I loved Raymond’s story, but I really wanted more DJ, and I felt he got a little lost with the stories about the Wallaces and the Wells, especially since there were so many children at similar ages. I think Haruf introduced a few too many characters (Linda May, Rose Tyler), and the second half didn’t feel cohesive. Sadly, the book fell a little flat for me in the end. The good characters are less perfect, more troubled although this book does have a clear villain. This book is less straightforward than Plainsong. I thought this book might follow a similar pattern to Plainsong, in that Raymond would discover someone else he could help, and happiness would ensue. Sometimes the story is dramatic, and sometimes it’s just about people who like each other. Haruf writes about the power of basic human interactions: friendship, kindness, attraction, neglect, cruelty. I love the connections drawn between nature (the landscape, weather, animal behavior, etc.) and human behavior.

The writing is beautiful, as with Haruf’s other books. This book focuses on children who do not get the support or protection they need from their parents. I thought, if the first part of this book is so emotional, what is the rest of it going to be like? But the rest of the book is less dramatic, which is both good and bad.Īs with Plainsong, this is a powerful and often dark story about characters living difficult lives. I had to put it down a few times and then come back to it. We are introduced to DJ, an 11 year old who lives with his elderly grandfather DJ’s neighbors the Wells family, and a family on welfare, the Wallaces.īe warned: the early part of Eventide is a tearjerker. Eventide continues this story while introducing a variety of new characters. Plainsong tells the story of Victoria Robideaux, a teenager who becomes pregnant and is taken in by two elderly brothers who manage a ranch. In the end I didn’t enjoy Eventide as much as Plainsong, although I’ll certainly keep reading.Įventide is the second book in a trilogy that takes place in the small town of Holt, Colorado. I loved Plainsong so I’ve been saving up Eventide I don’t want to rush through Haruf’s books too quickly.

Eventide kent haruf