BOOK REVIEW: "A Sound Like Thunder"

A Sound Like Thunder
By Sonny Brewer
Copyright 2006
Ballantine Books
Adult Fiction
3 Bookmarks

While I didn't understand the title until nearly the end of the book, I will say that "A Sound Like Thunder" was an enjoyable coming-of-age read! In a small fishing town in the early 1940s, we meet Rove MacNee. Named for a drowned pet dog, Rove's life starts out conspicuously. Rove grows up with a tough father, an unhappy mother, and a grandmother who adores him; not unlike a lot of the rest of us out there.

Much of the story is told in the first person by a much older Rove MacNee. How he dealt with the pitfalls of teenagerhood, the realities of watching his parent's marriage holding together by a thread, and dealing with such issues as death and first loves. This story is a memoir of Rove's view of life and the events that he experienced. It is a "story" story, written for the sheer purpose of telling the tale.

The author's use of the older voice and the younger voice of Rove to relate certain incidents was interesting. The description of the sailing and the fishing were eye-opening to a "land-lubber" like me. There was one scene in particular where the narrator describes what it feels like to toss a perfect throw of a fishing net; the exhilaration he felt, the pride in his eyes after seeing the net sink into the gulf. I could really feel the passion felt by Rove in that one, perfect moment.

The story moved quickly, even though it was long. There were even a few "can't put it down" moments. It was not off-the-charts, but it was a good read.