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The Promise of the Pelican
For fans of Harper Lee and Rita Mae Brown, Roy Hoffman's new novel is steeped in a sense of place--coastal Alabama--with its rich tapestry of characters caught in a web of justice not for all.
Early Praise for The Promise of the
"Roy Hoffman has written a fast-paced, mesmerizing and incredibly moving contemporary novel about human and civil rights,"-- bestselling author Lee Smith
"A thrilling novel, with characters as memorable as those of Shakespearean tragedy...I could not put it down." --Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife
At once a literary crime novel and an intergenerational family drama, The Promise of the Pelican is set in the multicultural South, where justice might depend on the color of your skin and your immigration status. Hank Weinberg is a modern day Atticus Finch, recently retired as a defense attorney in Mobile, Alabama, and a Holocaust survivor, who fled the Nazis as a young child. With his daughter in rehab, he's now taking care of his special needs grandson. Mourning his dead wife, spending mornings fishing on the pier with other octogenarians, he passes the rest of his days watching over his sweet grandson with the help of Lupita, a young Honduran babysitter. When her brother Julio, an undocumented immigrant, is accused of murder, Hank must return to the courtroom to defend him while also trying to save his daughter and grandson's life from spinning out of control. The Promise of the Pelican takes its title from the legend that a pelican will pierce its own breast for blood to feed its starving chicks, a metaphor for one old man who risks all to save the vulnerable.
In a crisp prose style Harper Lee called "lean and clean," Hoffman writes from an enormous well of compassion. He fills his new novel with a cast of finely drawn characters of all ages and abilities facing life's harshest challenges and rising to meet them with dignity.
Early Praise for The Promise of the
"Roy Hoffman has written a fast-paced, mesmerizing and incredibly moving contemporary novel about human and civil rights,"-- bestselling author Lee Smith
"A thrilling novel, with characters as memorable as those of Shakespearean tragedy...I could not put it down." --Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife
At once a literary crime novel and an intergenerational family drama, The Promise of the Pelican is set in the multicultural South, where justice might depend on the color of your skin and your immigration status. Hank Weinberg is a modern day Atticus Finch, recently retired as a defense attorney in Mobile, Alabama, and a Holocaust survivor, who fled the Nazis as a young child. With his daughter in rehab, he's now taking care of his special needs grandson. Mourning his dead wife, spending mornings fishing on the pier with other octogenarians, he passes the rest of his days watching over his sweet grandson with the help of Lupita, a young Honduran babysitter. When her brother Julio, an undocumented immigrant, is accused of murder, Hank must return to the courtroom to defend him while also trying to save his daughter and grandson's life from spinning out of control. The Promise of the Pelican takes its title from the legend that a pelican will pierce its own breast for blood to feed its starving chicks, a metaphor for one old man who risks all to save the vulnerable.
In a crisp prose style Harper Lee called "lean and clean," Hoffman writes from an enormous well of compassion. He fills his new novel with a cast of finely drawn characters of all ages and abilities facing life's harshest challenges and rising to meet them with dignity.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published March 15, 2022
184 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 11, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this one a lot. I pretty much finished it all in one go. It was well written and well paced. The plot was engaging and touched on some pretty heavy topics (holocaust, racism, alcoholism). The characters were well developed and likable, and it all wrapped up in a satisfying conclusion. 👍🏻👍🏻
**ARC Via NetGalley**
I enjoyed this one a lot. I pretty much finished it all in one go. It was well written and well paced. The plot was engaging and touched on some pretty heavy topics (holocaust, racism, alcoholism). The characters were well developed and likable, and it all wrapped up in a satisfying conclusion. 👍🏻👍🏻
**ARC Via NetGalley**
February 1, 2023
While comparisons to Harper Lee's masterpiece are overly generous, The Promise of the Pelican stands on its own as a solid 4* read. It is an all to familiar story of the injustice of the American justice system and an indictment of current American ideology where anyone different is suspect and unwelcome. But there are also characters to admire, who display bravery and loyalty at their own risk. Their actions are what stays with me most.
Several backstories are skillfully developed and intertwined. Two images in particular stick with me: a child being ripped away from parents and siblings during the holocaust, and in the Honduras, a mother brandishing a machete to protect her son from gang violence. The Promise of the Pelican reminds us to be gentle with one another and that kindness can prevail over prejudice and violence.
Thank you to the author and Skyhorse Publishing for providing a complimentary ebook via Netgalley for my enjoyment and review.
