Taken in

Pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out to be. The premise of the novel is outlined by other reviewers, so I won't repeat it here. Some have criticized the plot for being too far-fetched, but I didn't find that to be a problem. What I liked most about the book was the way the author developed the characters; even though it's written in the third person, the reader feels as if the characters are speaking for themselves. It's not an easy thing to pull off, and the author does a good job of it. My biggest complaint about the book is her over-use of exclamation points, but once you get accustomed to it, you can sort of screen out their effect. The last couple chapters give the feeling that the author was ready to finish with the strangely appealing eccentrics who populate this novel, but even after you're finished, these are characters who will stay in your mind for a while.

In Coyles' 3rd novel, the Robbs are blessed with boldness, and are they ever surprised and transformed. Shocked by Susan's death, and its aftershock, and the creation of a new family. Susan's death opens up reconciliation between Matt and Malcolm; Gretchen's "raw awe" influences Matt's underground spirituality, surfaced with Malcolm. Gretchen swims against the stream restoring Angela to a "safe house." Oren comes out with his spirituality wearing a monk's dress, symbolic of his penance & desire to change his life. The "pure in heart" are flawed in this novel, but transformed by the tragedy. Matt's spiritual journey takes him "to the edge" at camp, but Gretchen exceeds his boldness. In summary, Coyle describes the pain of contradiction in each character for the purpose of transforming such individuals into a reconfigured family. Coyle's "no purse for the journey" theme (Luke 9:3-4) suggests the traveling light with no guarantees of its outcome. Coyle's characters find buried treasure in an unpredictable act of violence. Blessed are the bold, for they shall be surprised by a reconfigured family. Or in another scriptural phrase, "blessed are those taken in, for they shall know mercy." Rev. E. Max Case, Indianapolis, IN

Taken In takes us on a roller-coaster ride of events which inalterably reconfigure the lives of a modern family. From Matt, the deeply spiritual teenage son of an agnostic father to Oren, the reclusive wealthy neighbor who sets in motion the odd and tragic series of events, the carefully drawn characters capture our interest and challenge us to guess what they will do next. Exploring the themes of random violence, self-sacrifice, and healing, Coyle delivers a delicious, meaty tale that the reader will savor long after turning the last page.

I loved Coyle's last book, In Troubled Waters, which manages to be about race, aging, Alzheimer's and relationships without losing the reader in a packed plot. But Taken In is a better book, with strong writing, dead-on characterizations and a simplier, more compact -- and, thus, more engaging -- plot. There is a twist about halfway through the book that takes your breathe away, and makes you realize that all is not what it seems, in the book, in our world, and especially in our relationships with family, neighbors and strangers.