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The Time Has Come
Lindburgh’s Pharmacy is an Athens, Georgia, institution—the type of beloved mom and pop shop that once dotted every American town but has mostly disappeared. But Lindburgh’s has recently become the object of attention of a local third grade teacher Tina Lamm (“Ms. Lamm to my students”). Tina is certain something very, very bad is happening behind its famous black door and she intends to do something about it.
Her suspicions—and the drastic actions she plans—are the unlikely glue that will connect her to a group of six employees and customers inside the pharmacy one hot Georgia evening. They include Theo, the Lindburgh’s scion with a secret of his own; Daphne, a nurse and Army veteran struggling with her faith; Jason, a local contractor uncertain how to deal with his gifted teenage son; Karson, a young lawyer and activist wrestling with a job offer that makes him uncomfortable; David, an Athens music scene lifer whose sobriety has been sorely tested by isolation; and Dorothy, a widow just beginning to regain her bearings.
The fates of these individuals—and their fateful encounter with Tina Lamm—become intertwined in a story that is by turns funny, touching, and tense. As he did in How Lucky, Will Leitch illuminates how we live today through a story of human beings struggling to do their best.
Her suspicions—and the drastic actions she plans—are the unlikely glue that will connect her to a group of six employees and customers inside the pharmacy one hot Georgia evening. They include Theo, the Lindburgh’s scion with a secret of his own; Daphne, a nurse and Army veteran struggling with her faith; Jason, a local contractor uncertain how to deal with his gifted teenage son; Karson, a young lawyer and activist wrestling with a job offer that makes him uncomfortable; David, an Athens music scene lifer whose sobriety has been sorely tested by isolation; and Dorothy, a widow just beginning to regain her bearings.
The fates of these individuals—and their fateful encounter with Tina Lamm—become intertwined in a story that is by turns funny, touching, and tense. As he did in How Lucky, Will Leitch illuminates how we live today through a story of human beings struggling to do their best.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 16, 2023
152 people are currently reading
7624 people want to read
About the author
Will Leitch
17 books443 followersWill Leitch lives in Athens, Georgia with his family and is the author of seven books, including the novels Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride, How Lucky and The Time Has Come. He writes regularly for New York, MLB.com, The New York Times and the Washington Post. He is the founder of the late website Deadspin. He also writes a free weekly newsletter that you might enjoy at williamfleitch.substack.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
January 20, 2023
There are a near-infinite number of different potential orders all the words in this book could have placed in, but in the end, I believe the author chose the correct one.
May 26, 2023
I wanted to like this one more. I really enjoyed the previous work, How Lucky, but felt this one came up just a touch short of being great. It’s told from the viewpoint of several characters whose lives interact one fateful late afternoon at a drugstore. One character is out for revenge and the other characters are caught in the crosshairs of this persons anger. The premise is very interesting. However, about 3/4 of the book is backstory on the characters involved. Some of it is interesting I just felt it went on too long. Wanted to spend more time in the present, not the past. It’s a good quick read just felt like it could have been better. Still recommended.
February 12, 2024
Incredible character development and buildup all leading up to… almost nothing. I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading just knowing that the climax was going to be tremendous only to discover the high point of the book WAS the character development and the plot was insignificant. For someone who loves character development, this one still felt a bit disappointing.
July 10, 2023
I have no inkling of how this title came to be on my extensive to-read list. I haven’t read this author and it’s not a popular pick among my GR friends, but it was a very pleasant surprise. 7 characters whose fates collide during a moment of violence. I found the characters’ perspectives so compelling that I had trouble putting it down. These voices truly felt like a cross-section of America in 2022. Leitch doesn’t shy away from hot-button issues, nor does he preach any particular viewpoint. I found myself growing in empathy for all of these people and recognizing the frustration that has come in the sense that society is rapidly deteriorating. The best part is that it is not dark. There is hope and humor throughout this book that didn’t feel forced or saccharine. Maybe the ending felt rushed, and maybe there were a few too many stereotypes, but ultimately, I think this author and I are in agreement that small acts of kindness and generosity are the true ways we live our lives. It’s nice to be left feeling hopeful every once in a while.
