Ten Thousand Rocks

by Ndirangu Githaiga

Will’s abrupt decision to leave his medical practice in Atlanta and take up a new job in Virginia Beach catches Laura by surprise. But moving back to their hometown was always going to be complicated since Will never told his family about their eight-year marriage. Still fresh in their minds is the stinging memory of Laura’s disastrous first meeting with his parents, particularly his mother—for whom a white daughter-in-law is an anathema. As Will settles into the tedious routine of his new job, the simmering estrangement between him and Laura gradually deepens, until the day comes when he is involved in a near-fatal car accident. Laura is left reeling in the aftermath and forced to come face to face with her in-laws at the hospital, when complex medical decisions need to be made in the absence of clear-cut answers, and where strong opinions and poorly disguised animosities seem to have the upper hand. Weeks later, Will emerges from a coma, and upon discovering he is quadriplegic becomes uncharacteristically vicious towards Laura, sending their relationship into dark, unfamiliar territory. Amidst this rising turmoil, the ocean remains a source of serenity, with the rhythmic breaking of waves and joyous cries of seagulls serving as an abiding reminder that life is worth living even when we go astray and need help finding our way back home.

Genres: Adult Fiction, Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2021

Reviews

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy and enjoyable listen. I saw this available on Netgalley an author new to me is like catnip!

The storyline is that a well heeled black guy marries a "white trash" girl. All is well until the entitled guy decides he's bored with his GP practice and wants more money, uprooting his wife without asking her opinion to move back to their home town. Of course this doesn't go down well with the wife. What happens next isn't at all what I expected and what could have been a mundane story has a twist which changes everyone's lives.

The story of Laura and Will is well told, beautifully narrated and has elements of a morality tale. It's certainly an easy listen and the narrator had a pleasant, soothing voice.

I certainly enjoyed this audio version and it would make a good, non-taxing read. You might find yourself telling people off at various points of the story because the behaviour is pretty bad at times. I always think that's a good sign that I'm engaged with the characters.

Smart, interesting and moral. A good read.

[Star Gater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Bon Espirit Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for accepting my request to audibly read and review Ten Thousand Rocks.

Author: Ndirangu Githaiga
Published: 09/09/22
Narrator: Arthur Grey
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) -- Literary Fiction -- New Adult

Slow burner. It wasn't until I finished this book that I realized I liked it. Up until that moment I was ease dropping on a conversation that held my attention. I was not bored. From the beginning, there is a couple and several times I shook my head. Without spoiling, it is difficult to say much, there wasn't much that happened.

Two people live in a house, they are couple from the outside. He is a physician who quits his job (says nothing to his wife) and takes a job with an insurance company, did I mention he makes a commission? One word -- Karma.

The narrator, like ending of the story, was spot-on. I liked both.

I absolutely recommend this and would give as a gift.

[Lynn Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was a lot more character based than plot based. That being said, it had a lot more tangents than I would have liked. We got in depths on more characters than need be.
That being said, I have to say I absolutely hated Laura's arc. She was portrayed as the 'woman' who suffers and sticks by her husband no matter what. I think after everything, she should have left him.
Also, the story came full circle with the whole insurance bit so after all that, I felt like the story was just dragging along for the sake of it.
This was an okay book and I'd recommend it to people who enjoy the literary genre.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced audio book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm honestly torn with this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more had the description been different, Namely, Will is not a narcissist. Yes he had his moments of being a selfish jerk; but the description calling him a narcissist had me expecting subject matter that this book does not even come close to touching. I also would have liked to see more development with Will and Laura's relationship dynamic in the first part of the book. I struggled to empathize with either of them until the second half. there were quite a few loose ends that I would have liked tied up and making the reader assume may have been the author's intention, but one really bugged me (the lawyer who was working with Will just disappeared from the story never to be heard from again and you never find out if anyone else was told what he discovered)

Although somewhat predictable, I did enjoy the karmatic turn in the plot as well as the growth in some of the characters by the end of the novel.

