Jonathan Doyle writes of compelling story of self-discovery in his novel, The Last Line of a Goat Song. The book, on the surface, is a tale of a road trip a Mexican immigrant and an American citizen take in order to give a son back a token and a family a vehicle.
Doyle does a great job of making compelling characters, even though most of the book, I was wondering WHY these characters were so compelling. I still don’t know what made me devour this book (and devour it, I did). The characters were believable and real, their reactions to everything flowed smoothly with the story. You can hear the disappointment and irritation dripping off Anna’s voice. You can feel the emotions 30-year-old Maggie is going through when she returns home–the same feeling we all get when we return to our family after being away. The sadness and despair that William feels along the trip followed by the hope are all reflected in your own life experiences.
Doyle is a master at manipulating the reader’s emotions. Interspersing amusing occurrences with the inner monologues of the main characters, you’re taken on a journey that is both physical and emotional. His ability to use flashbacks as emphasis is fantastic, and the flashbacks really lend themselves to telling the story. With an ending that is both satisfying and defeating, this story is one that I recommend for people who love to see characters grow. You can pick up your copy by clicking the image below.
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