Grace
T. Greenwood
Oct 2011 · Kensington Publishing Corp.
4.3star
9 reviewsreport
eBook
416
Pages
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About this eBook
A novel of a troubled Vermont family and a teenage boy walking a dangerous emotional tightrope—from “a writer of subtle strength” (Publishers Weekly).
Every family photograph hides a story. Some are suffused with warmth and joy, others reflect the dull ache of disappointed dreams. For thirteen-year-old Trevor Kennedy, taking photos helps him make sense of his fractured world. His father, Kurt, struggles to keep a business going while also caring for Trevor’s aging grandfather, whose hoarding has reached dangerous levels. Trevor’s mother, Elsbeth, all but ignores her son while doting on his five-year-old sister, Gracy, and pilfering useless drugstore items.
Trevor knows he can count on little Gracy’s unconditional love and his art teacher’s encouragement. None of that compensates for the bullying he has endured at school for as long as he can remember. But where Trevor once silently tolerated the jabs and name-calling, now anger surges through him in ways he’s powerless to control.
Only Crystal, a store clerk dealing with her own loss, sees the deep fissures in the Kennedy family—in the haunting photographs Trevor brings to be developed, and in the palpable distance between Elsbeth and her son. And as their lives become more intertwined, each will be pushed to the breaking point, with shattering, unforeseeable consequences.
Every family photograph hides a story. Some are suffused with warmth and joy, others reflect the dull ache of disappointed dreams. For thirteen-year-old Trevor Kennedy, taking photos helps him make sense of his fractured world. His father, Kurt, struggles to keep a business going while also caring for Trevor’s aging grandfather, whose hoarding has reached dangerous levels. Trevor’s mother, Elsbeth, all but ignores her son while doting on his five-year-old sister, Gracy, and pilfering useless drugstore items.
Trevor knows he can count on little Gracy’s unconditional love and his art teacher’s encouragement. None of that compensates for the bullying he has endured at school for as long as he can remember. But where Trevor once silently tolerated the jabs and name-calling, now anger surges through him in ways he’s powerless to control.
Only Crystal, a store clerk dealing with her own loss, sees the deep fissures in the Kennedy family—in the haunting photographs Trevor brings to be developed, and in the palpable distance between Elsbeth and her son. And as their lives become more intertwined, each will be pushed to the breaking point, with shattering, unforeseeable consequences.
Ratings and reviews
4.3
9 reviews
A Google user
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8 July 2012
In "Grace" author Greenwood gets hold of the teenage mind and she just doesn't let go. "Grace" is the poignant story of a young boy who literally develops overnight and he has no comprehension of the mysteries of his own body and mind. He perceives the world from the viewpoint of someone who is an outcast to his peers and his conclusions about his own worth then follow those faulty perceptions.
When reading the book, the reader will get the feeling that a highly insightful and perceptive spider has woven a web in which the reader is caught up heart and soul. The characters of Trevor and Grace (siblings) are unforgettable. They are real, tragic and endearing to the reader. They are children to be admired and cheered as they make their way through life. The parents of the children are so understandable that older readers will surely see themselves through the hearts and minds of adult parents struggling to come to terms with the growth of their own children. The character of the social outcast Crystal brings the reader to the very soul of tragedy, despair and redemption. Perhaps what struck me most about this book was the fact that the characters are so representative of the human condition in general. There is no glossing over of the reality of the individual dilemmas the characters must face. They are presented raw so that they can either be accepted for what they are or rejected as defective or deficient. This is a masterfully written piece of literature for both the young and the not-so-young.
Debora Hostetler
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14 June 2015
Really enjoyed this book.
1 person found this review helpful
Janie Corneliussen
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5 March 2015
Loved it.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
T. Greenwood is the author of more than a dozen novels with more than a quarter-million copies sold. A two-time winner of the San Diego Book Award and LAMBDA Literary Award finalist, she has received grants from the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council. Five of her novels have been Indie Next Picks and her twelfth novel, Rust & Stardust, was a LibraryReads selection. Her novels have been translated into five languages. She lives with her family in San Diego, California, where she teaches creative writing, studies photography, and continues to write. Please visit her online at TGreenwood.com.
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