Penitence by Kristin Koval is a literary page-turner that masterfully balances character depth with tragedy. The story is slow-moving, but every page is packed with emotional resonance, offering a powerful exploration of flawed characters grappling with impossible moral dilemmas. While a twist is revealed toward the end, I found the clues leading up to it obvious, suggesting the “reveal” was less about shock and more about deepening the narrative’s themes.

The novel opens with a harrowing prologue: 13-year-old Nora fatally shoots her 14-year-old brother Nico, who had recently been diagnosed with juvenile Huntington’s disease—a condition destined to claim his life early. While I expected the story to center on the reasons behind this crime, Koval instead delves into the aftermath. The narrative focuses on the ripple effects of this tragedy, particularly on Nora, her parents, Angie and David, and the way the legal system handles her case.

Simultaneously, the book interweaves a secondary timeline exploring Angie’s teenage relationship with Julian, Nora’s future defense attorney. Through this lens, we witness another devastating incident—an accident that fractured Angie and Julian’s families—offering a poignant contrast between past and present struggles.

Much like a Jodi Picoult novel, Penitence navigates moral dilemmas, asking readers to reflect on themes of loss, grief, blame, hope, and forgiveness. With its realistic characters and deeply human storylines, this is a novel that lingers long after the final page.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Literary fiction with a tremendous amount of suspense. This is a book you won’t be able to put down. 13 year old Nora shoots her 14 year old brother Nico in Lodgepole, Colorado. Her parents, David and Angie, are devastated.

I can’t imagine a worse scenario.

Will she be tried as an adult or a juvenile? Is it second or first degree murder? Nora’s defense attorney will be Julian, who was Angie’s first love.

Alternating chapters go back to the late 90’s, when Angie and Julian were together and starting their careers in New York City. Julian turns to alcohol to deal with the terrible stress of being a young g lawyer. I thought this was going to be a mystery of why Nora shot her beloved brother,but it is such an expansive and engaging story. The characters are imperfect and interesting. They have a hard time forgiving themselves but an easy time forgiving others.

This is good on audio, the narrator is excellent.

Thanks to NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the ARC. Book will be published January 28, 2025.

Penitence is an impressive debut novel that hooked me from the start. I loved the multiple points of view, giving each character a unique and flawed perspective that made them deeply relatable and engaging. Despite their imperfections, I found myself genuinely hoping for the best for each of them.

The author's background as a lawyer is evident throughout the novel, especially during the client-attorney meetings and court appearances. These scenes felt incredibly authentic which is often hard to achieve. It reminded me of the attention to detail found in Jodi Picoult’s works, which is a high compliment, in my opinion.

Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story took an unexpected turn that kept me on the edge of my seat. Without giving too much away, I found the ending to be refreshingly different for this genre—unexpected but perfect in its own right.

I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book!

Thought-provoking and emotionally charged, PENITENCE is a complicated literary drama that follows two families connected by tragedy. When an unfathomable murder takes place in their home, Angie and David Sheeehan seek legal counsel from the mother of Angie’s first love Julian. While grappling with her present day trauma, Angie and Julian must also confront the tragedy from the past. Kristin Koval’s debut novel explores the lengths we go for the ones we love and the fragile balancing act of offering forgiveness while wading through grief.

Audiobook narrator Therese Plummer did a fantastic job capturing the tension and emotional aspects of this story. Despite the multiple timelines the book was easy to follow on audio.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-appreciate thought-provoking reads
-enjoy stories that are more about the journey than the destination
-believe we are more than the worst thing we’ve ever done

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: January 28, 2024

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is already getting reviews, and those reviews are well deserved! I absolutely love the cover…it really draws you in! There are so many layers and they all fall together just perfectly. That Angie…I loved her, I hated her, I ultimately felt deeply for her. The narrator was awesome!! I loved every minute!!! So so good!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. The synopsis for this book sounded like something I would be interested in. I found the audio to be excellent, and the story itself was also.

I was very intrigued by the book's cover. I thought listening to the audio would be refreshing since I normally read on my Kindle. I'm glad I did. The narration was fantastic and I hung on each sentence! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was hooked immediately. Talk about a book that you know from the jump NEEDS to be a movie or limited series.

A 13 year old girl kills her brother with 3 shots to very critical parts of the body. But why? I also immediately had a feeling that I knew why Nora did what she did. Then when I got to chapter 13 (prison transport) I was almost certain I was spot on. The end of that chapter almost brought a tear to my eye.

I really enjoyed this one and was totally invested in finding out more about each character.

I wish the pacing was a bit faster and that we were given a definitive answer to the big question of WHY!?!

I really wanted more from Nora’s character, she barely speaks at all. She does eventually talk to her cellmate later in the book and I was so excited to hear her perspective so I could get a definitive answer about motive but the convo stopped short. I have my own thoughts on her intent and motive but the story doesn’t spell it out.

I thought the twist at the end when things came together (Nico) absolutely added a little extra something to the story and to the overall intrigue.

