レビュー

• Keep reading.

  A good read. It takes a little while to get used to the author's writing style, but it's worth persevering. I enjoyed it anyway.

• 胸がキュッとなる

  ただの事件物ではない。アメリカの美しさ、厳しさ、醜さ、優しさ、などなど全てがぎゅっと詰め込まれている。それと同じくらいこどもからおとなの人間模様がこれでもかと濃縮されている。とても辛くて、悲しくて、愛しくて、悔しくて、最後はちょっと救われて目頭が熱くなる。 誰が犯人でもおかしくない。誰も本当の姿が分からない。母を殺したのはだれか。残された二人の孤児はどうなるのか。最後まで作者は明らかにしない。後半に進むに従ってページを捲るスピードは加速する。読者はこの物語の中で自分と愛について思いん巡らせるだろう。 最初はちょっと退屈なので星四つ。

• poignant

  カリフォルニア州の海岸沿いの町 Cape Haven で生まれ育った Walk, Martha, Vincent, Star の４人は、１５歳のときに起こったある悲劇で、その後別々の人生を辿ることになり、しかしその友情は曲折を経つつも心に深く残り続ける。Walk は町の警官となり、Martha は弁護士、Star は二人の子ども Duchess 13歳と Robin 5歳をのシングルマザーで、酒場で歌って暮らしている。そして Vincent は30年もの服役を終えてついに町に戻ってくるのだ。 物語は2人の子ども Duchess と Robin 中心に展開する。"I am the outlaw." と公言しながらも、必死に生きて行く Duchess と "He is my prince." と Star が慈しむ Robin の日々が描かれる。ある日、Star が何者かに銃で撃たれ、2人は Montana 州に1人で住む祖父 Hal (Star の父親）のもとに預けられる。朴訥だが慈愛に満ちた Hal , Duchess が馴染んでいく馬の grey 、警察官になっている Walk や福祉事務所の Shelly たちも、陰に日向に彼らを見守るのだが ～ 。 様々な登場人物が絡み合って、様々な状況が、時に苛酷で、時に痛切で、意外な展開も見せ、最後まで惹きこまれて読んだ。一人ひとりの人生が、複雑で、利己的で、一方では温かく、他者のために生きようとする人間性も感じられ、交わされるそれぞれの言葉が味わい深く奥深い。結論的に、誰が Star を死に追いやったのか、衝撃的な結末に至るまでには紆余曲折 ～ 。そうした中に Cape Haven やモンタナ州の美しい自然が繊細に描かれていることには、ほっとするものがあった。 本書の邦訳版『われら闇より天を見る』は宝島社のこのミスの海外部門の1位になっている。

• いろいろ考えさせられ、読後も印象が長く残った

  英語の文体に慣れるのにかなり苦労して、半分近く読み進むまでこの本の良さがわからなかったが、後半にだんだんのめり込み、深く印象づけられた。読み終わってから。よくわからなかった前半をもう一度読み直そうと再度読み始めたが、今度は細かいところまでよくわかって、物語の奥深さを知ることができた。

• My first novel by this extraordinary author – but it won’t be my last. Whitaker’s spellbinding crime mystery had me enthralled and glued to my chair for an amazing one-day read. I simply could not put this book down. The story begins with a step back in time to thirty years prior, when a small child is killed, and the person responsible for her death is a teenager. Moving the timeline ahead to the present, an ex-con and former best friend of the town’s sheriff is being released from prison. What follows is a harrowing and impressively told story that shows how far the tentacles of tragedy can reach. Whitaker’s characterization of self-proclaimed modern-day outlaw thirteen-year-old Duchess Day Radley and her five-year-old brother, Robin who suddenly find themselves on their own after their mother’s devastating death and continuing to face the afflictions of tragedy after tragedy, is deeply moving and heartbreaking. The twists and turns in the plot are ingenious as well as the justice meted out at the end – with a couple of sad and tragic exceptions. I’ll let you discover those situations for yourself. The stand-out cast of characters, the suspense, the emotional arcs were all riveting. While for the most part complex and serious, there are some lighter moments rendering smiles and laughter, too. The layers of the events are slowly rolled-out with a final reveal that is surprisingly shocking and heartbreaking - but with a bit of poetic justice as well. A gripping, unforgettable and ultimately hopeful story to savor and share with others. This must-read book is deserving of all the hype that comes its way. And a note specifically addressed to Chris Whitaker, the author -- I truly enjoyed your book – the ride was definitely moving, and I deeply cared for these incredible characters. I’m also excitedly waiting for that brave little outlaw, Duchess, to be portrayed on television one day soon.