June 2, 2023
The first four fifths of this book are dedicated to character studies of different people living very different lives in the same Georgia town. They range from pretty interesting to somewhat dull – they might have more impact if the characters had flaws that the author wasn't careful to mitigate by scrupulously highlighting their essential decency. It's like he has a hard time sitting with the notion that the reader might not like any of them. Who'd have thought the founder of Deadspin would be so precious about his own characters.
Anyway, he's got some facility for Carver-esque character study, albeit with none of the bite. The climax, though, was not at all satisfying. It brings to mind the movie Crash (the lame one). I think I'd have enjoyed it more if it had been just a loose collection of character portraits, maybe with everyone meeting briefly at the end to give us a moment to reflect on their interconnectedness, rather than the ham-handed and underbaked conclusion we got. I like Leitch's sports writing and movie reviews a lot, and dug his first novel, but this one is a miss for me.
Anyway, he's got some facility for Carver-esque character study, albeit with none of the bite. The climax, though, was not at all satisfying. It brings to mind the movie Crash (the lame one). I think I'd have enjoyed it more if it had been just a loose collection of character portraits, maybe with everyone meeting briefly at the end to give us a moment to reflect on their interconnectedness, rather than the ham-handed and underbaked conclusion we got. I like Leitch's sports writing and movie reviews a lot, and dug his first novel, but this one is a miss for me.
May 23, 2023
Amazing. The book we’ve needed and have been waiting for.
June 16, 2023
3.5
The Time Has Come unfolds a day in the life of a handful of residents of Athens, Georgia. There's a widow, a community organizer, a nurse, a small contractor, the recovering alcoholic who runs a local music venue, and more. Although they appear to have no connection to each other, by early evening, fate will bring all of them together at a local institution, the Lindburgh Pharmacy, where they'll have to rely on each other to navigate a dangerous situation.
I enjoyed the buildup of this story, learning about the various characters and their inner lives, and wondering exactly how they would come to be connected. However, I found the climax...unbelievable? Stiff? A bit of a letdown? And the resolution following the big exciting scene at Lindburgh's was kind of a head scratcher. I have no idea why the story's outro decided to focus almost entirely on Jace, the boy genius, and rock star Allie, who was a peripheral character at best for most of the book.
Anyway, I tend to feel like, if a book must have a weak part, it should be a slow opening or a saggy middle. The ending is the most important part to get right. Go out on a high note. Leave 'em wanting more. The Time Has Come gets that entirely bass-ackwards.
The Time Has Come unfolds a day in the life of a handful of residents of Athens, Georgia. There's a widow, a community organizer, a nurse, a small contractor, the recovering alcoholic who runs a local music venue, and more. Although they appear to have no connection to each other, by early evening, fate will bring all of them together at a local institution, the Lindburgh Pharmacy, where they'll have to rely on each other to navigate a dangerous situation.
I enjoyed the buildup of this story, learning about the various characters and their inner lives, and wondering exactly how they would come to be connected. However, I found the climax...unbelievable? Stiff? A bit of a letdown? And the resolution following the big exciting scene at Lindburgh's was kind of a head scratcher. I have no idea why the story's outro decided to focus almost entirely on Jace, the boy genius, and rock star Allie, who was a peripheral character at best for most of the book.
Anyway, I tend to feel like, if a book must have a weak part, it should be a slow opening or a saggy middle. The ending is the most important part to get right. Go out on a high note. Leave 'em wanting more. The Time Has Come gets that entirely bass-ackwards.
