Thursday, July 12, 2012

Northwest Corner; John Burnham Schwartz


Title: Northwest Corner 
Author:  John Burnham Schwartz
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Random House
Edition:  hardcover
Setting: CT and CA
Date Completed: July/2012
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

Northwest Corner  is a follow up novel to Reservation Road (1998); it was also made into a movie.  In the earlier novel Dwight Arno was an attorney in Connecticut who was involved in a fatal hit and run accident which resulted in the death of 10 year-old Josh Learner.  The boy a second grader was the classmate of  Dwight's son Sam.

In this follow-up novel it is now 2006 and some 12 years have passed since the horrible accident. Since that time Dwight has spent 2.5 years in prison, is divorced and now lives in California. He has gone from attorney to shoe store manager and is dating a literature professor who isn't aware of his past.  Dwight hasn't seen his son Sam since he was sent off to prison either.

Sam has a violent streak  and has recently been expelled from college (UCONN) after he seriously injured another student with a baseball bat after an incident in a bar after a ball game.  Sam flees the area while the other young man fights for his life, and heads to California to seek out his father.

Northwest Corner is an addictive read. It is written is short chapters and it tells a compelling story about how tragedy can tear families apart just when they need each other the most.  It is not a story where I found myself rooting for any of the characters, I did feel invested enough to stay glued to the pages, anxious to see what would happen in the end.  I did enjoy reading this book, but preferred Reservation Road a bit more.

14 comments:

  1. I haven't read Reservation Road - it sounds like I should start with that one.

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    1. Yes, start with Reservation road -- it's really good as well.

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  2. My review for Friday is also from Staci's recommendation! :--)

    I am interested to know what happened to the people from the first book, but I am fine with just finding out from reviews! LOL

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    1. I'm nervous!! and also very curious as to which book it will be!!!????

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    2. I know what you mean, with so many choices in what to read next, sometimes I just look forward to having other bloggers tell me about the books and that is enough to satisfy me:)

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  3. I've read a few books in the past several months that were written in short chapters. They are rather addictive! I haven't read any books by this author but it sounds like I should. Nice review, Diane.

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    1. I like short chapters as well; feels like I'm reading faster LOL

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  4. I'm glad that you enjoyed it Diane. I wish that I would've started with the Reservation Road but I did eventually read it and liked it alot too!!!

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  5. That is so strange that you posted this review today since John, the author, was just in my town! I think you read on my blog of my friend Naomi's death a few weeks ago, well John is her nephew. I've only read his book Bicycle Days, but I think I'll need to read this one and the prequel

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  6. I would recommend beginning wit Reservation Road, or at least watch the movie version.

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  7. I always get the first book confused with Revolution Road, which was one of my favorite books of all time. I am pretty sure I remember that you love Yates as well. This does sound very good, and parts of it remind me of Defending Jacob, though I am sure they are very different books. I might like to read these two and see what I think of them. They sound very dark, but impressive nonetheless. Great review today!

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  8. This just went on my must get list, though I still haven't read Reservation Road yet.

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