Book Review: Setting Free the Kites by Alex George

“Sometimes life-changing moments slip by unnoticed, their significance only becoming apparent in the light of subsequent events.”

Alex George, Setting Free the Kites

Review:

The Paris Hours is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for several years, marinating. I wanted the perfect time to pick it up, wanting to immerse myself in this author’s prose again. It was absolutely worth the wait.

Robert and Nathan become fast friends during their last year of middle school. Robert grew up in Maine, the son of an amusement park owner. Nathan is the new kid in town, his family moving from Texas to start a new life by the ocean. Tragedies in both of the boys’ families deepen their friendship and reliance on one another.

I’m not always a big fan of coming of age stories, but this one was done so well. All of the plotlines wove together seamlessly and every emotional beat was hit. Both of the main characters were lovable, flaws and all, and they played off one another so well. The evolution of their friendship felt natural, and I found the way that their parents/families influenced their personalities in ways that neither the kids nor parents could see until later on brilliant.

Alex George’s writing was as rich as I remembered it being from The Paris Hours. He captures both setting and emotion vividly, making it easy to be immersed in every aspect of the story. This is a book that will be staying with me.

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The characters felt authentic to their ages. They weren’t immature or too mature for their age. They acted very much like teenage boys.
• Illustrated different ways of grieving beautifully.

What I didn’t like:

• A plot point involving Robert’s father felt super shoehorned in and then brushed off once it became known to other characters despite the gravity of it.

Afterthoughts:

I’m so sad that there appears to only be one or two books left for me to read by this author. Others appear to be out of print.

Where to buy the book: