Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas ButlerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of those books that is right up my alley - a group of people who grew up together and are facing the world as adults! A Big Chill sort of vibe is what I love in this sort of book! And this one is a fantastic version of the coming together as adults books ... I really enjoyed every moment of the book. What made this book stand out, for me, was it's focus on male friendship. Many books focus on female friendship or a group of male and female friends but those focusing on men tend to be few and far between. So, the exploration of male friendship was one of the great things about this novel.
The novel is narrated by alternating chapters from the perspective of five different characters - the four male friends as well as one of the friend's wife. Each of these perspectives is key to telling the story and allowing the reader to peak into the lives of these characters and their relationships to one another.
I loved learning about their community (which is frankly another character in the book) and how their stories and friendships have played out over the years. It's a fascinating read and alternates between hopeful and heartbreaking. There is something rather simple about this novel which makes it all the more affecting and real.
The characters felt very real and honest to me. They all demonstrated the good, bad and ugly that is the human condition and it all felt very real to me. I began to care so much for each of the characters in this novel and their journeys were gut-wrenching at times!
It was a wonderful novel that I definitely recommend to anyone who likes a good story with fantastic characters! I can't wait to see what Nickolas Butler has for us in the future!
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