Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Among The Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont

How I Heard About It:   During a visit to the local library I came across this title and remember hearing or reading about it.  I was looking for an adult novel to listen to while I drove to and from school.  

What It Is About:  A package is delivered to the home of Jack and Deb.  It is addressed to Deb, but ends up in the hands of their children.  The contents of the box contain pages upon pages of text and emails messages between Jack and another woman.  The kids are shocked and turn over the box to their mother Deb.  She has looked the other way for years when it came to Jack, but this time she can't because the children are involved.  After confronting him about the messages, Deb and her children leave New York and go to the coast to escape this "mess."  Meanwhile Jack begins a journey in the opposite direction to figure out what to do with his life and the situation he has created.  Deb leans on her mother, her children, and another man to get through a very difficult time.  Her children also have to deal with the mistakes of their father which effects their life and the choices that are in front of them.  

What I Thought Of It:  When the novel first started I thought it was going to be wonderful.  The delivery of the box to the family was shocking, revisiting, and created a sense of mystery and intrigue.  As the story unraveled, it became a little less engrossing, but still kept my overall interest.  There were some high peaks throughout the story, but there were also times when it dragged on.  The characters were flawed, human, and had a lot to overcome.  This was a strength of the story.  

Who Should Read It:  Readers of adult fiction would be perfect for this novel.  If you enjoy a charter driven story, then it would also appeal to you.  There wasn't a whole lot of action scattered throughout the pages, so if you need that, then this may not be the story for you.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  3 STARS out of 5 Stars

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