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Night Road

by Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author)

4.12 · rating details · 8,802 ratings · 1,774 reviews

For a mother, life comes down to a series of choices.
To hold on…
To let go..
To forget…
To forgive…
Which road will you take?

For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach—are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close knit community,...more

Hardcover, 385 pages

Published March 22nd 2011 by St. Martin's Press

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Jan 21, 2012

Meg ♥ rated it

Shelves: e-books, favs, z-2011-reads, cover-lover

This is definitely a book I will be recommending to friends for a long time. Surprisingly, I hadn't heard anything about this book until I went to vote on the 2011 Goodreads polls a few months ago. This book was nominated for best book of 2011, and the cover instantly stood out to me, and I think it's very beautiful. I read the synopsis, and at first was hesitant, because the title, and synopsis seemed to give me the impression that the book would be very predictable. Definitely not the case.
...moreThis is definitely a book I will be recommending to friends for a long time. Surprisingly, I hadn't heard anything about this book until I went to vote on the 2011 Goodreads polls a few months ago. This book was nominated for best book of 2011, and the cover instantly stood out to me, and I think it's very beautiful. I read the synopsis, and at first was hesitant, because the title, and synopsis seemed to give me the impression that the book would be very predictable. Definitely not the case.

Jude lives in a small town raising her twins Mia and Zack. Along with her husband Miles, they seem to live the perfect life in their perfect little community. Zach is very popular, but Mia is quite reserved. One day at school Mia meets a girl named Lexi when she discovers her reading a book she likes. She warns Lexi that being her friend is social suicide, but Lexi doesn't care. Lexi was from a from a foster home, and has a dark past, but Jude welcomes her daughter's new friend. Eventually she becomes like one of the family, as they all get along so well.

When I first started reading I loved the writing style. I enjoyed the fact that it changed POV between a teen and a mom. I thought that was kind of unique. The characters were great. Lexi was one of the most wonderfully written characters I have ever read about. The way she grows as a person in this book is simply astonishing. Jude was another well developed character that I could really relate to as a mom. She was over the top at times, in terms of her overbearing methods, but her heart was always in the right place. Every character in this story loves completely with all their heart. The supporting characters shined as well. The relationships between Lexi/Jude, Lexi/Mia, Lexi/Zach, and Zach/Mia were very well done.

This book has so many twists, and some are so major you wonder if you are still reading the same book. Hannah will take your emotions all over the place. One minute you will be laughing along with the family, one minute in tears, and another minute feeling angry about things that are going on. You will never be bored for a second reading this book, and I actually read it in one sitting, because I just had to know what would happen next.

I feel like this book sends lots of great messages about love, loss, forgiveness, acceptance and much more,and I feel she can send her messages in a positive way without ever sounding preachy. Night Road is an emotionally complex book, and it's truly unforgettable. This is my first book of Hannah's, and I will definitely be checking out more of her books!

I really think this is a book that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike, but I do feel us moms can truly appreciate it the most.(less)

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Apr 10, 2011

thewanderingjew rated it

Mia and Lexi are best friends. Both girls are insecure. One comes from a charmed background and one from a background of neglect and poverty; a mother who was a druggie and an absent, unknown father. Mia has a twin brother. They are exceptionally close with the bond that only twins can share. This is their story.
It begins on the first day of a new High School for Lexi Baill. On that fateful day, she catches the eye of Zach Farraday, the future prom king, and befriends his opposite in social...moreMia and Lexi are best friends. Both girls are insecure. One comes from a charmed background and one from a background of neglect and poverty; a mother who was a druggie and an absent, unknown father. Mia has a twin brother. They are exceptionally close with the bond that only twins can share. This is their story.
It begins on the first day of a new High School for Lexi Baill. On that fateful day, she catches the eye of Zach Farraday, the future prom king, and befriends his opposite in social stature, his twin sister, Mia Farraday, a social outcast.
As rich a life as Mia and Zach have, with every social advantage that money can buy, Lexi’s is poor. Raised by a drug addict mom who was never able to kick the habit and who eventually overdosed, she is bounced around from foster home to foster home until a great aunt finds out she has a relative and takes her in to live with her. This is a story of how privilege can corrupt and tragedy can cause tremendous destruction. This is a story about justice and yet the justice was meted out in an unjust, cold-hearted way.
The punishment was not commensurate with the perpetrators intent or past history. The pain of loss, clouded by deep anger takes the life of a living child unfairly to make up for the life of one that dies prematurely in an accident. Fanaticism is bad no matter from what quarter it hails.
Foster children are bounced around and never feel safe or loved or wanted. Twins feel the presence of each other in their minds and emotions.
I thought, at first, the book was cloying and contrived. All the stereotypes of irresponsible teens are displayed. All the stereotypes of liberal moms, who want to make sure their children have everything while at the same time they hover over them and never let them grow up, are trotted out. The resulting tragedies keep unfolding and pyramiding, one on top of the other. Like dominoes, mistakes are made one after another.
Until I finished the first third of the book, I wondered if I would finish the book at all. At that point, the story becomes so gripping, so emotional that it is not only one you must complete, it is one you cannot put down.
(less)

