Wednesday, November 2, 2011

"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" by Tom Franklin



This novel is among many things, a coming-of-age story. How did the characters come into themselves as the story progressed? What possibilities might the future hold for Larry and Silas?




For more information about the author, check out:http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/19243/Tom_Franklin/index.aspx

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the book. I particularly enjoyed how the author developed his characters through flashbacks into each of the men's lives. I did get a full picture of their earlier times through these flashbacks. The women in the story (yes, even Larry's mom, Ina Jean) were strong, likeable and resolute. The men not so much... but I still liked them. Both Larry and Silas had significant character flaws, but they seem to try to do better. At the end, Silas does acknowledge that his less than shining behavior caused Larry so much grief, but he does try to make amends and seems truly sorry for the fact that his behavior ruined most of Larry's chances for a happy life. One can only hope that going forward after the hospital stay, with Silas and Angie's help Larry can be happier and maybe even find his own girlfriend.....(I'm always the romantic optimist.)

I even liked the way the author developed Wallace's "bad" person character. A little bit at a time, you got to know Wallace and even felt bad for him and recognized his anguish striking out against the only person who seems to have offered him any friendship.

Luxembourg said...

This book grabs you right away. You want to follow both school to adult lives to know the characters better. If you've attended a reunion and wondered about a classmate or someone you knew vaguely you'll relate.
Franklin's descriptions place you right there. A real page turner to the end and full of surprises.