March 11, 2023
4 1/2 stars
This is one of those "good people caught up in a bad situation" and "being in the wrong place at the wrong time" kind of stories. Lindburgh's Pharmacy in Athens Georgia has been around forever. It is the place to go to fill a prescription but also to hang out with friends and grab a soda fountain treat but more might be happening behind the scenes than we know. We get into the lives and heads of several people all with secret dreams or issues that they basically keep to themselves and just get on with their lives until the day they come together that changes everything. It will take one passionate teacher who feels compelled to do something to bring down a house of cards. It is a small town story filled with family drama, lost dreams and loyalty that only Will Leitch can tell. Fans of southern family drama will fall hard for this. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
This is one of those "good people caught up in a bad situation" and "being in the wrong place at the wrong time" kind of stories. Lindburgh's Pharmacy in Athens Georgia has been around forever. It is the place to go to fill a prescription but also to hang out with friends and grab a soda fountain treat but more might be happening behind the scenes than we know. We get into the lives and heads of several people all with secret dreams or issues that they basically keep to themselves and just get on with their lives until the day they come together that changes everything. It will take one passionate teacher who feels compelled to do something to bring down a house of cards. It is a small town story filled with family drama, lost dreams and loyalty that only Will Leitch can tell. Fans of southern family drama will fall hard for this. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
May 28, 2023
Short Review: Will Leitch has done it again. He is the master of slow burn narrative to sucker punch ending. If you liked How Lucky you will like this book.
"You had no control over what happened to you. What mattered was finding out who you were in the wake of it."
Long Review: This book is about the workings and resilience of the human spirit. Through 7 different character POV's, Leitch seamlessly weaves each characters personal story to the cataclysmic finale. I really loved how the past few years current events (COVID, election, politics) were weaved into each characters storyline. It made them extremely relatable. This book gave me huge Anxious People vibes. Highly recommend.
"You had no control over what happened to you. What mattered was finding out who you were in the wake of it."
Long Review: This book is about the workings and resilience of the human spirit. Through 7 different character POV's, Leitch seamlessly weaves each characters personal story to the cataclysmic finale. I really loved how the past few years current events (COVID, election, politics) were weaved into each characters storyline. It made them extremely relatable. This book gave me huge Anxious People vibes. Highly recommend.
June 9, 2023
DNF
Too much political crap
Trump, liberal, republican blah blah blah
Too much political crap
Trump, liberal, republican blah blah blah
May 20, 2023
4.5 stars. I loved the author’s last book, How Lucky. I pre-ordered this one and got it on publication day. It’s also set in Athens, GA, which is my favorite city in Georgia. The story is funny, bittersweet, and relatable. I love it when authors capture what it’s like living in our part of the country without turning the southern setting into a caricature of itself. Also, I think this book nails how weird the past few years have been without being specially a “pandemic book.” Highly recommend to anyone-this book will hit home with a lot of different readers.
The only thing that keeps me from giving it a full 5 stars is there is a minor plot point that I didn’t get resolved with Daphne. I would like to know what happened with her patient and the mother…I got invested in their tangential story. I know they weren’t part of the drugstore incident but I needed some closure on how that turned out!
Overall, though, this is a great book with heart and soul. You will recognize your friends, neighbors, and probably even yourself in bits of many if not all the characters. It’s a great book!
The only thing that keeps me from giving it a full 5 stars is there is a minor plot point that I didn’t get resolved with Daphne. I would like to know what happened with her patient and the mother…I got invested in their tangential story. I know they weren’t part of the drugstore incident but I needed some closure on how that turned out!
Overall, though, this is a great book with heart and soul. You will recognize your friends, neighbors, and probably even yourself in bits of many if not all the characters. It’s a great book!
May 23, 2023
This has the charm and feel of a short story collection that comes together nicely in the end. I’ve tried to avoid fiction works that tackle COVID, the pandemic, and the Trump election cycles (I’m exhausted by it all now), but this book touches on these parts of the national conversation in a smart way, and highlights that we all lost our minds well before 2020 and 2016.