Several backstories are skillfully developed and intertwined. Two images in particular stick with me: a child being ripped away from parents and siblings during the holocaust, and in the Honduras, a mother brandishing a machete to protect her son from gang violence. The Promise of the Pelican reminds us to be gentle with one another and that kindness can prevail over prejudice and violence.
Thank you to the author and Skyhorse Publishing for providing a complimentary ebook via Netgalley for my enjoyment and review.
March 10, 2022
Hank Weinberg, an octogenarian and survivor of the Shoah, is adjusting to new roles in life, after retiring from his law practice. That of widower and ‘Gradee’, grandfather. He suddenly finds himself in the role of primary caretaker to his grandson, with the help of his Honduran babysitter, Lupita, when his daughter lands herself in court-ordered rehab after her second DWI. A modern-day Atticus Fitch, Hank comes out of retirement to defend Lupita’s brother, Julio, who is identified as a suspect by a witness to the murder of a prominent member of the Mobile Bay community.
Hoffman brilliantly crafts a novel that is so much more than a crime drama. This story explores generational trauma from two angles. The first, from Hank Weinberg, who as a child, was secreted out of Amsterdam, to the United States, where he was adopted and raised in southern Alabama. While still a young child, Hank is shaped by being rounded up, by the Nazis, with his family, and losing his parents, brother, and sister. He is the sole survivor of the Holocaust out of his family of five. This experience clearly shapes his relationship with his daughter, who as an adult, struggles with addiction leading to the breakup of her marriage.
The second is from the perspective of Lupita and Julio, who immigrated to the United States from Honduras, escaping extreme poverty, political turmoil, and gang violence. The sister and brother were urged to leave, in search of a better life, by their mother. Both continue to provide her with financial support but are unable to return to their homeland.
The story also explores civil rights and racial prejudice as Julio is painted as an illegal immigrant from Mexico. Hoffman’s narrative is a contemporary nod to the Harper Lee classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, as Hank’s empathy for a marginalized young man overrules his own self-doubt.
The ending, which I promise not to spoil, is beautifully moving. I truly could not put this book down. The Promise of the Pelican is easily the front runner for the number one spot on my Top Ten list this year.
I’d like to thank the author, Roy Hoffman, for the free advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Hoffman brilliantly crafts a novel that is so much more than a crime drama. This story explores generational trauma from two angles. The first, from Hank Weinberg, who as a child, was secreted out of Amsterdam, to the United States, where he was adopted and raised in southern Alabama. While still a young child, Hank is shaped by being rounded up, by the Nazis, with his family, and losing his parents, brother, and sister. He is the sole survivor of the Holocaust out of his family of five. This experience clearly shapes his relationship with his daughter, who as an adult, struggles with addiction leading to the breakup of her marriage.
The second is from the perspective of Lupita and Julio, who immigrated to the United States from Honduras, escaping extreme poverty, political turmoil, and gang violence. The sister and brother were urged to leave, in search of a better life, by their mother. Both continue to provide her with financial support but are unable to return to their homeland.
The story also explores civil rights and racial prejudice as Julio is painted as an illegal immigrant from Mexico. Hoffman’s narrative is a contemporary nod to the Harper Lee classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, as Hank’s empathy for a marginalized young man overrules his own self-doubt.
The ending, which I promise not to spoil, is beautifully moving. I truly could not put this book down. The Promise of the Pelican is easily the front runner for the number one spot on my Top Ten list this year.
I’d like to thank the author, Roy Hoffman, for the free advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
January 30, 2022
A tale of lives lived outside of community, robbed of a sense of belonging, yet yearning for connection. THE PROMISE OF THE PELICAN traces several characters, all locked outside of their own communities, struggling to merge into the great melting pot of America, and not quite making it. Their lives are all damaged by their yearning and their interactions with the prejudices of others. This is a story deftly told across generations of ache. I received my copy from the publisher through edelweiss.
March 26, 2023
This is a mystery novel but not one I would have picked out if it wasn't our residency book in common and they usually pick out really good books for us to read and discuss as a class this one is involved around a murder of a white man on a golf course and our prime suspect is a man from Honduras. Who came to the country legally, but stayed beyond his visa and that makes him the prime suspect the story delves into majors issues of racism among immigrants as well as kind of hard hitting white privilege in the South, should give for lots of room for discussions during the residency. As none of the events in the story go in the direction you think they're going to in. However if you want to read this book for a hard biting mystery you're going to be disappointed it definitely is more about racism and I didn't feel there was enough of the Vanessa story line. Not to mention I was left a little unsatisfied with how that developed. I think it paints an accurate portrayal of racial issues in this country today, especially in the South. I think instead of moving along three different story lines it would have been a much stronger piece if we would have stuck to the main 2 and then developed vanessa's healing much better. And there was no real investigation into who the actual killer was. This book part of a growing trend of new novels to label it in a certain genre to disguise the fact that it's more of a social commentary piece than an actual murder mystery. As I said it should offer for some great discussions during our sessions over the book.
