Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Bookish Thoughts: The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

I remember being pestered by a sense of dread as I walked to my car that day, pressed down by a wave of foreboding that swirled around my head and broke against the evening in small ripples. ~ Opening of The Life We Bury


The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
Seventh Street Books, 2014
Crime Fiction; 303 pgs

Joe Talbert is getting a late start on his writing assignment for one of his college courses, and is hoping to interview someone and write a brief biography about his or her life. Walking into a nursing home, he has no idea who he might find. Hopefully someone with an interesting story. What he did not expect was to find Carl Iverson, a man convicted of the rape and murder of a teenager girl who had been paroled from prison after 30 years only because he was dying of cancer. It is not lost on Joe what a unique opportunity this will be. 

As Joe digs into Carl's past, he discovers Carl had fought in the Vietnam War and is still haunted by his time there. Joe wonders at Carl's heroism during the war and weighs it against the crime the man was convicted of committing. With the help of his neighbor, Lila, Joe uncovers more and more information that make him doubt Carl's guilt. 

Joe is forced to juggle his coursework with trouble with his own family. His mother's dysfunction as a parent has always been a problem, but is beyond the point of ignoring. Her alcoholism is out of control and her mental illness continues to go untreated. She has a new boyfriend who is bad news, and her youngest son who has Autism and is unable to care for himself is right at the center of it. Joe feels responsible for his brother, and is faced with some hard choices. 

The Life We Bury is the perfect title for this novel. Both Joe and Carl, and even Lila, have tried to bury their pasts, particularly the parts they long to forget. Each hold onto secrets that have impacted their lives and still weigh heavily on them. It was interesting to see how the relationship between Joe and Carl evolved, as well as that between Joe and Lila, over the course of the novel--how their trust in each other grew and they became closer.

Joe struggles with his decision to leave his brother with his mother to attend college. He wants to make something of his life, get out of his mother's house, and yet he also knows he is the only reliable person his brother has. He truly loves his brother and does not hesitate to step up when necessary. I really felt for him and his situation. 

I also was drawn to Lila who fought her own demons and was very wary of Joe at first. She took to Joe's brother, Jeremy, quickly, however, and I enjoyed the ease at which she and Jeremy interacted right from the start. Jeremy needs all the warriors on his side he can get. I liked him and felt the author did a good job fleshing out his character.

Allen Eskens knows how to create characters that get under your skin and draw you to them. The action really picks up in the last 100 or so pages of the novel, the suspense having been built up and Joe finding himself in dire straits. It was the kind that makes you hold your breath and not want to stop reading until you know everything will be okay. I was not surprised by the outcome. Eskens does not try to obfuscate too much--a little twist here and there. 

I enjoyed reading The Life We Bury quite a bit, although I felt there were several threads that could have been explored further for a richer reading experience. I was left feeling a bit short-shifted by the end because of that, but otherwise it is a solid read.

I could relate to Joe wanting to get out of a dysfunctional home, away from an abusive parent. I also understood the guilt he felt leaving behind his brother. In this case, a brother who is autistic and completely dependent on others. As a result, Joe can't completely move on. His brother needs him.

Carl, truly was a war hero --even in his guilt for taking a life. My dad was a Vietnam Vet and I spent years trying to get him to share and open up about his time there. I always felt a distance between us, a wall, I couldn't breach. I don't believe my dad witnessed the horrors Carl did, although I am sure he heard about them and saw the fall out after. My dad had his own nightmares and was haunted by his own demons.

This book, for me, was more about the characters and their journeys rather than the murder itself. I felt a little cheated in the end. How quickly things were wrapped up--how nicely. Threads that popped up early in the book not being more fully explored. Still, I found The Life We Bury to be an entertaining and interesting book to read. I enjoyed it over all and recommend it.

You can learn more about Allen Eskens and his books on the author's website. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.


© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

26 comments:

  1. Sounds like a rich, interesting book! Pity the ending was so neat - real life isn't always like that.

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    1. Eustacia - I thought so! Even though I wasn't completely sold on the ending, I really liked it.