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Feb 06, 2012

McKenzie rated it

I knew as soon as I saw the cover that this was going to be classic chick-lit (I should mention that I'm reading this for my book club, not of my own volition), and I was pretty much right. One-dimensional characters, predictable plot twists, inane dialogue, atrocious metaphors and imagery, and emotionally manipulate to the point where I wondered if the author was hoping this will get made into a Lifetime movie. It hurts my soul to compare this to a literary novel about grief and loss (I recentl...more

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Jan 28, 2012

Diane rated it

I have read others of Kristin Hannah's books, but this one was somewhat different then her others. I found it well written and the characters have a way of pulling at your heartstrings in this story.

This is a story of three young people that have formed a bond between them. One has come from a broken home and heroin mother that did not care about her. She has been in and out of foster homes till a great-Aunt takes her in and gives her a home. The other two are twin sister and bro...more

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Jan 22, 2012

Lisa rated it

Shelves: mj-book-club-august-2011-july-2012

Night Road is a page turner and emotionally manipulative. In other words, good chick lit. It will reverberate with its themes of friendship, motherhood, and eternal romantic love. Lexi and Mia meet on the first day of high school and instantly become best friends. Two outsiders with so much to offer. Mia has a twin brother who happens to be gorgeous, confident, and popular. Mia has lived in his shadow always and depends on Zach to navigate the world for her. There's an instant and palpabl...more

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Jan 02, 2012

Northwestreader rated it

This is not a genre that normally appeals to me. I won a set of these books for my book club so I read it. I have children who were in high school more or less at the same time the story took place, we live in Washington where the story is set, and the book jacket makes the story line sound interesting, so I start with the idea that the story will resonate with me.

I did read the whole book, every word of it. This book is akin to an after-school TV special: I could almost hear the...more

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Dec 29, 2011

Donna rated it

It's been a long time since I've read a book that made me teary, or a book I couldn't put down. The author does an amazing job of pulling the heartstrings of the reader. I think she takes the neurotic personality of the
mother, Jude, a bit too far. I wanted to slap Jude over the head a few times. Several of the other characters left a lot to be desired. Mia and Zach are twins. Zach is the leader of the two, with Mia trailing behind as the weaker of the two. Mia is portrayed as a some...more

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Oct 19, 2011

Cindy rated it

Lexi Baill, tossed from foster home to foster home, finally finds a permanent one with a great aunt who loves and cares for her despite the greater financial burden she brings.

Determined to live on the fringes of school, Lexi looks for another girl who is on the fringes to befriend. She finds Mia, the daughter of Jude, a mother who likes to be involved in every aspect of her children's lives. Despite her initial reservations about Lexi, due to her marred past and financial standing, ...more

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Sep 12, 2011

Susy rated it

Although I've only read 2 of Hannah's novels, I have put her in the pigeonhole of authors who I turn to when I need a quick, compelling read that I'm pretty sure will give me the emotional release I'm needing. So the combination of laryngitis & an inability to talk combined with the emotion of the 9/11 tenth anniversary events made for a perfect day to read this book. Yup, it can be read in a day. Hannah does her usual great job of setting a lush stage - wealthy, superficially happy family mi...more

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Sep 04, 2011

Kathleen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-contemporary-authors

