A House Divided by Robert Whitlow

Sometimes I pick fiction books to read to occupy my time while I'm waiting.  My criteria is that it must encourage good morals and be entertaining enough to keep my attention.  This novel did both!  It wasn't quite what I expected (I don't agree with the reviewer who compared it to John Grisham), but it was still a good story.

A House Divided is primarily a story about family.  It revolves around a family who has been torn apart by alcohol abuse and is trying to make peace with the past and each other.  The story shows how just one person addicted to alcohol can have damaging effects on various family members.  However, it also offers hope and freedom from the chains of addiction.

Since the main characters are lawyers, there is also a major court case in the mix.  There are some young boys in town who have been diagnosed with cancer. Their parents think it may have been caused by chemicals released from a nearby factory.  Their case rests in the hands of the main character.   I had thought the book would be mainly about this case, when in reality the case details and proceedings were brief.  I found myself wanting more development in this area.  The ending seemed too abrupt.

If you're looking for an entertaining fictional story, you've found one. There is a list of 13 discussion questions at the end of the book which would be ideal for book clubs.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.