Overall it's not a must read, but it's not a waste of time either. I'd give it a solid 3/5.

[S. Palmer]

Ten Thousand Rocks tells the story of Will and Laura, an interracial couple facing a series of challenges to their relationship. Will, a doctor, has recently decided to accept a medical director position for an insurance company and relocate closer to his parents. Laura, an elementary school teacher, is thrown by this transition, not least because she has not seen her in-laws since an uncomfortable meeting nine years previously. (That Will and Laura have been married for nearly a decade and Will has avoided mentioning the marriage to his parents is the book's least realistic plot point). Shortly after the move, a more serious crisis occurs, forcing Laura to become closer to Will's family and irrevocably altering the trajectory of both their lives.

The narrative can seem directionless in some respects, moving its focus from Will and Laura to Will's coworkers to medical care staff to attorneys, but it all works towards a point of surprising effectiveness. There were moments when I was not quite sure where the story was going, but I still found myself turning the pages eagerly to find out. One of the most interesting things it does is examine the U.S healthcare system from multiple perspectives--doctors, care staff, insurance companies, patients, and their families. For instance, Will quickly finds himself overwhelmed by his responsibilities as a medical director, and then is none-too-subtly informed that his success hinges on how many physician requests he denies. This may not be intentional on the author's part, but Githaiga is apparently a physician, so it is also entirely possible that it is. Either way, it ended up being one of the more memorable aspects of the book for me.

The book is not without its flaws, the primary one being that some of main plot points were not as impactful as they could have been. About three-quarters of the way through the novel, there is a reveal that links Will's professional life with his personal tragedy in a surprising way, but it is not clear what, if anything, this ends up meaning for the characters. It might actually serve as a moral, but the reader does not actually see how Will or anyone else reacts to it. Also, I thought that the very real relationship problems that Will and Laura were experiencing at the outset ended up being subsumed to the point of irrelevance by subsequent events. They are seen to be having significant communication problems, as both of them are conflict-avoidant and will do almost anything to prevent a face-to-face argument. In the end, they do not seem to address these issues so much as put them aside in the face of a terrible event. I suppose this could be read as a sign of a well-grounded relationship, but I wanted to see more about how the relationship was repaired and not just assume that it was. This same issue pervades Laura's move towards a more accepting relationship with her in-laws. This, too, seems to largely happen off-page, and we never really see anything about Will's parents that would justify him not telling them about his marriage for nine years.

Ultimately, my reflections on this book lean towards the positive, while acknowledging its weaker points. The characters ring strongly enough to make the reader care about them and root for them, even if some of their problems are solved a bit too easily.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten Thousand Rocks is a story about a young married couple, Laura and Will. When Will makes the impulsive decision to quit his medical practice in Atlanta, the couple moves back to their hometown, and Will takes a new job in Virginia Beach. Life continues, and the couple becomes distant from one another until Will is the victim of a car accident. With devastating consequences to Will's health, Laura has to make difficult decisions and navigate their new reality.

Ten Thousand Rocks is an intriguing and thought-provoking read. One of the significant themes running through the book is life's choices and the effects people's choices have on themselves and those around them. Through this, we see how greed and selfishness can have consequences later in life when it is least expected.

Ten Thousand Rocks is a book about a seemingly ordinary couple whose choices have led them to where they are now. I think the author made the characters in this book lifelike, realistic, and normal to remind readers of how actions have ripple effects and can sometimes snowball. It can happen to anyone. This book contains some darker aspects of life and the realization that no one knows what tomorrow will bring. On the flip side, this book is also a story of hope, love, and companionship with poignant writing and emotive imagery.

I highly recommend this book. It is an engaging read that stays with you once you've turned that last page.

[Pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Ndirangu will introduce you to people you will not forget. The characters in “Ten Thousand Rocks” are written about so masterfully that I feel I know them personally. The plot is engaging and I didn’t want to stop reading. There are no false notes in this novel. The medical descriptions are accurate. Dr. Ndirangu is to medical novels what Grisham is to the law. The story is honest and hard and the message of this story is life-giving.