I have been an avid follower of Kristin Hannah. When this book appeared at my local library, I grabbed it tucking it away behind my Nancy Pearl recommendations, ready to roll it out and savor every page.
The opening pages, engaging as they were, sent out a huge warning...danger, danger...imminent tragedy, more than you can imagine, awaits. I read on and became immersed in a world I have lived in professionally and loved, working with adolescents as a teacher, school psychologist and princip...moreI have been an avid follower of Kristin Hannah. When this book appeared at my local library, I grabbed it tucking it away behind my Nancy Pearl recommendations, ready to roll it out and savor every page.
The opening pages, engaging as they were, sent out a huge warning...danger, danger...imminent tragedy, more than you can imagine, awaits. I read on and became immersed in a world I have lived in professionally and loved, working with adolescents as a teacher, school psychologist and principal. I knew, with the details Hannah shared, we were headed toward disaster, and I was almost physically ill as the tension built. So 100 pages in, I cheated and read the last three pages of the book, thus relieving me of my anxiety and believing I knew the worst that was about to happen.
Hannah skillfully reflects the roller coaster emotions of every mother and student navigating through high school and senior year. Add to this a layer of privilege on an island off the coast of Washington v. the introduction of a young woman whose background was far removed from this land of privilege. Every time I thought I understood where this novel was going, I was brought up short.
Every woman who has ever been a mother can identify with the mother's intentions: wanting only to nurture her twin son and daughter, carving out a life of promise, hovering protectively, ensuring theirs was the "safe house," the place other high schoolers wanted to be.
Halfway through the book, when tragedy struck, I questioned what was ahead with so many pages left that could be different from other novels dealing with similar subjects. Here is Hannah's talent delivering the reader from grief-paralyzed Jude, the mother, to Lexi in prison to Zach in medical school to Grace and her imaginary friend. These are good people, honest, generous, grounded, and yet, their struggles left me breathless at times. Hannah's account of Jude's daily life and challenges to love and forgive, the details of Lexi in prison, and the father's patient and practical role in their healing were especially moving.
I cried throughout the last 40 pages of the book because I had come to love this family and wanted them to survive. Despite the subject, this is a story, perhaps a primer, on resilience, forgiveness,love,and most of all, hope.(less)

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Aug 15, 2011

Judith rated it

There are many things I love about Kristin Hannah as a writer especially how she creates great stories with well-developed emotional characters that, as a reader, you are drawn to and sympathize/empathize with. This book is no exception... and even though I believe the last section of the book could have been done better I feel that this book is one of her best. The character of Lexi pulled me in from the start. The book is told from the point of view of Jude (mother of the twins Mia and Zach) a...more

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Aug 11, 2011

Jenny rated it

Shelves: read-in-2011

I always look forward to Kristin Hannah's books. There's a level of comfort I get from them, or maybe it's the dependability that I will become ensconced in the warmth of yet another great story, the ultimate "take me away". Once again she did not disappoint as she brought the story of Night Road, one of grief and love, of freedom and choices, forgiveness, and the complexities of motherhood.

Night Road tells the story of Jude Farraday and her twin teenagers, Zach and Mia. They...moreI always look forward to Kristin Hannah's books. There's a level of comfort I get from them, or maybe it's the dependability that I will become ensconced in the warmth of yet another great story, the ultimate "take me away". Once again she did not disappoint as she brought the story of Night Road, one of grief and love, of freedom and choices, forgiveness, and the complexities of motherhood.

Night Road tells the story of Jude Farraday and her twin teenagers, Zach and Mia. They, along with the father, Miles, live the perfect life. They have tons of friends, live in a great community full of opportunities. Zach is the popular kid that everyone likes and who always has a girlfriend; unfortunately, his twin sister, Mia, is the quintessential loner, very reserved, and lacking in the friend department. In their freshman year of high school, they meet fellow classmate, Lexi, and Mia and Lexi become immediate best friends. Lexi has spent her life bouncing around from foster home to foster home while her mother comes in and out of her life, but she soon becomes part of the Farraday family. The only "rule" of sorts is that Lexi remain friends with Mia and not become romantically involved with Zach considering what happened to Mia the last time her friend dated Zach and then disappeared all together once she and Zach broke up.

Senior year brings some challenges for the Farraday family, as Jude struggles with allowing her children more freedom and learning to trust in their decision making. Jude revels in the fact that her children are headed off to a great college, but Zach and Mia struggle with their decision regarding college and where, exactly, they want to go. All this struggle and worry is later realized to be merely trifling, when some bad decisions change everything. Without revealing anything, the decision completely changes the lives of all involved. It causes the characters to question their identity, their life, their purpose.

