I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I really was excited about the premise of this book, but I just could not get into it. I tried and finished the book but it was not memorable.

Not for me but I think I will revisit at another time. Sometimes books aren’t picked up at the right time and this is the case for me

This one just didn’t work for me. I wanted to love it, but I couldn’t connect as well with the story. I loved the structure of the book though, and I thought it was well written.

Beautifully written, but slow. The story was so interesting but I sometimes had difficulty focussing because I lost interest. If you enjoy heavier reads, give this one a try.

This was a book I had high hopes for after reading the description. While the premise was interesting, I wasn’t a fan of the book overall. I was actually tempted to not finish several times. It’s the writing that didn’t really grab my attention as I wish it had!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Golden Child has a premise that immediately grabs the reader's attention. In rural Trinidad, a family with twin teenage sons experiences a trauma when one of the boys, the "odd" one, goes for a walk in the bush and disappears. The novel delves into the perspectives of the family members, but focuses mostly on Clyde's, the father, and his relationship with his sons, Peter and Paul, the former perceived to be a bright light, and the latter, thought to be limited, destined for far less than his golden brother.

Adam creates an amazing sense of place in this book. Trinidad comes to life in a way that is unforgettable. This always scores a book extra points for me. In fact, the writing is impressive in general. She has a poetic style that captures the often brutal experience of the characters without being heavy-handed. It's a haunting kind of story.

While in some respects, there are times when this one has the qualities of a thriller, the pacing was inconsistent for me, and was slower in parts than expected given the compelling premise. There were moments when it was a push to keep reading. Still, when you put it down, you are left with a lot to think about related to the dramas inherent in every family, and the impossible choices that can arise from those conflicts. I can imagine this being a superb book club choice as the climax begs the irresistible question, "What would you do?"

Golden Child opens on Clyde, his wife Joy and their twin boys, Peter and Paul, living in a ramshackle house in rural Trinidad. Peter, the golden child, is considered intelligent with a bright future. Paul, the problem child, is considered soft in the head. One night Paul never comes home. Clyde is faced with tough the tough decisions he needs to make to find his son and keep his family safe.
Littered with interesting flashbacks, Golden Child builds a much deeper story than the brief few days in which it is mainly set. While I enjoyed reading the story for its peek into the life of rural Trinidad, it was at times slow moving. It is great in that it does not fit into the literary mold. Unfortunately, it is also depressing with almost no joyful moments.

A book I desperately wanted to love, but ultimately could not get into. It was definitely a slow burn for me.

This book really dragged at the beginning, but when it picked up, it was suddenly so much stronger! It's worth a read; the struggles the family faces and the suspicion and concerns are very well-done.

An SJP selection which she has done it again with Claire Adams' Golden Child- found a debut novel with a brilliant distinctive voice, one that takes the reader into a culture they may not be familiar with, yet deals with universal theme of what it means to be part of a family, and the joy and heartbreak that can bring. I highly recommend it.

Just couldnt get into this one. Was intrigued by the synopsis but for whatever reason the writing didn’t capture me.

I found it hard at the very beginning but then I grew on this book. I felt the struggle parents experienced and their family turmoil. My heart ached for them and I shed a few tears.

I feel it is a very powerful book and I am not sure if I am the one who can provide good review because I didn’t experienced a lot that was described and couldn’t relate.

It isn’t an easy story. It covers so many different diverse issues.

Golden Child by Claire Adams was not the book for me even though others loved it. Thanks for the chance.

It’s hard to write about Golden Child without giving too much away. I thought it was a superb little book, but, boy, does it dredge up a lot of strong emotions. Set in Trinidad, the story focuses on Clyde and Joy, and their twin sons Peter and Paul. Peter is exceptionally academically talented. Paul was born with his umbilical cord around his neck which leads his family to refer to him as "retarded". The ensuing family dynamics and unfolding events are heartbreaking and not for the feint of heart or for those who like tidy moral endings. But I was very impressed with how Adam tells this story. She brought me right into the characters' heads and into their world on the island of Trinidad. This is a book with a strong sense of character and place, that left me with strong emotions. This was also a great book to read as a buddy read with Diane and Angela. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

3/5 stars, for a lovely setting with a less-than-enthralling story.

<b><i>Golden Child</i> by Claire Adam has a wonderful sense of place, transporting readers to the heart of Trinidad in the 1980s. Unfortunately, the plot and pacing do not quite measure up to the same level of excellence.</b>

<b>The book's blurb doesn't capture the plot well AT ALL, so here's what happens:</b>
Clyde and his wife Joy are doing fine in life. They have two sons, who they're very proud of. Well, maybe one more than the other. Peter is a genius and well-behaved, while his twin brother Paul has some mild cognitive impairment as a result of medical complications at his birth. One night, Paul goes missing, and it seems like foul play is involved...

