Sunday 14 April 2013

The Sins of the Father (The Clifton Chronicles 2) By Jeffrey Archer

The Sins of the Father is Volume 2 in The Clifton Chronicles, a family saga by Jeffrey Archer that began with Only Time Will Tell and centers on Harry Clifton, the son of a Bristol dock worker who died under mysterious circumstances and an impoverished woman who went above and beyond the duties of a mother to ensure her son received the education he deserved.  The latest installment in the series picks up right where Only Time Will Tell left Off.
The drama of the Cliftons and the Barringtons continues at top speed in The Sins of the Father. Archer grabs readers’ attention by plunging them into the action from the first page, shifting frequently between different characters’ points of view, peeling back another layer of the story in nearly every chapter, and knowing exactly when to leave readers dangling in suspense.
The book is divided into sections by character, with overlapping years so that readers follow each of them over the course of the war.  This narrative structure works so well here because the characters are well developed and could each have a novel of their own.  Moreover, Archer connects all of them a strong central character — Harry, a reluctant hero who is made out to be almost saintly at times but is very real in his emotions and mistakes.
As in Only Time Will Tell, Archer leaves readers with another cliffhanger ending.  That usually drives me crazy, but at least I was expecting it this time.  I highly recommend this series for readers who enjoy fast-paced books with a little war and a lot of family secrets and well developed characters.  There’s a lot going on in these books, and sometimes they might cross the line into unbelievable, but they really are meant to be escapist reads.  I just hope I don’t have to wait too long for Volume 3(THE BEST KEPT SECRETS)
What made Only Time Will Tell enjoyable was the narrative: the story was told through multiple points of view, each version of the tale carried forward the element of suspense. Sins..., however, has a comparatively staid narrative. While the tale is still told through different characters’ perspectives, the story trudges on towards a predictable end. Like its prequel, part deux of Harry’s story ends with a cliffhanger — rather gimmicky, considering the year-long wait for its sequel.

1 comments:

Neha Sharma said...

Read it with huge anticipation after "Only time will tell" and must say...wasn't disappointing one bit..The clifton chronicles continues at good pace in the unmistakable Archer style & keeps you intrigued till the very end..great characters..built brilliantly & every character's story blends so easily in completing the big picture. Can't wait to get my hands on the final installment..Go ahead..Read it without a second thought..

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