Besides being yet another engaging story with great characters, it also gave a lot of food for thought. It was interesting, especially at my age, to see things from both the points of view of the teenagers and the mother. After all, I fall somewhere in the middle and can relate to both sides. This book definitely brought about memories of being a teenager, making friends, trying to fit in, and eventually trying to gain some freedom. But then I was also able to somewhat empathize with the experience of a mother in that situation, wanting the best for her children and feeling scared when that potential is threatened. After the "change" occurs, I found myself becoming so frustrated with Jude's character. I felt she was so hateful and can't imagine myself ever having such vehemence. But then, her emotions were so raw that there may have been a truth to them that I'm just too naive to understand at this point. I did find the progression of the characters and the pacing of the story to be really effective. My husband caught me crying at different parts of this book. It was pretty intense at times and sometimes sorrowful; and my emotions roiled right along with the characters' which indicated, to me, my dedication to them.

I'm happy to say I really enjoyed Hannah's latest. All of her fans will surely enjoy this as well, and other readers of women's fiction will find a great addition to their array of favorite authors.

Taken from my blog at www.takemeawayreading.com (less)

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Aug 09, 2011

Katie rated it

Ughhhhhhhhh, I had this review all typed out and then the site froze and deleted it, so this is gonna be the abbreviated version. So...this book came to me as a recommendation from my mom, who had picked it up from the library and just finished, although I'm not sure why she got it, perhaps she read another one of the author's books, I'm not too sure. When she gave it to me, she told me to just read it and not look at the book jacket, but I had to because I wanted to know if I'd like it of cours...more

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Aug 09, 2011

Delta Tish rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 19, 2011

Ashley Mackler-Paternostro rated it

Shelves: chick-fic

This book is all steak, but no sizzle. I missed the sizzle.

I read this book, start to finish, in one day. It was the type of story that a reader will undoubtably find hard to put down...you simply **need** to know what happens next. So, for the that reason alone, this book is a consumable read, and it won 4 stars. But, if it was worthy of an entire day's focus, why not 5? Here is why..

Good books, really, really good books make you *feel* for the characters. You fall i...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Sheila rated it

· review of another edition

A 14 yr old orphaned by her drug addict mother is finally connected with her grandmother's sister, Eva. She starts yet another new school. Lexi has been shunted around for years, living with numerous foster parents. She is reluctant to get attached to Eva although she seems to really care. On her first day of school, she meets a young girl, Mia, a loner, a twin with a popular brother, Zach. Mia has a low self confidence and her brother, Zach does his best to always include her with his friends. ...more

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Jul 05, 2011

Michelle rated it

For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach—are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.

Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm’s way. It has a...more

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Jun 29, 2011

Kim rated it

Shelves: audiobooks-read, suspense-mystery-thriller

This book holds on to you & doesn't let go to the very end!

So, it's kinda Lifetime Movie-ish (including the cheese), but we all deserve an occasional escape. This is one of those stories that makes you happy for what you have because it can all turn in a matter of minutes.

The book description is very vague & I'm glad I didn't do too much research into the book before I started it. The surprise factor is what made the book for me. Looking at the vague description an...more

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Jun 26, 2011

Debbie rated it

Another great (in my opinion) novel by Hannah. Even though this one is sold as an adult novel, I think the subject has enough cross-over interest that it could and should be listed as a young adult novel as well. It is told from the perspective of Lexie Baill and the life she has always wanted dreamed of once she meets the Farraday family. Jude (mom), Miles (dad), Zach and Mia are the perfect family in Lexie's eyes. Jude puts her kids needs above everything else in life...planning their live...more

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Jun 14, 2011

Ashley rated it

So... I just finished this book two days ago and can not stop thinking about it. I am a mother to a fantastic almost 3 year old girl. I read this book every spare second that I had. The best book I have read in so long. I feel so emotional since reading this book. I know I don't have an 18 year old daughter but the description from Jude from the time she found out about the accident on was unlike any other I have ever read. I felt as though I was in that hospital room with them. I became ...more

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Jun 06, 2011

Shannon rated it

WOW. This is one of those books that you aren't ready to commit to read yet but sample the first chapter and 2 days later you're closing the back cover. All other books went on hold as I was gripped by this emotionally raw, tragic and captivating story of how one split second decision born of young innocence can change a life forever. It's about first love, heart-wrenching loss, forgiveness, redeptemption, motherhood, sacrifice...the list could go on and on. It was a deep and moving story that m...more

