I remember the prequel to this book, entitled Presumed Innocent, which I read probably twenty years ago. In fact, one of the jokes from that first book revolved around the Italian surname of one of the main characters' legal adversaries. Instead of De Laguardia, the protagonist called him "Delay Guardia" due to his tendency to file motions for postponement of upcoming trials. Since that first book, we have often referred to one of our procrastinating children as "Miss (or Mr.) Delay Guardia." I liked the first book, I remember, though I am hazy on the plot details. So I wanted to like this sequel as well. But I didn't, so much. Some of the the characters were left over from the previous story and some were new, which made for a convoluted mix of old history and new personality sketches-confusing, I thought. And the story line is old: middle-aged man has an affair which changes his life, has far-reaching consequences for himself and those in his circle with much pain to go around. But of course he just plunges into the mess anyway . . .I guess it wouldn't sell too many books to have the same character make the choice to resist the temptation and do the right thing by his wife and children even if his personal happiness suffers. The best parts of the book revolve around the courtroom trial scene, with its twists and turns and legal maneuvering. There is a sort of surprise ending which is clever but it's not enough to rescue the overall effort of getting through this tome, in my opinion.

Hold Tight is a riveting piece of fiction. I think most of its compelling force emanates from my own experience as a parent of teenagers. Let's face it, teens are risk-takers whose judgements are suspect. They embrace their independence but are often ill-equipped to wield it safely. The world they encounter is full of dangers. This book underlines a few: sociopaths, drugs, prosperity, mobility, computers, and peer pressure. What teenagers aren't telling you is what you have the most to fear.

Harlan Coben weaves together a story not only of teenagers but also of parents, some good, some not so good, most just struggling to juggle their jobs, their marriages, and their children. In the story, there are doctors who debate telling secrets, parents who debate learning their children's secrets, and teens who don't debate much, they just act and try to keep secrets from their caretakers.

There's also a character in the novel who is a psychopath. Now normally I don't want to read about depraved or evil characters. I know they're out there, but I don't go looking to immerse myself in their world. Coben's psychopath, though, is one who has a twist in his twisted brain: his malevolence springs from a misguided sense of family loyalty. Odd, slightly unbelievable, but interesting nonetheless. This guy is also someone you could meet anywhere, such as in the parking lot at say, Target.

I highly recommend this novel, especially for parents of teens or teens to be. I'll leave you with just one question. If you don't know the answer, you better read this book. Do you know what a "pharm party" is?? After I learned the answer, I immediately made a change in one particular household practice in my own home.

Tags: Fiction, Teenagers

The Shack was recommended to me from the pulpit. The deacon warned the congregation that the first sixty pages were tough to read, but that there was good stuff to follow. He was right. Especially for you with young children, the first sixty pages tell a frightening story that seems all too believable in the context of recent news stories. This tragedy is, however, the crux of the book's premise: that God can create good out of what seems bad. Or, as one of my previous pastors put it: "There is nothing that God can't redeem."

This is an ages-old question: theodicy. It has been the source of many creative outputs from writers and theologians for hundreds of years. Essentially, this book summarizes for a modern audience the major Christian viewpoints regarding God's seeming acceptance of incredible evils in our life on earth. This is not a polished meaty theological treatise; it is a popular retelling of the ancient conundrum with a modern-day, somewhat New Age flavor. It's not a book for the young; they usually haven't experienced enough tragedy in their lives yet. And it invokes a deus ex machina (in triplicate) to restore the faith of the protagonist, which may negate its value for many. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it. The story made me cry, the writing amused, but the theology stimulated me to employ my highlighter frequently. Now I may go back and consult some of the original sources.

Tags: Theodicy, Christian