Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam

Teddyrose@1

13 years ago

David Lamb has a failed at marriage, perhaps because of the much younger woman he is still having a relationship with. Although, he’s not sure he wants to continue with that either. After his father dies he meets an 11-year-old-girl , Tommie and they become friends.

Tommie skips school sometimes and he takes her to lunch and other places, saying that it can be just as much of an education as school. Lamb, thinks to himself that this overly freckled rail thin, not so intelligent girl deserves to be spoiled a bit. After all, she had little hope of a happy future.

Tommie has never been camping or seen mountains before so Lamb decided to take her to his run down cabin, about three days drive away. She agrees with the understanding that he will bring her back home after and she will make up an excuse for being gone that doesn’t involve Lamb. Lamb feels he is giving her the attention she is so desperately lacking and she has never been on any kind of trip before.

It’s hard for the reader to tell what his real intentions are, so right away, I felt creepy right away. At first I thought Lamb was having a nervous breakdown and really thought he was doing the right thing, taking Tommie on the trip. At first it seemed more like a father daughter trip than anything really creepy. However, later things started happening and I started to imagine the worst. Will she make it out alive?

This a pretty tame re-telling of Lolita. It is not graphic so is okay for those with a week stomach. That said, my heart raced for much of the book and my heart was up in my throat. I read in bed at night, but as I found out, this is not a good bedtime book. I stayed up very late two nights because I had to see what happened.

I would have never guessed that this is Bonnie Nadzam’s first novel , without reading that. He writing is beautiful poetic, and hypnotic. She grabbed my heart in the first chapter and didn’t let go until the last. My heart still races just thinking about it!

5/5

Thanks to Net Galley and Other Press for the egalley of this book.

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