This was a great debut and I’m excited to read more from this author.

A shocking murder in a small town unravels past secrets and asks characters (and readers) to examine their understanding of guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. Though the story centers around a murder it isn’t a thriller - it’s a dramatic character driven story that goes back and forth in time. I was surprised by this debut author’s skillful writing and the emotional depth of each of the characters. Excellent!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review!

this was a really enjoyable debut. it was very easy to follow along and i loved that the mystery or whydunit takes place right from the beginning without any meandering. the description of the familial relationships amid the unraveling mystery of why nora did what she did was very well done as well. i would usually unconsciously check out if there is too much emphasis on familial relationships which end up swallowing the mystery. however, the deep dive into the familiar relationships here were really necessary because they were essential to the plot.

this was more so closer to a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for me because after the 50% mark it began to feel as if there wasn’t much of a mystery in the first place and the pace sort of switched for me and it made it drag a bit as it began to feel repetitive so it lessened the initial rating i had in mind. overall an enjoyable and solid book which is likely going to garner a lot of talk.

I will keep this author on my radar as I did enjoy how she strings her words together into sentences and her ability to create imagery. I am curious however if the lackluster plot was the result of poor editing or the writing itself.

There is a truckload of emotionally charged personal stories here that on their own are well written but as a whole most of them are quite unnecessary. Every character’s background is described in minute detail, every backstory and motivation are explained and branch out into insignificant, exhaustive tangents, the main storyline completely forgotten. By the half way mark it becomes clear the book should have ended because the same things get brought back and repeated.

This was supposed to be a book about redemption and forgiveness but I do not think the author managed to pull it off successfully. To begin with, it is all tell and no show. And secondly, the entire focus is misplaced on Angie's relationship with Julian and her career as an artist leaving her completely shallow and unfeeling as a sister, daughter, and most of all, a mother. In fact, all the characters end up just as self-centered and selfish at the conclusion, as they were in the beginning.

I especially disliked the vagueness around the topic of mental illness and blatant use of it as a convenient plot tool.

I thought this was a very well written debut novel. Family drama, secrets, and a mystery unfolding kept me completely engaged the entire story and I thought the audio was really good! This book was filled with flawed characters who make questionable choices.

There were past and present tragedies and I like how the author took us back and forth between the two timelines. Two families connected by tragedy and grief, and ultimately trying to understand forgiveness. I did love the overarching themes of this novel and while I didn’t get all the answers I wanted, I did enjoy the journey the author took us on.

I knew this book would be a heartbreaker based on the blurb which I did read for this book; however, I had no idea just what a heartbreaker it would be. There was so much to this book: love, family, deceit, murder, characters with conflicting feelings regarding the murder, and so much more.

David and Angie are married and have two children: Nico and Nora. The family has had some good memories, but David and Angie seem like they're in a struggling marriage from the get-go. When the unthinkable happens in their very own home, things are exacerbated and their marriage slowly begins to unravel or at least seems to be. How they will ever come to terms and be able to grow their marriage was an enigma. Or, I wondered, if they'd end in divorce.

The story has several time lines and within those time frames we have a younger Angie and a boy named Julian. They are like Romeo and Juliet when after a very tragic accident they're forbidden to see each other. This storyline continues throughout and is an integral part of the plot.

When I reached the end of the book, I realized that this book was more about forgiveness and learning if/how/why to forgive than anything else. At least that's how I saw it.

I had both an e-ARC and audiobook and while I thought the narrator was very good and I would definitely listen to her again, this is a book that I would get just as much out of it without the audiobook. Some audiobooks are practically necessary but in this case either option works.

I think this book is one that should be put on others' TBR shelf and read because it's really good.

Wow!

This was very well executed, a perfect blend of literary mystery with family drama and I am floored this was a debut novel.

In the authors note she talked about the inspiration for the book was to explore forgiveness and how profound it can be in life and let me tell you Koval nailed it. Not only is this aptly titled but the book oozes several examples of how in life we offer and receive forgiveness and how this can alter our lives and leave space for healing.

The characters are well drawn and the alternating timelines are used effectively creating just enough tension and intrigue. I can’t fault this book a single thing I have no doubt it will be popular and well received.

Therese Plummer nailed the audio.

