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Golden State
“A riveting new novel” (Kirkus Reviews) about finding evil close to home and how far a woman will go to protect her family: Named one of “The Top 10 Things We Love This Week” by Entertainment Weekly.
Growing up in the 1960s in one of California’s most prominent political families, Natalie Askedahl worshipped her big brother, Bobby, a sensitive math prodigy who served as her protector and confidante. But after Bobby left home at sixteen on a Princeton scholarship, something changed between them. Now that Natalie has a career and a family of her own, her only real regret is losing Bobby.
Then, a bomb explodes in the middle of her seemingly ideal life. Her oldest daughter is on the Stanford campus when one person is killed and another maimed. Other attacks follow across California. Frightened for her family, Natalie grows obsessed with the case of the so-called Cal Bomber, until she makes an unthinkable discovery: the bomber’s manifesto reads alarmingly like the last letter she has from Bobby. Unsure of whom to sacrifice and whom to protect, Natalie is confronted with a terrible choice. As her life splits irrevocably into before and after, she begins to learn that some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves.
“An intense, provocative novel...Golden State will resonate with anyone who’s ever watched a loved one self-destruct” (People). As Los Angeles Magazine said about author Stephanie Kegan: “You’ve got our attention.”
Growing up in the 1960s in one of California’s most prominent political families, Natalie Askedahl worshipped her big brother, Bobby, a sensitive math prodigy who served as her protector and confidante. But after Bobby left home at sixteen on a Princeton scholarship, something changed between them. Now that Natalie has a career and a family of her own, her only real regret is losing Bobby.
Then, a bomb explodes in the middle of her seemingly ideal life. Her oldest daughter is on the Stanford campus when one person is killed and another maimed. Other attacks follow across California. Frightened for her family, Natalie grows obsessed with the case of the so-called Cal Bomber, until she makes an unthinkable discovery: the bomber’s manifesto reads alarmingly like the last letter she has from Bobby. Unsure of whom to sacrifice and whom to protect, Natalie is confronted with a terrible choice. As her life splits irrevocably into before and after, she begins to learn that some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves.
“An intense, provocative novel...Golden State will resonate with anyone who’s ever watched a loved one self-destruct” (People). As Los Angeles Magazine said about author Stephanie Kegan: “You’ve got our attention.”
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
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2522 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Kegan
10 books27 followersStephanie Kegan was born in North Dakota and raised in the much warmer Southern California. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in history, she worked at mostly numbing jobs until she could support herself as a writer. Her new novel Golden State—coming from Simon & Schuster in 2015—explores how fragile the foundation of an ordinary life can be. She is the author of a previous novel, The Baby, many magazine articles and series of guidebooks published by Chronicle Books. Stephanie lives in Los Angeles with her family.
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February 10, 2015
I'm the first person so far that's read this book that hasn't liked it?
This review may go spoilerish..Be warned.
I've actually been arguing with myself over the last hour whether to push on and finish it or just to say "hell with it"...Hell won.
I thought at first that I was hating on the book because I absolutely despised the main character, but no. I was bored. I spent over 3 hours on this book and I was completely bored the whole time.
This book is drama queen world times a million. Natalie Askedahl is happily married to a lawyer, she has perfect children, she has money and privilege. Then bombings start happening at nearby colleges. Her daughter is even at one when it happens. Natalie has an older brother who has left his brilliant life and is now living off the grid, but well, he is a bit odd. He doesn't want anything to do with his family or especially little sister. I just can't blame him.
She reads letters he wrote to his mom and decides he is the bomber. After keeping that fact from her husband for several months she finally spills the beans. Her husband being an attorney contacts the FBI. They want promises that those FBI agents won't reveal her as the "one who turned in her brother."
That lasts for just a minute. OF COURSE she gets the finger pointed.
Little Natalie has to take a break from her job, can't leave the house because *gasp* people talk about her.
Natalie fully subscribes to the "poor pitiful me" syndrome. Does she care that her kids, husband, family and friends get subjected to the press and rumors? Well, not really kids...this is the Natalie show.
Never mind the fact that she agrees to a "Time" magazine spread..that further drags her family through the mud. Never mind that she turns down a family camping trip when her husband is trying to get her away from it all...SOMEONE might recognize her!!!
Now..I get that you don't have to like the characters in a book to enjoy it, but I really felt that the author was milking the drama train way too hard. You don't have to throw in every piece of drama into a book that you can think of.
I made it to 57% in this book. I don't give a shit how it ends. I'm done.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review may go spoilerish..Be warned.
I've actually been arguing with myself over the last hour whether to push on and finish it or just to say "hell with it"...Hell won.
I thought at first that I was hating on the book because I absolutely despised the main character, but no. I was bored. I spent over 3 hours on this book and I was completely bored the whole time.
This book is drama queen world times a million. Natalie Askedahl is happily married to a lawyer, she has perfect children, she has money and privilege. Then bombings start happening at nearby colleges. Her daughter is even at one when it happens. Natalie has an older brother who has left his brilliant life and is now living off the grid, but well, he is a bit odd. He doesn't want anything to do with his family or especially little sister. I just can't blame him.
She reads letters he wrote to his mom and decides he is the bomber. After keeping that fact from her husband for several months she finally spills the beans. Her husband being an attorney contacts the FBI. They want promises that those FBI agents won't reveal her as the "one who turned in her brother."
That lasts for just a minute. OF COURSE she gets the finger pointed.
Little Natalie has to take a break from her job, can't leave the house because *gasp* people talk about her.
Natalie fully subscribes to the "poor pitiful me" syndrome. Does she care that her kids, husband, family and friends get subjected to the press and rumors? Well, not really kids...this is the Natalie show.
Never mind the fact that she agrees to a "Time" magazine spread..that further drags her family through the mud. Never mind that she turns down a family camping trip when her husband is trying to get her away from it all...SOMEONE might recognize her!!!
Now..I get that you don't have to like the characters in a book to enjoy it, but I really felt that the author was milking the drama train way too hard. You don't have to throw in every piece of drama into a book that you can think of.
I made it to 57% in this book. I don't give a shit how it ends. I'm done.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2015
Shades of the Unabomber, mailed bombs targeting professors on a college campus. Natalie, married to a lawyer, with two young daughters notices a similarity between a letter sent by her brother and that published in the newspapers. Her brother was a genius, attaining perfect SAT scores and attending Princeton at sixteen. He now lives alone in a cabin in the wilderness and wants nothing to do with the avid consumer Natalie has become. Her daughter Julia seems to take after her uncle's smarts. The character of Julia was the one I most liked and felt this storyline was not dully explored.
I found much of this predictable and Natalie and many of her actions just downright irritating. A third of the way through I was bored, pretty much knew what would happen. It is well written but aspires to be more than it is, in my opinion. A opinion many do not seem to share.
ARC from publisher.
I found much of this predictable and Natalie and many of her actions just downright irritating. A third of the way through I was bored, pretty much knew what would happen. It is well written but aspires to be more than it is, in my opinion. A opinion many do not seem to share.
