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An Unfinished Life
Jean Gilkyson is living in Iowa with yet another brutal boyfriend, when she realizes this kind of life has got to stop, especially for the sake of her daughter, Griff. But the only place they can run to is Ishawooa, Wyoming, where her loved ones are dead, and her father-in-law wishes she was too. For a decade, Einar Gilkyson has blamed her for the accident that took his son's life, and has chosen to go on living himself largely because his oldest friend couldn't otherwise survive. Bound together like brothers since the Korean War, their intimacy is even more acute since a bear horribly crippled Mitch. Griff knows none of this, but once she encounters this grandfather she'd never heard about, and the black cowboy confined to the bunkhouse, she attempts to turn grievous loss, wrath and recrimination towards reconciliation and love.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
96 people are currently reading
5583 people want to read
About the author
Mark Spragg
13 books131 followersMark Spragg is the author of Where Rivers Change Direction, a memoir that won the 2000 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers award, and the novels, The Fruit of Stone, An Unfinished Life, and, Bone Fire. All four were top-ten Book Sense selections and An Unfinished Life was chosen by the Rocky Mountain News as the Best Book of 2004. Spragg’s work has been translated into fifteen languages. He lives in Wyoming with his wife, Virginia, with whom he wrote the screenplay for the film version of his novel, An Unfinished Life, starring Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, and Jennifer Lopez, and released in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 499 reviews
September 5, 2016
If you are a fan of Kent Haruf’s trilogy starting with Plainsong, you should also like this novel. It’s a familiar story, reminiscent of those I’ve read and loved in the past. The characters, the sense of place, the spare dialogue and emotions are predictable but beautifully written and poignant. The author took me there...to that small Wyoming town where ordinary people lead commonplace lives doing their best with what life throws at them.
The novel is told in the alternating perspectives of three members of a fractured family and an old family friend as they attempt to reconcile, reintegrate and heal from a tragic, past event. One narrator was a 10-year-old girl named Griff. I’m not usually a fan of child protagonists because they often seem to come off as too precocious…as short, annoying adults. Griff was plausible and wise beyond her years. The relationship between this young girl and her grandfather was delightful.
It is a fast read, a simple story about forgiveness and strength of character; and, the spare prose was a joy for me to read. Chicken soup for the soul of a Kent Haruf novel!
The novel is told in the alternating perspectives of three members of a fractured family and an old family friend as they attempt to reconcile, reintegrate and heal from a tragic, past event. One narrator was a 10-year-old girl named Griff. I’m not usually a fan of child protagonists because they often seem to come off as too precocious…as short, annoying adults. Griff was plausible and wise beyond her years. The relationship between this young girl and her grandfather was delightful.
It is a fast read, a simple story about forgiveness and strength of character; and, the spare prose was a joy for me to read. Chicken soup for the soul of a Kent Haruf novel!
June 15, 2016
I wonder if I’m too generous with four and five star ratings because I seem to love everything I read lately. I know it’s not very nice but I really tried to find fault with An Unfinished Life. Well… big fail.
This is a genuinely good book.
Jean Gylkison has left her abusive boyfriend and brought her ten year old daughter Griff back to Wyoming, to the place she grew up and where she lost her husband, Griff’s father, ten years ago. In a nutshell, her father-in-law is not happy to see her. The ensuing story isn’t just about finding home and forgiveness, but also about hope for the future. Recognizing and grasping the chance you’ve been given. What a true pleasure it is to witness Griff’s growing relationship with two older men: Einer, the grandfather she never knew existed, and his best friend Mitch. This is her first real experience with good men. Men who are not emotionally or physically abusive. Men whom she doesn’t have to tiptoe around to avoid their anger.
“She thinks she’ll write in her diary that she likes it that old men let her feel like she matters. Even if they’re hungry. Even if one of the old men is cranky because he lost his son, and his cows and his wife.”
The writing is not fancy. It’s not full of extraordinary prose or lengthy descriptions of the Wyoming landscape. What it is is simple, forthright, stripped down to the basics, and fairly short. What it does is wrap a chain around your heart and haul. How Mark Spragg, a grown man, managed to bring to life and get so thoroughly inside the head of a 10 year old girl who’s seen her share of trouble, I’ll never know. But he did it and she is magnificent.
This is a genuinely good book.