June 7, 2022
I just finished my vacation read, and I highly recommend this book. It has a bit of Mockingbird Atticus Finch, a bit of Grisham legal drama, a bit of Amy Tan intergenerational family relationships, and something special that is all Roy Hoffman, who was born in Mobile and currently resides in Fairhope. It’s set right here on the Gulf Coast, and he has done an amazing job of capturing the flavor of this area and its people.
September 3, 2023
Forgettable…I suppose I see a hint of Atticus Finch in Hank Weinberg, but beyond that, the plot gets lost in florid prose and annoying characters.
June 30, 2022
Southern fiction meets the Holocaust. Hank, a retired lawyer from southern Alabama was born into a Jewish family in the Netherlands. He was the only survivor as the rest of his family was murdered in the camps. Adopted by an American family Hank married and raised a daughter, Vanessa, who is also a lawyer. As the story opens, Vanessa is in a state-sponsored rehab center for alcoholism. Her son Roger, a developmentally delayed four-year-old has been left in the care of his grandfather with help from a caretaker, Lupita. Lupita's brother Julio happens upon a well-known local man who has been stabbed and is dying. He is unable to help but realizes that in trying to he has put his life and immigration status at risk and runs. Vanessa also runs trying to figure out how to be a better mother to her young son. Hank at eighty-three tries very hard to help each of them.
Hoffman connects the past with the present through the experiences of Jews in Europe to how Latin immigrants are treated in the U.S. today. He also explores how our past experiences shape who we are and how we respond to life.
Hoffman connects the past with the present through the experiences of Jews in Europe to how Latin immigrants are treated in the U.S. today. He also explores how our past experiences shape who we are and how we respond to life.
September 3, 2023
It was just OK. I think the author bit off a little too much with so many storylines, characters, and social issues. And the writing wasn't always good; sometimes flowery and over-written and other times containing errors in grammar, punctuation, syntax, etc. But there were some compelling character arcs and it read quickly. Also ---- this is not a mystery/thriller as might be deemed from the book jacket description. Just a word of warning if that's what you're seeking. The crime at the center of the novel is barely touched on and not part of the bulk of the book or is its focus.
March 10, 2022
Hank, a retired defense attorney, finds himself back in the courtroom when Julio, the brother of the caregiver of his grandchild, is arrested for the murder of a golfer at the course where he works. Hoffman pulls several themes together here- Hank is a Holocaust survivor, Julio and his sister are refugees from Guatemala, Julio is undocumented, Hank's daughter is an addict. There are mistakes made on multiple levels, most importantly by Julio after he finds the dead golfer. Fans of legal thriller might quibble with the courtroom scenes but Hoffman clearly shows his passion. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.
May 30, 2022
Very uplifting
It’s a story about people surviving despite adversity. It’s also about individuals overcoming the demons within. Once I began reading it was hard to put the book down. I highly recommend it.
It’s a story about people surviving despite adversity. It’s also about individuals overcoming the demons within. Once I began reading it was hard to put the book down. I highly recommend it.
September 5, 2023
Book club
To Kill a Mockingbird very light. Readable and somewhat interesting, but too many unlikeable characters and too many unanswered questions.
To Kill a Mockingbird very light. Readable and somewhat interesting, but too many unlikeable characters and too many unanswered questions.
Read
March 28, 2022The Promise of the Pelican was fast paced and entrancing. I really loved how the perspective of Hank and his traumatizing escape from getting sent to concentration camps enmeshed with today's current events. History can always seem so far until it's not and I really appreciated that scope. My heart absolutely broke in the scene where he telling his story at a school and the kids stood up and started yelling. I just love Hank so much. It was also so poignant to me that an octogenarian could still have such deep character growth and such a beautiful arc. It's also just humbling and inspiring to consider that at that age, we still might not have the whole parenting thing figured out, but we can still learn and grow and do better.