ARC from publisher.
February 3, 2015
Bobby's first mistake was going to Princeton ---(at age 16) ---
"At another house, the invitation might have been a bigger deal. At ours, going to Princeton meant you couldn't go to Berkeley". .....(love that line, which was early in this story): Sounds like MY FAMILY!
I went to Berkeley! I grew up in Berkeley --(we didn't go to Princeton)...lol
OK, getting serious: This is a fast-page-turning-novel. Its 'fair' to compare this story to Lionel Shriver's book, "We Need to talk About Kevin"...
but its not as intense, (I laughed more often in this family drama-set in MY HOME TOWN) --nor is it as sophistically well written.
Its written well enough for pure enjoyment, though!!
My favorite character was 'Natalie'...(sister of the accused University of California bomber). She is the character I most loved to bitch-about. Don't get me wrong --she has likeable qualities --but oh...you will still want to smack her at times!
Turning down a needed camping vacation with her husband, Eric because she feared being recognized by other people, was just 'silly'!
Yes, she was in the news --but did the woman value her family more --or other people's reactions? Had she never heard of sunglasses? Hair cuts? Hair color changes? and hats?
The bigger questions in this novel is about family loyalty. For me --it was a no-brainer'. I would have done what Natalie did --'turn her information about her brother into the lawyers for starters. However --I would have not withheld the information from my husband 2 days --let alone 2 months.
I think most people will enjoy this book.
Sometimes the interactions with the kids seems a little 'forced' --(but hey--its drama at its best)...
Teen girls roll their eyes --say they hate their mom's
Little girls don't want their mom's to be gone for 6 hours on a school night ---
Parents have problems --
This family needed counseling --why they didn't even consider it --was beyond me. They could afford it. They were intelligent people who would have understood the value...
However --in the end --the reader has a pretty good idea how things will turn out....(as far as Natalie and her husband go anyway)...
As for Bobby...does he get the death sentence --(which is legal in California) -- you'll have to find out yourself!
Its fun!
Its worth reading! (even with the things you see wrong --as its all of the drama --the mistakes --etc.)
Go Bears!
The Cal Bomber has a grudge against the modern world and killed three California academics and maimed sixteen other
"At another house, the invitation might have been a bigger deal. At ours, going to Princeton meant you couldn't go to Berkeley". .....(love that line, which was early in this story): Sounds like MY FAMILY!
I went to Berkeley! I grew up in Berkeley --(we didn't go to Princeton)...lol
OK, getting serious: This is a fast-page-turning-novel. Its 'fair' to compare this story to Lionel Shriver's book, "We Need to talk About Kevin"...
but its not as intense, (I laughed more often in this family drama-set in MY HOME TOWN) --nor is it as sophistically well written.
Its written well enough for pure enjoyment, though!!
My favorite character was 'Natalie'...(sister of the accused University of California bomber). She is the character I most loved to bitch-about. Don't get me wrong --she has likeable qualities --but oh...you will still want to smack her at times!
Turning down a needed camping vacation with her husband, Eric because she feared being recognized by other people, was just 'silly'!
Yes, she was in the news --but did the woman value her family more --or other people's reactions? Had she never heard of sunglasses? Hair cuts? Hair color changes? and hats?
The bigger questions in this novel is about family loyalty. For me --it was a no-brainer'. I would have done what Natalie did --'turn her information about her brother into the lawyers for starters. However --I would have not withheld the information from my husband 2 days --let alone 2 months.
I think most people will enjoy this book.
Sometimes the interactions with the kids seems a little 'forced' --(but hey--its drama at its best)...
Teen girls roll their eyes --say they hate their mom's
Little girls don't want their mom's to be gone for 6 hours on a school night ---
Parents have problems --
This family needed counseling --why they didn't even consider it --was beyond me. They could afford it. They were intelligent people who would have understood the value...
However --in the end --the reader has a pretty good idea how things will turn out....(as far as Natalie and her husband go anyway)...
As for Bobby...does he get the death sentence --(which is legal in California) -- you'll have to find out yourself!
Its fun!
Its worth reading! (even with the things you see wrong --as its all of the drama --the mistakes --etc.)
Go Bears!
The Cal Bomber has a grudge against the modern world and killed three California academics and maimed sixteen other
February 4, 2015
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
"I came from a long line of dreamers, of storytellers, and the most dangerous stories we told were about ourselves."
Natalie Askedahl appears to have the perfect suburban California life. Her husband Eric is a lawyer at a prestigious firm while she is a third-grade teacher at a private school she and her husband helped build, and they have two beautiful daughters—Julia, an immensely gifted 15-year-old, and Lilly, a precocious, curious, second grader. The youngest child in one of California's prominent political families, Natalie worshiped her older brother Bobby, a highly intelligent, sensitive soul, who had a tremendous amount of promise.
But after college and what appeared to be a promising academic career, Bobby dropped out of society, moving to a remote cabin in Idaho, living off the grid and refusing contact with his family, although he is more than willing to take the money they send him. While this type of withdrawal hurts Natalie and seems strange to her, the rest of her family has always taken it in stride, just accepting Bobby's eccentricities as mere foibles.
One day, a bomb explodes on the Stanford campus, while Julia is attending a debate tournament. While Julia isn't harmed, other people are killed and injured. Other bombings follow across the state, and the so-called bomber publishes a manifesto, ranting against technology and political corruption. After another bombing, Natalie becomes somewhat obsessed with the incidents, and suddenly discovers that the bomber's manifesto shares much of the same language with a few of Bobby's letters to their mother.
While she is sure that Bobby is in no way the bomber, she fears for her family. Her mother and sister ridicule her fears as outlandish, but Natalie must make a choice on what her next steps are, and how prepared she is for the ramifications of whatever she does. Does she ignore her fears, or run the risk of betraying her family and placing suspicion on her brother?
Stephanie Kegan's Golden State (not to be confused with Michelle Richmond's novel of the same name) has a bit of a Jodi Picoult-esque feel to it. It's well written and compelling, and raises some questions about the strength of blood and family, and what you would do if faced with Natalie's dilemma. It's also a book about the way our lives are shaped by the lies we tell and are told, the secrets we keep, and the things we don't say.
I read this book quite quickly, and think Kegan is a very talented storyteller. I didn't necessarily think any of the characters were particularly likeable, and at times I thought things got a little bit melodramatic (although who can say what would really happen in a situation like this), but Kegan kept me reading, kept me wanting to see how she'd resolve the plot. It's a tremendously thought-provoking read.
See all of my reviews (and other stuff) at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
"I came from a long line of dreamers, of storytellers, and the most dangerous stories we told were about ourselves."
Natalie Askedahl appears to have the perfect suburban California life. Her husband Eric is a lawyer at a prestigious firm while she is a third-grade teacher at a private school she and her husband helped build, and they have two beautiful daughters—Julia, an immensely gifted 15-year-old, and Lilly, a precocious, curious, second grader. The youngest child in one of California's prominent political families, Natalie worshiped her older brother Bobby, a highly intelligent, sensitive soul, who had a tremendous amount of promise.