Jean Gylkison has left her abusive boyfriend and brought her ten year old daughter Griff back to Wyoming, to the place she grew up and where she lost her husband, Griff’s father, ten years ago. In a nutshell, her father-in-law is not happy to see her. The ensuing story isn’t just about finding home and forgiveness, but also about hope for the future. Recognizing and grasping the chance you’ve been given. What a true pleasure it is to witness Griff’s growing relationship with two older men: Einer, the grandfather she never knew existed, and his best friend Mitch. This is her first real experience with good men. Men who are not emotionally or physically abusive. Men whom she doesn’t have to tiptoe around to avoid their anger.
“She thinks she’ll write in her diary that she likes it that old men let her feel like she matters. Even if they’re hungry. Even if one of the old men is cranky because he lost his son, and his cows and his wife.”
The writing is not fancy. It’s not full of extraordinary prose or lengthy descriptions of the Wyoming landscape. What it is is simple, forthright, stripped down to the basics, and fairly short. What it does is wrap a chain around your heart and haul. How Mark Spragg, a grown man, managed to bring to life and get so thoroughly inside the head of a 10 year old girl who’s seen her share of trouble, I’ll never know. But he did it and she is magnificent.
October 15, 2020
I absolutely detested this from start to finish. A soppy, syrupy, cinematic sob story that ends with a clash of drama followed by a cute paste-on conclusion. Unrealistic. Terrible lines. Fake from start to finish. A dysfunctional family, violence, physical abuse of woman and child, maiming by and cruelty of animals, drinking, drugs, profane language.....and then all of this ends sweetly. I knew exactly how this would end.
My God what drivel!
There are two narrators. The male sections are narrated by Tony Amendola. This was easy to follow and well performed. Judith Marx narrated the female sections. Her narration was way too level, subdued, calm and sweet; her intonation did not fit the lines. With such a terrible book, who cares how the narration might be?!
Sorry, I had to blow off some steam.
My God what drivel!
There are two narrators. The male sections are narrated by Tony Amendola. This was easy to follow and well performed. Judith Marx narrated the female sections. Her narration was way too level, subdued, calm and sweet; her intonation did not fit the lines. With such a terrible book, who cares how the narration might be?!
Sorry, I had to blow off some steam.
September 10, 2024
I’ve never been to Wyoming except through books and internet pictures of rugged mountains and windswept lakes, but this place hold a particular fascination for me. I like the idea of one of the last wilderness places where settlements are few and far apart, where people are comfortable in their loneliness and closer to the natural rhythms of air and rock and forest. I’ve been reading Craig Johnson’s crime novels on and off for a few years, mostly for the setting and the Native American angle, but I think An Unfinished Life is several classes above him.
This Mark Spragg book has been waiting its turn on my TBR stack for more than 10 years but, like the other almost lost recommendation I’ve tried this summer [ The Visitors ] it surpassed my expectations right from the first chapter.
Spragg sure knows how to tell a story. Looking just at the main plot, this is a thriller: a woman runs away from an abusive boyfriend with her quiet but observant daughter. They end up somewhere in Wyoming, at the ranch of the woman’s father-in-law Einar, who doesn’t even know he is a grandfather and who blames the woman for the death of his only son in a car crash a decade ago.
At the ranch, the elderly Einar is taking care of his best friend Mitch, a black man he met in the war [Korean or Vietnam, I’m not sure which]. Mitch has been crippled in a bear mauling when the two ranchers were trying to drive the beast off from a cattle kill.
Jean, the girl Griff, Einar and Mitch try to live together at the ranch while the past traumatic events threaten to disrupt their fragile attempts at reconciliation. In an effort to become independent of Einar’s goodwill, Jean gets a job as a waitress in the nearby town where she befriends a co-worker and the local sheriff.
The return of Jean’s sadistic boyfriend, who has stalked her across several states, precipitates the crisis that brings all the dark secrets of the past into the light.
>>><<<>>><<<
For me though, this novel doesn’t read as a thriller, but as a character study about resilience and forgiveness and the role of friendship and family in survival of trauma. It is very well written, despite the fact that I apparently didn’t bookmark any particular passage or dialogue from the text. There is a quality of restraint, of dignity and fairness in adversity that is passed down from one generation to the next, from Einar and Mitch to the young Griff by way of her mother Jean, that elevates the novel above genre restrictions.
I saw now, as I was looking up what else I can read by Mark Spragg, that he collaborated on the script for the movie adaptation of his novel. I hope I will find the movie soon, because I can’t imagine a better director than Lasse Hallstrom for this poignant story about strife and forgiveness.
