Run by Ann Patchett

Run is a novel by Ann Patchett that's about families, missing mothers, missing fathers, adoption, ambition, secrets, race, religion, socio-economics. Those are the big ideas!

Run is a novel where a collision between several families takes place, literally and figuratively. In the literal sense, Doyle and his two adopted sons, Tip and Teddy, have just walked out of a political lecture given by Jesse Jackson. It's a snowy, snowy night in Boston. As Tip and his father get into an argument, Tip feels himself being hit. Tennessee, a single mom, has knocked Tip out of the way of an oncoming SUV. Tip gets superficially injured while Tennessee's injuries are more serious. Kenya, Tennessee's daughter, was the sole witness.

Run is a novel about the 24 hours in the lives of Doyle, Tip, Teddy, Sullivan (Doyle's birth son), Father Sullivan (the boys' great uncle), Tennessee and Kenya subsequent to the accident taking place. I'd rather not tell you more about the novel because I don't want to give anything away. The beauty of this book is in the unpredictable path that the book takes to get to a somewhat predictable conclusion.

What I loved most about this book were the plot twists. Just when you thought you knew exactly where the book was heading, it took a major turn. Patchett started most of the chapters with something a little bit confusing, something that you go, "Hmm, do I need to start reading this chapter again?" I also liked the lyrical flow of words that Ann Patchett has put down on paper.

What didn't impress me that much were the almost caricature roles that each of the characters played. Bernadette was the other worldly mother, even before her death. Doyle was the over-involved father. In today's lingo, he's a true helicopter parent. Sullivan is the "bad" boy. Tip is the overly serious brother. Teddy is the sweet brother. Tennessee is the obsessive character. Kenya is the 11-year old with the maturity of a much older person. Maybe if there had been more character development I would have liked the characters more than I did. Kenya was my favorite character. And I liked whom Sullivan became when he was around Kenya. Some of the behavior of the characters was stereotypical as well. Father Sullivan, Tennessee and Kenya most fell into those molds.

Would I recommend the book? Yes, I think I would. I think I'd recommend more it for book clubs than for individuals to read alone. It's an easy read, a rather simplistic story, but it should provide lots of topics to be discussed at my upcoming book club meeting. (It's on March 8th, if you're wondering.)

After reading Run, I think I need to dig up that copy of Bel Canto that I think I have sitting around here somewhere.

Stay tuned...