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  2. I've had a copy of this book for long while and still haven't read it. Hope to do so this summer. I know that this author has maybe 2 or 3 more books since this one was published. My Dad was a veteran of WWII and he rarely ever talked about his experience there. Or maybe just in very general ways. I know it shaped his life though in many ways.

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    1. Kay - I hope you like it if you do read it, Kay. I think you might like this one.

      It seems a common trait for veterans, not to want to talk about their war experiences with lay people. I imagine it's not something we could easily relate to, as much as we wish we could help our loved ones cope with those memories.

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  3. I enjoyed this novel too. I enjoyed your review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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    1. Pat - I am glad you liked it too! I hadn't heard of this author before, and am glad I got the chance to give his work a try. I definitely want to read more by him.

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  4. I love when the characters and their journeys become as interesting as the plot. Will have to give to check this one out.

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    1. Jenclair - I like it when that happens to. It enriches my reading experience. I hope you like this if you give it a try.

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  5. I might have liked it just a bit more than you do. I reviewed it on August 5 of last year - booksage.blogspot.com - and gave it a 3.625/4. This is my only 3.625 in the 6+ years I've been blogging. I just couldn't decide between a 3.5 and a 3.75. But I also recommend it.

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    1. Book Sage - Thank you for directing me to your review! I tend to form emotional connections with characters too--and there were some very worthy characters in this one. I am glad you liked this one too. :-)

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  6. I love it when authors can create such memorable and authentic characters! I want to care about the characters, or why read the book?

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    1. Lark - Caring about the characters is a definite plus! I really came to care for the characters in this one.

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  7. This sounds interesting and a lot deeper than I would have thought just from my initial impression. I think Joe sounds like an especially interesting character - especially with his struggle between wanting to leave home and not wanting to leave his brother. I will have to look for this one.

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    1. Katherine - Yes, I agree! I think Joe is a very interesting character. He was in a rough spot and yet still wanted to make the most out of his life. I think you might like this one, Katherine if you do decide to give it a try.

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  8. I read this book last year, but have yet to pick up another book by the author. I really enjoyed this story for the most part, but also felt the ending was not that satisfactory. The character development between the two brothers made up for some of the shortfalls. I might yet read another by Mr. Eskens.

    By the way, my dad, uncle, and father-in-law (who passed before we married) all served in WW2, but none shared very many memories... except all had a part in the freedom from the concentration camps and told (very) briefly of that horror. I don't remember if maybe it was too painful to get the men to share more in-depth stories, or maybe it was too painful for the listeners to receive them...

    Have a good week, and thanks for a wonderful review.

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    1. Rita - It's good to "see" you again. :-) I'm afraid I haven't been able to spend much time online as of late. It sounds like we share similar views on this one. I wouldn't mind trying something else by Eskens. I do like his writing style.

      I bet your relatives had quite a few stories to share--if they had been more willing to talk. I imagine it is a combination of both, their not wanting to talk about those times. Too painful for both sides.

      Take care, Rita!

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  9. I was at a library event today and picked up an advanced copy of the author's new novel, The Deep Dark Descending which will be released on October 3rd. I'm hoping to read The Life We Bury before then.

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    1. Catherine - You'll have to let me know what you think of The Deep Dark Descending. I like the title. :-) The Life We Bury will be coming your way in the Going Postal Mail group--so don't pick up a copy if you haven't already!

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  10. I haven't heard of this book before but it sounds really quite good. I am really curious about what really happened in Carl's past. I am glad that you enjoyed it.

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    1. Carole - It's terribly sad, what happened in Carl's past. He was very brave though--at least I think so. I hope you do get a chance to read this book!

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  11. I've read several good reviews about this book and it has really piqued my interest. Will have to add it to my wishlist.

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    1. Melody - I am glad I finally got the chance to read it!

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  12. This sounds great! I'll definitely have to add this to my TBR. Wonderful review!

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    1. Erica - Thank you. I really enjoyed this one, even despite my small quibbles with it.

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  13. Even with the qualms you mentioned The Life We Bury sounds like a god read. Great review!

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