Penitence is on the list of most anticipated novels for Goodreads, so I snapped it up when I saw it as a NetGalley offering. And I got the audiobook (my preferred reading medium) by one of my favorite audiobook narrators, Thérèse Plummer. The premise is great - Nora, a 13-year-old girl, shoots her brother for seemingly no reason. I expected a murder mystery or a courtroom procedural or something more focused on the actual crime.
What this book is, though, is a deeeeeeep dive into the adults surrounding Nora, especially her mother, Angie, and her defense attorney Julian who has a winding history with Angie. The book switches between the present (not enough of this and not much happens) and the past (most of the book and VERY drawn out with minutiae of everyday life in the history of Julian and Angie). Just know that going in.
There are very few likable characters. None of them really learn anything and there really is no redemption of them. Julian might be the only one who really changes a little. But secrets and lies abound and no one really seems to learn anything. There were some compelling parts and the first half was interesting, but then it just dragged on and on and on. And the courtroom stuff/Nora's whole side story (and yes it is a side story) is not fully fleshed out. We never really got a good explanation or any discussion of her motivations or the mention of mental health issues or anything really. The most compelling part of the premise was merely a way to hook readers. Instead, the book is more of a look into the lives and deceptions of Julian and Angie - neither of which are really interesting or good people.
The writing was good. The dialogue felt natural. I'm not mad I read it. It just probably could have been about 100 pages shorter. Or maybe those 100 pages could have been spent on Nora's story/present day instead of the mundane day-to-day of the past. I think I would have liked this better if I had better expectations going in. So - future readers - just know, there isn't really a big twist, there isn't really a resolution to the premise in the way genre murder stories do, but there IS a lot of relationship introspection and secrets and regrets.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance copy of the audiobook.

Angie and David Sheehan's son Nico has been killed in their home, their daughter the main suspect. In the days, weeks, months, and years following, each member of the family deals with this tragedy in their own way, just as the tragedy reveals truths and secrets about all of them. When Angie's former flame Julian gets involved as a lawyer for the family, things become more complicated. A heart wrenching, intricately told tale.

Penitence by Kristin Koval is a well-narrated audiobook that has you pondering the lengths you might go to in order to protect your family. Set in Colorado, this book is a perfect winter read. You'll feel as though you're on the journey the family undertakes as they deal with the sudden loss of one child and the legal trial of their remaining child. The audio format was easy to follow, it kept my attention, and the voice of the narrator was a pleasant listening experience. I enjoy it when narrators don't attempt to do various voices in an obvious manner. Subtle is much better when it comes to making an audiobook one that you'll recommend to other listeners. Read and enjoy!

Well, first of all, I did not realize that this was a DEBUT NOVEL for this author.
Second, this was not at all what I was expecting.
And third...well, this was a very difficult read...in that the characters are VERY WELL WRITTEN, realistic to a flaw, and each and every one of them showed that they had their own crosses to bear in life...but continued to move on, even through the roughest and darkest of times...

IT HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET….LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON 1/28/25!

Angie has two kids. Nora and Nico.
Nico was just shot and killed by Nora. (No, this is NOT a spoiler! This happens in the OPENING of the book.) He was 14. She is 13. She called 911 after the shooting...

Angie is married to David. He is stable, steady, loving, kind and patient.
But, all of that will be put to the test now that this has happened.

Angie had a life prior to meeting David. As a matter of fact, this is kind of a dual timeline book in that it bounces back and forth between now, and when Angie was in HS...when she was dating the love of her life, Julian...who happens to be one of the absolute BEST lawyers in the US...and specializes in juvenile cases.

Angie would never even THINK of calling him though! How could she? They left off on bad terms to say the least...

BUT, David has no problem calling. He wants the best attorney for his daughter...

As the story unfolds we learn about all of the key characters. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their soft spots, their flaws...and so much more....

I am sure this could have been done in much less time, but the attention to detail, and the painting of the story are just absolutely beautiful, and devastating. It is so hard to see the bad without also seeing the good in each of them...

It will really make you stop and think...about love, life, choices, changes...and most of all...forgiveness!

5++++ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫💫💫💫💫✨✨✨✨✨ for me!!!

If you pick up just ONE BOOK to read in 2025...please consider this one!

#Penitence by #KristinKoval and narrated stunningly by #TheresePlummer.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC
of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
***** OF NOTE: THIS WILL BE RELEASED ON 1/28/25...
SO ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW! *****
SO, LOOK FOR IT THEN!!!

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4 ⭐️ Wow, for a debut this book was amazing - not perfect but pretty good. I went in pretty blind and was in for a wild ride since I had no expectations. This book was full of family complexities, dealing with grief, the secrets we hold to protect ourselves and the forgiveness we look for in ourselves and others. This is written in 3rd person POV, which worked in this case as it tells the stories of two families over multiple timelines and decades. It is not a quick pace story, if you are looking for a popcorn thriller or any type of mystery - this is not it. It is a slow burn story that unfolds with a lot of heart and emotion. I typically don’t gravitate towards these types of books but this one grabbed me by taking place in a ski town in Colorado, something I am very familiar with and the premise of a 13 year old killing her brother absolutely sucked me in. I was pleasantly surprised when there were so many more layers to the story. It wasn’t all about why and how but more about the two families, the secrets, lies and tragedies that lead to the death of the child. It was really hard to root for some of these characters, they are so flawed and broken based on the truths they told themselves, which has been a common theme of some of the books I’ve read recently. I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic, keeping me engaged and interested in the story despite the slow pacing. I wish there was more emotional depth and closure at the end, but it was still a story that will stick with me for some time. Please check trigger warnings before reading this book.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

My rating is a bit of an outlier.

The story is much more about Angie and Julian, childhood first loves, then about the murder of Angie’s son by his sister.