Review “The Good Father” by Noah Hawley

The Good Father by Noah Hawley
Published by Doubleday
Publication date: March 20, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-385-53553-3
At the request of Doubleday, an ARC TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from publisher):
An intense, psychological novel about one doctor’s suspense-filled quest to unlock the mind of a suspected political assassin: his twenty-year old son.

As the Chief of Rheumatology at Columbia Presbyterian, Dr. Paul Allen’s specialty is diagnosing patients with conflicting symptoms, patients other doctors have given up on. He lives a contented life in Westport with his second wife and their twin sons—hard won after a failed marriage earlier in his career that produced a son named Daniel. In the harrowing opening scene of this provocative and affecting novel, Dr. Allen is home with his family when a televised news report announces that the Democratic candidate for president has been shot at a rally, and Daniel is caught on video as the assassin.

Daniel Allen has always been a good kid—a decent student, popular—but, as a child of divorce, used to shuttling back and forth between parents, he is also something of a drifter. Which may be why, at the age of nineteen, he quietly drops out of Vassar and begins an aimless journey across the United States, during which he sheds his former skin and eventually even changes his name to Carter Allen Cash.

Told alternately from the point of view of the guilt-ridden, determined father and his meandering, ruminative son, The Good Father is a powerfully emotional page-turner that keeps one guessing until the very end. This is an absorbing and honest novel about the responsibilities—and limitations—of being a parent and our capacity to provide our children with unconditional love in the face of an unthinkable situation.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Outstanding!   This may be the book of 2012!!   Could not put it down!!
This novel was written in a first person narrative through the eyes of a father about unconditional love, guilt, pain, denial and looking in every corner for that glimmer of hope.   Moving!!!   The author interweaves into the story real life events, that at times, I felt I was so caught up in the story that it read like a non-fiction.   Engrossing!!   When or can a parent stop loving unconditionally?   The novel had me asking myself how I would feel if this was to happen to my family?   Thought provoking!   This author writes an emotional yet disturbing story about today’s culture and fate of families.   The research was phenomenal, bringing in past real life incidents that mirrored the fiction of the story line.   When does a parent finally accept the truth?   Are parents to be blamed?   Are they victims too when the unimaginable is brought upon a family? Emotional!!!   Until reading this novel, I never gave any thought to one incident that occurred in real life.   But after reading the facts, my thinking changed, and that was quotes from a book written by one of the Columbine shooter’s mother.   This book will stay with me for a long time, one that will not be forgotten.   Well written, character development superb, suspense extreme and a page turner.   Brilliant!!   As a parent, touched me to my core.   Heart wrenching!!   A powerful read!!   This book, at least my opinion, is off the charts!!   Piercing!!

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
(2012 Challenges:  Reading Challenge Addict, ARC, Mystery Suspense, Off The Shelf, Free Reads, Where Are You, A-Z, Merely Mystery, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

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