Read
November 5, 2023This is not my usual cup of tea but I wanted to check it out since it's set here in Athens. In the end that turned out to be more of a drawback as the random local name-drops took me out of the story, especially when the businesses were in the wrong neighborhoods.
September 25, 2023
I wanted to love this, but there was so, so much build up to very little actual interwoven story. A great character study, if that's what you're into. I had a hard time keeping everyone straight.
March 26, 2024
Will Leitch is very good at making me cry.
This is not ordinarily a quality I would praise in a man, but I’ll give Leitch a pass.
I must note that the versatility of Will Leitch’s writing is quite impressive. He’s written sports books (which I have not read), the touching and suspenseful novel, How Lucky, and now this decidedly different story. While How Lucky centered around one character, The Time Has Come broadened its focus, studying a number of unique individuals through exceptional development.
Despite all of the differences between this and his previous novel, it still had the quirkiness and reassuring warmth that I’d previously adored. That’s not to say it doesn’t deal with some very serious and realistic topics. Within its pages, I found COVID, eugenics, drug addiction, racism, politics, gun violence, and additional heavy themes.
To be honest, I wasn’t certain if I was even interested in this book when I first read the synopsis. I gave it a try solely because of the author and my love for How Lucky (and I appreciated the small nod to his previous novel in this one). With the introduction of so many characters, I wasn’t sure what to make of the story itself initially, but it properly reeled me in as it gradually began to make a series of impacts.
Each time it came back to a previously mentioned character, however, I must admit that I was briefly pulled out of the story. I’d been away from them for a while and I was then forced to recall who they were and what I already knew about them. At the same time, Leitch’s devotion to their backgrounds was meticulous, and he provided me with believable, nuanced beings. It was easy to connect with the humanness of the story, as everyone had strengths and weaknesses that made sense to me, and their tales did often probe my heart.
But here’s the aspect that did not work for me: This is supposed to be a touching story (and it is), yet it embraces the nationwide horror of gun violence. Leitch clearly wanted this to be different than all of the headlines that haunt us, giving readers a hint of inspiration, but I couldn’t get on board with how he presented the perpetrator or how he pulled it all together in the end. It’s a beautiful idea, but I didn’t feel it was appropriate for our country’s current climate.
I do believe Will Leitch is a wonderful storyteller, even if I didn’t adore everything about the story he told here. He cares about his characters, as if they are extensions of himself, and I love this about his writing. Like The Time Has Come, I’m sure I’ll be picking up his next work of fiction simply because his name is on the cover. Hopefully, I will remember to keep the Kleenex close by.
This is not ordinarily a quality I would praise in a man, but I’ll give Leitch a pass.
I must note that the versatility of Will Leitch’s writing is quite impressive. He’s written sports books (which I have not read), the touching and suspenseful novel, How Lucky, and now this decidedly different story. While How Lucky centered around one character, The Time Has Come broadened its focus, studying a number of unique individuals through exceptional development.
Despite all of the differences between this and his previous novel, it still had the quirkiness and reassuring warmth that I’d previously adored. That’s not to say it doesn’t deal with some very serious and realistic topics. Within its pages, I found COVID, eugenics, drug addiction, racism, politics, gun violence, and additional heavy themes.
To be honest, I wasn’t certain if I was even interested in this book when I first read the synopsis. I gave it a try solely because of the author and my love for How Lucky (and I appreciated the small nod to his previous novel in this one). With the introduction of so many characters, I wasn’t sure what to make of the story itself initially, but it properly reeled me in as it gradually began to make a series of impacts.
Each time it came back to a previously mentioned character, however, I must admit that I was briefly pulled out of the story. I’d been away from them for a while and I was then forced to recall who they were and what I already knew about them. At the same time, Leitch’s devotion to their backgrounds was meticulous, and he provided me with believable, nuanced beings. It was easy to connect with the humanness of the story, as everyone had strengths and weaknesses that made sense to me, and their tales did often probe my heart.
