Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Father's Day

I may be a sucker for a good emotion packed read.  Just from the first few words of the back cover, "At the age of six, a little girl named Harvey learns that her parents have died in a car accident."  I knew I had to try this book by Simon Van Booy out.

Description:
When devastating news shatters the life of six-year-old Harvey, she finds herself in the care of a veteran social worker, Wanda, and alone in the world save for one relative she has never met—a disabled felon, haunted by a violent past he can't escape.
Moving between past and present, Father’s Day weaves together the story of Harvey’s childhood on Long Island and her life as a young woman in Paris. Written in raw, spare prose that personifies the characters, this novel is the journey of two people searching for a future in the ruin of their past.
Father's Day is a meditation on the quiet, sublime power of compassion, and the beauty of simple, everyday things--a breakthrough work from one of our most gifted chroniclers of the human heart.

Harvey and Jason's story alternates between the past and the present, starting with Harvey's life before the accident that left her orphaned and then to present day Paris, Harvey has created a Father's Day box for Jason containing objects that stand for a vital moment in their lives. Each day Jason removes one of the gifts and opens it during their travels around Paris. The gifts then are followed with flashbacks explaining the significance to their relationship. All of the gifts lead up to mysterious revelation Harvey plans to make to her father on his last day visiting.

It's a fast paced book that quickly changes times.  A little long and a little sentimental.  You may or my not need some Kleenex.  Especially in the beginning.  Maybe.  You may or may not get aggravated a time or too.

Basically, a feel good story with a tinge of sadness but a heck of journey to get there. ;)

What do you think of naming a girl Harvey? What is your first impression about a disabled felon being allowed to adopt a 6 year old girl? Have you read any books by Simon Van Booy?

I received a review copy of this book from TLC Book Tours but all thoughts and opinions are my own.




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