Sins of the Father: A Novel
by Angela Benson
Published by Avon (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)
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Reviewed by Leslie Granier
Abraham Martin grew up poor. However, his fortunes changed when he married Saralyn and she bore him a son they named Isaac. He built a highly successful business and the world, it seemed, was his. But Abraham had a secret life that threatened to tarnish his reputation; he was unfaithful to his wife with a woman named Leah and together they conceived two children – Michael and Deborah.
After having turned his back on Michael and Deborah for thirty years, Abraham decides it is time to get to know them and to try to make amends for the past. While Deborah is open to becoming acquainted with her other family, Michael is resentful that their half-brother Isaac grew up with everything (including his father)–so he devises a plan to get what he believes he deserves.
Sins of the Father is an excellent book. There is good development of the characters. The scandalous plot sizzles but the author also manages to effectively convey the characters’ feelings. The scenes when Saralyn and Leah fight for the rights of their offspring are particularly poignant. Also, several of the characters wrestle over whether others like them for who they are or for what they have. The answer can be difficult to determine sometimes.
There are definite biblical tones as indicated by the names of the characters. However, not being familiar with the Bible stories will not hamper one’s understanding of the book. Women will probably be more attracted to this story than men will. It is a good choice for a book club because there are so many different elements to the story that can provide for a healthy discussion.
Sins of the Father provides an eye-opening look into the way one person’s actions ultimately affect so many others. The plot is well constructed and offers a few surprises along the way. I like how the author kept the ending real instead of falling into the trap of wanting every character to live happily ever after as many authors do.
Armchair Interviews agrees: This is a 5-star read.
Author’s Web site http://www.AngelaBenson.com