September 16, 2016
I could cry because it’s over. I wanted to know how it would end but I didn’t want it to end. I want it to be a trilogy and this is the beginning of more.
A young gal, Griff, is living the kind of life that is a TV news story with a sad ending. Her mother, Jean, has always been drifting and the latest stop includes an abusive boyfriend. They escape, but the only place to run is where Jean’s life had begun. They are not wanted there. And the boyfriend has their destination pegged.
The script like action and the cramped conversation is pungent and filled with innuendo. More is unsaid than said, but they know every word is loaded with more meaning. This author uses 6 or 8 words to get the message across. I would have used 60 or 80 and my reader would have given up. I couldn’t put it down.
Jean and Griff end up in back in Wyoming where the rural small town thinks nothing of their appearance, remembers Jean, knows she comes from trouble and has come back to trouble. But they accept her as much as she will let them.
In the meantime, ten year old Griff meets a Grandfather she didn’t know existed, his best friend, a horse, a dog and cats, all living out in the open country. A dream come true for her, but with complications.
If you don’t read any other book this year, pick this one and enjoy and bumpy ride. 10 out of 10.
A young gal, Griff, is living the kind of life that is a TV news story with a sad ending. Her mother, Jean, has always been drifting and the latest stop includes an abusive boyfriend. They escape, but the only place to run is where Jean’s life had begun. They are not wanted there. And the boyfriend has their destination pegged.
The script like action and the cramped conversation is pungent and filled with innuendo. More is unsaid than said, but they know every word is loaded with more meaning. This author uses 6 or 8 words to get the message across. I would have used 60 or 80 and my reader would have given up. I couldn’t put it down.
Jean and Griff end up in back in Wyoming where the rural small town thinks nothing of their appearance, remembers Jean, knows she comes from trouble and has come back to trouble. But they accept her as much as she will let them.
In the meantime, ten year old Griff meets a Grandfather she didn’t know existed, his best friend, a horse, a dog and cats, all living out in the open country. A dream come true for her, but with complications.
If you don’t read any other book this year, pick this one and enjoy and bumpy ride. 10 out of 10.
February 17, 2020
Decisamente leggerino, speravo in un po' più di sostanza.
Qualche lieve aspetto positivo e un po' di arrotondamento per eccesso mi fanno comunque arrivare alle tre stelle.
La trama è sensata (cosa che non era da dare per scontata dopo quel guazzabuglio de Le strade di Laredo) e per lo meno tenta di mettere sul tavolo i temi del risentimento e del perdono, della differenza tra dolo e colpa e concorso di colpa, anche se poi non è che riesca a sviluppare un granché.
Qualche passaggio melenso c'è, ma la piccola protagonista è un personaggio non melenso né gigione, a tratti è quasi realistico, e anche questo non era da dare per scontato.
Tornando al paragone più o meno involontario con McMurtry: pur trattandosi di niente più che un romanzetto, mi ha piacevolmente riportata sugli stessi luoghi fin dove la masnada della Hat Creek si era spinta nel finale di Lonesome Dove (appena prima che Le strade di Laredo rovinasse tutto) con le Bighorn Mountains a fare da sfondo e un'atmosfera luminosa e autunnale. Quindi preferisco pensare che il seguito che cercavo possa essere questo, anche se soltanto da un punto di vista strettamente paesaggistico, e nulla più.
Qualche lieve aspetto positivo e un po' di arrotondamento per eccesso mi fanno comunque arrivare alle tre stelle.
La trama è sensata (cosa che non era da dare per scontata dopo quel guazzabuglio de Le strade di Laredo) e per lo meno tenta di mettere sul tavolo i temi del risentimento e del perdono, della differenza tra dolo e colpa e concorso di colpa, anche se poi non è che riesca a sviluppare un granché.
Qualche passaggio melenso c'è, ma la piccola protagonista è un personaggio non melenso né gigione, a tratti è quasi realistico, e anche questo non era da dare per scontato.
Tornando al paragone più o meno involontario con McMurtry: pur trattandosi di niente più che un romanzetto, mi ha piacevolmente riportata sugli stessi luoghi fin dove la masnada della Hat Creek si era spinta nel finale di Lonesome Dove (appena prima che Le strade di Laredo rovinasse tutto) con le Bighorn Mountains a fare da sfondo e un'atmosfera luminosa e autunnale. Quindi preferisco pensare che il seguito che cercavo possa essere questo, anche se soltanto da un punto di vista strettamente paesaggistico, e nulla più.