I feel like bits of the story were rushed. Particularly with Vanessa. Her downward spiral was entrancing...and then she just pulled out of it. She had been so worried about going back and facing the damage she had left her in wake...but then we didn't get much more out of that storyline then a numbered list of stuff she learned. That never sits right with me in literature...SHOW me the character mulling that over and aching in the depths of their soul, instead of homework it seems like they're going to present to a judge or sponsor or something.
I really loved Julio's storyline and appreciated his character. There is and always will be so much that happens out of our control. How Julio acted in the face of such unfair injustice was a lesson in how to be humble and strong. The fact that he remained unbroken and didn't turn bitter really stood out to me. He could have so easily lashed out and turned to some numbing substance or any number of things, and it would've been perfectly understandable. However, he did not that and that is why he will stand out to me as an incredibly powerful character in my mind for a very long time.
Overall this book was moving and thought provoking. I will definitely be recommending it.
I feel like bits of the story were rushed. Particularly with Vanessa. Her downward spiral was entrancing...and then she just pulled out of it. She had been so worried about going back and facing the damage she had left her in wake...but then we didn't get much more out of that storyline then a numbered list of stuff she learned. That never sits right with me in literature...SHOW me the character mulling that over and aching in the depths of their soul, instead of homework it seems like they're going to present to a judge or sponsor or something.
I really loved Julio's storyline and appreciated his character. There is and always will be so much that happens out of our control. How Julio acted in the face of such unfair injustice was a lesson in how to be humble and strong. The fact that he remained unbroken and didn't turn bitter really stood out to me. He could have so easily lashed out and turned to some numbing substance or any number of things, and it would've been perfectly understandable. However, he did not that and that is why he will stand out to me as an incredibly powerful character in my mind for a very long time.
Overall this book was moving and thought provoking. I will definitely be recommending it.
March 8, 2024
A novel about octogenarian lawyer Hank, mourning his wife, worrying about his lawyer daughter who is off on a Bender, and caring for his grandson with special needs. His grandson's nanny Lupe asks him to help her brother, Julio, who has been accused of murder. This book felt so familiar I checked to see if I'd read it before. (I hadn't). It was very similar to Grisham's Camino Island. Frankly, there wasn't much new here. The author tried to tell the story from multiple perspectives but some, like the daughter's, felt superficial and forced, and the grandson in particular was very superficially sketched.
May 27, 2022
Don’t waste your time. Disjointed writing and plot is cliche. This is NOT an updated To Kill a Mockingbird.
December 11, 2022
Was so excited to finally get my hands on a copy of this book! When I found out that it was set in my home state and covered two of my favorite topics, immigration and the Holocaust, I knew it would be right up my alley.
Hoffman has written a wonderfully complex book that I think really encourages readers to confront their preconceived notions about a variety of topics: alcoholism, immigration, Holocaust survivors, justice, and xenophobia. For that reason, I think this would be an ideal book for a book club and would lead to great discussions about each of these themes, what our own preconceived notions are, and how this book perhaps challenged those.
The part of me that is a lover of a good, complex story would have ranked this book higher...but the part of me that is a Spanish speaker and teacher could not give it more than 3/5 stars. Hoffman chose to incorporate lots of Spanish phrases/dialogue in his book, which I think is a great tool to help make the characters feel more real. However, the Spanish was just outright wrong in many different places, such as "Soy nervioso," "Yo intenté a nadar," "Soy honduraño," or when the Honduran man says, "¿Quién sois?"...just to name a few.
In the acknowledgements, he thanks Ann Harmon, "a lifelong friend in Madrid," for help with the Spanish. I really wish that he or his editor could have asked an actual Hondureño/a instead of a non-native-speaker to read over the Spanish portions. This would have served to A) make sure the phrases are correct and B) ensure the Spanish that is used actually sounds like something a Honduran would say. Even the technically correct Spanish phrases are very formal and not at all representative of conversational Honduran Spanish.
Of course if you don't speak Spanish, this won't bother you, but I just couldn't get past it. Great story though! Would definitely recommend to my non-Spanish-speaking friends.
Hoffman has written a wonderfully complex book that I think really encourages readers to confront their preconceived notions about a variety of topics: alcoholism, immigration, Holocaust survivors, justice, and xenophobia. For that reason, I think this would be an ideal book for a book club and would lead to great discussions about each of these themes, what our own preconceived notions are, and how this book perhaps challenged those.
The part of me that is a lover of a good, complex story would have ranked this book higher...but the part of me that is a Spanish speaker and teacher could not give it more than 3/5 stars. Hoffman chose to incorporate lots of Spanish phrases/dialogue in his book, which I think is a great tool to help make the characters feel more real. However, the Spanish was just outright wrong in many different places, such as "Soy nervioso," "Yo intenté a nadar," "Soy honduraño," or when the Honduran man says, "¿Quién sois?"...just to name a few.
