Review: The Prodigal by Michael Hurley

The Prodigal by Michael Hurley

Source: Review Copy
Genre: Literary Fiction

Format: Paperback

From the Publisher…

Pride, betrayal, forgiveness . . . and the eternal sea. The Prodigal tells the mystical tale of four people on Ocracoke Island whose destiny is tied to an abandoned schooner, thought to have been lost at sea more than a century ago, that one day drifts ashore. Marcus O’Reilly, a renegade Catholic priest, must confront his inner demons. Ibrahim Joseph, a Bahamian fugitive, must face his past. Aidan Sharpe, a fallen lawyer, struggles with self-doubt and his growing affection for Molly McGregor, a fearless towboat captain who cannot find the courage to love. They will all be drawn into a 2,000-year-old mystery that unfolds with the reappearance of the ship.

From Me…

I would definitely recommend this book, though I can’t give it a five star review. This book has a really great story. The beginning remind me so much of John Grisham. A successful lawyer who loses everything and must restart his career and fins himself. Once the ship is introduced to the story, it becomes completely and wonderfully original.

The characters in this novel are well thought out and very intricate. The characters are really beautiful examples of the human condition, with its strengths and frailties. The plot twists and turns, pivoting on a mystery that percolates from the books initial pages.

The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars to this book is because the beginning is a little slow. I normally don’t mind waiting for a story to develop, but I felt like this story was a little disjointed until the ship came in. I’m hoping to read this again once I have the time just to understand why the beginning needed to be so detailed. I know that the character depth ended up being important to my appreciation of the story, it just made getting into the book difficult in the beginning.

Even with the slow beginning, this is still a beautifully written novel. You can pick it up for $0.99, just click the link below.