Genre: Historical Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini

The socials lured me into reading this All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, and I’m glad they did. I am thinking of how best to do a summary and finding it quite difficult - the book covers a great deal of time and feels somewhat like an epic. Patch and Saint - who each have their heartrending struggles become the closest of friends. One day Patch interrupts the abduction of a teenage girl - setting in motion a chain of events that alters their lives forever. He is captured instead - and Saint remains obsessed with finding him long after others have given up. When he is found, he spends the rest of his life looking for Grace - in captivity with him long after others cease to believe in her. Tragedy and hope unfold in the thirty plus years that follow. Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, this book works for me at a number of levels.

First for me as per usual is character development. A beautiful friendship develops between Patch and Saint - in part because they struggle with poverty, difficult home lives, not fitting in at school. Their problems intensify after Patch’s captivity as each of them remain committed to their goals. They care for each other in ways throughout their lives that evidence a level of devotion seldom seen. The people in their small town have difficult lives as well, but again and again they find ways to stand with these two. Whitaker’s plotting is also excellent. He tracks these main characters for decades, maintaining interest the entire time. The book becomes as much a study of life in this one small town as it does a novel of mystery and suspense. I have been reading a fair number of novels that explore the impact of just one decision on a life, and such an impact is illustrated here through Patch’s split second decision to involve himself in the abduction. Such a noble instinct that goes so very wrong for him. Saint remains devoted to him her entire life - another very impactful decision. Finally, the whole notion of being shaped by what is missing for many in this book - by a fractured family and poverty is expertly illustrated. . I was reminded of Demon Copperhead - wanting to better his life but at the mercy of his surroundings - and, of course, his choices - often made as a result of his surroundings.

So again, I am thinking of my former students - current students - and what they face on the daily that we on the periphery of their lives may not see. I am again saddened that we don’t do better by them. I’m remembering how often I felt helpless in the face of what we could not do for our students and also grateful for what we could do. I like very much how Whitaker captures this in All the Colors of the Dark. And he does so while crafting suspense and complex relationships. Thanks to the socials for the recommendation.