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May 30, 2011

Mmtimes4 rated it

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May 22, 2011

Kelli Stephenson rated it

WOW, tragic. The first half of the book was a nice look into the life of a mother, her children, and the best friend/girlfriend with the terribly sad past. I kind of felt like a teenager reading it....it flowed, was decent writing, but I found myself relating to the teenagers more than the mom which was odd. I was annoyed with the way she was---OCD, overbearing, kind of naive, etc. I just could not picture myself in her spot, even though I am the mother of an 18 year old myself. Anyway, as ...more

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May 18, 2011

Karen & Gerard rated it

Shelves: relationships, romance, tear-jerker, teens, thought-provoking

I loved Night Road by Kristin Hannah! This is such a heartbreaking story that delves into friendship, teenage drinking, family relationships, dealing with grief, love and forgiveness. Lexi is a very lonely but nice girl who grew up in foster care for most of her life. She becomes best friends with another lonely girl, Mia, who comes from a very good family. Lexi falls in love with Mia’s twin brother, Zach, the homecoming king. Mia’s parents, especially her mother, Jude, are thrilled Mia has...more

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May 15, 2011

Diane rated it

This is a story of love, loss, grief and eventually redemption.

The Farradays are the family at the crux of the novel. There is Jude, the mom, Miles, the father and their twins, Zach and Mia. Lexie is the girl from school who befriends the social outcast, Mia, and eventually begins a relationship with Zach. Lexie becomes a part of the Farraday family which is great for her since she is a foster child, struggling to find a real home. Jude tries to control the entire family with her acti...more

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May 10, 2011

Harriet rated it

If you love a good four-hankie page-turner, Night Road might be your kind of book. I had a hard time reading much of the story because the pages were so blurred by the tears I was shedding. I never put it down and read it entirely in one sitting.

KH has created a beautifully written tale of a family undergoing the most horrific tragedy possible. The reader, who is already totally committed to the story of these young people about to blossom into a perfect future (engineered by their...moreIf you love a good four-hankie page-turner, Night Road might be your kind of book. I had a hard time reading much of the story because the pages were so blurred by the tears I was shedding. I never put it down and read it entirely in one sitting.

KH has created a beautifully written tale of a family undergoing the most horrific tragedy possible. The reader, who is already totally committed to the story of these young people about to blossom into a perfect future (engineered by their super-mom, Jude), is propelled in disbelief into the terrible grief along with them.

The characters are well-fleshed out and believeable in the first part of the novel. The Faraday family is the ideal as they take their daughter's best friend, underpriviledged Lexi, into their fold, loving and sharing their good fortune with her. But red flags go up in the household when son Zach and Lexi finally admit to the love that has been slowly developing between then from the beginning. Lexi doesn't quite fit into the future Jude has lined up for her twins once she's seen them through the mine field of parties and teen frolics they face throughout their senior year of high school.

When the unthinkable occurs on the eve of graduation, we see Jude plunge into the depths of depression fueled by rage and revenge against Lexi whom she holds responsible for causing her family's loss.

The thing I have trouble with is the rigid loss of compassion in a mother who has, until then, been unflappable in her support and love. Her lack of control is not only unfeeling toward Lexi, but the fact that she allows, even pushes, for the ultimate punishment for a vulnerable young girl, makes Jude a villain in my opinion. I found it hard to sympathize with her unreasonable behavior even in the face of her grief. I kept waiting for her handsome, verile, surgeon husband to give up on her and look for comfort elsewhere. The severe contrast between the person Jude was before the tragedy and after seemed just too sharp and I (sigh) took off a star because of it. She seems to cultivate her hatred and revenge in a cruel way. Even though we realize she's fighting against her own regrets it seems just too much over the edge for my taste. Unfortunately, she never regains my sympathy.

Lexi is a great kid and I wish I could wrap her up and take care of her myself. Even in the face of such a painful upbringing, she keeps her sweetness and is grateful for any scrap of love she can get. I love her. I despise what is done to her in the name of justice.

Zach's devotion and love for his twin is right-on. He puts her first in every way and if there is any problem I have with Zach and his sister, Mia, it is the strange way she is so fragile socially while her brother is so out-going and popular. How does that happen?

