Penitence

A Novel

De: Kristin Koval

Narrado por: Thérèse Plummer

For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive audiobook filled with literary insight that compels listeners to consider whether the worst thing we’ve ever done is all that defines us.

"A deeply engrossing listen that will have you reflecting on guilt and forgiveness.”—Booklist

“Plummer is a joy to listen to. She brings insight and emotional depth to the characters as they grapple with mistakes from their pasts. Plummer imbues her performance with the perfect amount of energy and tension.”—AudioFile

When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.

Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of pre-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Koval maintains the pacing of a thriller while going deep on themes of guilt, forgiveness, and the toll of keeping secrets. Readers won’t be able to look away."
—Publishers Weekly

"While exploring the complexities of personal and family relationships, this engrossing, emotionally charged novel also examines the way forgiveness comes from acceptance that 'each one of us is more than the worst we’ve ever done.' An intelligent, deftly crafted suspense debut."
—Kirkus

"Fans of Little Fires Everywhere will appreciate this deeply moving novel about what it takes to let go of guilt and find redemption. Koval’s background in law lends realism to her image of America’s broken criminal justice system, and her prose poignantly exposes what it takes to find forgiveness."
—Booklist

“This story begins with a shocking act of violence but unfolds into a tender story of family, long-held secrets, and what ifs. Penitence is both a gripping page-turner and a loving exploration of what it really means to forgive.”
—Mary Beth Keane, bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes and The Half Moon

“Big-hearted, bold, and deftly plotted, Penitence tells a shocking tale of fratricide against the backdrop of two families linked by love, chance, and tragedy. I couldn’t put it down. Kristin Koval emerges as a remarkable new voice in fiction.”
—Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Little Monsters and Wild Game

"Deeply humane, spiky, yearning, heartfelt, rendered in brisk and often stunning prose, Kristin Koval's Penitence poses so many rich and complicated questions about where and how guilt lives."
—Lynn Steger Strong, author of Flight

"Kristin Koval’s prose is crisp and readable and insightful... Penitence will grab you on its first page and hold you tight until the end.”
—Laura Spence-Ash, author of Beyond That, the Sea

“Penitence, riveting as a thriller, is a wise and profound novel. After a shocking tragedy unfolds in a small Colorado community, those intimately affected must grapple with their limitations and their buried histories. Kristin Koval relays their stories with great wisdom and compassion in this remarkable debut.”
—Claire Messud, bestselling author of The Emperor’s Children and This Strange Eventful History

complicated family drama and crime procedural

4.25 stars for Penitence by Kristin Koval. I was so excited about this book I actually put the release date on my calendar! It was definitely worth it, although I have some very minor critiques. This is the story of a family in crisis. It begins with a 15 year old being shot by his 13 year old sister. Three times. You know from the very first page she did it because she admits this on the 911 tape. What you don't know is why. Enter the legal team of Martine and her son Julian who have a very intimate and estranged history with this family and the book evolves into a multi family and generational drama as well as a much more complicated mystery told between now and then. Koval really paints a brilliant picture of how quickly and brutally a family implodes on itself with this one violent act and I have high praise for the way she fleshed out these complex characters and gave us an authentic if sometimes ugly core of who they really were. The tiny bit of critique I have is for the court/legal procedural aspects of the story which came off (to me, at least) as a bit preachy. The lawyer, Julian, has strong opinions on everything from the "three strikes, you're out" law to the way teens are treated in the legal system. There was a strong them of crime and punishment versus compassion and rehabilitation in this story and while I was unanimously on the same page as the lawyer, I sometimes felt the themes were being a bit overplayed. But, to be fair, this was a crime and procedural story and the themes worked with the plot. Just felt like Koval could have eased up on the gas a few times and still gotten to where she was going with that. On the flip side of that, the ending may leave some readers a bit frustrated. I personally think this is a perfect pick for a book club discussion for that exact reason. SO MUCH material here to talk about. Really, really recommend!

Not what I was expecting

When I started this book, I really had no idea if it was going to be for me but it left my jaw on the floor. This was a perfect debut novel for Kristin Koval full of family tragedy, conflict, love and forgiveness. The narration was perfect; Therese Plummer did an incredible job.

This is not fast paced but very suspenseful, I felt like I was hanging on just waiting for answers.
The characters are likeable and infuriating at the same time. This book is full of actions that are difficult to understand and will make you question what you would do given the circumstances. There are so many significant themes throughout the story and for me, it was difficult to stop listening. The ending was not what I hoped for, but it worked. Usually, I'm a reader that wants the clean ending- everything has been worked out and we have all the answers. This is not that book.

Told in dual timelines with past and present conflict, completely gripping and thought provoking, and just overall a fantastic debut novel!

Unexpected

This is more of a family drama than it is a thriller or mystery. Basically, it's a fairly well-written story about two families with a couple things in common: death and sacrifice. There was a lot going on--the murder, the "lost love" angle, parenthood, mental illness, guilt, self-loathing, and family dynamics. Because the focus was a bit disjointed, the point of the story was muddled.

While it was pretty easy to piece things together fairly early on, the premise was interesting. Overall, it's a decent listen but the story started to drag on.

I need another!

I need this to be a series or at least have a second book! Very easy to follow along and I enjoyed the twists and turns.

Don’t compare to Patchett or Ng

I fell for the promo ad comparing this to an Ann Patchett or Celeste Ng story. The characters were inscrutable and the motive for the central act was left unexplored. Meh.