[Thelma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book that I physically read, but rather this is the first audiobook that I listened to from start to finish on my drive to work. I started listening to it because I happen to know the narrator, Arthur Grey, of the book on Audible. In a way, he recommended it to me so I checked it out. I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. A LOT. So much more than I ever expected to, I was hooked on every word, and even now, several days after having finished it, I am still thinking about it. I think I will be thinking about it for a long time because the decisions that Laura had to make on behalf of her husband are decisions I began to think about what I would do were I in those circumstances and I had no idea what I would do. It prompted me to ask my husband what he would want me to do and we had a great conversation about it. Had it not been for this book, however, I don't think I would have ever even thought of talking to him about that. I will say my one critique of the book is that I feel there is a bit of a plot hole right smack in the middle of it. There's mention of some divorce proceedings being initiated and William behaving in a very hostile and aggressive manner to Laura and then that is never brought up again. I wanted there to be some sort of discussion or resolution to that, but there was not and it left me wanting. It was clearly NOT a figment of Will's imagination because it was definitely something that Laura vividly remembers, but he doesn't or at least he never mentions it??? Also, the whole debacle with Katura left me baffled to say the least. I wanted a response to that too and never got a really satisfying answer so that was kind of annoying, but other than that, man what a fantastic book!! Mr. Githaiga wrote out some complex characters, he wrote them out too well I would say considering how much I hated Will's guts. He had zero redeeming arc in my opinion and did not deserve Laura at all, it made me so sad to hear Laura had died and the time jump was a little oddly placed I thought. Almost as if rushing to finish the story. I will say though it did warm my heart at least to see that Will's parents warmed up to Laura and kind of defended her a little when Will brought up the nonsense about getting a divorce. Anyway, like I said, this is definitely a book that will stay with you and I feel like I could talk about it for a long time, so please, please read it!!

[KimBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Will’s abrupt decision to leave his medical practice in Atlanta and take up a new job in Virginia Beach catches Laura by surprise. But moving back to their hometown was always going to be complicated since Will never told his family about their eight-year marriage. Still fresh in their minds is the stinging memory of Laura’s disastrous first meeting with his parents, particularly his mother—for whom a white daughter-in-law is an anathema. As Will settles into the tedious routine of his new job, the simmering estrangement between him and Laura gradually deepens, until the day comes when he is involved in a near-fatal car accident. Laura is left reeling in the aftermath and forced to come face to face with her in-laws at the hospital, when complex medical decisions need to be made in the absence of clear-cut answers, and where strong opinions and poorly disguised animosities seem to have the upper hand. Weeks later, Will emerges from a coma, and upon discovering he is quadriplegic becomes uncharacteristically vicious towards Laura, sending their relationship into dark, unfamiliar territory. Amidst this rising turmoil, the ocean remains a source of serenity, with the rhythmic breaking of waves and joyous cries of seagulls serving as an abiding reminder that life is worth living even when we go astray and need help finding our way back home."

I read this book for my book club. I had mixed feelings about the book. I will say one thing, the identity of the person who hit Will definitely surprised me…which is very hard to do! I felt that a lot of plot lines and character introductions just ended or weren’t mentioned again without any explanation. I was extremely unhappy with how the author handled Laura’s character towards the end. The book did raise some questions in my mind about medical insurance in this country. As for Keturah, I’m not really sure if she was an angel or not…I believe in angels, but I wasn’t convinced with Keturah.

[Heather Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for this book in exchange for my personal review and opinion.

Ten Thousand Rocks was a very interesting book. It talks about life and second chances. At the beginning learning about Will, you don't like him. There were so many offshoot reasons why he is the way he is and those offshoots give many things to thibk about.

The book touches on many deep issues that give you reason to think. These include how the health insurance in the US is not out to help the patient and is only out for profits; how long term care insurance is something I really should be thinking about and also how advance directives are things that people should talk about loves ones with. While those things are not the main part of this book the issues really gave me pause.

