An interesting novel, winner of the 2005 Pulitzer prize, and an example of the rule, "do whatever you want as long as it works".
The entire novel is a letter from a seventy-six year old preacher to his six year old son. That is the primary "hook" that keeps you reading; there are plenty of questions around that simple statement.
There is very little action or dialogue. There were three things that kept me reading through most of the first half of the novel. 1) tales of the grandfather, who was an abolitionist preacher. 2) the mystery about the late marriage and young son. 3) the hope that something else would happen.
No I'm not kidding about number 3. I kept hoping the author had another unconventional trick up her sleeve. She didn't.
There is another mystery that is introduced later - the godson of the narrator that stirs things up and keeps you reading to the end.
By the way, there is not a single chapter break in the entire book. Near the end there is a blank page before a significant little story - and that gets the reader's attention!
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