But here’s the aspect that did not work for me: This is supposed to be a touching story (and it is), yet it embraces the nationwide horror of gun violence. Leitch clearly wanted this to be different than all of the headlines that haunt us, giving readers a hint of inspiration, but I couldn’t get on board with how he presented the perpetrator or how he pulled it all together in the end. It’s a beautiful idea, but I didn’t feel it was appropriate for our country’s current climate.
I do believe Will Leitch is a wonderful storyteller, even if I didn’t adore everything about the story he told here. He cares about his characters, as if they are extensions of himself, and I love this about his writing. Like The Time Has Come, I’m sure I’ll be picking up his next work of fiction simply because his name is on the cover. Hopefully, I will remember to keep the Kleenex close by.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2024
Well. This book was an extremely mid book, I would say it falls right between bad and mid. I’ve read worse but did not enjoy this one.
The summary made it seem really good and the first chapter was amazing, but it went all down hill from there.
A majority of the book was set in the past from 7 different perspectives, but I’ve realized I do not like books that don’t have much dialogue, and this one didn’t, it was a lot of internal thoughts from the past.
With every book that has multiple perspectives some are good and some are bad, most of these are bad.
Also the climax of this book wasn’t even good, sure it got a few pages but it felt like it was for nothing, like there really wasn’t a purpose, and the main character Tina really wasn’t the main character, and there was never a reason for her actions.
Similar to Tina lots of the characters stories felt incomplete and unfinished. I wouldn’t recommend this book.
I would give this 1.5 stars but that’s not an option and since it’s not the worst book this year I’ll give it two. But once again this was not a good read.
The summary made it seem really good and the first chapter was amazing, but it went all down hill from there.
A majority of the book was set in the past from 7 different perspectives, but I’ve realized I do not like books that don’t have much dialogue, and this one didn’t, it was a lot of internal thoughts from the past.
With every book that has multiple perspectives some are good and some are bad, most of these are bad.
Also the climax of this book wasn’t even good, sure it got a few pages but it felt like it was for nothing, like there really wasn’t a purpose, and the main character Tina really wasn’t the main character, and there was never a reason for her actions.
Similar to Tina lots of the characters stories felt incomplete and unfinished. I wouldn’t recommend this book.
I would give this 1.5 stars but that’s not an option and since it’s not the worst book this year I’ll give it two. But once again this was not a good read.
July 3, 2023
Athens, GA. I had to look it up on the map. Google says: “It’s one of the best places to live in Georgia” with a population of 126,118. That’s where this story takes place at Lindbergh’s, a pharmacy where the locals go for a haircut, prescription drugs and root beer floats.
The reader gets a good sense of this small town with the people. The store owners were three generations back from Buddy to Jack and now Theo. The routine was ingrained. He knew most of the customers. Everyone liked him. But the work wasn’t Theo’s dream job.
The book follows several characters. Jason had on a pro-gun, pro-God, pro-life, pro-Trump t-shirt while working at his construction job. His son. Jace, was involved with the radical rigged election. Karson wanted to help others. He created Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and Athens Youth Active. Daphne was a nurse for the army. She told her dad, “I like girls” and that was fine. Dorothy was a no-nonsense gal – always ready to take charge.
If I was at the Lindbergh’s drugstore, I could easily recognize all of these characters. Yet, there were so many in my head. It’s like going to a bookstore and having an abundance of choices and then almost giving up with too much to think about. The end finally brings all of the people together with a plot that is fairly predictable.
I’m not sure if I’d want to travel five hours to visit Athens. It has a small town feel where a tourist could be spotted miles away. Will Leitch writes what he knows and that’s where he lives. I am betting that a lot of the folks he describes so well are packed into the chapters and perhaps they’re wondering: is this me?
I can’t wait to read whatever is next.
