I am a fan of Chris Bohjalian, having read several of his previous books. I have especially always liked the thoughtful treatment he gives complex and delicate issues. This book, unfortunately, was a big disappointment. It's over 400 pages long, and easily could have been half this if it was pared down to the essential issues. For some reason, he found it necessary to examine even the smallest details from each character's point of view, which got very tedious, particularly when each person had a similar take on the situation. Additionally, he found it important to go over and over and over the same issues - there is a big secret that the girl who shot her father is hiding and she and her cousin discuss it ad nauseum. Again, I found this very tedious. I ended up skimming the last 100 pages and still feel like I didn't miss anything. My final criticism is that he didn't follow that writer's axiom - write what you know. He clearly knows very little about adolescent girls - other than that they are *boy crazy*!!!) and it showed.

This book was different, in my opinion, from Bohjalian's other works (at least those I've read - Midwives, Trans-sister Radio, Buffalo Soldier, The Law of Similars...), and at first I wasn't sure I liked it. Halfway through the book I was even thinking I might put it down. But I'm so glad I didn't - it was well worth it. Another great read from him. I do still think he's better with the shorter novels that really pack a punch, but at the same time it was great getting to know these characters a bit more intimately. Great use of different character perspectives in telling the story (although it's not one of those obvious devices like naming the chapters after the primary speaker).

Another of Bohjalian's skillful blendings of family dynamics and timely social issues. A difficult, opinionated animal rights activist is seriously wounded by a shot fired from a gun owned by his brother-in-law, who has recently - and quietly - taken up hunting as a sport. Bad enough, but the gun was fired by the activist's own adolescent daughter - and no one is being entirely honest about the circumstances.

This book was quite interesting. I love how it intertwines two familes within one family, connecting all of them: Aunts and nieces, brother and brother-n-law...the family dynamics within this book are great. The depth of the charachters are evident throughout the read. The legality issues were not as quite interesting in the book, at least for me. Overall, a great, easy read.

I am a huge fan, but this one disappointed me.

An excellently written book exploring animal rights & gun control through a very personal family story.

Absolutely the most boring book I have ever read.

This is a wonderful book with many thought provoking ideas. I LOVE this writer's writing style!

This had a lot of potential which I did not think it lived up to. He tried to do too much by changing point of view and I think he'd have been more successful if he'd stuck with one point of view and tried to do less. Still a good read just not as good as some of his others.

Enthralling! Bohjalian never writes commonplace stories. It's families in crisis, but with far more interesting challenges than you encounter elsewhere.

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This was good, but not great. I really enjoyed Midwives, but this book doesn't hold a candle to Midwives. It didn't suck eggs, but didn't rock my world either.

Another fine work by one of my favorite authors - a little bit mystery, a little bit family values, a little bit environment, and 100% New England.

Even though it is slow at parts, I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Bohjalian is such an amazing writer that I found myself rereading phrases just to appreciate their complexity or humor.

I have really enjoyed Chris Bohjalian books in the past, but did not like this one.

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