Ordinary Grace is a beautifully written coming-of-age story, told in retrospect from a distance of forty years and from the point of view of thirteen-year-old Frankie Drum. Set in New Bremen, Minnesota, in the summer of 1961, Frankie starts that summer a normal kid who adores his older sister, Ariel, and is adored in turn by his little brother, Jake. As the summer progresses, Frankie’s family and New Bremen are beset by multiple tragedies, death in many forms. The novel captures both Frankie’s innocence and his creeping awareness of adult issues: secrets, lies, premarital sex, teen pregnancy, adultery, racial issues (particularly prejudice against Native Americans), PTSD and other psychological issues.
Krueger’s writing is exquisite, bringing me to tears on occasion. This is a mystery in which the endpoint is deducible, but the suspense, the climax, and how the characters learn of and handle the solution is fascinating. The overall message about God’s love, grace, and forgiveness is meaningful and not at all offensive to this agnostic. This book goes in my permanent collection and makes it to my “all-time favorite” book list.
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Ordinary Grace (Atria Books, March 4, 2014) is available through:
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