September 24, 2015
Sometimes you can just tell from the first page that it’s going to be your kind of read. And that’s what happened to me in “An Unfinished Life.” Reminiscent of such favorites as Larry Watson's Let Him Go, Ivan Doig's Dancing at the Rascal FairO.E. Rolvaag's Giants in the Earth this is a story of hard lives lived close to the land of the Upper Plains.
It’s a story of pain and separation and getting back up on your feet. Because that’s just what you do. Life knocks you down. You get back up.
It’s got two tough war veterans moving into old age, one a black man needing morphine to handle the pain caused by a bear attack, an estranged daughter-in-law coming back to town down on her luck after being beaten by the last in a string of boyfriends, and her nine-year-old daughter necessarily more mature than her years meeting a paternal grandfather she didn’t know she had. Well, of course the curmudgeonly grandfather opens his heart to this wonderful little girl. And, of course her mother has a hard time changing her ways. And of course, the reader falls in love with the child.
I won’t tell you anymore about the book’s journey, but that it was full of both surprises and expectations. I laughed and cried. The characters were vivid. The descriptions as sharp, clear and spare as air on a perfectly cold open plains night.
It stands up well to the books previously mentioned, but I have a few quibbles on minor things that didn’t ring exactly true. So 4 stars, maybe 4.5. Still recommend it highly.
It’s a story of pain and separation and getting back up on your feet. Because that’s just what you do. Life knocks you down. You get back up.
It’s got two tough war veterans moving into old age, one a black man needing morphine to handle the pain caused by a bear attack, an estranged daughter-in-law coming back to town down on her luck after being beaten by the last in a string of boyfriends, and her nine-year-old daughter necessarily more mature than her years meeting a paternal grandfather she didn’t know she had. Well, of course the curmudgeonly grandfather opens his heart to this wonderful little girl. And, of course her mother has a hard time changing her ways. And of course, the reader falls in love with the child.
I won’t tell you anymore about the book’s journey, but that it was full of both surprises and expectations. I laughed and cried. The characters were vivid. The descriptions as sharp, clear and spare as air on a perfectly cold open plains night.
It stands up well to the books previously mentioned, but I have a few quibbles on minor things that didn’t ring exactly true. So 4 stars, maybe 4.5. Still recommend it highly.
October 31, 2014
Mark Spragg is a very talented author who's narrative style is concise, pacing is beautiful and dialog about as good as it can possibly be. I could have read this in one or two sittings, but decided to stretch it out over a few days. It's also so well crafted that the film matches it perfectly; Mark could easily write directly for screen. The film which stars Morgan Freeman as Mitch, and JLo as Jean is well done, though I have to say I enjoyed the book equally as much. Needless to say I'm going to read the other books he's written.
April 25, 2008
This book had me at hello. In the fashion of Plainsong, Snow Falling on Cedars and the short stories of Rick Bass the west is brought to life.
November 29, 2016
Good writing. You are embedded nearly immediately within the farm/ranch locale of Einar's Wyoming. The comparison on the flyleaf is to Haruf, and that is not far off.
It captures at least 6 different personalities to an extent that is rare. Small town knowledge makes it somewhat easier to cut to the chase, but still, the insight attained to the core of these people is at a superb level.
But it is SO sad. Parents outliving their children, all kinds of unmet potentials squandered. Personality disordered perceptions that always look for outside sources for their own "problems" deserving of violence. I could go on and on.
For the first half I was completely invested, but by 3/4ths- all were so much of a pattern to singing their own "off" key ditties, that I lost an entire star in the second half. Maybe I don't care about miserable, mean-tempered and generally viscous "kept" grizzly bears?
Griff was a shining light, but by the time she was making lists of what she liked about old men- I was getting to feel that the good-girl form was a bit too much over the top. Ten was believable, but her wholesome quotient, considering her experiences, not so much.
But it's fiction and it is heart warming if you are attached to the redemption "after" of a tragic and sad wrapped in guilt past.
It captures at least 6 different personalities to an extent that is rare. Small town knowledge makes it somewhat easier to cut to the chase, but still, the insight attained to the core of these people is at a superb level.
But it is SO sad. Parents outliving their children, all kinds of unmet potentials squandered. Personality disordered perceptions that always look for outside sources for their own "problems" deserving of violence. I could go on and on.
