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Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Meeting date: February 27, 2018 ;
Star rating: 2.2/5 stars

On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are the painter Scott Burroughs and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

Was it by chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something more sinister at work? A storm of media attention brings Scott fame that quickly morphs into notoriety and accusations, and he scrambles to salvage truth from the wreckage. Amid trauma and chaos, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy grows and glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, morality, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.

Comments and questions from attendees:
  • Dealing with survivor's guilt and grief were big parts of this book
  • No one will take responsibility for anything in this book! They all avoid the warning signs.
  • The structure of this book is problematic for some attendees. Not their favorite.
  • We did NOT see the twist coming!
  • So many compounding, poor decisions - it almost hurt to read
  • The media made things worse - speculation made investigation more difficult. Definitely can relate to today's world. Most likely a comment on today's media.
  • What are heroes? Who are heroes? How do they become heroes? Is it good highlight heroes in the media? Why or why not?
  • This book is literally putting together a puzzle. Some attendees solved the puzzle quickly which made reading become more fulfillment of their hypotheses.
Lowest rating: 1
Highest rating: 3.5
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