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Critic's Corner
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One Summer Few authors give out the information on how a story comes to them. Baldacci does this with “One Summer.” He says that this is a story of love, tragedy, second chances, fear, and uncertainty. The story came to him in one breathtaking mind rush, unfolding like frames of film in his head. The story was so important to him that he put everything aside and wrote it, the words pouring out of him so fast it felt like someone else was telling him what to write. After reading this detail, I had to review “One Summer” due, as I write this, on the bookshelves in your cities. It’s Christmas time in Jack Armstrong’s home, but this is not a happy time for Jack or his family. He survived several tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, only to return home and be brought down by a mysterious disease. He’s a strong man with an iron will but this disease is killing him. Right now his only goal is to hang on until after Christmas. The doctors can do no more for him, he’s terminal. If this isn’t enough tragedy for the family, on Christmas Eve night Lizzie, Jack’s beloved wife, drives to the pharmacy to have a prescription filled for Jack. She is killed in a car accident. Lizzie’s mother takes the children, little Jack, two-years-old, Mikki turning sixteen next summer, and Cory, the middle child who is twelve-years-old. Jack is put into a Hospice facility. Alone, numb with grief, Jack gladly awaits death. When all seems lost Jack begins to recover in a miraculous turn of events. The doctors are in total disbelief, but Jack rises from what should have been his death bed determined to bring his fractured family back together. Once this is accomplished, Jack and the children leave their home in Ohio heading for Lizzie’s childhood home on the ocean front in South Carolina. Jack does not cope well with the loss of his wife, his grief soon affects his children’s lives to such an extent he’s in danger of losing them again. The plot that evolves brings new people into the life of the family. Each character adds a new dimension to the story. The life lessons depicted are never preachy but real-to-life, and all in all quite fascinating. Baldacci gives such emotion to his story people you are carried along with the flow to a perfect resolution. “One Summer” is not just a beach read, it is a read for all seasons. Copyright 2011, Patricia Ann Jones Buy One Summer Patricia Ann Jones is a published writer and has recently retired from her position of 18 years as a reviewer for the Tulsa World newspaper. To comment on this review you may email pattij777@aol.com.
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from Amazon.com