For the first half I was completely invested, but by 3/4ths- all were so much of a pattern to singing their own "off" key ditties, that I lost an entire star in the second half. Maybe I don't care about miserable, mean-tempered and generally viscous "kept" grizzly bears?
Griff was a shining light, but by the time she was making lists of what she liked about old men- I was getting to feel that the good-girl form was a bit too much over the top. Ten was believable, but her wholesome quotient, considering her experiences, not so much.
But it's fiction and it is heart warming if you are attached to the redemption "after" of a tragic and sad wrapped in guilt past.
October 27, 2014
There are some fantastic reviews here that I can't really add much to. I love adult fiction written from the point of view of a child - which a large part of this is. Peace Like a River is another one that does this so effectively. I look forward to seeing the movie that was made from this. The casting looks like a good match.
Update: Watched the movie finally. It followed very closely with the book - even using the same dialogue. However, it is a sketchy version of the book so the impact is much less and I had to fill in many details for my daughter to understand the plot. The characters don't come to life the way they do in the book. It does not have the same power. Not bad though.
Update: Watched the movie finally. It followed very closely with the book - even using the same dialogue. However, it is a sketchy version of the book so the impact is much less and I had to fill in many details for my daughter to understand the plot. The characters don't come to life the way they do in the book. It does not have the same power. Not bad though.
June 22, 2016
Audio book performed by Tony Amendola and Judith Marx
Jane Gilkyson has finally decided to leave her abusive boyfriend. With her 10-year-old daughter, Griff, she takes off in her ancient car, headed for the Pacific Ocean. But when the car dies and she’s left stranded, she has nowhere to turn but to her father-in-law, a man who blames her for the death of his son, and who is living his life in bitterness and misery on a small ranch in Ishawooa, Wyoming. Einar Gilkyson would probably be dead by now, too, except his oldest friend needs him, and that’s about all that keeps him going. It will be up to Griff to help them all see the need to let go of recrimination and regret, and to embrace love and forgiveness.
This is the first book by Mark Spragg that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. He has mastered the art of “show, don’t tell,” giving us insight into these characters and their complex relationships without spelling anything out. His writing is rather spare, yet he conveys a strong sense of place. The dialogue is spot on; Griff asks intelligent questions but nothing a 10-year-old wouldn’t wonder, especially one who has grown to be a keen observer of others and learned to hold her questions until “the right time.” Einar and Mitch spar like the close friends they are – almost like an old married couple, they can anticipate each other’s thoughts and reactions. There is no pretty bow tying up the ending, either. There is hope for these people, but they still have a ways to go. I like a little ambiguity in my endings.
Spragg alternates different characters’ points of view. This lets the reader know what each character is thinking, but also serves to build suspense in that we aren’t privy to all the information at once. The audio book is masterfully performed by Tony Amendola and Judith Marx.
Jane Gilkyson has finally decided to leave her abusive boyfriend. With her 10-year-old daughter, Griff, she takes off in her ancient car, headed for the Pacific Ocean. But when the car dies and she’s left stranded, she has nowhere to turn but to her father-in-law, a man who blames her for the death of his son, and who is living his life in bitterness and misery on a small ranch in Ishawooa, Wyoming. Einar Gilkyson would probably be dead by now, too, except his oldest friend needs him, and that’s about all that keeps him going. It will be up to Griff to help them all see the need to let go of recrimination and regret, and to embrace love and forgiveness.
This is the first book by Mark Spragg that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. He has mastered the art of “show, don’t tell,” giving us insight into these characters and their complex relationships without spelling anything out. His writing is rather spare, yet he conveys a strong sense of place. The dialogue is spot on; Griff asks intelligent questions but nothing a 10-year-old wouldn’t wonder, especially one who has grown to be a keen observer of others and learned to hold her questions until “the right time.” Einar and Mitch spar like the close friends they are – almost like an old married couple, they can anticipate each other’s thoughts and reactions. There is no pretty bow tying up the ending, either. There is hope for these people, but they still have a ways to go. I like a little ambiguity in my endings.
Spragg alternates different characters’ points of view. This lets the reader know what each character is thinking, but also serves to build suspense in that we aren’t privy to all the information at once. The audio book is masterfully performed by Tony Amendola and Judith Marx.
