Carolyn 5 - 5
Hesitated to pick this with the description of August as a burned out teacher, but that never really came into play. Thought it was unimaginable to send off your kids with a stranger, but had read Invisible Thread, a true story, so it helped her believe. Wes wanted his boys taken care of and he quasi-knew August, figured he was a teacher so he must be okay. Carolyn liked the scenes where Philip's ashes were mixed in the campfire and when Henry didn't wipe the ashes off his hands neither did August because they felt good somehow. Seth was such a mature young man having to raise Henry. She thought Wes could have had more of a relationship with his boys if he interpreted things differently. The book made her think. It's easy to forget how isolated people can become and underestimate the positive influence consistent right choices and being there for people can have.
Miles 6.5 - 6.5
Didn't think that he would like it, but he did. Thought the premise contrived and that it was unrealistic that the boys would be so adult-like throughout the book. The author wasn't big on physical descriptions. They visit amazing national parks yet, the descriptions were blase' and focused rather on relationships and dialogue. Couldn't connect with August. Found him humorless with the boys; stale, selfish, and unsupportive with his ex-wife. He continued to blame her for Philip's death when it really wasn't her fault. The climbing aspects toward the end made sense with Seth's character. Alex Honnold is the free style climber Seth referenced and is worth checking out. Thought it was a good pick and enjoyed reading it.
Becky 6 - 6
Thought would be schmaltzy and depressing but liked the dialogue and how they communicated with such concise honesty. Was August an alcoholic? Ultimately she figured it didn't matter. August yearned for connections and found them via the AA meetings. He could be judgy, though she could understand this sentiment toward his Ex and Wes. It seemed the author occasionally preached AA which made her wonder if Hyde is an alcoholic herself. The boys were very mature, and Seth was such a pleaser. Henry's silence is never really explained. She understood how watching Seth climb could be so upsetting and thought Hyde did a good job connecting everything in the end.
Pat 5 - 5
It made me think about what it means to take risks in life. I liked how conversations were used to describe what was being seen. For example Seth on the phone with his dad describing Bryce Canyon. I went ahead and bought the idea that August agreed to take the kids, but I couldn't buy how self-aware and articulate Seth was. Given their isolation, alcoholic parents, and being abandoned by their mom, it didn't compute unless he was an idiot savant in this regard. The text eventually felt preachy but I'm not sure what my lesson is supposed to be.
Leticia 6 - 6
Thought Seth and Henry's characters were so well adjusted that they belonged to a different era. They just didn't quite fit our times. She too wondered if August was really an alcoholic, but whether he was or wasn't, AA helped him work through the pain of his son's death. She was glad that Seth was able to attend a meeting. This wasn't a page turner, but much of it was sweet and heartwarming. A calm, peaceful read.
K'Lynn 5 - 5
Recently went to Yellowstone with her boys, so was excited to read for the first 100 pages or so. The first half of the book moved along, but once Wes got out of prison it deflated. We don't hear anything from Seth and Henry for eight years and then, Hey guys, I'm selling the RV. Oh, and by the way, I have MS. The story takes a Hallmark movie turn here as the boys haul August in and out of the RV.
Sandy 5 - 5
Thought the characters were boring and undefined. She has been on the Angel's Rest Trail and would never have sent a kid up it with two strangers. It's a sketchy trail. Also there is no way August could have heard Seth screaming from the top. She found August to be an emotionless Disneyland Dad who used the situation to play the boys against their father because he would come out looking better. Eight years was way too long to drop the narrative and then pick it back up.
Maggie 6 - 6
Shared that shortly after moving here a neighbor asked if she could watch his two girls. They had sleep overs before, so what was an extra day? Of course they could stay. Monday morning rolls around and no dad to be found. 'He's in Las Vegas with his girlfriend," explained the girls. So, Maggie had little trouble believing Wes could send his kids off. She found this an easy read and could picture Zion, Bryce and Yellowstone. The author didn't do a bad job writing about male characters, but did find it to be predictable and sentimental. An eight year gap was ridiculous. She bumped her rating up due to the ease of reading and wouldn't recommend.
Artie 8 - 8
This evoked strong emotions with Artie who traveled multiple times to all those parks with his kids for over 20 years. He strongly identified with that aspect and though he felt the author had an agenda, he couldn't put it down. He thought the dialogue was geared more toward the reader than toward the characters themselves likening it to a self-help book. Try to be like August. Do the right thing. Let your kids take risks. Seth's rock climbing and August's reaction was a metaphor for parenting itself as we watch our children intentionally choose their own path and we can do nothing but watch and hold our breath. You have to be intentional about the things that are most important to you and this story wove that throughout.
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