It talks from the aspect of a biracial couple where the white female is shunned by the black male's family. That was a different bent from most biracial books I have read.

This is defitely a character development vs plot driven book. Usually I do not gravitate towards those but it was very well written and narrated. I very much enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

I would give this 4.5 🌟 overall. Since Goodreads requires full 🌟 it is rounded up for this review.

Thanks again to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to listen to this book.

[Kathrin Spinnler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten Thousand Rocks by Ndirangu Githaiga is a unique and engaging story about the lives of Laura and Will, a young married couple. After Will’s abrupt decision to uproot their lives and move to Virginia Beach, they struggle to keep their marriage alive. The situation is made worse by the fact that Will never told his family that he married Laura, since his mother does not approve of a white daughter-in-law.

When Will is involved in a car accident that leaves him permanently disabled, the couple’s lives change forever. How will they navigate their new situation? Will the disability end their marriage or bring them closer?

There are many elements to this book, which explores the topics of relationships, adversity, privilege, and more. I loved the author’s writing style, which is clear and empathetic. Although the characters aren’t perfect, it’s easy to empathize with them and build up a connection to them. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking book that doesn’t follow the traditional story structure.

[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from "Ten Thousand Rocks," but I do know I got a lot from it. If that sounds trite, it's because this audiobook touched on so many points. And when it ended, I had to ponder what I'd heard and its emotional impact on me.

First, the author does a remarkable job of describing the current turmoil of health care, whether it's the insurance companies making medical decisions or specialists doing their best. In this case, Laura and Will are struggling to keep their marriage going. When Will is left paralyzed after a car accident, Laura feels it's her duty to stay married, even after Will says he hates her.

His caregivers try their best, but Will is so angry! After he comes home in a "suck and blow" wheelchair, well, his life begins to change. I don't want to give away the novel's secrets, so just know that it touches on spirituality, feelings about race and disability, and the learning that sometimes you have to build a life one rock at a time.

NetGalley provided audiobook file in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Allyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and publishing company for providing a free copy for my honest review.

I would round to 2 1/2 stars.

This book was an easy read, but to the point that I had to check several times to make sure it wasn't a young adult novel. I would say this "novel" is written more like a short story. There is a plot, but not a lot of substance. There are huge gaps between events, sometimes it was jumping from one day to the next, to all of a sudden it was 7 years later with no warning. I had so many questions. There were good lessons to be learned, for sure, but I feel like the author filled out a plot diagram and went with it....not a lot of complexity that I expected (within the story and within the characters themselves; very surface-level) and mundane dialogue. It felt like teenagers talking to one another, not adults. I would remove 60% of the dialogue, fill in the gaps between events, and sell it as a short story or novella.

[Phyllis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers.
There were so many potantal stories that were just dropped without another mention or that were resolved without explanation. The whole drama with his parents just vanished, poof! as did Will's anger with Laura and his desire to sue the guy who hit him. Did the lawyer ever even talk to Will again after learning about the accident? What about the divorce? I won't list them all, but I was very disappointed in the author's choice to introduce and then drop potentially interesting story lines. It makes me wonder if this was written by AI. That would explain it, but I don't think it's the case.

Characterwise, Laura was completely spineless, without explanation. Will was a doctor who apparently knew nothing about advance directives, was totally naive about medical insurance, and didn't seem to understand his own medical condition.

[Chris P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this interesting and unhurried story. The book's opening is wonderful (and, without giving anything away, I was particularly pleased that by the end of the book the reader had been taken full circle), and the author continues to carry layers of meaning throughout the novel. It is both moving and unpredictable, and it raises questions of spirituality and morality which it also challenges the reader to consider.

If I had any criticism, it would be of the slightly awkward (at times) narrative writing style. It is perhaps more prevalent at the start of the book but I felt that there was a tendency to explain things, rather than show them. Not a big problem, though, and I soon got used to - and enjoyed - the different style.

Overall, a very worthwhile read.

