Knock on Wood - Leslie Tall Manning - ★★★.¾

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AUTHOR: Leslie Tall Manning
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
PUBLICATION DATE: November 2, 2019
RATING: 3.75 stars.


Knock On Wood tells the story of William Baker, a lad whose life undergoes a drastic turnaround after an accident. What impact would a devastating experience have on the mind of the sufferer and the people around him forms the essence of the story.

Knock on Wood is told from multiple perspectives: William, his brother, his mother, his close friends, his employer,... All help in taking the story forward. The characters are clearly etched out and each has a distinct personality that is consistent throughout the book. This is a big achievement considering the number of characters the story has.

The start is fabulous but then the story dips into too many characters and descriptions before again regaining its momentum. At a mammoth 530 pages and 106 chapters, it is not an easy ride. And in spite of the length, the ending seems abrupt. But on the positive side, the chapters are short and quick and the book goes by quickly. I really appreciate how the author didn't mix multiple character voices within the same chapter.

There is one really unique aspect to the story and that is the character of Billy. Without giving too much away, all I can say is that though I liked that character, I found him to be more of a plot hole than a plot device. There are certain questions I wish to ask about this character but all those come in the spoiler category. So if anyone who has read the book can volunteer to discuss this part of the novel, I'll appreciate it.

Overall, the book is good and quite a nice read.

I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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