Defending Jacob was named one of the must-read thrillers of 2012, and I can see how it earned this title. I read it immediately after Herman Koch's The Dinner, and the two both have a similar slant. It made it hard not to compare the two stories of parents with children accused of a horrible crime, and each author's exploration of the limits of love and morality.
Defending Jacob's titular character is an upper class 15-year-old boy accused in the murder of a classmate. However, the story is narrated by his father, an attorney with a closet full of family secrets that span generations. The story unfolds through court testimony alternating with traditional narration -- it's an interesting way to deal with the flashbacks required to unfurl the story.
Defending Jacob is one of those stories that sticks with you for a long time. Helmed by a truly unreliable narrator, it's an interesting take on nature vs. nurture, a sometimes shocking study of the limitations of family love and a purely enjoyable mystery filled with truly unexpected twists and turns.
If you love thrillers, suspense and mystery that walks the line of disturbing, definitely pick up Defending Jacob. Based on the title and cover art, it could easily be mistaken for a procedural courtroom drama -- don't be fooled. This is a dark and twisted, discussion-worthy ride. Highly recommended.
Defending Jacob's titular character is an upper class 15-year-old boy accused in the murder of a classmate. However, the story is narrated by his father, an attorney with a closet full of family secrets that span generations. The story unfolds through court testimony alternating with traditional narration -- it's an interesting way to deal with the flashbacks required to unfurl the story.
Defending Jacob is one of those stories that sticks with you for a long time. Helmed by a truly unreliable narrator, it's an interesting take on nature vs. nurture, a sometimes shocking study of the limitations of family love and a purely enjoyable mystery filled with truly unexpected twists and turns.
If you love thrillers, suspense and mystery that walks the line of disturbing, definitely pick up Defending Jacob. Based on the title and cover art, it could easily be mistaken for a procedural courtroom drama -- don't be fooled. This is a dark and twisted, discussion-worthy ride. Highly recommended.
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