandparents and their father goes to prison. Seems simple? But this is not so black and white, and gradually we get to know the full story. We see inside the heads of all the characters and the inner war that they are all fighting. Our loyalties shift as we see these people trying to rebuild their lives. Emotions are high. Who should the children live with now that Dad is back on the scene? Is it OK to still love Dad? Why did he kill Mum?
So many questions.
A fantastic read. Thank you Pigeonhole and Charity Norman.
April 5, 2021
It took a bit of time for me to get into this book but I ended up really enjoying it. The story of the grandparents bringing up their grandchildren after losing their daughter was so heartwarming. I came to really like Joseph too and when the whole story came out it turned out that you should always listen to all the people’s truths before making a decision about them. I did love Frederick’s character, the best grandad.
January 22, 2018
Absolutely worth the three-or-so-year wait to read it. Amazingly, it lived up to all my expectations and hopes (and I rarely say that about books I have wanted to read for so long). The ending was a little...... nicer than I expected and I predicted the ending but just in a sligtly different way. Definitely recommend 👍
February 7, 2016
An easy read. I could see where the book was going fairly early on and so I found Hannah a fairly unsympathetic character - I would have thought someone with her knowledge would have been more understanding of the circumstances surrounding Zoe's death even if she was still unable to forgive Joseph.
January 18, 2020
You believe in every character and can picture them in your head while reading this wonderful book.
It tackles difficult, emotional and important issues with great sensitivity, from different people’s perspectives and as such you, as the reader, learn and move forward with them.
It tackles difficult, emotional and important issues with great sensitivity, from different people’s perspectives and as such you, as the reader, learn and move forward with them.
March 26, 2020
3.5 stars
This book wasn’t what I expected it to be. But I did really enjoy it. Story that you feel could be a real life story. Loss and emotions and broken families and illness. Well written and completely sucks you in. I even sobbed at the end.
This book wasn’t what I expected it to be. But I did really enjoy it. Story that you feel could be a real life story. Loss and emotions and broken families and illness. Well written and completely sucks you in. I even sobbed at the end.
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