The Promised World...Review

About the book:
On a March afternoon, while Lila Cole is working in her quiet office, her twin brother Billy points an unloaded rifle out of a hotel window, closing down a city block. "Suicide by police" was obviously Billy's intended result, but the aftermath of his death brings shock after shock for Lila when she discovers that her brilliant but troubled twin--the person she revered and was closer to than anyone in the world--was not only estranged from his wife, but also charged with endangering the life of his middle child and namesake, eight-year-old William.

As Lila struggles to figure out what was truth and what was fiction in her brother's complicated past, her job, her marriage, and even her sanity will be put at risk. And when the hidden meaning behind Billy's stories comes to light, she will have to act before Billy's children are destroyed by the same heartbreaking reality that shattered her protector and twin more than twenty years ago.

A love song to the redemptive power of books and stories, The Promised World is a mesmerizing tale of intimacy, betrayal, and lost innocence that will haunt readers long after they have turned the final page.This is one of those books where the review doesn't come easily. It is a book that seems to resonates with many people. The novel is inherently sad and explores the effects of abuse and memory manipulation, especially when a person has good intentions and the desire to protect someone they love.

The chapters alternate the individual perspectives which show how one experience can affect each person differently. There are many different characters, but the author manages to keep the perspectives clear and separate.

Like others who've read this novel, I found the first half to be slow. I came close to putting it down several times and not picking it up again. But, there was a compelling element that made me want to continue reading and find out the truth of Lila and Billy's story. The story picks up towards the end as truth is realized.

I honestly can't say that I liked the book. It isn't an uplifting book by any means. However, it is one that could stay with you which, depending on your own personal life experiences, will either be good or bad. One of the things I did enjoy was the use of literature. Lila was an English professor and both she and Billy not only loved books, but books were an integral part of their lives and their relationship.

Thanks to Lisa Munley of TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to review this book. You can the see other tour stops and read additional reviews here. You can purchase your own copy of the book here.

Read 9/09

* *
2/5 Stars