But after college and what appeared to be a promising academic career, Bobby dropped out of society, moving to a remote cabin in Idaho, living off the grid and refusing contact with his family, although he is more than willing to take the money they send him. While this type of withdrawal hurts Natalie and seems strange to her, the rest of her family has always taken it in stride, just accepting Bobby's eccentricities as mere foibles.
One day, a bomb explodes on the Stanford campus, while Julia is attending a debate tournament. While Julia isn't harmed, other people are killed and injured. Other bombings follow across the state, and the so-called bomber publishes a manifesto, ranting against technology and political corruption. After another bombing, Natalie becomes somewhat obsessed with the incidents, and suddenly discovers that the bomber's manifesto shares much of the same language with a few of Bobby's letters to their mother.
While she is sure that Bobby is in no way the bomber, she fears for her family. Her mother and sister ridicule her fears as outlandish, but Natalie must make a choice on what her next steps are, and how prepared she is for the ramifications of whatever she does. Does she ignore her fears, or run the risk of betraying her family and placing suspicion on her brother?
Stephanie Kegan's Golden State (not to be confused with Michelle Richmond's novel of the same name) has a bit of a Jodi Picoult-esque feel to it. It's well written and compelling, and raises some questions about the strength of blood and family, and what you would do if faced with Natalie's dilemma. It's also a book about the way our lives are shaped by the lies we tell and are told, the secrets we keep, and the things we don't say.
I read this book quite quickly, and think Kegan is a very talented storyteller. I didn't necessarily think any of the characters were particularly likeable, and at times I thought things got a little bit melodramatic (although who can say what would really happen in a situation like this), but Kegan kept me reading, kept me wanting to see how she'd resolve the plot. It's a tremendously thought-provoking read.
See all of my reviews (and other stuff) at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
January 31, 2015
ARC for review.
More like 3.5 stars -
Fans of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this story of Natalie Askedahl, a nearing fifty mom, wife and third grade teacher. She grew up in a prominent political family in California (the power behind the power sort of thing). Her father (the pol, his high point was being instrumental in the establishment of the University of California system and that fact is woven deftly throughout the story....nice title choice as well) is now deceased and has left behind his widow (who is trucking along fine), Natalie, free-spirit daughter Sara and once beloved but now off-the-grid brother, Bobby. Much like the excellent Cartwheel was a loose fictionalization of the Amanda Knox story, this is the same treatment applied to the Unabomber case.
One blurb compared it to the brilliant We Need To Talk About Kevin, but that isn't really accurate in that this book is about adults and the choices we make, both good, ill and otherwise. Kegan also manages a good balance between pro and anti government stances and provides fair explanations for why each character acts the way he/she does (not always easy). While she could have done more with the trial, overall this was a good "from the headlines" (OK, not the RECENT headlines) story that many, many people will enjoy.
More like 3.5 stars -
Fans of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this story of Natalie Askedahl, a nearing fifty mom, wife and third grade teacher. She grew up in a prominent political family in California (the power behind the power sort of thing). Her father (the pol, his high point was being instrumental in the establishment of the University of California system and that fact is woven deftly throughout the story....nice title choice as well) is now deceased and has left behind his widow (who is trucking along fine), Natalie, free-spirit daughter Sara and once beloved but now off-the-grid brother, Bobby. Much like the excellent Cartwheel was a loose fictionalization of the Amanda Knox story, this is the same treatment applied to the Unabomber case.
One blurb compared it to the brilliant We Need To Talk About Kevin, but that isn't really accurate in that this book is about adults and the choices we make, both good, ill and otherwise. Kegan also manages a good balance between pro and anti government stances and provides fair explanations for why each character acts the way he/she does (not always easy). While she could have done more with the trial, overall this was a good "from the headlines" (OK, not the RECENT headlines) story that many, many people will enjoy.
February 8, 2015
While I enjoyed Golden State, I wouldn't compare it to We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. Shriver's novel tore at my emotions, was far darker, more provacative and disturbing. In Golden State I wanted to delve deeper into the emotional heart of both Natalie and her brilliant brother Bobby. While the reader goes back and forth between past and present, learning how Bobby's promising genius crumbles inside itself, leading to him becoming a bombing suspect things begin to connect. Natalie adored her big brother, but being the youngest she didn't have the clarity to comprehend the tensions simmering beneath the family's facade. When Bobby leaves for Princeton at a young 16 years of age, everything changes. The boy Natalie adored has become bitter, souring in ways her young mind cannot understand. The family sees Bobby's behavior as simply an awkward personality trait, just "Bobby being Bobby" maybe because it's easier than seeking the help he sorely needed. Soon he choses to excuse himself from society and lives in a remote cabin, for the most part avoiding family contact. The problem many people will have is knowing Bobby needed help and no one faced it. I struggle between disbelief that the family is blasé about such a drastic change to thinking that it does happen in the real world. Sometimes pretending springs from a place of fear, because the truth will change the face of how we preceive ourselves and our loved ones and it's preferable to facing our demons.
Natalie has a seemingly perfect life, but when her 15 year old daughter Julia (whose intelligence is a troubling reminder of Natalie's brother) visits Stanford for a debate a bomb goes off killing people. Julia is safe, but soon Natalie recognizes the writings of the bomber echo her own brother's wild beliefs. She must go to the authorities, and her family questions her loyalty. Made worse is her neglect at keeping her husband in the know, which from the start is strange, afterall- he is a lawyer. Most people can relate to the tug of war women endure between everyone in their life, the demands of loyalty. While the novel is thought provoking, I had a hard time liking anyone in it. With Bobby, I was more angry no one bothered to help him and just overlooked all the signs of mental distress. I didn't like Natalie at all, in fact I would have much preferred to journey through Bobby's mind. I felt the story was good but after having read We Need to Talk About Kevin, it wasn't as powerful nor as moving. Standing for itself, it's a good story and the reader needs to know what happens. I liked it, but maybe would have loved it if I cared more about the characters. Certainly it will make people think, and I imagine a book club would enjoy debating over Natalie's choices. Some would say she should not rush to turn her brother in seeing as how she wasn't sure of his guilt or inocence and had been fairly uninvolved in his life. Others would say what sort of woman could keep such suspcions to herself if it means hurting inocent people. This novel is more a struggle of loyalty and family. Certainly a lot to talk about. One thing that rang true for me was her discomfort about her older daughter's intelligence after seeing her own brother's gifted mind turn on him and certainly would have made for one interesting story were it probed more. It was there at the surface and I wonder how many readers will notice it. Yes, read it but don't expect it to be a copy of Shriver's novel.