Miles is the perfect husband apparently. He loves his wife passionately and attempts to keep her grounded where the raising of their teen twins is concerned. He's every woman's ideal as he stands stoicly beside Jude through her rants struggling to see her through her pain. He's a great character and, after Lexi, my favorite.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who isn't undergoing the grief process. It is a heartbreaking tale of a tragic cast of characters. (less)

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May 04, 2011

Amy rated it

The book was a bit predictable but I think what I found most difficult to see what Jude's behavior. She has a a beautiful family and home yet when her twin daughter Mia dies she completely loses sight of anyone else-- including her own family and new grandchild. She had such a set vision of what she wanted for Mia & her twin son that she isn't able to deal w/ things when her 'planned future' for her children doesn't work out as she'd wanted.

I didn't quite understand why Jude rel...more

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May 01, 2011

Amanda rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is probably my favorite Kristin Hannah book. To be honest, Hannah's books are typically like my "romance novels" (since I don't actually read romance novels) - they're fun and addictive, but not necessarily books I turn to when I need deep intellectual stimulation. However, her last two books - Winter Garden and Night Road - have had such an impact on me, I almost feel like I've been kicked in the gut after reading them.

Winter Garden is amazing, but Night Road is amazin...more

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Apr 26, 2011

Stephanie rated it

Shelves: mainstream, women-s-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lexi Baill’s life has been anything but easy. With an absent father and heroin-addict mother, Lexi finds herself shunted from foster home to foster home. But when she is legally adopted by her aunt, Lexi’s life takes a turn for the better. She finds herself attending a good school in a good community, and quickly becomes close friends with Mia Farraday. The picture-perfect Farradays are soon a second family to Lexi, and their ties become closer when she begins dating Zach, Mia’s twin brother. Bu...moreLexi Baill’s life has been anything but easy. With an absent father and heroin-addict mother, Lexi finds herself shunted from foster home to foster home. But when she is legally adopted by her aunt, Lexi’s life takes a turn for the better. She finds herself attending a good school in a good community, and quickly becomes close friends with Mia Farraday. The picture-perfect Farradays are soon a second family to Lexi, and their ties become closer when she begins dating Zach, Mia’s twin brother. But a fatal accident sees Lexi’s, and the Farradays’, lives torn apart. The consequences are far-reaching, and both Lexi and the Farradays find that piecing back together their lives is a far greater challenge than they ever imagined–particularly when the past refuses to remain where it belongs.

(the spoiler-averse might wish to stop reading here, as my analysis touches on some key plot points you may prefer to read for yourself)

My thoughts

Best-selling author Kristen Hannah writes with confidence and flair, and it took me all of a few pages until I was completely enamoured of Lexi and her story. Yes, the against-all-odds approach is more than cliched, but Hannah manages to take her characters beyond archetypes and imbue them with such a sense of self that it’s difficult not to feel compassionate towards them. The narrative initially traces Lexi’s efforts to become integrated into the world in which the Farradays inhabit, but soon splits into a dual narrative: that of Lexi and the struggles she faces to become accepted both the first, and a second time, and that of Jude Farraday, the claustrophobically protective mother of twins Mia and Jude.

Curiously, I couldn’t help but think of F Scott Fizgerald’s Tender is the Night (see my review) when reading Night Road, as both novels deal with the growth of one character at the expense of another: in Night Road, Lexi comes into her own as Jude flails, and then, conversely, Jude takes a sense of power from Lexi’s social demise. The catalyst, of course, is the death of Mia, Jude’s daughter and Lexi’s best friend, in a road accident–an accident caused by Lexi, who was at the wheel at the time, and drunk. The effect that this accident has on all parties is obviously devastating: Lexi loses her best friend, and of course her lover Zach, while Jude loses her biological daughter Mia, and also her soi-disant adopted daughter, Lexi. Jude, who has always been protective to a fault, lashes out at Lexi as a result, pressing for a harsh penalty to avenge her daughter’s death. But these efforts serve only to further punish Jude herself: not only does she effectively lose Lexi, too, but she pushes away her devastated son. It’s a challenging scenario, and one that Hannah depicts beautifully–the anguish all but drips from the pages.

