Firstly, this is, for me, a five star read; it’s a deeply moving story of a group of people who find themselves in an appalling situation, and not of their own making. It’s a story of humanity and inhumanity told through a carefully constructed slow reveal narrative that pulls on so many emotions for the reader to work through. There are incredibly moving human stories here, both distressing and soul reaching, I genuinely had to stop reading and take a deep breath at times.
The injustices this book covers are truly heart-wrenching, but Norman controls and balances the prose so beautifully, it’s actually tears of joy and hope that fall as the story ends despite the tragedy.
Yes, this is a story of a hostage situation on the surface, but the actual depth in the story is really important, and as we are introduced to the lives of those caught up in the drama, we learn about ourselves and the world we live in too. I enjoyed all the players in this tense drama, from the gunman and the hostage negotiator to the eclectic mix of people who find themselves hostages in a heart-pounding situation, oh, and of course, the dog!
Profoundly moving, absolutely unexpected and deeply memorable. I have no hesitation recommending this book for readers.
The injustices this book covers are truly heart-wrenching, but Norman controls and balances the prose so beautifully, it’s actually tears of joy and hope that fall as the story ends despite the tragedy.
Yes, this is a story of a hostage situation on the surface, but the actual depth in the story is really important, and as we are introduced to the lives of those caught up in the drama, we learn about ourselves and the world we live in too. I enjoyed all the players in this tense drama, from the gunman and the hostage negotiator to the eclectic mix of people who find themselves hostages in a heart-pounding situation, oh, and of course, the dog!
Profoundly moving, absolutely unexpected and deeply memorable. I have no hesitation recommending this book for readers.