Natalie has a seemingly perfect life, but when her 15 year old daughter Julia (whose intelligence is a troubling reminder of Natalie's brother) visits Stanford for a debate a bomb goes off killing people. Julia is safe, but soon Natalie recognizes the writings of the bomber echo her own brother's wild beliefs. She must go to the authorities, and her family questions her loyalty. Made worse is her neglect at keeping her husband in the know, which from the start is strange, afterall- he is a lawyer. Most people can relate to the tug of war women endure between everyone in their life, the demands of loyalty. While the novel is thought provoking, I had a hard time liking anyone in it. With Bobby, I was more angry no one bothered to help him and just overlooked all the signs of mental distress. I didn't like Natalie at all, in fact I would have much preferred to journey through Bobby's mind. I felt the story was good but after having read We Need to Talk About Kevin, it wasn't as powerful nor as moving. Standing for itself, it's a good story and the reader needs to know what happens. I liked it, but maybe would have loved it if I cared more about the characters. Certainly it will make people think, and I imagine a book club would enjoy debating over Natalie's choices. Some would say she should not rush to turn her brother in seeing as how she wasn't sure of his guilt or inocence and had been fairly uninvolved in his life. Others would say what sort of woman could keep such suspcions to herself if it means hurting inocent people. This novel is more a struggle of loyalty and family. Certainly a lot to talk about. One thing that rang true for me was her discomfort about her older daughter's intelligence after seeing her own brother's gifted mind turn on him and certainly would have made for one interesting story were it probed more. It was there at the surface and I wonder how many readers will notice it. Yes, read it but don't expect it to be a copy of Shriver's novel.
February 18, 2015
Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received a copy of the book from the publisher Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The book has just been released.
Arghhhhhhhhhhh....I wish I was a member of a book club so I could debate this story as opposed to struggling with how to express my thoughts on this one. I will say I found the story utterly frustrating. What I struggle with is the question was I was frustrated because I didn't like the story or because I didn't like/agree with the actions of the protagonist? My best guess is it is the latter however it is clouding my judgement on the former.
The concept is simple. Nathalie's brother is accused of some terrible crimes and she is conflicted with trying to defend the brother she thought she knew and coming to terms with the facts being presented to her. The answer in my world is simple. How can you know someone who has cut you out of their lives for more than 10 years? How can you let it impact the life you have built when the truth is sitting right in front of you. In my eyes, you don't. You cut your losses and come to terms that someone is not who you seem. He is a stranger and fond memories from childhood should not be enough to justify your loyalty to someone you do not know in your adult life. Seems simple to me.
Alas this is not the way Nathalie handled the situation which is what caused me to be so impatient with her as I was reading. I literally wanted to strangle her. Then again I am viewing this from my high horse over here and I am wearing my own pair of Ugg's as opposed to walking in her shoes. In my opinion there is only so much family loyalty that is warranted. I love my family however I can't see myself defending any of them if they committed a violent crime just because they bought me ice cream as a child. I certainly can't see doing it at the expense of my current family. Call me cold but that is how I see it.
Needless to say that my view did impact my ability to enjoy the book. I couldn't wait for it to end. Based on that I would score this story low however standing back the fact that I am even having this inner monologue with myself has to stand for something also. Is this not what Kegan would want? The debate on how you would handle this situation? Some bonus points earned back for that.
Random thought: The ironic part to this whole rant is that I have been summoned to appear for jury duty next week. I seriously do not think that I am what they would want to help decide someone's fate!
I received a copy of the book from the publisher Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The book has just been released.
Arghhhhhhhhhhh....I wish I was a member of a book club so I could debate this story as opposed to struggling with how to express my thoughts on this one. I will say I found the story utterly frustrating. What I struggle with is the question was I was frustrated because I didn't like the story or because I didn't like/agree with the actions of the protagonist? My best guess is it is the latter however it is clouding my judgement on the former.
The concept is simple. Nathalie's brother is accused of some terrible crimes and she is conflicted with trying to defend the brother she thought she knew and coming to terms with the facts being presented to her. The answer in my world is simple. How can you know someone who has cut you out of their lives for more than 10 years? How can you let it impact the life you have built when the truth is sitting right in front of you. In my eyes, you don't. You cut your losses and come to terms that someone is not who you seem. He is a stranger and fond memories from childhood should not be enough to justify your loyalty to someone you do not know in your adult life. Seems simple to me.
Alas this is not the way Nathalie handled the situation which is what caused me to be so impatient with her as I was reading. I literally wanted to strangle her. Then again I am viewing this from my high horse over here and I am wearing my own pair of Ugg's as opposed to walking in her shoes. In my opinion there is only so much family loyalty that is warranted. I love my family however I can't see myself defending any of them if they committed a violent crime just because they bought me ice cream as a child. I certainly can't see doing it at the expense of my current family. Call me cold but that is how I see it.
Needless to say that my view did impact my ability to enjoy the book. I couldn't wait for it to end. Based on that I would score this story low however standing back the fact that I am even having this inner monologue with myself has to stand for something also. Is this not what Kegan would want? The debate on how you would handle this situation? Some bonus points earned back for that.
Random thought: The ironic part to this whole rant is that I have been summoned to appear for jury duty next week. I seriously do not think that I am what they would want to help decide someone's fate!
February 13, 2017
I entered to win this book from a Goodreads' First Reads giveaway, and while I won it, I was not terribly enthusiastic about starting it. The title was not all that inspiring, and the blurbs in the giveaway and on Goodreads didn't seem nearly as interesting once I won the book as they must have seemed when I entered the contest. But I read it, because I had it on my stack of TBR books, and I was pleasantly surprised. Rather than being about terrorism or a sort of journalistic account of a terrorist, this book turned out to be about what it is like for the innocent family of a terrorist, the non-criminal siblings, parents and other relatives whose lives are permanently altered by the discovery that the monster criminal terrorist on the news is a close relation. Without apologizing for the terrorist or trying to disinish the wrongness of terrorism, this book shows another side to terrorism, one which shows the ugly side of sensationalist media and the less than honest parts that authorities such as the FBI play in high profile cases. This novel is fiction, but it is based loosely off of the case of the Unibomber, and brings up some interesting observations and questions relevant to many other stories in more recent news. I'm still not sold on the title, and the cover art could be a lot better, but the book itself is great.
February 4, 2015
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy of Golden State. I liked this book. It looks at what could happen to a family when it turns out that one member has committed a series of horrible crimes out of delusional political beliefs. The story is told from Natalie's perspective, and it is her brother Bobbie who is implicated in a series of university campus bombings. Natalie is torn by a deep sense of love and loyalty to her brother. Sitting on the sidelines it's hard at times to understand some of the things that Natalie does, and how she distances herself from her husband and children in the process. In fact, I was starting to lose interest in the middle as Natalie's story felt messy and aimless. But Golden State really redeems itself at the end. Without giving anything away, the end is very sad but really comes together in an interesting and powerful way. And Kegan does a great job depicting Bobbie -- what he was like as a child and his uncompromising delusional mind as an adult. Golden State does not benefit from the comparisons to We Need to Talk about Kevin, because it is not as intense and certainly is not Shriver's narrative tour de force. But Golden State is well worth the read -- especially in the way it comes together at the end.
