Son-in-Law, The
Norman, CharityThere's no going back to how things used to be. Joseph Scott and his children, and their maternal grandparents Hannah and Frederick Wilde, know this only too well for they have lost Zoe, beloved wife, mother and daughter. But now there's a battle to be fought. The stakes are high with the custody of the children in dispute.
Featuring fully realised characters and compassionate storytelling amidst the fraught dynamics of a family in crisis, this is a well balanced story that tackles the challenges of mental illness, divided loyalties and human fallibility. [Larger font]
Comments from Groups
Enjoyed by all. A moving and gripping story. The different narrators added to the intensity. A realistic and believable portrayal. Doubtless Bay 002 Generally a good read - light, but a touch predictable. We enjoyed the character of Scarlett. Auckland 332 Just about everyone appreciated this book, and even the two members who had reservations about the writing ( the dialogues in particular) agreed that it provoked an excellent discussion on so many issues. The supplied questions were very helpful too. Hamilton 003 An enjoyable book. Several members plan to read others by this author. Nelson 051 A good read. Enjoyed by everybody. The structure of alternating chapters worked very well, and added to the telling of the story. We look forward to the next Charity Norman book. Napier 020 This book was a hit! 100% readership. We read every question - forgiveness being a big topic. Newport 012 Everyone enjoyed this thought-provoking book. The mental health issues raised were very raw and revealing. Zoe's parents' attitude was understandable, but quite harsh when one realised the whole story. A thoroughly recommended read. Otorohanga 003 An easy read which we all enjoyed. Good discussion on mental health and its effects on families, family relationships and loyalties. Ngarimu Bay 001
Pages
374
374
Year
2013
2013
Reviews
23-03-2023
Loved it! Such a relatable read and very well-written.
01-12-2022
We all found this very readable, for some it was a 2nd read. This is our second Charity Norman book and a third coming, other members have read all her books and are awaiting the latest release. Her characters are believable and she has such insight into human experiences and responses. It resonated accurately for those who have had experience with Bipolar disorder. We all agreed Joseph should have been told of Zoes mental health issues and with support the disastrous outcome may have been avoided. Minor negatives were that the title took away any suspense and the ending was a little too tidy.
08-11-2022
Everyone really enjoyed the book, and we had a lively discussion about it and the N.Z. mental health problem.
05-08-2022
Most of us rated this 5 stars. Much of our discussion was centred around whether or not this could/would happen in N.Z. and we couldn't agree on this but all enjoyed the story and writing style.
06-05-2022
We all very much enjoyed this one - a relatable story. However didn't like the ending so much.
19-06-2018
This book was enjoyed by the group as a whole, we found it very readable and it gave us a lot of food for thought. Although an easy read a lot found themselves thinking about the book and its themes - what would I do How would I react Forgiveness. It has prompted some in the group to seek out and read more books by Charity Norman.
28-02-2018
Another excellent book by Charity Norman. We all enjoy her style and the 'real' people she creates.
28-02-2018
The whole group really liked this book, and it provoked one of the best discussions we have had - mixed feelings from the members on whether Joseph deserved forgiveness!
28-02-2018
Enjoyed by all. Discussion covered the difficulties in having shared access to children in the more ordinary circumstances of divorce/separation. Also the impact on children of losing access to one parent when separated by distance.
28-02-2018
We all loved this book - though Hannah met with our total disapproval! Forgiving was a big theme - as was the lack of communication between Hannah and her son-in-law. If Hannah had been honest about her daughter's illness it would not have stopped Joseph from marrying her but when he ran into trouble, maybe, combined with Hannah's support, tragedy could have been avoided!
28-02-2018
The general consensus was very positive. We all found the characters eminently believable - with the possible exception of Rosie. We all loved the book. Our discussion was good - from family, parents and kids ( and all their ramifications) to mental illness, and how it is "dealt with" by different facets of society.
28-02-2018
All our group enjoyed this book, some more than others. All found the writing enjoyable - one member wished she'd written it! Most found it very moving.
28-02-2018
Mixed response to this book. Interesting discussion on manslaughter vs. murder. One member thought that Joseph should not have been convicted of either "for the sake of the children". All agreed that the parents had a responsibility to inform Joseph of Zoe's mental condition prior to the marriage.
28-02-2018
Everyone found the book thought-provoking. There seemed to be something in it for everyone, and the topics generated a very lively discussion regarding communication, honesty and forgiveness. Recommended.