Customer Reviews

Sky Blue and Black

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The imagery and interesting weave of everyday life to catastrophic events is thought provoking! The author captures a perfect glimpse in to any neighborhood in any city. That's life, slow, steady, filled with lively moments that are special to those involved. Then BANG, along comes this global life changing event and things can never be the same, or can they? Along with that you have a serial killer running around picking people off one at a time with unique habits, one of which still keeps me up at night if I think about it. Enjoyed the book throughly and will read again and again to catch more details.

I found it to be a very fascinating idea to have the book begin months before 9/11 in everyday suburbia. I thoroughly enjoyed the building of the story told on a month-to-month basis. The author has also incorported "headlines" from the news monthly, (through the serial killer character) which I loved. All the characters, including the beloved dogs, have such a connection. It has all the elements of a great page turner!

Loved how this book twisted and turned! Following the close knit relationships of good neighbors, and how they are a type of "family" with you. It was so fun how the book went from different families in the neighborhood, then following a serial killer, then a terrorist and pulling in family from New York from one of the neighbors...it all ties together in the last chapter when our whole country feels the pain of September 11. I haven't cried like that while reading a book in a long time...great story...sad ending, but the epilog leaves you with the hope and knowledge that life does go on.

Being from Northeast Ohio, I especially enjoyed Mr. Murdoch's book. He expertly weaves the everyday lives of neighbors and friends together along with Mohammed Atta's preparations for the 9/11 attacks. The book explores the hopes and fears that live in the hearts of everyday Americans, as well as explores the dark side of the human animal. Being the owner of a Dogue de Bordeaux, working with rescue and knowing many dogues, I related, smiled and laughed out loud at the antics of the two dogues in the book, Chaos and Frenzy. This book had a very touching ending that makes you remember 9/11, remember the pain and loss this country suffered at the hands of terrorists on that horrible, long day. This book is a must read as it is a great study of human nature, good and bad. Dogue (or dog) lovers will enjoy the book for the dogue story alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The relationships and dynamics of a close-knit Ohio neighborhood are explored while several side stories are developed including one that intricates a terrorist involved in the 9/11 tragedy.

The story starts out a bit slow but once it gets going it is a cannot-put-down-read.

A thought provoking book, Sky Blue and Black gives one an unusual perception of both fictional and non-fictional events leading up to 9/11. Sky Blue and Black introduces the reader to a neighborhood in Ohio. Just an average neighborhood, with all-American people who go about their everyday lives as do most of the people in the United States. Juxtaposed, the reader follows the lives of the terrorists who make the date 9/11 one that will remain in our minds forever. Several stories are woven together as lives collide and explode with the events of the day. A large part of the story includes the wonderful French Mastiffs (Chaos and Frenzy) who take center stage throughout the book. A genuine look at their unusual behavior adds pathos and joy to this novel.