January 25, 2015
This is a beautiful novel. The story hooked me on the first page, never let go, and kept me thinking after I finished it. I found myself completely inside the head of the main character, Natalie, a forties-something wife, mother and teacher who finds herself in an unthinkable crisis. Although she tries to do the right thing, no matter which way she goes, someone she loves gets hurt. I particularly related to the way Natalie is constantly pulled between her mother and sister's demands for help and her husband's insistence that she put their family first by not getting involved. I thought the Northern California setting was very real-not all stereotypical-and I liked the way the author made the setting a part of the story. I also really enjoyed the everyday warmth and humor of Natalie's relationship with her daughters, and how spot-on the kids were for their ages. This is a multi-layered, beautifully written novel that gives you a lot to think about. It would make an excellent book group selection, but I would recommend it to anyone.
December 29, 2014
Great Book! It's rare fiction that puts you inside the head of a character the way 'Golden State' does - - and it's an even rarer book that can bring a social taboo like mental illness + the way families struggle to hide its impact from themselves until its too late - to the fore the way this novel does; 'Golden State' shows how the impact of our earliest connections in life resonate in ways we least expect throughout our adulthood - and, of course, how hard we struggle as grown-ups against seeing the reality of our own frailness and need for connection. A breeze of a read with a mountain of clout!
March 8, 2015
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
I wanted to rate this book so much higher but what bothered me the entire book was Natalie and her constant "pity me" attitude. It was very hard to sympathize with her when she constantly did things that she knew she probably should not have been doing but she went ahead and did them anyways and I can not blame the way her husband and children reacted because of that. Aside from my issue with the narrator I thought the main story itself, about the bomber, was interesting and what the family had to deal with in regards to the fall out of what happened.
I wanted to rate this book so much higher but what bothered me the entire book was Natalie and her constant "pity me" attitude. It was very hard to sympathize with her when she constantly did things that she knew she probably should not have been doing but she went ahead and did them anyways and I can not blame the way her husband and children reacted because of that. Aside from my issue with the narrator I thought the main story itself, about the bomber, was interesting and what the family had to deal with in regards to the fall out of what happened.
December 9, 2014
This is a beautifully twisted story of a family with deep roots in California's history, with a focus on the now-grown children of political activists. Natalie, the baby, is a suburban mom, teacher, wife of a successful attorney; the opposite of her oldest sister, an off-the-grid hippie type. Neither have seen their troubled brother in years. Bombings at college campuses bring them together, and it seems like none of them want any part of anything that happens in this book. Yet there it is.
Kegan is a skilled storyteller and puts readers into a situation riddled with moral ambiguities. What would you do if you suspected a family member might be involved in murderous bombings? How would you handle the media frenzy? Would a lack of support from your family change your response? Might you, at some point, refuse to take it on as your responsibility? What do we owe our family members? How do we support someone we love if he's in trouble? Does it change if he rejects the help? Does it change if we feel we're being manipulated?
This is a fantastic book club pick. It's so well-written, the chapters flow easily. I read it in one sitting, unable to find a stopping place. It's full of recognizable characters who find themselves in an increasingly common but horrifying situation. I loved the way Kegan wove together the backstory of the family, California history, current day realities, grown-up siblings and the pressure put on a long term marriage. There's something for everyone and a lot to discuss. Read this as soon as you can, then get a bottle of Napa's best and call your girlfriends. You're going to want to talk about it.
Kegan is a skilled storyteller and puts readers into a situation riddled with moral ambiguities. What would you do if you suspected a family member might be involved in murderous bombings? How would you handle the media frenzy? Would a lack of support from your family change your response? Might you, at some point, refuse to take it on as your responsibility? What do we owe our family members? How do we support someone we love if he's in trouble? Does it change if he rejects the help? Does it change if we feel we're being manipulated?
This is a fantastic book club pick. It's so well-written, the chapters flow easily. I read it in one sitting, unable to find a stopping place. It's full of recognizable characters who find themselves in an increasingly common but horrifying situation. I loved the way Kegan wove together the backstory of the family, California history, current day realities, grown-up siblings and the pressure put on a long term marriage. There's something for everyone and a lot to discuss. Read this as soon as you can, then get a bottle of Napa's best and call your girlfriends. You're going to want to talk about it.
July 26, 2015
What would you do if you thought that one of your siblings could be one of the most wanted bombers in the United States? This is the question Natalie must ask herserlf when she finds that one her brother Bobby's old letters read just like the "Cal Bomber's" manifesto. She used to feel that her brother was the only one looking out for her growing up and they were close, but she hasn't spoken to him in years, and he has fallen off the radar. She has reached out to him several times and she has gotten no response from him. Could her brother really be the bomber, and could more people die while she thinks about what she should do?
This book was a great read and hard to put down. It was easy to connect with Nathalie, who tries to do the right thing but questions everything when it gets thrown back at her. She has to deal with her suspicions and what she should do. When deciding to go to husband's firm to speak with him about her suspicions the police get involved, and her life begins to fall apart. I really enjoyed reading this book!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book was a great read and hard to put down. It was easy to connect with Nathalie, who tries to do the right thing but questions everything when it gets thrown back at her. She has to deal with her suspicions and what she should do. When deciding to go to husband's firm to speak with him about her suspicions the police get involved, and her life begins to fall apart. I really enjoyed reading this book!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
August 22, 2015
I found Stephanie Kegan's "Golden State" to be disappointing and dull. I have no idea why others are comparing this book to Shriver's "We Need to Talk About Kevin," because these stories are nothing alike. The idea is interesting enough - genius Unabomber's family coping with aftermath of Unabomber's crimes, but the plot is too easy and predictable. I found myself asking why I cared enough to keep reading. I guess I'd hoped for a pleasant surprise or turn of events or emotional revelation. Kegan's writing is strong, and that pulled me along (albeit slowly). We are only given Natalie's POV (Unabomber's sister), and it is easy to hate Natalie. I questioned her ability to make decisions, and I grew tired of her whining and self-pity. It would have been helpful to switch POV to Natalie's sister Sara or Natalie's mother. I would have liked this book a lot more had I been able to read Sara's POV, as her voice was much stronger than Natalie's. Natalie's children Julia and Lilly are only shadows. Natalie was just too weak and flawed for me, and I like a strong protagonist. The end felt anticlimactic. Blah. Double blah.
December 4, 2014
I loved this book! It is totally engrossing and I really just wanted to stay home and read it and find out what happened next, and who did what, and why, and then what......
That said, this is a dark novel with twisty moral questions and a difficult story line. A completely compelling read. If you are looking for light n easy, sunshine, happy, happy stuff....look elsewhere. But it is not depressing (at least not to me) it's just dark - and GREAT.
That said, this is a dark novel with twisty moral questions and a difficult story line. A completely compelling read. If you are looking for light n easy, sunshine, happy, happy stuff....look elsewhere. But it is not depressing (at least not to me) it's just dark - and GREAT.