• Das Buch ist unglaublich packend, wunderbar geschrieben und hat unvorhersehbare Wendungen. Eines der besten Bücher, die ich gelesen habe. Eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung.

• A unique novel that really absorbs the reader from the outset. The condensed narrative style is different, almost poetic, and certainly grows on you. Lots of instances where the significant messages about life, justice, truth and family relationships really resonate. Duchess is a totally engaging character. Walk is also special. Most enjoyable.

• We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker was released on April 2nd with Zaffre Publishing. It is a book that has captured the minds and hearts of many but why? Described as a novel ‘with the staggering intensity of James Lee Burke and the absorbing narrative of Jane Harper’s The Dry…..a powerful novel about absolute love and the lengths we will go to keep our family safe….a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between’, We Begin At The End is truly a remarkable and absorbing read. It is rare that I would say a book is flawless but Chris Whitaker has achieved this. We Begin At The End is a novel that will genuinely remain with me for a long time. Chris Whitaker’s writing is spectacular. His ability to create such incredible characters, to immerse the reader in a different world is nothing short of genius. From the opening lines I was reading with a drawl, a twang that I imagined the ‘players’ spoke with. Cape Haven is a small town in America. A place where everyone knows everybody else’s business. Chief Walker, like the rest of the town, is awaiting the arrival of Vincent King, a man due to be released back into society after 30 years, a man that was, and still is, Chief Walker’s best friend. Vincent King had been imprisoned at the age of fifteen for the death of young Sissy Radley. While in prison, his sentence was extended for the death of another man. Walker always stood by his friend, believed in him, believed in the memories of their youth and the friendship that existed between himself, King and Star, Sissy Radley’s older sister. Star Radley was dealt a tough deck. After her sister died, Star struggled to get by. Her life took a downward spiral and now with two children of her own, Duchess and Robin, Star is striving to stay afloat but she is troubled. Duchess sees her mother, witnesses her daily struggles and does her best to help her. Duchess is very protective of her younger brother, making sure he gets to school every day, has food to eat and is never the subject of bullying. Duchess is brave, a young girl who has experienced too much hardship, a girl who was born on the wrong side of the tracks. Walker has always done his best by Star, he looks out for her, keeps up the contact and provides for her when he can. He remembers the way the three friends were and hopes, with King released, that they can have closure and move on with their lives. But Walker has his own personal cross to bear, a secret that he is keeping from his colleagues and friends. This is causing Walker great anguish as he knows he has to face his inner demons soon but first he must be strong, be there for his friend when he collects him from the state penitentiary. But trouble looms, as unexpected events take place that throw all their lives off kilter. The reader is left breathless, bereft, unable to think beyond these pages. We Begin At The End is not a fast-paced high-energy novel. The reader is given an insight into life in a small town and in the wider countryside of Montana. The sense of place is very strong with the heat, the smells, the people all stunningly portrayed in this outstanding novel. Chris Whitaker writes character driven novels. He goes deep into his characters, bringing their hopes and fears, their dreams and their nightmares right into our lives. As a reader you invest in them. You feel their pain, you experience sensations that only a writer of this caliber can evoke. Duchess, Robin, Walker, Star and Vincent King are all characters that you will invest in. Their stories will break your heart as you experience unexpected emotions that will leave you wrung out. We Begin At The End is a book you need to discover for yourself, a book that will reel you in once you start it, one that will most definitely leave you with an almighty book hangover, but one that you will gratefully embrace. We Begin At The End is a magnificent novel, an exquisite evocative read that captivates, compels and enraptures. All the stars and more for this one. Highly recommend!

• Best book I've read for ages. Not really a crime story, difficult to put it into any particular category. Thouroughly reccommended.

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