Ponder Post: Night Road

I read Night Road by Kristin Hannah in August shortly after returning home from a July trip to Oklahoma where we celebrated Isaiah's first birthday. It was not the read of a captured passenger on a plane flight. Rather it was the willing, relaxed read of a weary traveler, recently home from a trip and not having the gumption to tackle anything more energetic than reading a novel and doing laundry. I have a memory-determined deadline once I've read a book. The more time that elapses before that deadline, the more likely I am to have forgotten what I read and whether I liked it or not. Much beyond that deadline I even forget if I have read the book. The publishing of this post occurs barely under the wire of reaching that deadline. Writing the post for this book was delayed by an intervening visit from my sister in early September. I also needed to build up my energy and inspiration to write this book review.

Night Road by Kristin Hannah tells the tale of a helicopter mom and her interactions with her twin son and daughter. Some of the relationships between the brother and sister and between the mother and her children seemed a bit warped to me, even after removing the hovering aspect from the equation. A parallel storyline in the novel focuses on a young girl from the foster care system who just does not seem to get a fair shake in life, through no fault of her own. The characters from these two worlds interact in a manner of mutual acceptance. There is not the stereotypical snobbery and resent of entitlement in their relationship, which is refreshing.

This novel, however, seemed undecided on its focus. In some chapters the routine advantages afforded the privileged are contrasted with the struggles of those with limited opportunities due to a low economic status. Unfair practices of the prison system are revealed and made me really mad. Other chapters explore the issues of teen age partying, drugs, and drunk driving and how parents can best guide their children through this field of landmines on their path to responsible adult hood. Yet parents also need to learn how to let go. Some chapters address depression and others relate the agonies and ecstasies of teen love. I thought some practices that parents consider routine were painted in a light that makes them very worthy of evaluation and reconsideration. Since I am an empty nester, I have already dealt with all the challenges of college applications and admission, and learning to drive, and battles for independence. I was not the target audience of this novel but nevertheless it was thought provoking to a limited extent for me. 

I have read Kristin Hannah's other works On Mystic Lake (1999), Summer Island (2001), Distant Shores (2002), Firefly Lane (2008), Home Front (2012),  and liked them all but Summer Island (see post for November 18, 2014). Night Road (2011) is a reasonable good, but not stellar, novel. It was engaging but a bit slow-paced for my taste. I imagine its appeal would be greater for those in the midst of raising adolescents or having daily contact with them.