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Ordinary Grace
A Novel
eBook - 2013
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE 2014 EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
WINNER OF THE 2014 DILYS AWARD
A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2013
From New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger, a brilliant new novel about a young man, a small town, and murder in the summer of 1961.
"That was it. That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word."
New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were selling out at the soda counter of Halderson's Drugstore, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a grim summer in which death visited frequently and assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder.
Frank begins the season preoccupied with the concerns of any teenage boy, but when tragedy unexpectedly strikes his family—which includes his Methodist minister father; his passionate, artistic mother; Juilliard-bound older sister; and wise-beyond-his-years kid brother—he finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal, suddenly called upon to demonstrate a maturity and gumption beyond his years.
Told from Frank's perspective forty years after that fateful summer, Ordinary Grace is a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.
WINNER OF THE 2014 EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
WINNER OF THE 2014 DILYS AWARD
A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2013
From New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger, a brilliant new novel about a young man, a small town, and murder in the summer of 1961.
"That was it. That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word."
New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were selling out at the soda counter of Halderson's Drugstore, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a grim summer in which death visited frequently and assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder.
Frank begins the season preoccupied with the concerns of any teenage boy, but when tragedy unexpectedly strikes his family—which includes his Methodist minister father; his passionate, artistic mother; Juilliard-bound older sister; and wise-beyond-his-years kid brother—he finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal, suddenly called upon to demonstrate a maturity and gumption beyond his years.
Told from Frank's perspective forty years after that fateful summer, Ordinary Grace is a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.
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Publisher:
Atria Books
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booklady413
Aug 21, 2015
"The dead are never far from us. They're in our hearts and on our minds and in the end all that separates us from them is a single breath, one final puff of air." Page 307
PimaLib_LisaW
May 06, 2015
“He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”
William Kent Krueger, Ordinary Grace.
Summary
Add a SummaryOrdinary Grace is a stand alone novel by William Kent Krueger, author of the Cork O'Connor mystery series. Told through the eyes of a 13 year-old boy, the book details the struggles of faith of a rural Methodist minister and his family when their talented daughter if found dead. The story details the passage from childhood innocence to worldly awareness by the 13 yo and his younger brother. Once again the author demonstrates his sensitivity in spiritual matters.
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Add a CommentI’ve read This Tender Land also. I highly recommended both books.
A stunning and deeply moving story well told with a gentle spiritual underlay by a gifted author.
Hmm.....how to rate this book.
I had read “This Tender Land” and thought it was probably one of the best books I’d ever read. In comparison, this is a bit of a let-down. This book was more ho-hum, day to day sort of uneventful happenings. Yes, murder and other forms of death are eventful, but the response was fairly subdued. It lacked nerve and all-out emotion (perhaps because one of the main characters was a minister who had to model forgiveness). Yet, William Ken Krueger has to be one of the best authors out there, so it is definitely worth reading and absorbing.
Great book and book club discussion! Well developed interesting characters, small town setting, secrets, mysteries, and several deaths as seen through the eyes of 13-year old Frankie kept my interest!
I loved this book, it kept me entertained and interested, a great read indeed!
new author to me. An outstanding read!
Tender moving story
Tender story of a family's relationships, beliefs and struggles during a difficult time. Evoked sympathy for many of the characters due to their flaws and disabilities. I would highly recommend this book.
Such a great read. Very different than his other book series. One of my favorite books.
Had a similar flavor to "Crawdads," and I liked it every bit as much. W. K. Krueger has a way of pulling me into his stories.