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There are currently 38 member reviews
for Golden Child
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Sue D. (Hudsonville, MI)
Twins
Golden Child is set in Trinidad and the descriptions of the country, culture, and environs engulf the story. The father of twin boys is ultimately faced with an impossible decision, and they all must deal with the consequences. Claire Adam is an exceptional writer. Her style is spare and succinct and clear and heart wrenching.
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Diana P. (Schulenburg, TX)
The Golden Child
Well written and haunting. The story of a hard working man struggling to support his family in rural Trinidad. He favors one of his twin sons over the other and because of a family betrayal one son is put in danger. It is a profound human story with many emotions.
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Amy S. (Tucson, AZ)
Packs the Wallop of a Hurricane
The number one determining factor for me in choosing a book is the setting. I love learning about places I have never been or know very little about. And, yes, some of the things I learn about new places are tough, and heartbreaking, and they make me angry. But the unhappy, ugly, heartbreaking stories MUST BE TOLD too.
The book moved slowly for me. And it worked. In a land of hot, humid, oppressive heat, stories take longer to tell. And Claire Adam told it beautifully. She didn't show us the glorious warmth of a beach vacation. This heat was suffocating. It held me down. It made me uncomfortable. That is powerful writing.
And it built until it exploded- -into a horrific crisis for an entire family, but particularly for the father, who was forced to make a decision no parent should have to. And then later for a son and brother who really knew the true cost of his dream.
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Elizabeth K. (Dallas, TX)
Rich, complex, and compelling story
Claire Adam is an exceptional writer. Her descriptions and characters were so true-to-life that I felt like I was inside the story. Once I started I had to find out what happened to Paul and to his family. Although the ending is bittersweet, this book is an example of transcendent contemporary writing.
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Gail H. (Live Oak, FL)
Glimpses into West Indian Culture
At first, this book was a bit slow & I didn't know if I could be drawn into it. However, I was quite glad that I persevered as the novel began to pull me in more and more. Claire Adam skillfully outlined the lives of Clyde, Joy, and their twins, Peter & Paul, and how they were intertwined with their extended family and the community. The author made me want to learn more about Trinidad and its inhabitants. I would certainly recommend this book to others.
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Lynn D. (Kingston, NY)
Family hopes and struggles
This is a compelling novel that drew me into the story right from the beginning. A Hindu family, with twin sons, Peter and Paul, is working hard to survive in rural Trinidad. Education is highly valued and one son is considered gifted and the other is considered slow. A crime, and betrayal, force the family to consider heartbreaking choices. There is much to consider in this story- family, trust, safety, the expectations we have of each other. I enjoyed the writing which is from several points of view. The sense of place is well developed. I would highly recommend this novel for book clubs. I hope Claire Adam writes more novels.
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Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL)
Choices
Sometimes parents have to make difficult decisions regarding their children. That is exactly what Clyde and Joy had to do regarding their twin sons, Peter and Paul. The turmoil over their decision was very difficult and parents everywhere could have empathy for them. Well written and I highly recommend reading this novel.
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