In the acknowledgements, he thanks Ann Harmon, "a lifelong friend in Madrid," for help with the Spanish. I really wish that he or his editor could have asked an actual Hondureño/a instead of a non-native-speaker to read over the Spanish portions. This would have served to A) make sure the phrases are correct and B) ensure the Spanish that is used actually sounds like something a Honduran would say. Even the technically correct Spanish phrases are very formal and not at all representative of conversational Honduran Spanish.
Of course if you don't speak Spanish, this won't bother you, but I just couldn't get past it. Great story though! Would definitely recommend to my non-Spanish-speaking friends.
April 5, 2022
Read his full review on Rosepoint Publishing.
Life is a series of conflicts for most individuals. Struggling against drug use is a rabbit hole difficult to get extricated from. Helping someone who has been stabbed can be a very dangerous undertaking. These are but a few of the trials these main characters face. Society and especially law enforcement espouse innocent until proven guilty. However, it is hard to prove innocence from inside a prison cell.
Escaping alcoholism is also very trying and at times a seemingly impossible endeavor. Family will be supportive for awhile but finally even the ones who love you abandon the quest to get you healed. This book explores some of these afflictions with painful clarity! Children are often caught in the middle, with grandparents or other family members taking up the mantle of guardianship.
The author helped me to realize that my own childhood was a cakewalk compared to some of the trials faced by others. Drug use is particularly egregious and there must be a way that society can educate the young to avoid this calamity at all costs. The problem is that some of the richest get their fortunes from this very malady. They are the ones that should face legal action and prison. Regrettably they can afford the dealers and lawyers to keep their hands clean. I found myself trying to figure out the cure for this national affliction. Read and see if you agree. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher and NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.
Life is a series of conflicts for most individuals. Struggling against drug use is a rabbit hole difficult to get extricated from. Helping someone who has been stabbed can be a very dangerous undertaking. These are but a few of the trials these main characters face. Society and especially law enforcement espouse innocent until proven guilty. However, it is hard to prove innocence from inside a prison cell.
Escaping alcoholism is also very trying and at times a seemingly impossible endeavor. Family will be supportive for awhile but finally even the ones who love you abandon the quest to get you healed. This book explores some of these afflictions with painful clarity! Children are often caught in the middle, with grandparents or other family members taking up the mantle of guardianship.
The author helped me to realize that my own childhood was a cakewalk compared to some of the trials faced by others. Drug use is particularly egregious and there must be a way that society can educate the young to avoid this calamity at all costs. The problem is that some of the richest get their fortunes from this very malady. They are the ones that should face legal action and prison. Regrettably they can afford the dealers and lawyers to keep their hands clean. I found myself trying to figure out the cure for this national affliction. Read and see if you agree. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher and NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.
February 23, 2024
I'm writing this review on behalf of the book club Footnotes. 14 members of our club read The Promise of the Pelican and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it for book clubs because it makes for a stimulating discussion. Relationships, addiction, faith, aging, trust, were all themes. Immigration, prejudice and many other issues were addressed. Our club enjoys these types of books. There were many diverse characters to discuss, some more likeable (Hank, Julio and Roger) than others (Vanessa). The vivid description of Mobile Bay made us want to go there. Many said they could visualize the area, especially the pier. Prose was noted as beautiful and the courtroom dissertation was interesting.
Is this a mystery or is it a book about social issues? The group was divided on this point. They did say they liked a story that is wrapped up and tidy. This read did not provide that. Comments were that it was a bit disjointed, they mostly didn't like the ending. Not enough closure they said.
Is this a mystery or is it a book about social issues? The group was divided on this point. They did say they liked a story that is wrapped up and tidy. This read did not provide that. Comments were that it was a bit disjointed, they mostly didn't like the ending. Not enough closure they said.
May 8, 2023
An elderly lawyer, a victim of the Holocaust, comes out of retirement to take the case of a Honduran immigrant who is accused of murder. The lawyer's daughter is an alcoholic sentenced to a residential rehab program. She is also a lawyer and her cognitively slow 4-year-old son is in the care of her father, with the help of a young Honduran woman, sister of the defendant. The murder case is at the center of the plot, but there is not much attention paid to the investigation; instead the lawyer relies on his ability to connect with the jury. The heart of the book is in the parallel problems of racism and Nazism, along with preconceptions about cognitive difficulties and the challenges of alcoholic recovery. The issues are all challenging, and maybe more than one book should handle.