But that's only the first couple chapters. The bulk of the book is a jump back in time, chronicling the boys' growth and development from infancy to the present, their complicated relationships with each other and their family members, the priest who wholeheartedly supported both of their educations, and the circumstances leading up to the disappearance. You don't get an update on Paul's disappearance until maybe 3/4 of the way through the book, and it doesn't feel nearly as huge as I would have liked.

Now, as I said, Adam does an incredible job rendering the location of the book. Her language is simple but beautiful, the dialogue and slang are fully realized, the visuals are vivid, and the characters are multi-dimensional. I don't think I've ever read a book set in Trinidad before, but by the end of the book, it felt as familiar to me as a place I've actually been. And the premise of the book, the setup of parents who don't want to play favorites with their kids but still kind of do, trying to do well by them but not knowing how, had a lot of potential.

<b>The problems with the book were twofold:

1. Pacing</b> - with how long it took to get to the real action of the book, it didn't feel like the story was going anywhere for a while. It meandered too much, and the ending didn't have the payoff it should have had because it took SO DANG LONG to get there.

<b>2. Predictability</b> - by the time they set up everything in the characters' lives, there wasn't any real shock to the end. You knew what Clyde would do to resolve the situation, and when he finally did that, there wasn't even enough time at the end to see the emotional fallout of it. There just wasn't anything revolutionary about it, I guess.

So, I don't want to disparage this book too much. Claire Adam is clearly a talented writer, and this book has clear merits. It wasn't very long, so it didn't feel like I was wasting time on it, especially because the writing itself was good. But the lack of emotional punch, coupled with the very odd pacing (which would have bugged me a lot more if the book were longer), made it difficult for me to feel more than a detached appreciation for it.

<b>TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING: use of the R-word, violence, death</b>

Set in rural Trinidad, Golden Child, the debut novel by author Claire Adams tells the story of Clyde, Joy and their thirteen-year-old twin boys, Peter and Paul. Peter excels at school and is considered a genius by the family and his teachers. The family have placed all their hopes and dreams in him and have put money aside for his education. Paul, who was deprived of oxygen at birth, is considered slow by everyone from his parents to his teachers and has been seen as a source of trouble for the family since his birth. Then, one night, Paul, this troublesome child, goes out late and doesn't return. When a ransom note is received, the family is faced with an impossible decision.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit right up until the end. I finished it several weeks ago and I am still not sure how I feel about the ending. Being a parent is hard and we are faced with seemingly impossible decisions constantly but...well, all I can say, read the book and decide for yourself if you think Clyde made the right decision.

3.5

<Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.*

The debut by Claire Adam, I elected to request it as an ARC when I came across it on a list of upcoming releases not to miss in 2019. I confess it fell to the bottom of my queue and when I finally began reading, I couldn't remember what made me interested in the story, to begin with.

Nonetheless, Golden Child was an interesting story that takes place in rural Trinidad sometime in the recent past. The TV references and lack of cell phones and modern conveniences led me to believe it was sometime in the 1980s. It is the moving tale of the Deyalsingh family: Clyde-the hardworking if misguided patriarch, his wife Joy, and their twin sons Peter & Paul. Due to an umbilical cord issue, Peter is born healthy and strong while Paul suffered and was deemed "special" and "moderately retarded". Paul's struggles become magnified in comparison to Peter, who shows early signs of genius. Additionally, the family puts little faith in Paul and talks openly about his retardation and limits. Simultaneously, pressure is placed on Peter to help Paul. Joy's wealthy uncle and Clyde place enormous faith and hope in the future of Peter, while all but dismissing Paul.

One night, when the boys are 13, Paul goes out late and night and doesn't return. Friends and family try to convince Clyde that Paul has simply gone to a fete, but when he does not return, they are faced with a grim reality. Paul has been kidnapped for ransom.

The story is well-written and well-conceived. I really enjoyed the glimpse of life in Trinidad and the inner dynamics and social norms of that culture. Having lived overseas in numerous cultures, I always love to read a story where the reader is truly transplanted to another place. Clyde was well-written and while I often didn't agree with his choices, I could understand his motivations. I found Joy to be too bland a character, I wanted to see more personality and fire in her, particularly after Paul goes missing.

The supporting characters are terrific, especially the priest who takes particular interest in Paul and has faith in him and his capabilities. Some of the scenes are tough-there should be a trigger warning for survivors of sexual assault.

I'd definitely recommend this one!

RATING 2.5 STARS

The Golden Child is the best liked child of twin brothers Peter and Paul. Paul being labeled as slow and Peter with great expectations.

It was heartbreaking as Paul is sacrificed for his brother many times for Peter's education. Ultimately a bigger sacrificed is made by his father Clyde.

This was a difficult book to read and very hard to connect to the characters. A reality in culture? It is hard for me to fathom. As a parent you can question what sacrifices you make for each of your children and why.

The ending just left me empty. A book without redemption is difficult for me to hate it or love it.

A Special Thank you to Crown Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.