JDCMustReadBooks

By Julia Glass 

ISBN-13: 9780307377937

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Publication date: 4/1/2014

Pages: 400

My Rating:  3 Stars

Since this was my first book by Julia Glass, possibly would have enjoyed it better if I had read her previous books to learn more about the characters background. I also listened to audiobook and was not wild about the narrator.

DARK SACRED NIGHT, a family saga, Kit is ordered by his wife, Sandra to find out the identity of his birth father. Kit’s mother, Daphne has withheld the information from him for over forty years. Kit is unemployed, as previous art history professor, experiencing depression since he lost his job and his marriage seems to be in trouble. His wife Sandra thinks finding his father will help him pull out of his depression. They also have twins.

The search leads him back to his stepfather Jasper in Vermont to find an outdoorsman, who effectively raised him along with two stepbrothers. Eventually, the journey brings him to Lucinda, the elderly wife of a stroke-ravaged state senator and onward to Fenno (from Julia Glass’s first book) and his husband Walter. The middle section with Walter and Fenno attending therapy was too long and didn’t really add much to the story.

There were too many unnecessary elements going on with back stories, and characters --plot fell flat for me and did not hold my interest. (could not wait for it to be over and kept waiting for a better part, which did not come).

Kit’s journey and the meaning of family was somewhat good, but again felt it was lacking. Not very many likable characters, and hard to make a connection, as the novel drags out. A novel of dark family secrets, which are revealed, a big disappointment and unfortunately, would not recommend as a new fan; however, by the other reviews, sounds as though fans may enjoy after reading her other novels. .