I did believe!

Wally lamb has once again created a great American novel. "The Hour I First Believed" speaks to our current generation. It's the story of Caelum Quirk and his wife Maureen and how they attempt to put their lives back together after Maureen miraculously survives the massacre at Columbine High School. Even though she survives she is deeply scarred, because of this the couple move back to Caelum's family farm in Connecticut in attempt to escape the horrible memories left by the tragedy. As you follow their journey you learn life is not so easily put in a box and sometimes destiny has more tragedy in store. The core of the story is Caelum's quest to discover his past through a cache of old letters, diaries, and newspapers he finds hidden in the old family house. From this he is able to reconstruct his legacy that hold long "buried" secrets. His past is the backdrop for the couple as they struggle to form a future.

"The Hour I first believed" takes us on an epic journey from 1998 to present day. Lamb throws in tidbits of real life events so much so it gives the feel of almost non-fiction instead of fiction. In the ten-year span the Quirks do stupid things, as well as good things. I felt sorrow as well as disgust for the Quirks but even when I was feeling disgusted I still cared for them.

Wally Lamb is an excellent storyteller, he can write and even though I loved this novel I think he wrote a little bit too much this time around. The book is 740 pages, definitely not for those who like to breeze through a book. Still he manages to wrap so much into Caelum's story...Columbine, Hurricane Katrina, prison reform, Mark Twain, marital infidelity, family secrets, etc. With all the interwoven plot lines, thematic parallels and rich allegory the main premise of the story is about finding your way in a world that seems to have gone mad, yet being able to find hope when all hope seems to be gone, hence "The Hour I first believed"