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A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee

A Thousand Pardons

by Jonathan Dee

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  • Published:
  • Feb 2013, 224 pages
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There are currently 36 reader reviews for A Thousand Pardons
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Katherine S. (Seaford, VA)

The Gift of Forgiveness
This is a believable, tightly written book about painful mistakes made by likeable characters. Ben & Helen's marriage and life dissolves in slow motion after a death spiral by Ben. Their teen daughter is collateral damage, but somehow there is hope through forgiveness. A Thousand Pardons is a jewel of affection and redemption.
Kristina C. (Santa Barbara, CA)

A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee
I was engrossed in this book and the characters from paragraph one, not only because the characters were so authentic, but because the author so adeptly guides us through this compelling story, while masterfully exploring his themes. This book explores the public and private "stories" we construct of ourselves and the rebuilding of them after the deceptions have been shattered. Its about redemptive possibilities. I want more from Jonathan Dee!
Molinda C. (Suffolk, VA)

Page Turner
I was hooked from the opening pages of Jonathan Dee's "A Thousand Pardons". I could not put the book down and completed it the day that I started. It is a story about a family that falls apart and then some how puts things back together--but there is so much more. The character development is phenomenal and the story keeps moving forward, bringing you right along with it. This would be a great one for book clubs.
Laurie H. (Stuart, FL)

A Thousand Pardons=A Great Read
Well written and thought provoking, A Thousand Pardons is a great read. I enjoyed it on my back patio with a nice pot of coffee. This book would make a great book club selection, I'd enjoy others take on it. What happens when we expose our real selves?? Is it inevitable and the only way for us to grow?? Enjoy this book in your own special reading area.
Marjorie H. (Woodstock, GA)

A Surprise!
Yes, Jonathan Dee surprised me! He took a very ordinary theme - failed mid-life marriage with smart mouth daughter - and turned it on its head! A marvelously written book with depth of characters, I thought perhaps I had stumbled upon another ho-hum upstate New York couple coping with disappointment, boredom . . . . . . and then he turns the tables by introducing the character that ends up holding it all together! It was a complete "AH-HA" ending. I loved it! Don't miss this one. You won't be disappointed!
Power Reviewer
Joan V. (Miller Place, NY)

No apologies necessary!
An excellent book one of the most enjoyable I've read in a long time. Jonathan Dee draws you in immediately and you really care about the characters and what happens to them. The plot is not predictable, the characters are believable and well drawn.

I loved the lead character Helen. She is forced by her husband's actions to become an independent woman and we root for her to succeed. Mr. Dee does not make her a clichéd character as he could easily have done. He also gives an interesting inside view of the world of PR.

There is enough substance for it to be a good choice for a book club. I am definitely recommending it to friends and now want to read more of Mr. Dee's work.
Power Reviewer
Joan P. (Owego, NY)

A Thousand Pardons
A marriage, strained by boredom, infidelity,and public humiliation ends in divorce. The story tells how the three people most involved go on. The wife discovers new talents and starts a very successful career. Her husband handles his disgrace and punishment in a very unexpected way. The daughter is left in limbo and probably has the most difficult time coping with the notoriety,new places and friends and just being an adolescent. Side stories enrich the plot and tie together the theme of seeking forgiveness and admitting mistakes.
When I finished this book, I kept thinking about it. It is a skillful work that takes an ordinary story makes an extraordinary point in unexpected ways. I loved it.
Elisabeth W. (Durham, NC)

Landing On Her Feet
I enjoyed A Thousand Pardons which is about a woman putting herself together professionally after being a stay-at-home mom knocked back by an unexpected divorce. A Thousand Pardons has a similar, contemporary feel to Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, but with less morose undertones. One of the reasons I related to this book is because it points up the financial vulnerability of the stay-at-home mom. It takes a lot of trust and courage to give up the ability to support yourself by letting go of your career to take care of children for the long term. I do think this book is targeted toward women 40-60 and would promote some interesting book club discussions!

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