Thank you Libro.fm / Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Celadon Books #partner for the advanced copy of Penitence in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Celadon Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: January 28, 2025
Summary:
For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.
When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.
Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of post-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.
My thoughts:
I first became aware of this book back in October when I attended the Celadon Influencer Event – this was my grab from the table. I had heard it was possibly going to be one of the Celadon Read-together books, so I waited to read it and I’m so glad I did – this is a book that begs discussion not only after you have finished reading it, but also during.
This book, which is a debut, absolutely blew me away. I love family dramas and this one certainly is that but it’s so much more. There’s an emotional depth to it that is so powerful while also bringing in a hint of a mystery. I say hint because this book is so hard to classify as just one genre. Rather, it’s a genre-bending read that captivated me at every turn. And even though this is a heavy, and at times, intense read, I felt the author approached it all with care and compassion.
I am amazed at how complex this story was, the way the two timelines worked together to build on the connections of our characters. Without going into too much detail, know that this book is chock full of loss, secrets, family, guilt and forgiveness. The characters are all deeply flawed yet relatable and I find myself still thinking of them even though I’ve been done with the book for some time now.
If you like to read thought-provoking reads or are looking for a stand-out debut, this one is not to be missed!
Audio thoughts:
I had the opportunity to listen to this one and Therese Plummer’s narration was perfect. The way she infused emotion or tension into her voice was effortlessly done and I found that listening to this book added more depth to an already layered story.
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