February 8, 2015
I liked the novel, it is well written and the title is perfect. I actually saw the movie first, years before, and picked up the book before I realized it seemed familiar. I enjoyed both. I love the characters. They're believable. They all may have issues, slight character flaws and so on. When I say this of course I'm talking about Jean and Einar. Of course surviving a tragedy and years of blame tends to do that to use all. Einar and Jean are both broken.... Their life Unfinished. Mitch is a struggling to hold on to life, Griff's is just starting out, Einar and Jean's life is broken, unfinished and it takes all of them to realize that they actually need each other for life to go on. I like that the end implies a union for all of them and healing. That even though death happens life moves on and it what you do with the time you do have that counts. You get to visualize how their life will go or it's no longer unfinished... Now they are simply living.. Unbroken.
August 22, 2018
A surprisingly anti-climactic ending. Characters were largely two dimensional. I did like Griff, she rang true. Legit did not understand the side story with the bear. By the end it seemed an elaborate ploy to have Einar away from home so he wouldn’t immediately kill Roy’s ass. Still a little disappointed that Roy wasn’t beaten to death. Or “accidentally” chased into the bear pit. Now THAT would have been an awesome use of the bear side story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2016
Forgot I read this and really enjoyed it
December 27, 2019
The characters stayed with me for weeks.
September 27, 2024
I read actual books at night with my book light on low so I don’t disturb my hubs. I like the feel and smell and the ritual of page turning, especially when books are this damn good! Only problem is when they are this good, I sometimes have to sneak out of bed so I can read into the wee hours. Mark Spragg really captures the essence of Wyoming ranch life and also brings me right into the characters heads and actions, it is such a unique writing style. I’m reading Where Rivers Change Direction now and it is a work of art, so beautiful it makes me weepy!
April 23, 2018
Good movie, even better book. I do love my hardbitten, cranky old cowboys. Especially those living somewhere near the Bighorn Mountains....
December 14, 2021
Gosh this book had all the feels. It was a gentle, sweeping story of grief, hope, healing and family bonds. I was drawn into the beautiful landscape (how I dream of living on a ranch such as this one!) and the people came to life in my mind vividly. I felt for them, laughed with them and hoped for them as I read through their journey to healing and happiness. What a stunning, warm, poignant and gorgeously written novel. I highly recommend this beautiful read 💕
April 15, 2012
One of the finest books written about growing up in the West is Mark Spragg's memoir, "Where Rivers Change Direction." He's also a talented screenwriter whose "Everything That Rises" is a touching film about a rancher father and young son. So I've found myself expecting probably too much from his fiction. "The Fruit of Stone" and "An Unfinished Life" seem to lack the sparkling brilliance and deep truth of his earlier work, and I wish it wasn't so. When Spragg is good, he breaks your heart.
"An Unfinished Life" reads much like a film script. It moves along in the present tense and is largely visual, describing behavior and capturing dialogue, but often staying just on the surface and not getting to the emotional heart of a scene. The characters and situations are often a little too predictable; you feel that you've seen and heard them already somewhere else. Dedicated to author Kent Haruf ("Plainsong"), the book seems rather much inspired by that author's small-town characters of three generations. You keep wishing Spragg would just yield to his own vision, which if his memoir is any indication, has to be deeper, darker, more troubling, and powerful.
Having said all that, I won't discourage readers from enjoying many of the pleasures that are to be found in this novel. A master of quirky dialogue, Spragg writes several scenes, mostly between the two old men at the center of the story, full of quiet verbal sparring that makes their relationship spring to life. The tentative friendship between a young sheriff and a woman on the run from an abusive husband keeps us interested. And his journey into the mind of the husband who stalks her is thoroughly creepy and disturbing.
But for readers who don't know Spragg, I'd point them instead to his memoir, "Where Rivers Change Direction." It's the real thing.
"An Unfinished Life" reads much like a film script. It moves along in the present tense and is largely visual, describing behavior and capturing dialogue, but often staying just on the surface and not getting to the emotional heart of a scene. The characters and situations are often a little too predictable; you feel that you've seen and heard them already somewhere else. Dedicated to author Kent Haruf ("Plainsong"), the book seems rather much inspired by that author's small-town characters of three generations. You keep wishing Spragg would just yield to his own vision, which if his memoir is any indication, has to be deeper, darker, more troubling, and powerful.
