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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Good Father
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Lori E. (Wayland, MA)
The Good Father
I found The Good Father a compelling read, very thought-provoking and discussion-worthy. It reminded me of books I enjoyed by Jodi Picoult and Rosellen Brown. I like that it was told mostly from the father’s perspective, both as a parent facing one of your worst nightmares and integrating his career as a doctor who is a diagnostician. My only criticism of the book is that the author is a little heavy-handed trying to include all the research he did on assassins, guns, etc., although it was probably intended to show the father’s need to do comprehensive research on the subject.
I think book discussion groups would appreciate reading this book, and it will provoke interesting discussions about divorce, custody and new families.
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Rebecca G. (havertown, pa)
A Powerful Book for every Parent
Whenever I hear a story of senseless killing, my first thought is always for the victims. But the thought that follows close behind is a thought about the parents. Not just the parent of the victims but also the parent of the killer especially if it’s a young person. I always wonder how I would react. Would I go over every detail of my child’s life to figure out how that child had come to such a bad place? For this reason, this book really spoke to my heart. The father in this book does exactly that. I understood his need to obsessively read details of the lives of murders, from Sirhan Sirhan to John Hinckley. I understood his need, as a doctor, to methodically work through the puzzle of his child’s life. I understood the pain in wondering where a parent goes wrong in their child’s life; what specific incident leads a child to murder. It’s a powerful struggle that allows him to go on. Beautifully written; when it was over I cried and hugged my children. This book is a great read for anyone but a must for every parent.
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Patricia M. (Davidson, North Carolina)
The Good Father
This is a wonderful book. I could not wait to read it each day. The author did a great job with developing the characters and interspersing the story with actual events was brilliant. This should be a best seller and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
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Anita P. (Lutherville, MD)
Intriguing, psychological novel
I love a book that I can't put down; and The Good Father definitely was one of those. The story follows the life of child of divorce through the eyes of his father. As a child of divorce myself, I could really relate to the issues the book raises about how a parent thinks they are there for the child, and they really are not. In addition, the Good Father weaves interesting historical profiles that add insights into the story of the child. Hawley definitely knows how to generate suspense that propels through this sad tale.
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Dawn C. (Meridian, ID)
The Good Father by Noah Hawley
Dr. Paul Allen is successful with patients, and seems to have an ideal life, father of twins with a second wife, and a son from his first marriage, Daniel. Daniel has issues and even changed his name. Dr. Paul finds out that his son is accused of shooting a candidate for president on the news. How to be a father, do the right things, and be there for you family is intense and emotional. Very good psychological novel.
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J W. (Davis, CA)
Could be great
This is a very good book. It could be great. The plot is compelling, the father character well developed and the story authentic. The only complaint is that there were too many medical analogies. After the fifth or sixth we got the point - he was a doctor and a good one. There may have been reasons for the author to keep using them, but it became boring.
This is a tragic situation that we all hope we never experience and this father felt his guilt intensely. He became obsessed with trying to find a reason for his son's crime...but all along he knew the truth. We all look for someone or something to blame when a horrible event takes place. Usually the answer is close to home.
This is a book worth reading.
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Caryl L. (Williamsburg, VA)
The Good Father
This a very well-written, interesting and thought provoking book. None-the-less, it is a sad book affecting every character in the story. Paul's anxiety and effort to understand his son's actions to commit this horrible crime are mostly fruitless. The book explores a parent's responsibility to the child to fight for his freedom. Also, the responsibility of the parent to accept and let go. A very good read which I will probably read again and would highly recommend to all serious readers.
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