Ordinary Grace

By: William Kent Krueger

Narrated by: Rich Orlow

Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Award-winning author William Kent Krueger has gained an immense fan base for his Cork O’Connor series. In Ordinary Grace, Krueger looks back to 1961 to tell the story of Frank Drum, a boy on the cusp of manhood. A typical 13-year-old with a strong, loving family, Frank is devastated when a tragedy forces him to face the unthinkable - and to take on a maturity beyond his years.

©2013 William Kent Krueger (P)2013 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

“Krueger aims higher and hits harder with a stand-alone novel that shares much with his other work.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

This novel is beautifully written

The story, told by a 13 year old boy, takes place in 1961 and focuses on a family and a small town in crisis. Yet, the beauty of the writing keeps the characters from seeming cliche and the plot from becoming maudlin.
The narration added to my enjoyment of the novel.

Good story

The book was slow to start but a great coming of age story. Great characters

A Tale Overheard

I took a chance on this as a BOGO novel from Audible. I’m pleased I did. This engaging story is revealed largely through the intrusive eavesdropping of an earnest and irresistible teenaged narrator. The novel earned an Edgar Award, which is surprising, because it fails as a mystery. The whodunit and why couldn’t have been more obvious. Still, I was captivated by the 13 year old retrospective narrator’s voice. The tale revolved around five mysterious deaths in the narrator’s summer of 1961. It should have been unbearably grim. It was the opposite. The optimism of the piece and the loving detail in which the characters and the summer settings were rendered made me crave the unveiling of every new scene, even though I knew where the plot would lead.

Ordinary Grace: An extraordinary and graceful novel that moved me

I have read several of William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Conner mystery novels and enjoyed them. But this, in my mind, is the author’s masterpiece, a memorable book that will stay with me for a long time. It is set in the Minnesota that I knew as a native son growing up in the time period of this story. It is so authentic in recapturing that time and place, yet its themes are universal human truths that any reader of experience with life’s joys and tragedies will recognize and be enlightened by.
The story is well told and very well read, but there is much more to this novel than a good story and a good performance. It has a depth and insights that I rarely find in contemporary literature. If you have experienced tragedy and redemption in your life, I think you will find wisdom here. I did.
This is a book about forgiveness and why forgiving is so hard but so rewarding. I did not understand that until well into the book, but it is what I will take away, with gratitude, from this memorable reading.

Graceful

I also listened to an interview with the author at the conclusion of the book. It helped to put the story into beautiful perspective.

Exceptional story

This book has characters who are each different, each struggling with something. I enjoyed the entire book, it’s audio performance and the subtle reality of life’s lessons.

Enjoyed audio version

Very much enjoyed hearing this book on Audible
Perfect type of book to be read aloud.

Will listen again-loved it!

Loved the performance! This is a story meant to be read out loud. Rich characters and relationships developed and so much love and grace shown on so many levels.

Heart moving story, Nice to see Kruger grow.

A "Heart" story with some mystery. Nsrrattot was excellent. Not the usual Krueger. good to see him spread his wings.

worth it!!

not a happy story, but a rich story portraying families and their sadnesses and struggles with a soft understanding accuracy