Having said all that, I won't discourage readers from enjoying many of the pleasures that are to be found in this novel. A master of quirky dialogue, Spragg writes several scenes, mostly between the two old men at the center of the story, full of quiet verbal sparring that makes their relationship spring to life. The tentative friendship between a young sheriff and a woman on the run from an abusive husband keeps us interested. And his journey into the mind of the husband who stalks her is thoroughly creepy and disturbing.
But for readers who don't know Spragg, I'd point them instead to his memoir, "Where Rivers Change Direction." It's the real thing.
June 17, 2012
The very best thing about this book is the epigraph:
These wrinkles are nothing.
These gray hairs are nothing.
This stomach which sags
With old food, these bruised
and swollen ankles,
my darkening brain,
they are nothing.
I am the same boy
my mother used to kiss.
- Mark Strand
What folllows those beautiful words is a classic redemption tale, in which a child is the catalyst for reconciliation and a new start. The story had some depth and some nicely done prose. There were descriptive bits that felt as real and true as anything I've read. But I found myself ultimately disappointed by the story's predictability.
The characters and story both seemed stock to me: 10-year-old Griff, with an old soul and a sense of responsibility for her mother; beautiful Jean (Griff's mother), on a treadmill of abusive boyfriends; Einar, Griff's grandfather, blaming Jean for his son's death and holding onto that pain; Mitch, the dying family friend as the unexpected element. Our characters grow and change. Einar lets go of his anger; Jean finds a decent man (who also happens to be sexy and gainfully employed); Griff gets the home and family she's ached for.
It's not that I was sorry to see love and forgiveness prevail, exactly. It's just that it so fit the bill for Oscar Wilde's ironic description of popular novels: "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."
September 12, 2009
Usually I read the book before I see the movie. This time I did it in the reverse. Pro's and Con's to that approach. Pro-I wasn't disappointed in the movie because I had seen it before. Pro - I was able to visualize the characters quite clearly having seen them brought to life on screen. Con - The actors were in my head the whole time. So I couldn't interpret the author's characters in my imagination. Morgan Freeman wasn't bad in my head, but J-Lo drove me nuts.
Anyway, on to the review.... The formula was a little predictable, Man beats woman, woman runs to home town with daughter in tow, daughter builds bond with Grandfather and helps melt the ice between her mom and grandfather. But hey, I seem to love the stories about dysfunctional families turned around. I truly enjoyed this book. I thought the author developed each character well. I appropriately loved Griff and hated Roy, had a tender spot in my heart for Mitch, could see the teddy bear hiding behind Einer's gruff exterior, and wanted to shake Jean by the shoulders and give her advice like a would a girlfriend.
Perfect read for a rainy weekend.
Anyway, on to the review.... The formula was a little predictable, Man beats woman, woman runs to home town with daughter in tow, daughter builds bond with Grandfather and helps melt the ice between her mom and grandfather. But hey, I seem to love the stories about dysfunctional families turned around. I truly enjoyed this book. I thought the author developed each character well. I appropriately loved Griff and hated Roy, had a tender spot in my heart for Mitch, could see the teddy bear hiding behind Einer's gruff exterior, and wanted to shake Jean by the shoulders and give her advice like a would a girlfriend.
Perfect read for a rainy weekend.
January 9, 2014
I'm pretty sure there's not a synopsis needed from me, so I won't indulge. I'd previously seen the movie, and just got around to reading the book this week. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. On screen, the plot seemed a little too "lifetime", but on paper it really came to life for me. Griff is easily my favorite character. Mostly because for being 10, she's got a lot of life experience already.... And she reminded me a little of myself when I was a kid. Mostly the scene when she's packing her suitcase at Roy's. Funny personal note, when my dad told me he was moving out I immediately asked what I could help him pack, and did it. There wasn't any hesitation, I just did it like i'd been waiting for confirmation but always ready. Anyway, another note on Griff is that i love the lists she keeps about what's going on in her life. Not only did she see all the flaws her mother had, but she found a way to reconcile them with the other parts of her mother that she did like. All in all, a good story with lovable and sincere characters.
May 23, 2010
I consider myself a consistent reader, finishing about a book a week. I have a regular routine. It is unusual that I stay up past midnight to read. I read this story in a single sitting, starting at about 7:00pm and ending, well, pretty early.
I agree with much in the other reviews here. I found this story to be a very visual experience, a testament to Spragg's talent in describing the Wyoming landscape. The characters are interesting and believable, but not always predictable (in other words, very human). The relationship between a struggling young girl and her grandfather, their mutual discomfort and struggle, was beautiful. While the story was somewhat predictable (the parable of the prodigal son is how many millenia old?), I don't believe that diminishes the book in any way. This was the first of Spragg's work I have read, and I look forward to reading more. Preferably on a weekend with minimal commitments.