But things, of course, are only about to get more complicated, and after Lexi is sent off to prison Night Road gets a little The Lovely Bones on us. Lexi it seems has fallen pregnant to Zach, which poses all manner of problems to these fractured individuals. The pregnancy raises issues such as the value of Lexi and Zach’s relationship, the role of Jude as a grandmother and would-be mother, and perhaps most importantly, the notion of life inevitably springing from death (a theme I recently looked at in my recent review of Salley Vicker’s excellent Instances of The Number 3). But it’s in this area where I felt the novel flailed a little. Zach, still professing his undying love for Lexi, takes full custody of his new-born daughter without so much as a brief moral struggle (let’s bear in mind that this kid is 18 and about to head off to university). His altriusm is unending: he sacrifices everything for his daughter, and continues to secretly love Lexi, despite her lack of reciprocity, throughout the intervening years. For her own part, Jude continues to punish both herself and Zach by refusing to engage with her granddaughter at all.

While Hannah is undoubtedly a good writer, it’s hard not to stop such a situation from devolving into a soap opera-esque debacle, and unfortunately none of this evokes quite the pathos desired. In fact, it all becomes rather tedious after a few hundred pages, as Jude’s anguish, her deteriorating relationship with her husband, and her inability to forgive are reiterated endlessly, and we cover the same narrative ground time and time again. Moreover, the characterisation and setting seem to slowly crumble, too: jail scenes of Lexi befriending a tough-as-guts lifer feel like something out of an 80s boxing film, and things struggle to pick up when she gets out of prison and begins, well, stalking her daughter. (There’s also the fact that Lexi’s daughter’s invisible best friend is ostensibly the ghost of Mia, but this very notion strained an already struggling narrative so much that I tried to pretend that this was not the case). While I commend Hannah for attempting to deal with such a challenging scenario, I can’t help feel that Heather Gudenkauf’s These Things Hidden (see my review) did so with much more elegance.

Narratively, things only become more implausible from here: Lexi and Zach passionately reunite, and Jude manages to rend the outfit of mourning she’s been wearing these past years. It’s just all so very neat, and all so very convenient. Given that the cynic in me finds it very hard to believe in puppy love as something that will last out the years, I struggled to believe that Lexi’s past as an ex-con did nothing to sway Zach’s feelings at all.

Still, while the narrative as a whole feels rather too colour-by-numbers for me to endorse whole-heartedly, there are some surprisingly good moments in this novel, and I can see why Hannah is such a popular writer. Jude’s relationship with her husband, for example, is tenderly depicted, and there are many characters who, despite being only sketchily drawn, are easy to empathise with–characterisation is clearly Hannah’s forte as a novelist. The setting is believable, and the dialogue for the most part is spot-on. If Hannah steps away from these neat endings in future, she might well have a winner on her hands.(less)

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Apr 22, 2011

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Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Review by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Jude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brin...moreNight Road by Kristin Hannah

Review by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Jude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brings unexpected dangers and one night, Jude’s worst fears are confirmed: there is an accident. In an instant, her idyllic life is shattered and her close-knit community is torn apart. People—and Jude—demand justice, and when the finger of blame is pointed, it lands solely on eighteen-year-old Lexi Baill. In a heartbeat, their love for each other will be shattered, the family broken. Lexi gives up everything that matters to her—the boy she loves, her place in the family, the best friend she ever had—while Jude loses even more.
When Lexi returns, older and wiser, she demands a reckoning. Long buried feelings will rise again, and Jude will finally have to face the woman she has become. She must decide whether to remain broken or try to forgive both Lexi…and herself.
Night Road is a vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, loss, identity, and forgiveness. It is an exquisite, heartbreaking novel that speaks to women everywhere about the things that matter most. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)
This is the first book by Hannah. I really enjoyed it. Her writing was wonderful. The book will make you laugh and cry. It’s filled with emotions and is defiantly a book for all women and girls to read.
I found it hard to put down and read the book in a few hours. After reading it, I found myself sitting quietly and going over the whole book in detail over and over. It is such a moving book, it will stay with you long after you have finished it.
The relationships in the book felt real and the characters were true to themselves. I never felt like the author was trying to make something happen that shouldn’t have. The dialogue was really good.
After reading this book, I will be looking for more books by this author I highly recommend this book to all women.
Overall rating ***** 5 out of 5 stars
Cover art I liked the cover art.
Obtained Sent to me by the publisher for review. Thank you.
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About Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen novels, including the blockbuster Firefly Lane and Night Road. She is a former lawyer turned writer and is the mother of one son. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii with her husband.

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“Maybe time didn't heal wounds exactly, but it gave you a kind of armor, or a new perspective. A way to remember with a smile instead of a sob.” — 29 people liked it

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