The King of Billy Goat Hill [Paperback]

Mark Stanleigh (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Fallbrook Publ.; 1St Edition edition (1996)
• ASIN: B000NQI80A
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Moving. A Terrific Story!, February 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The King of Billy Goat Hill : A Novel (Paperback)

The Highland Park/Eagle Rock area of northeast Los Angeles (where I grew up) is the setting for this wonderful, heartwarming novel. The story begins in 1958 (I was 5 then) when two young brothers sneak out in the middle of the night to a place known as Billy Goat Hill. What happens that first night sets the theme for this deeply moving psychological study of childhood events and how they control our emotions and behavior long into the future. There are many laughs to be enjoyed throughout and several times I openly wept as waves of empathy for Wade Parker shook me to the core. A finely woven plot that leapfrogs from the late 50's to the present will keep you engrossed page by page by page. I savoured each chapter and utterly adored the ending. Unless you have been miraculously blessed with a problem-free life, you will identify with every disturbingly dark and brightly illuminated nuance of this beautifully crafted story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved This Book!, January 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The King of Billy Goat Hill : A Novel (Paperback)

I took a chance and ordered this novel after reading the previous reviews. I was not disappointed. If you love a story and characters that leave you resonating long after the initial read, get The King of Billy Goat Hill. I've read six more novels since and still I keep thinking about Wade, Luke and Mac. I agree wholeheartedly with the earlier reviews, and, yes, this book would make a terrific movie!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not always sure what the point is, July 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The King of Billy Goat Hill : A Novel (Paperback)

Most of the stories seem to have little connection to each other or to any theme. Only at the end does it become clear what the effect of any of the earlier experiences are. And the latter half of the story takes time in too large of leaps to really make it's connection to the first half meaningful.

However, the scenes from childhood easily stand on their own. One is drawn into the position of Wade Parker quite well. Makes one feel like he is there, with all his young fears.