I agree with much in the other reviews here. I found this story to be a very visual experience, a testament to Spragg's talent in describing the Wyoming landscape. The characters are interesting and believable, but not always predictable (in other words, very human). The relationship between a struggling young girl and her grandfather, their mutual discomfort and struggle, was beautiful. While the story was somewhat predictable (the parable of the prodigal son is how many millenia old?), I don't believe that diminishes the book in any way. This was the first of Spragg's work I have read, and I look forward to reading more. Preferably on a weekend with minimal commitments.
May 18, 2015
An author I was previously unaware of, Mark Spragg writes like a dream.
An Unfinished Life contains a cast of quirky individuals who immediately became part of my consciousness. Nine-year-old Griff is the centre of the story and through her eyes I experienced life with a mother who has bad taste in men. Griff's morning ritual sets the tone of the tale wonderfully. Her small expectations transported this story straight to my heart.
Griff's grandfather and his best friend bring to mind some of Larry McMurtry's best characters. Low-key and unpredictable, this story will stay with me and I am determined to read Spragg's other titles.
An Unfinished Life contains a cast of quirky individuals who immediately became part of my consciousness. Nine-year-old Griff is the centre of the story and through her eyes I experienced life with a mother who has bad taste in men. Griff's morning ritual sets the tone of the tale wonderfully. Her small expectations transported this story straight to my heart.
Griff's grandfather and his best friend bring to mind some of Larry McMurtry's best characters. Low-key and unpredictable, this story will stay with me and I am determined to read Spragg's other titles.
June 8, 2020
I was quite disappointed by this in the end. Though it sits at the apex of Annie Proulx, Kent Haruf and Willy Vlautin, it's not anywhere near the work of those masterful writers.
There are good, believable characters and the prose is spare and well written. But the whole thing felt a little contrived and the heart of the novel is not as strong as the likes of Plainsong.
Not a bad read but not top class.
There are good, believable characters and the prose is spare and well written. But the whole thing felt a little contrived and the heart of the novel is not as strong as the likes of Plainsong.
Not a bad read but not top class.
June 30, 2009
This was a really good book. I was really surprised perhaps because I wasn't expected much. I also saw the movie, even though Jennifer Lopez is not one of my favorite actresses. It was a great adaptation! Almost as good as the "Mystic River" adaptation. This would be a great read for a book club looking for something different & then watch the movie.
March 9, 2014
What a wonderful story. Starkly told, warm, touching, healing. The character of Griff is perfect. She's one amazing kid. This is a story of forgiveness and redemption, a story where every word counts. Loved it.
August 31, 2009
Endearing and unusual multi-generation characters set in Wyoming. Spragg has a gift with both place and people, I could feel the air of the land and the characters' breath as I read.
June 7, 2024
This is the best book I've read in a very long time. In a NY Times Book Review article, Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series, named Mark Spragg as his favorite writer from Wyoming. I'd never heard of Spragg, but I like Johnson's work, so I picked up this one from Goodread's list of Spragg's works.
On the strength of this book alone, Spragg has displaced Johnson as my best in class. The spare, plain writing takes you on an easy ride through the Wyoming terrain. Straight-talking, deep-hearted characters burdened with crushing guilt persevere through harsh unyielding conflict while Spragg melts you into their hearts and minds. I came to love them all, even the minor characters. Even the selfish brutal bad guy is pathetically human. And in the end, they all find their way, even a captured bear who killed livestock and mauled a man.
Move this book to the top of your list. Read a chapter, set it aside, reflect, and read the next. You'll cry some, but you'll feel good about it when you're done.
On the strength of this book alone, Spragg has displaced Johnson as my best in class. The spare, plain writing takes you on an easy ride through the Wyoming terrain. Straight-talking, deep-hearted characters burdened with crushing guilt persevere through harsh unyielding conflict while Spragg melts you into their hearts and minds. I came to love them all, even the minor characters. Even the selfish brutal bad guy is pathetically human. And in the end, they all find their way, even a captured bear who killed livestock and mauled a man.
Move this book to the top of your list. Read a chapter, set it aside, reflect, and read the next. You'll cry some, but you'll feel good about it when you're done.
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