Publisher: William
Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Review: Daniel Hunter is no stranger to lost causes. In fact, there was a time,
not too long ago, when he himself was seen as a lost cause. His mother was a
junkie, so he spent most of his childhood dependent upon the state to place him
in proper care. He always felt a constant need to look after his mother, even
sacrificing his own needs for her benefit.
But then he went to live with Minnie. At first,
he treated her like all the other foster parents, eager to leave and return to
his mother. But there was something different about Minnie. A widow who lost
her husband soon after the shocking death of her only daughter, Minnie seemed
just as damaged as he was. Soon, the two formed a bond, and Daniel finally
seemed to find a home.
Then the betrayal happened. While Daniel was
beginning his studies as a law student, he discovered a secret that Minnie had
kept from him. This information was simply too much to handle. Suddenly Minnie
changed from a loving mother figure to just another person who betrayed his
trust. In that moment, Daniel vowed never to speak to her again, and to create
his future on his own.
Fast forward a few years, and Daniel is a
successful solicitor working in London. His own troubled background has
provided him with the unique ability to defend troubled youth. After the
unexpected death of an eight-year-old boy, found dead in a playground, he is
called to defend the eleven-year-old neighbor, Sebastian Croll, accused of
murdering the other boy. Instantly, Daniel feels a connection to Sebastian. The
young boy is surprisingly aware of his situation, and consistently declares his
innocence. But there is something unsettling about the boy. He seems
strangely fascinated with the details of the other boy's death, and displays an
unusual interest in topics that most would find disturbing.
Despite this, Daniel agrees to defend
Sebastian. Immediately, the media latches on to the story, shining a light not
only on the lives of the victim and accused, but on Daniel as well. As the case
begins, Daniel learns of the death of Minnie. Now, as he embarks on arguably
the most important case of his career, Daniel finds his past colliding with the
present, forcing him to remember his past actions, and atone for his own
personal guilt.
In The Guilty One, author Lisa Ballantyne has
crafted a genuine story of believable characters facing the harsh realities of
our time. She calls into question the practices of juvenile trials, and the
effects such events have on the mental and physical health of those involved.
Each chapter alternates between the present events of the trial
Daniel's personal flashbacks. In doing this, Ballantyne lets to story slowly
unfold, maximizing both the suspense as well as character development. She
beautifully creates connections between the past and present events, bringing
and inevitable coherence to the entire narrative. Despite the often unpleasant
subject matter, especially in the details of the small child's death, I felt
emotionally connected and moved by the characters and events that unfolded. The
ending, while not necessarily expected, left me satisfied and craving even more
time with the characters that a grew close to. This is an exceptional novel of
emotional depth and lingering suspense.
No comments:
Post a Comment