The reader gets a good sense of this small town with the people. The store owners were three generations back from Buddy to Jack and now Theo. The routine was ingrained. He knew most of the customers. Everyone liked him. But the work wasn’t Theo’s dream job.
The book follows several characters. Jason had on a pro-gun, pro-God, pro-life, pro-Trump t-shirt while working at his construction job. His son. Jace, was involved with the radical rigged election. Karson wanted to help others. He created Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and Athens Youth Active. Daphne was a nurse for the army. She told her dad, “I like girls” and that was fine. Dorothy was a no-nonsense gal – always ready to take charge.
If I was at the Lindbergh’s drugstore, I could easily recognize all of these characters. Yet, there were so many in my head. It’s like going to a bookstore and having an abundance of choices and then almost giving up with too much to think about. The end finally brings all of the people together with a plot that is fairly predictable.
I’m not sure if I’d want to travel five hours to visit Athens. It has a small town feel where a tourist could be spotted miles away. Will Leitch writes what he knows and that’s where he lives. I am betting that a lot of the folks he describes so well are packed into the chapters and perhaps they’re wondering: is this me?
I can’t wait to read whatever is next.
July 4, 2023
4 stars. I was really looking forward to this book after loving How Lucky, but this wasn't quite as wonderful. TTHC details the lives of seven separate characters whose lives eventually intersect during an intense evening at the pharmacy. Leitch did such a great job drawing me into each character's backstory and keeping my interest. The story just didn't have the unique charm of How Lucky.
May 15, 2023
This was a fantastic book. It focused on seven points of view and the book slowly wove these stories together into a spectacular finish. There was so much rich storytelling and character work in this book. I loved it.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.
August 19, 2023
If you read this, you will get through half of it before you care about anything that’s happening. You will continue to ask yourself “Who is this again?” every time you start a character’s chapter. But in the end, I think this is intentional and brilliant, if you get there.
July 14, 2023
A far different book than Will's first, How Lucky, The Time Has Come takes a winding road through close to a dozen lives -- some main characters, some not -- to arrive at its ending. Once again, Will's optimism, and his love of Athens. Ga., shine through, and no one squeezes the details of a scene better.
June 18, 2023
In How Lucky, Will Leitch employed the narrowest of perspectives: Daniel, living with SMA, had limited mobility. Leitch distilled the world of Athens through those eyes; we were in Daniel’s head as he sparred with malevolent forces but also while he maintained a glorious kernel of optimism. It was Daniel’s voice that Leitch moved us with alongside the harrowing story of kidnapping and pursuit from the confinement of home.
The Time Has Come, Leitch’s follow-up novel, expands the canvas by introducing a wide cast of characters whose collision course toward one another builds intense suspense not unlike How Lucky. While Daniel was three-dimensional and felt real as our narratorial guide, Leitch impresses here while letting a mosaic of personalities ferry us through this story about the present age of misinformation and misunderstanding. Daniel received every page of How Lucky to come to life, but Leitch crafts intimate profiles for each member of his ensemble with such efficiency, crafting perfect scenes to reveal sharp characterizations and a sense of scope for each player. The character I most connected with might not match your choice, but all are fleshed out enough to care about, even the one I’d call the novel’s antagonist. That generosity to each voice goes a long way toward landing the novel’s powerful ending.
Leitch brings a rich, intricate world to life in The Time Has Come even beyond his characters. The Athens, Georgia we explore stretches deep enough into its past for us to understand both the scale and the limitations of its transformation: this is a bustling city but one where long-time residents still crave the personal connection of a legacy surname injecting them at the pharmacy. That eye for detail amplifies the story: every thin thread that unspools here is a potential seed for connection. I would not call The Time Has Come a mystery, but there’s a through line of intrigue as we try to figure out how this tangle of disparate strings will finally tie together. The satisfying conclusion has stuck with me, and that is a testament to Leitch’s execution.