February 5, 2015
4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy to review. This one was really good! Natalie must make an impossible decision to turn her brilliant (and possibly mentally ill) brother into the FBI after suspecting he is behind a number of bombings at schools around the country. I thought this was easy to compare to Jodi Picoult's type of books (that's a compliment, I'm a big fan!) and thought this was very well done.
July 30, 2015
Beautifully written, this is a five star journey into the moral ambiguity of family ties and societal expectations. "Natalie's Choice" is huge and complex, the kind we hope we never have to wrestle with, never have to make. Witnessing her anguish and final deliberation is enthralling from the first page to the last. A great read.
February 13, 2015
I did not want to read the last couple of pages of this book. I did not want to witness the choices that Natalie had to make. I did not want to watch a family crumble. I wanted to live in my own make believe world of happily ever after. There is no happy when a man is on trial for being a bomber that has killed seven and maimed others. A man that has been a victim of mental illness since he was seventeen years old and a family that has chosen to look the other way until there is no other way to look.
Natalie Askedahl has always looked up to her older brother. He was her knight in shining armor who taught her all the things that brothers can bestow on their younger siblings. He was the golden child of a prominent California political family. To the Askedahl children, they had an ideal childhood – a life of privilege and parents that did not pay attention to them.
Sara, her older sister had so much to offer but decided to turn her back on it so she would not make her brother look bad. Natalie was the perfect wife and mother who never rocked the boat. Then Bobby, their genius older brother who aced his SAT’s and was accepted at Princeton. Only in the Askedahl family would this be considered a failure since they were Berkley people through and through.
The most recent terrorist bombing on the campus of Stanford University hits too close to home for Natalie as her oldest daughter was there in a debating tournament as the bomb was exploding. Natalie, at her sister’s suggestion, reads the Cal Bomber’s manifesto. Remembering the last letter that Bobby had written to their mother, something about the wording was too familiar. Could the same person have written the two documents? Her blood ran cold. Gathering up the papers, she shares them with her husband and thus begs the nightmare that has overtaken her life.
Saying that this book is like watching a train wreck is oversimplifying. It is more along the lines of watching each car plunge slowly off the tracks, rolling down a steep hill and not knowing who or what will be caught up in the destruction.
Though paralleling the actual UnaBomber case of the late 1990’s, the reader looks on from a family member’s perspective. The choices, the excuses and even the desperations are played out repeatedly as a family comes to terms with what they pretended not to see. This is a gripping and gut wrenching book. A book that leaves you emotionally battered as you live Natalie’s decisions and wonder if and how you would have done it differently.
Natalie Askedahl has always looked up to her older brother. He was her knight in shining armor who taught her all the things that brothers can bestow on their younger siblings. He was the golden child of a prominent California political family. To the Askedahl children, they had an ideal childhood – a life of privilege and parents that did not pay attention to them.
Sara, her older sister had so much to offer but decided to turn her back on it so she would not make her brother look bad. Natalie was the perfect wife and mother who never rocked the boat. Then Bobby, their genius older brother who aced his SAT’s and was accepted at Princeton. Only in the Askedahl family would this be considered a failure since they were Berkley people through and through.
The most recent terrorist bombing on the campus of Stanford University hits too close to home for Natalie as her oldest daughter was there in a debating tournament as the bomb was exploding. Natalie, at her sister’s suggestion, reads the Cal Bomber’s manifesto. Remembering the last letter that Bobby had written to their mother, something about the wording was too familiar. Could the same person have written the two documents? Her blood ran cold. Gathering up the papers, she shares them with her husband and thus begs the nightmare that has overtaken her life.
Saying that this book is like watching a train wreck is oversimplifying. It is more along the lines of watching each car plunge slowly off the tracks, rolling down a steep hill and not knowing who or what will be caught up in the destruction.
Though paralleling the actual UnaBomber case of the late 1990’s, the reader looks on from a family member’s perspective. The choices, the excuses and even the desperations are played out repeatedly as a family comes to terms with what they pretended not to see. This is a gripping and gut wrenching book. A book that leaves you emotionally battered as you live Natalie’s decisions and wonder if and how you would have done it differently.
February 16, 2015
Read this review and others on my blog: The Library Princess
**This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley, it releases on 2/17/15.
I already had a lot of books to review for February, but the summary and comparisons for this book really caught my eye. It says it is good for fans of Jodi PIcoult and it is a ripped-from-the-headlines type story, which I usually enjoy. This book is about a woman named Natalie and her family; both her husband and children and her mother, brother, and sister. Growing up, everyone knew her brother, Bobby, was a little bit different, but he was brilliant…we’re talking went to Princeton at age 16 kind of brilliant. However, for the past several years, he has become withdrawn and lives in a remote “cabin” (if you can even call it that), and does not communicate with his family or much of anyone else. He has ranted many times about his deceased father, a politician, and how technology is destroying our world. During this time, bombings have been occurring on the campuses of universities in California. The Cal-bomber has released a manifesto about his feelings on technology, which Natalie realizes sound, shockingly, like something her brother has written to their mother. She begins to worry that he may be involved in the bombings and feels she has no choice but to do something about it. While he is being investigated, we see the devastating effects that the situation has on Natalie’s own family, along with her mother and sister. Much of the story is centered around how tough it is for Natalie to feel the guilt of accusing her own brother of such heinous crimes, but it does not feel too overdone or repetitive. We see how media attention can rip a family apart, which is something we hear about all the time. As the investigation and trial are taking place, Natalie is able to uncover some things about her childhood and family growing up that she did not know. She is also faced with the tough decision of whether to help her brother during trial or sit back and do nothing. This is an emotional and interesting story that did remind me of something Jodi Picoult would write (though I hate making these kinds of comparisons), so it was something I enjoyed. It makes you think about what you would do in Natalie’s situation. I have purchased this title for my library, mainly for staff members, but I can see some of my students enjoying it if I can get them to give it a chance.
**This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley, it releases on 2/17/15.
I already had a lot of books to review for February, but the summary and comparisons for this book really caught my eye. It says it is good for fans of Jodi PIcoult and it is a ripped-from-the-headlines type story, which I usually enjoy. This book is about a woman named Natalie and her family; both her husband and children and her mother, brother, and sister. Growing up, everyone knew her brother, Bobby, was a little bit different, but he was brilliant…we’re talking went to Princeton at age 16 kind of brilliant. However, for the past several years, he has become withdrawn and lives in a remote “cabin” (if you can even call it that), and does not communicate with his family or much of anyone else. He has ranted many times about his deceased father, a politician, and how technology is destroying our world. During this time, bombings have been occurring on the campuses of universities in California. The Cal-bomber has released a manifesto about his feelings on technology, which Natalie realizes sound, shockingly, like something her brother has written to their mother. She begins to worry that he may be involved in the bombings and feels she has no choice but to do something about it. While he is being investigated, we see the devastating effects that the situation has on Natalie’s own family, along with her mother and sister. Much of the story is centered around how tough it is for Natalie to feel the guilt of accusing her own brother of such heinous crimes, but it does not feel too overdone or repetitive. We see how media attention can rip a family apart, which is something we hear about all the time. As the investigation and trial are taking place, Natalie is able to uncover some things about her childhood and family growing up that she did not know. She is also faced with the tough decision of whether to help her brother during trial or sit back and do nothing. This is an emotional and interesting story that did remind me of something Jodi Picoult would write (though I hate making these kinds of comparisons), so it was something I enjoyed. It makes you think about what you would do in Natalie’s situation. I have purchased this title for my library, mainly for staff members, but I can see some of my students enjoying it if I can get them to give it a chance.
