Saturday, October 16, 2010

Saving Nathaniel, A 5-Star, Can't-Put-It-Down new novel

Saving Nathaniel, by Jillian Brookes-Ward. Night Publishing, October 2010. 300 pages, paperback and Kindle editions.

My attention was caught by the novel’s first sentences: “She was wet. She was cold. She was late.” With that opening, my attention was captivated. In my opinion, it is one of the most powerful, attention-grabbing openings I have ever read in fiction, and I read a lot of it.

Saving Nathaniel is enchanting and powerful storytelling, with characters that are real people, not clichéd cut-outs. The personal struggles Nathaniel and Megan have are ones that most of us can identify with because most of us have had them at one time or another. I certainly have. But it’s the skill of the story telling that kept me engaged, as in one exchange with Nathaniel where Megan “gave him a look so cold it would have made a penguin reach for a muffler.” It’s the kind of laugh-out-loud remark that makes this story such a richly human one. The author tells the story of Meg and Nathaniel with compassion and skill that draws you in and keeps you there long after you’ve finished the last page. This is a wonderfully wise book. Hopefully it is the first of many by this fine writer.

I can see Saving Nathaniel as a movie, with Helen Mirren in the role of Megan. It’s definitely one I’d watch more than once.

 Five Stars.

4 comments:

Suzannah Burke said...

Agree 100% George,this is a marvelous book by an incredibly talented author. That opening sentence is an attention grabber all right and the book follows through and holds you in it's grip all the way.

Great review.

Soooz

SueAnn Jackson Land said...

I read portions of "Saving Nathaniel" on Authonomy and immediately sent a friend request to Jillian because I knew that the humor present in her book lived within its creator. I want people like her in my path and books like "Saving Nathaniel" on my shelf. Thanks for your review!

Unknown said...

I have to agree. Wondeful work by a great author. Lots of love and care went into the crafting of these memorable characters. I loved it!

Blue Quill Books said...

This is so lovely. I cannot express enough thanks to you, George.
Jill <3