As someone who devours Leitch’s work as a journalist and film critic, I read and listen to his pieces for their optimism and open-heartedness. He is a writer who believes in the goodness of people. Both of his novels have maintained that hopefulness, and it’s that feeling that shines through even the most intense moments of the novel. The Time Has Come earned both the grin in my face as I finished and the tears streaming down my cheeks.
I love being inspired by the worlds Leitch conjures because they are human worlds just like ours. I don’t find them aspirational but believable, a wonderful feeling to have in a world that feels so pulled apart.
Leitch plans to write novels on two-year cycles, which means a pre-order link for whatever follows this will drop in 2024. I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
The Time Has Come, Leitch’s follow-up novel, expands the canvas by introducing a wide cast of characters whose collision course toward one another builds intense suspense not unlike How Lucky. While Daniel was three-dimensional and felt real as our narratorial guide, Leitch impresses here while letting a mosaic of personalities ferry us through this story about the present age of misinformation and misunderstanding. Daniel received every page of How Lucky to come to life, but Leitch crafts intimate profiles for each member of his ensemble with such efficiency, crafting perfect scenes to reveal sharp characterizations and a sense of scope for each player. The character I most connected with might not match your choice, but all are fleshed out enough to care about, even the one I’d call the novel’s antagonist. That generosity to each voice goes a long way toward landing the novel’s powerful ending.
Leitch brings a rich, intricate world to life in The Time Has Come even beyond his characters. The Athens, Georgia we explore stretches deep enough into its past for us to understand both the scale and the limitations of its transformation: this is a bustling city but one where long-time residents still crave the personal connection of a legacy surname injecting them at the pharmacy. That eye for detail amplifies the story: every thin thread that unspools here is a potential seed for connection. I would not call The Time Has Come a mystery, but there’s a through line of intrigue as we try to figure out how this tangle of disparate strings will finally tie together. The satisfying conclusion has stuck with me, and that is a testament to Leitch’s execution.
As someone who devours Leitch’s work as a journalist and film critic, I read and listen to his pieces for their optimism and open-heartedness. He is a writer who believes in the goodness of people. Both of his novels have maintained that hopefulness, and it’s that feeling that shines through even the most intense moments of the novel. The Time Has Come earned both the grin in my face as I finished and the tears streaming down my cheeks.
I love being inspired by the worlds Leitch conjures because they are human worlds just like ours. I don’t find them aspirational but believable, a wonderful feeling to have in a world that feels so pulled apart.
Leitch plans to write novels on two-year cycles, which means a pre-order link for whatever follows this will drop in 2024. I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
October 4, 2023
I was hoping for more from this story. A lot of time was spent getting to know each of the many characters, which was time well spent to be sure. I was impressed with the character development, engaged in all their backstories, and very much anticipating the story’s climax in the drugstore. But it was a such long time coming—probably around 85% or so—and was disappointingly anticlimactic. I wanted more than a story of just backstories but that’s about what I got. Plus, what became of the evil doings that the Lindberg family had undertaken?? If that was resolved, I totally missed it.
January 2, 2024
2.5/5 stars
Same problem here as his other book, "How Lucky"; a lot of tell and not much of a show. It could also have been made a little more interesting if the story wasn't told in an almost linear timeline. There seemed to be a lot of info dump at the beginning, and while they were interesting and all, it just didn't hit right around the time the climax came to be.
Same problem here as his other book, "How Lucky"; a lot of tell and not much of a show. It could also have been made a little more interesting if the story wasn't told in an almost linear timeline. There seemed to be a lot of info dump at the beginning, and while they were interesting and all, it just didn't hit right around the time the climax came to be.
June 11, 2023
Great character development; we learn so much about the characters I wish there was more to tie them together. The ending sort of fell apart for me but overall the writing was great.
3.5/5
3.5/5
May 20, 2023
The Time Has Come by Will Leitch. Thanks to the author for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lindbergh’s Pharmacy is a well known shop in Athens, Georgia. A local teacher is convinced there’s more to Lindberghs than meets the eye. Her beliefs end up connecting her and a group of six other Georgians.