July 24, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of this via the S&S Book Club (and I am so sorry I forgot to write a review even though I read and rated it right away!).
This was an interesting family drama and a great book club pick. The Cal Bomber in the story is loosely based on the real-life Unabomber, but as the synopsis indicates it is more about what it is like being the family of such a terrorist. It was a compelling read as you find yourself often wondering what you would do in the main character's situation.
I don't think it was the author's intent with this particular story, but in addition to the story at hand, I did find myself wanting to learn more about the real Unabomber situation. Ted Kacynski is not someone I know much about, other than the obvious mail-bombing, anti-technology, and living off the grid in some tiny cabin. But as the case in the story developed, I felt myself compelled to find out what transpired in the real life scenario.
Hard to say much more without giving away the story, but character-wise I wanted a little more at times (which is why the 4 out of 5 stars). Natalie could be frustrating, which some people will feel maybe it make here more real. Some of the best parts were the way in which the entire family reacted throughout the crisis and with each other, but even more so in the flashbacks. The way different personalities handle the same situation different ways and the way some people won't really deal with it at all, or they only see things they way they want to see it. The synopsis says it best by saying: "...some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves."
This was an interesting family drama and a great book club pick. The Cal Bomber in the story is loosely based on the real-life Unabomber, but as the synopsis indicates it is more about what it is like being the family of such a terrorist. It was a compelling read as you find yourself often wondering what you would do in the main character's situation.
I don't think it was the author's intent with this particular story, but in addition to the story at hand, I did find myself wanting to learn more about the real Unabomber situation. Ted Kacynski is not someone I know much about, other than the obvious mail-bombing, anti-technology, and living off the grid in some tiny cabin. But as the case in the story developed, I felt myself compelled to find out what transpired in the real life scenario.
Hard to say much more without giving away the story, but character-wise I wanted a little more at times (which is why the 4 out of 5 stars). Natalie could be frustrating, which some people will feel maybe it make here more real. Some of the best parts were the way in which the entire family reacted throughout the crisis and with each other, but even more so in the flashbacks. The way different personalities handle the same situation different ways and the way some people won't really deal with it at all, or they only see things they way they want to see it. The synopsis says it best by saying: "...some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves."
February 20, 2015
Natalie is a third grade teacher at a school she and her husband helped build. Married to a successful lawyer with two daughters, Natalie herself is the daughter of a prominent man in California's history. Her mother and older sister and brother are all still alive, yet none of them are close-knit. When a bomb explodes at a nearby university where Natalie's oldest daughter is on-campus visiting, Natalie takes note of a bomber who has been terrorizing her state for over 10 years. As she reads a manifesto supposedly written by the bomber she recognizes phrasing that is too reminiscent of writings she has seen from her recluse brother.
As Natalie's husband urges her to inform the FBI of her suspicions, her world crumbles around her. I found many of Natalie's actions frustrating and inauthentic. Being a mother myself there are things that Natalie did that no sane mother would ever do. She did not put her children first in many of the decisions she made. That being said, is Natalie really all that sane after realizing her brother is behind the deaths of so many people?
Natalie puts herself in a situation where she basically has to choose between her husband and children, or her mom, brother and sister. Either way she will likely lose the people on the other side of her decision. It's a lose-lose situation for a woman who was only trying to do good in her initial decision to turn her brother in.
A sad story told from an insider's view of a terrorist's family member who does not agree with the terrorism. Well-written and engaging although the protagonist isn't always the most sympathetic character. Thank you for the copy of the book via the Goodreads contest.
As Natalie's husband urges her to inform the FBI of her suspicions, her world crumbles around her. I found many of Natalie's actions frustrating and inauthentic. Being a mother myself there are things that Natalie did that no sane mother would ever do. She did not put her children first in many of the decisions she made. That being said, is Natalie really all that sane after realizing her brother is behind the deaths of so many people?
Natalie puts herself in a situation where she basically has to choose between her husband and children, or her mom, brother and sister. Either way she will likely lose the people on the other side of her decision. It's a lose-lose situation for a woman who was only trying to do good in her initial decision to turn her brother in.
A sad story told from an insider's view of a terrorist's family member who does not agree with the terrorism. Well-written and engaging although the protagonist isn't always the most sympathetic character. Thank you for the copy of the book via the Goodreads contest.
February 13, 2015
Family drama played out in the voice of Natalie, the youngest of 3 children, daughter to a political family that believed in the vision of a golden state with free higher education for everyone. Growing up with her siblings, her sister Sara and her brother Bobby, they were completely different however, very protective of each other. Education was sacred in the Askedahl family and a big part of each of them in one way or another... Sara the rebellious one, who answered to herself and freed herself from any restrictions, never married or wanted a family herself. Natalie who worshiped her brother, tried to please her parents by doing what was expected, and now married to a big city lawyer with two girls and a Third Grade teacher.
Bobby full of promise went to college but came back a broken man. It is in this brokenness that Natalie struggles with doing the right thing. When a string of bombings occur in the Sacramento area and the bomber leaves a manifesto of his philosophies, it seemed all too familiar.
Her brother’s isolation leaves Natalie searching for answers and a way to redeem him.
I loved the narration. It flowed effortlessly with good character development. You have empathy for Natalie in her own short-comings and how she comes to terms with what her brother has become and the why. It can be easy to judge but you will get more from the story with understanding instead of identification. Many times we can lose human connection when we are just looking for justice without mercy. Justice and mercy was served well.
A special thank you, Simon & Schuster
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Bobby full of promise went to college but came back a broken man. It is in this brokenness that Natalie struggles with doing the right thing. When a string of bombings occur in the Sacramento area and the bomber leaves a manifesto of his philosophies, it seemed all too familiar.
Her brother’s isolation leaves Natalie searching for answers and a way to redeem him.
I loved the narration. It flowed effortlessly with good character development. You have empathy for Natalie in her own short-comings and how she comes to terms with what her brother has become and the why. It can be easy to judge but you will get more from the story with understanding instead of identification. Many times we can lose human connection when we are just looking for justice without mercy. Justice and mercy was served well.
A special thank you, Simon & Schuster
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
July 21, 2016
I won ten copies of this book for my book club on BookMovement.com The author sent me a sweet note with the box of books and I told her we would read the book and give her an honest review.
Collectively we gave this book a 4.08 star rating out of 5 stars. It was pretty well received. The author did a good job letting us "feel" many sides of an unbearable horrifying situation to be thrust into.
