ALC Review: Penitence by Kristin Koval
***Debut!***
Release Date:Â 28 January 2025
Rating: 4/5
Narrator: Thérèse Plummer
Book box(es):Â BOTM February,Â
Synopsis: For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.
When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.
Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of post-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.
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Review
Can you forgive one who shatters part of your soul? It is not often that I venture into modern literary fiction books, but something about the synopsis of Kristin Koval’s Penitence appealed to me, be it the themes of love and forgiveness or the mysterious aspect of a murder case. I simply felt like listening to this one, and I’m immensely glad I did. From the well structured plot to the simple, yet intricately woven narrative threads among the characters, Penitence grabbed a hold of my interest and didn’t let go. I thought about it consistently long after the last word from the narrator sounded.
Koval’s writing style provided the bulk of what drew me into the story—short and crisp yet dense sentences offer the reader the option to blow through the story or pause and reflect as often as necessary.  The middle starts the story in Penitence. We meet a murderer and slowly unravel the crime through the characters' tales Koval provides glimpses of until the full picture becomes visible. Readers will be surprised whom they sympathize with, that’s for certain.Â
Koval writes impeccable characters. I haven’t read many authors who lull me into seeing individual stories from every angle while simultaneously excusing absolutely no actions from any of them. There’s no beating over the head, lecturing, pandering, or funky writing off really terrible deeds. Every character is human—authentically, genuinely human, mistakes and all—and despite their insufferable humanity, they all possess a capacity for beautify, light, and hope after tragedy and loss. Â
This book certainly tugged on the heartstrings. I mean that in a completely Les Misérables kind of way, not a cable tv scripted reality show kind of way with a raw, earnest, and truthful glimpse portrayal and the light at the end of the tunnel afterward. If someone were to tell me Penitence tells a true story, I would not have a difficult time believing it.
Thérèse Plummer boasts an impressive amount of narrated books, many I’ve listened to instead of eyeballed because I wanted to hear Plummer’s voice read them instead of my own inner monologue. The narration here definitely enhances the experience, and I recommend readers try out the audiobook, even in part. Â
Overall, 4/5 for Penitence and 5/5 for Plummer’s performance. Though I loved Koval’s general skill in storytelling and characterization, the end left me with questions I felt should be answered, and one of the questions was too big for me to not have a firm resolution for. Â
My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.