October 30, 2023
31/2 ⭐️ I was torn about this book. I was intrigued by the concept of a young poor immigrant, Julio, being accused of murder. The problem for me was that author couldn’t seem to focus on the plot. The attorney, Hank, is Jewish. Hank was rescued from the concentration camps as a boy. Hank grows up in Alabama and fights for the rights of others. Hank is haunted by the last time he saw he saw his parents and siblings. Hank's daughter Vanessa, calls him Atticus Finch. Vanessa has her own demons. She is also an attorney with drug and alcohol problems. Lupita is Julio's sister. Lupita works for Vanessa watching her son Roger. Julio is working on an expired visa. He is a young man who has been driven out of Honduras by the gangs who menace the population. There is so much going on at all times in this novel. Each character has an arc in this novel. There is drama galore. While I enjoyed some of these plots some others seemed unnecessary. Every time we roll around to Hank we need to revisit him being a Dutch Jew. Every time we roll around to Vanessa she is in the midst of ruining her life. I felt like more could of been done with Julio and Lupita. Less about Hank and Vanessa.
July 3, 2022
Highly recommended if like reads that stay with you after you have finished reading.
So many social issues packed into this story of Hank Weinburg, a recently retired defense attorney in Mobile, AL. who is Holocaust survivor from The Netherlands.
Hoffman tackles survivors of tragedy during the Nazis
purges and in Honduras. Along the way we see alcoholism, immigration, aging, special needs children, courtroom defense and the importance of family, all handled lovingly with a superb literary hand.
So many social issues packed into this story of Hank Weinburg, a recently retired defense attorney in Mobile, AL. who is Holocaust survivor from The Netherlands.
Hoffman tackles survivors of tragedy during the Nazis
purges and in Honduras. Along the way we see alcoholism, immigration, aging, special needs children, courtroom defense and the importance of family, all handled lovingly with a superb literary hand.
July 13, 2022
3.5 stars. I liked the premise of the book a little more than the actual book. This book takes on a lot...anti-immigrant racism, alcoholism, a child with developmental issues. I appreciated making the connection between Europeans who came here during WWII to escape danger & Honduran & Nicaraguan refugees who are attempting to do the same thing but who have been treated very differently.
I just didn't connect to the characters as much as I had hoped. Still definitely worth the read.
I just didn't connect to the characters as much as I had hoped. Still definitely worth the read.
February 17, 2023
I read the book for the story of a murder, arrest and trial. Some of the development of the characters was interesting and helped create drama in this book. Treatment of superficial characters served as a distraction. I never did get the pelican references and there were times in this book that I felt like the author was trying to say too much, introduce too many issues. I was disappointed at the ending--a soft drink that lost its fizz.
August 10, 2023
I understand that the tough issues with “illegals” was the basis for this story, but I had a hard time following the story at times. I am not sure why Vanessa’s personal struggles played such a large role, except that her father had to deal with her crazy issues. I thought it was a little weak to throw in June to rescue Hank in his loneliness. Returning home seemed a larger theme than dealing with crime and discrimination.
April 28, 2022
Despite the book cover touting its fast pace, I found the book rather slow moving at first. But I stuck with it a)because I have a signed first edition that I got at the Launch Party at our local book store and b. because Roy is a local author and a great guy and I live in Fairhope AL where the book is set. I'm glad I stuck with it as it definitely picked up!
June 12, 2022
What a wonderfully woven novel! Having lived on the Eastern Shore of the Mobile Bay for thirty years, I was repeatedly transported back via Mr. Hoffman’s exquisite descriptions of the area. To represent the plight of the current U.S. immigrants was heroic. I hope this finds success and stirs many souls as mine was.
February 5, 2023
A pleasant read. Many years ago, I lived in the little town in south Alabama where the story was set, so I enjoyed reading about the locale. The characters were likable, the story realistic and engaging. I thought the title was somewhat of a stretch, but the writing was otherwise good.
March 19, 2023
Maybe it's because I read this while on vacation in the southern US and could smell the sea air, see the pelicans and walk the piers, but regardless, I enjoyed this. A mixture of topics - crime, immigration, holocaust and more, the story grabbed me and the writing was good.
March 26, 2023
Fairly interesting story line but very disjointed. The author tried to tackle far too many issues in one book. Too many seriously damaged people to be able to develop any one character fully. I found the ending very boring and disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews