Loss of Innocence

By: Richard North Patterson

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

From acclaimed author Richard North Patterson comes a sweeping family drama of dark secrets and individual awakenings, set against the backdrop of the tumultuous summer of 1968.

America is in a state of turbulence, engulfed in civil unrest and uncertainty. Yet for Whitney Dane - spending the summer of her twenty-second year on Martha's Vineyard - life could not be safer, nor the future more certain.

Educated at Wheaton, soon to be married, and the youngest daughter of the all-American Dane family, Whitney has everything she has ever wanted and is everything her all-powerful and doting father, Charles Dane, wants her to be.

But the Vineyard's still waters are disturbed by the appearance of Benjamin Blaine. An underprivileged yet fiercely ambitious and charismatic figure, he is a force of nature neither Whitney nor her family could have prepared for.

As Ben's presence begins to awaken independence within Whitney, it also brings deep-rooted family tensions to a dangerous head. And soon Whitney's set-in-stone future becomes far from satisfactory and her picture-perfect family far from pretty.

©2013 Richard North Patterson (P)2013 AudioGO

One of the best books I've ever read (heard)

What made the experience of listening to Loss of Innocence the most enjoyable?

This blend of very well written prose and the political and social events that occurred in the late 1960's was really quite entertaining. I really enjoyed learning about what our country was like in 1968 in upper income suburbia. At that point in my own life I was 10 years old but completely unaware of what was going on politically and socially. Very neatly interspersed with this is the story of a family completely closed off and safe in their little world of the privileged... Yet unraveling quickly. This writer captures the most unusual things regarding feminism and women's feelings and communication between men and women. I expected a good story however I really was entertained, educated and enlightened. I've been reading Patterson's books since the first one he ever wrote ...and this is by far without question is best. I have an 88 mile a day commute so I 'read 'a lot of books audibly and this narrator did a fantastic job as well. Bravo!!

Which scene was your favorite?

Ironically ...in retrospect the build up to the scene where Whitney wants to surprise Peter in the city and her entire world unravels from that moment…… I don't want to spoil it however I realized much later how the way the setting up of the scene,... the way everything was described in detail so well that it was like a haunting melody had started to a drumroll of feeling. A slow motion start to the roller coaster coming.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to mention.

Any additional comments?

Listen to this book. The narrator does a great job with east coast genteel accents. And the story is very moving.

Ugh....

Excellent narration. First half of book was painfully slow, and was exhausting to finish. Cannot recommend....

Started in the middle of this series....

will not listen to the first or look forward to the next. Decent enough book, stood by itself, just not compelling enough for me to do another.

Exasperating

I found myself hating the main character. Self righteous & everything was a question, never sure about anything. Meets someone, on her own but blames her dad for being with him then leaves him FOR WHAT? The guy she wanted. Oh yes that was sweet indeed & I was happy with the ending. But the story leaves me irritated beyond words.

The writing here is dynamic

This nostalgic trip down memory lane for the main character could have been twee, trite and cliche had it not been for both the layered, nuanced insight and dynamic writing. I really enjoyed this.