Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This brilliant novel about a survivor of the 9/11 destruction of the Twin Towers is one of the best books written by an amazingly gifted writer. Catherine Ryan Hyde writes with an emotional fluency that is breathtaking in its simplicity and depth. I have read just about everything she's written and still can't figure out how she does it. I sit down to read one of her novels and literally can't put it down till it's done. This one had me awake till 4:30 a.m. because I cared so much about the people and events she created and described. I do not believe these people don't exist for real somewhere. Russell, who works at a big advertising agency on the 104th floor of one of the towers, has managed to escape small-town life and his family, who he loves but can't tolerate. On September 11th, on his way out the door to a meeting at his place of work, he answers a phone call. His mom has died suddenly, leaving his disabled brother alone with only the neighbors to take care of him. Russell makes arrangements, hangs up the phone, then sees, through his living room window, as his place of work is destroyed. Although answering the phone saved his life,at this point, his life plunges into chaos. How he survives and who he meets along the way are metaphors for the aftermath of the Twin Towers tragedy. The book is an emotional roller-coaster through grief, responsibility, love, terrorism, cultural adaptation and tolerance, and, ultimately, the unique human condition of living in America in the post-9/11 years. Hyde does more than tell the story of the tragedy through the eyes of a survivor. She dwells very little on the actual details of the terrorist attack. The impact on the characters in the story tells more about the events during and afterward than a mere factual account. The emotional history of the event is Hyde's main focus. Hyde's language is pitch-perfect. When a middle-eastern person is speaking in the story, I hear the accent of the character in my head; when the character is from Kansas or New York or somewhere else, that's also evident, though I couldn't point to any particular word or phrase that creates that impression. Unlike many "free books for Kindle" on Amazon, Hyde's are always, always, edited perfectly. Fussy readers (like me) will not be offended by grammar, punctuation, or usage errors. She is a master of her art in every way, including cosmetic details that matter so much to the flow and readability of a novel. After having read this book and most of her other ones, I am a fan for life. Do yourself a favor and read this one, whether you read any of her others or not. I'm betting you'll be hooked.