Book Review & Giveaway: Testimony by Anita Shreve

Testimony by Anita Shreve

Description: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

After reading the opening scene of Testimony, I honestly didn't know if I was going to like this book. It does open with a bang, and is quite graphic and shocking. After I read further in the book I realized the significance of the shock factor. This story focuses on how a single act/decision that a person makes can have consequences that are life changing. It involves a group of teens at a private school and relates to a single night and choices that they all make and the series of events that may have impacted those choices.

This truly is a compelling story that is told in a unique style that alternates between all of the characters in the book. It weaves a sequence of events that is gripping and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat until you get to the end. I didn't want to put the book down until I could find out what happened to all of the characters. The story is mainly told in first person by the main characters involved including several parents. It is told in the style of a Testimony which relates back to the title of the book.

Anita Shreve tends to focus on one issue in her novels that carries throughout the book. In this one, it is underage drinking which has been a serious issue in the news and in many communities. I feel as a parent of a son, I could relate to the mothers feelings about their sons. My son is still young but this is something I will need to be aware of as he becomes a teen and young adult.

This type of issue crosses over many age, sex, race and economic backgrounds. This is an issue that can effect many teens and young adults. It is something to be prepared for and to have an open dialogue about with our teens. I believe that this book would be good for parents of teens to read as well as teens nearing college age. It is graphic in parts and contains sexual content so you as a parent should read it yourself to determine if it is appropriate for your teen to read.

Testimony is a book that makes you think about life and the consequences of our actions and choices. I am still thinking about the characters a day after I finished the book...to me, that's a sign of a good book!!

Thank you to Miriam at Hachette for sending me Testimony to read and review!

You can check out Anita Shreve's website here.

You can also read an excerpt here.

Here is information on where to buy your own copy of Testimony.

********Giveaway********

I am hosting a Giveaway here at Redlady's Reading Room for my hardback copy of Testimony!

To Enter:

• Comment about this post, for one entry.
• For another entry, share your thoughts about reading books that deal with challenging life issues: do you like that they make you think or do you prefer to steer away from them and why?
  

This contest is open to US and Canada Only due to postage costs. This will end at Midnight, EST on November 21st and I will draw a winner using random.org.