Review: Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold-Ratliff

Goodreads: Facing the prospect of fatherhood, disillusioned by his fledgling teaching career, and mourning the loss of a fraught former relationship, 25-year-old Francis Mason is a prisoner of his past mistakes. But when his second-grade class discovers a dead body during a field trip to a San Francisco beach, Francis spirals into unbearable grief and all-consuming paranoia. As his behavior grows increasingly erratic, and tensions arise with the school principal and the parents of his students, he faces the familiar urge to flee - a choice that forces him to confront the character weaknesses that have shattered his life again and again - and to accept the wrenching truth about the past he's never been able to move beyond.

Kritters Thoughts: A short and sweet review - I wasn't a fan. A book that switched between two different voices - the first being the character being in the present and living, while the other he is talking to someone from his past and reminding them of things from their past. I had to read the first four chapters twice to get it.

I kept reading because I thought it could get better and I just couldn't figure out whether I just didn't like it or if I really didn't like it. After every page was read and I sat for twenty-four hours to stew on it, I have to say I didn't hate it, but I am not sure I could pass it along to my friends.

Rating:not such a good read

Pages: 272

Cover Challenge April-June: She's/He's My . . .