I loved the chapters of the different characters. Every chapter was a different character and the characters were all so different so it was easy to not mix them up. I was very curious how their stories would merge together and slowly you would see hints. Then for a short and intense period of time at the end, everything you were waiting for occurred. It all made sense and came together in ways that made you love the characters even more.
“Sometimes people have to feel pain to see things the way they really are.”
The Time Has Come is available now.
Lindbergh’s Pharmacy is a well known shop in Athens, Georgia. A local teacher is convinced there’s more to Lindberghs than meets the eye. Her beliefs end up connecting her and a group of six other Georgians.
I loved the chapters of the different characters. Every chapter was a different character and the characters were all so different so it was easy to not mix them up. I was very curious how their stories would merge together and slowly you would see hints. Then for a short and intense period of time at the end, everything you were waiting for occurred. It all made sense and came together in ways that made you love the characters even more.
“Sometimes people have to feel pain to see things the way they really are.”
The Time Has Come is available now.
September 8, 2024
I liked this book a lot. It is a compelling story and it kept me reading to find out what happened and how the situation turned out.
Throughout the story, it made me think about how much we really know about other people, and how easy it is to dismiss other perspectives that are different from ours. We get inside the head of several very flawed people. It’s an interesting perspective, and it makes it harder for me to dismiss these people outright as crazy or troubled since we are exposed to their background and their inner thoughts.
Similar to How Lucky, the story overall has a hopeful vibe, even while being heavy at times. I also agree with another reviewer that it made me think of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.
Throughout the story, it made me think about how much we really know about other people, and how easy it is to dismiss other perspectives that are different from ours. We get inside the head of several very flawed people. It’s an interesting perspective, and it makes it harder for me to dismiss these people outright as crazy or troubled since we are exposed to their background and their inner thoughts.
Similar to How Lucky, the story overall has a hopeful vibe, even while being heavy at times. I also agree with another reviewer that it made me think of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.
August 28, 2023
A little mom and pop drug store called Lindbergh’s in Athens Georgia is the focal point of this tightly plotted novel. We start at the end and work our way through all the seemingly unconnected characters who will come together and bring all their histories and experiences to an incident that will define them.
And we learn how this situation came to be. And how these people came to be. And along the way is a tour through all the fears and anxieties that have been a part of American life for the past 5 years and beyond, Covid and politics included.
So good. I'm reading How Lucky as as soon as I can get it.
And we learn how this situation came to be. And how these people came to be. And along the way is a tour through all the fears and anxieties that have been a part of American life for the past 5 years and beyond, Covid and politics included.
So good. I'm reading How Lucky as as soon as I can get it.
May 26, 2024
I picked this book up because of the Athens, GA setting forgetting I’ve already read a book by this author that didn’t particularly entertain me. About 20% in, I realized it was the same author (because the story from How Lucky showed up). The thing I liked most about the book were the familiar settings, but I just couldn’t get into the story. There was too much backstory with too many characters and not enough in the present.
June 15, 2024
This was a frustrating read for me. I figured out early on what the author was trying to do. It was a series of character studies of people who came together at a single big moment for the climax of the book.
But the movement between characters and story lines was imbalanced - not much action to push the story forward; and lazy -we don’t come to know the characters by their actions but by tedious description of their thoughts by an omniscient narrator.
The result, instead of bringing me into their world, was indifference to them and their world.
To me, this felt less like a literary novel than a class assignment in character development that deserves a B grade at best.
But the movement between characters and story lines was imbalanced - not much action to push the story forward; and lazy -we don’t come to know the characters by their actions but by tedious description of their thoughts by an omniscient narrator.
The result, instead of bringing me into their world, was indifference to them and their world.
To me, this felt less like a literary novel than a class assignment in character development that deserves a B grade at best.
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