Some of the comments from book club members:
All members: We LOVED the short chapters. Something about short chapters made us all feel that we were conquering the book at a rapid pace. A few members felt the book was a little too "wordy" but even they agreed it moved along quickly.
Member: I loved the story. It kept my interest the entire time.
Member: I felt some of the present-past didn't transition well.
All members: There were a few major parts that weren't sewn up as well as we would've liked. We would've liked to have known what happened in some of the major plot points at the end. I don't want to give anything away so I won't give details. LOL I will be more specific in the email I send to the author.
Overall, we felt this was an impressive read. We felt she effectively showed us different sides to a very complex situation. Depending upon what we "brought to the table" we sided with different characters in the story. What a thrill to win and really enjoy the prize!
Collectively we gave this book a 4.08 star rating out of 5 stars. It was pretty well received. The author did a good job letting us "feel" many sides of an unbearable horrifying situation to be thrust into.
Some of the comments from book club members:
All members: We LOVED the short chapters. Something about short chapters made us all feel that we were conquering the book at a rapid pace. A few members felt the book was a little too "wordy" but even they agreed it moved along quickly.
Member: I loved the story. It kept my interest the entire time.
Member: I felt some of the present-past didn't transition well.
All members: There were a few major parts that weren't sewn up as well as we would've liked. We would've liked to have known what happened in some of the major plot points at the end. I don't want to give anything away so I won't give details. LOL I will be more specific in the email I send to the author.
Overall, we felt this was an impressive read. We felt she effectively showed us different sides to a very complex situation. Depending upon what we "brought to the table" we sided with different characters in the story. What a thrill to win and really enjoy the prize!
March 22, 2015
Summary: One day, Natalie reads a letter from her older brother, a hermit, and realizes it is very similar to the published manifesto of a Cal Bomber. Natalie and her husband go to the FBI with this information and receive a promise that they will remain anonymous. The FBI arrests Bobby; the informer's identity is told. The press congregates on Natalie's front lawn.
Author Stephanie Kegan says "I think every good story has a family drama somewhere inside it. The Oklahoma City bomber, the Unabomber, the American Taliban—and so on—all left families stunned by their arrests. I kept thinking about their siblings, their parents, how their normal, private lives ended in a flash, what it might feel like to have your family dreams shattered so publicly."
Quote from the book:
Sippenhaft, a German word I'd come across. It means punishment for the crimes of your blood relatives. I was wearing mine on my face.
My reaction:
This was an enjoyable read, seeing how Natalie, her husband, daughters, mother and sister respond to the news. They want to avoid the death penalty for Bobby; however, he refuses to use the mental illness plea. The ending covering Bobby's trial was bittersweet. I recommended this book to my Book Club.
Author Stephanie Kegan says "I think every good story has a family drama somewhere inside it. The Oklahoma City bomber, the Unabomber, the American Taliban—and so on—all left families stunned by their arrests. I kept thinking about their siblings, their parents, how their normal, private lives ended in a flash, what it might feel like to have your family dreams shattered so publicly."
Quote from the book:
Sippenhaft, a German word I'd come across. It means punishment for the crimes of your blood relatives. I was wearing mine on my face.
My reaction:
This was an enjoyable read, seeing how Natalie, her husband, daughters, mother and sister respond to the news. They want to avoid the death penalty for Bobby; however, he refuses to use the mental illness plea. The ending covering Bobby's trial was bittersweet. I recommended this book to my Book Club.
April 6, 2015
Received advanced copy as Goodreads Giveaway.
From a not so idyllic upper class upbringing to a decision that tears at the very heart of familial love.
Family attics are full of memories, some of which are about members we deem embarrassing and would like to forget, others we share with pride with the community, and others are downright frightening. This powerful tale of the love between a sister and her older brother morphs into how their relationship impacts the rest of the family as well as the state of California. Defining the borders of sibling relationships and familial love is always challenging; however, in this tale it is all that and more as questions of morality and a criminal monster reveal themselves. Protecting family is viewed as a duty; however, so is protecting community and society. Who amongst us has the courage of this California woman- sister, spouse, and mom!
From a not so idyllic upper class upbringing to a decision that tears at the very heart of familial love.
Family attics are full of memories, some of which are about members we deem embarrassing and would like to forget, others we share with pride with the community, and others are downright frightening. This powerful tale of the love between a sister and her older brother morphs into how their relationship impacts the rest of the family as well as the state of California. Defining the borders of sibling relationships and familial love is always challenging; however, in this tale it is all that and more as questions of morality and a criminal monster reveal themselves. Protecting family is viewed as a duty; however, so is protecting community and society. Who amongst us has the courage of this California woman- sister, spouse, and mom!
February 17, 2015
“The bay area was in the midst of an autumn heat wave, hot, dry, and unnatural.” So begins Stephanie Kegan’s riveting novel, Golden State. In a story as timely as yesterday’s headlines. Natalie Askedahl, daughter of a politically influential father, married, a teacher, mother of two, is suddenly faced with a moral dilemma that will tear at the heart of her love of her family, while threatening the stability of her marriage to a successful attorney. Her brother, Bobby, a brilliant student, who has “gone off the grid”, may have committed a horrific crime. In clear, illuminating prose, Kegan builds a fascinating tale of a woman struggling to make the right moral and legal decisions without turning her back on a beloved brother. Read this wonderful novel and yes, you will ask yourself, “What would I do?” But you will also have read a novel declaring the arrival of a gifted writer.
February 27, 2015
Golden State is a very readable novel. It's loosely based on the Unabomber case. It is principally a melodrama concerning the upper middle-class family of the creepy but mentally ill bomber. The main character is Natalie the Cal Bomber's youngest sister and champion. She is also the one who turns him over to the FBI. A wife and mother, this affects her family's lives in pretty predictable ways. That's the way the book turned out for me....predictable. Natalie drove me nuts. I wanted to shake her and tell her to "get over it". She is just too concerned with her own tragedy with little thought for anyone else. Anyway, this novel is highly readable but I'm sure it is quite forgettable.
February 21, 2015
Natalie finally did the one thing she could do to express her love for her brother - to give him what he asked for in spite of what it meant at trial. It was brave and selfless.
We can't know what it is like to be Bobby but the reader can sympathize with Natalie's dilemmas, being torn between the needs and wishes of husband, children, mother, sister and brother.
The story pulls you in to Natalie's world and her family's history. Anyone with family knows that we can beg for the truth to hide even as we know it is in plain sight.
We can't know what it is like to be Bobby but the reader can sympathize with Natalie's dilemmas, being torn between the needs and wishes of husband, children, mother, sister and brother.
The story pulls you in to Natalie's world and her family's history. Anyone with family knows that we can beg for the truth to hide even as we know it is in plain sight.
April 25, 2015
An engrossing novel about a woman who begins to suspect that her estranged brother is the "Cal Bomber" (a fictionalized version of the Unabomber). It's not really a suspense novel or a thriller though, but more a domestic drama about how this affects her and her family. While her dysfunctional family and some of her actions is worlds away from my own experience, I still found her a very relatable and sympathetic character. Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
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