[Purnima Khanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ndirangu Githaiga in his novel "Ten Thousand Rocks" has taken an emotional, sensitive and quite an important subject matter of a troubled marriage. It is centered around Will and Laura, an inter racial couple.
Their marriage is already undergoing various difficulties but the situation is worsened when a tragic accident leaves Will quadriplegic.
The narrative is detailed and descriptive and adds to the depth of the theme. The characters are well crafted and relatable. The story builds up slowly and gradually picks up the pace. It raises an important issue of communication gap between the spouses which eventually increases the differences between them. However, at the same time, it leaves a strong message that a marriage can be saved by love, faith and most importantly forgiveness.

[Sophie (bookiesbruh) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Due to the description of this book calling
Will a narcissist I was expecting him to be a lot worse then he is. Instead he is just a self absorbed ahole who doesn’t take his wife’s (or anyone else’s) needs into consideration.

These two characters are flawed and do not know how to communicate effectively.

I disliked that sporadically the narrator changed to characters we hadn’t yet been introduced to.

This story at times felt clunky and I believe it could have flowed better had the chapters been slightly longer. This story also went off into tangents that weren’t executed well and some were just unnecessary.

Overall I feel like this story had a lot of potential but for me it missed the mark.

I received and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Muskan Lamba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole-hearted novel, Ten Thousand Rocks by Ndirangu Githaiga at its core is a story about a family, intertwining with themes of disability, love, forgiveness, and society. It's a story about a young interracial married couple - Laura (a school teacher) and Will (a medical director) and the jarring and life-transforming turn of events in their familial world when Will meets with an accident. I loved that the book draws perspectives from and sheds light on different social systems and the way they impact families on such deep levels. Also, a smart title, given the rocky phases within the characters' lives and development.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten Thousand Rocks By: Ndirangu Githaiga Narrated by: Arthur Grey Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins was a very enjoyable audiobook and well written, This book is about the relationship between a young married couple, Will and Laura, and is about love, forgiveness and guilt? and how they dealt with it. It also highlights how choices they made will have consequences on both sides; but the power of forgiveness and love of each other in very difficult circumstances. Many of us have had to make these discussions in our relationships and they may not have come out the way you both wanted them.

The narrator Arthur Grey was very good.

[Roberta G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book almost on a whim to listen to something other than thrillers, the genre I usually choose, and it was a great idea.

In this moving, highly relatable story, we are presented with a couple struggling to find their balance. They will achieve this balance through a not so common course of events that reminds us how life can be unpredictable and that sometimes the best moments in life are hidden in this unpredictability and indeed in our darkest hour. I love the characters, the storyline, the images the author evokes via a masterful use of language.

The narrator is really good and his interpretation definitely adds value to the story.

[Marietjie Steyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wat 'n terrible boek! Ek dink die mense wat 5 sterre gee, is betaal om dit te doen. Die skrywer is 'n dokter en dalk moet hy eerder praktiseer as skryf. Dis beslis nie 'n riller nie, dis ook nie eers 'n mediese riller nie. Dis hoogstens 'n feel good boek van 'n hoofkarakter wat geweldige karakterontwikkeling ondergaan het.

[petra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced audio book and arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story was a lot character based. The overall plot to me was somewhat predictable. I felt like the story was just dragging and we got in depths on too many characters that there was no need to.
Overall, for me this wasn't a must read and hte book was a solid two stars.

[Corrinne Ngurukie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

I enjoyed reading this book. it highlights how choices have consequences; the power of forgiveness and love even in the midst of very difficult circumstances. I would have liked to see some of the story lines developed though. Well done Daktari!

[Joann 'bartunek' prashek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook via Netgalley. It was a middle of the road book for me. More to do with the relationship between Will and Laura, love, forgiveness or guilt? Delves more into the characters than the plot.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good!

[Anne Jisca · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were lot of tidbits that left me thinking “wait, what?!” and yet weren’t explained further. Overall though, enjoyable story.