Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces—and might even mend damaged souls.
Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart—only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
The Time Keepers was absolutely riveting. I enjoy stories that highlight particular moments from history, and reading about the various perspectives from all characters involved really brought the late nineteen-seventies and the Vietnam War to life.
One viewpoint comes from Grace, a mother who is raising her daughters as best she can while still processing tragedy in her own life. When she finds a young boy (Bao) and later meets Anh, a refugee who has been tasked with caring for her nephew Bao, they discover that for all of their differences, they have more in common than they could ever imagine they might have. We also get to see Anh’s experiences and what ultimately brought her and Bao to Long Island.
Jack is a Vietnam vet who can’t shake the past, his visual wounds a constant reminder. Golden Hours, the watch store that has been in Grace’s husband Tom’s family for generations, has become a lifeline for Jack, enabling him to feel as though he can still be a productive member of society, even though he still hides from life. The flashbacks of war we get to witness through Jack’s eyes and memories made me feel as though I was right there with him, with Tom’s gentle thoughts on how Golden Hours had come to be providing a much-needed buffer to balance out the grit and violence.
The most endearing perspective comes from Bao, who is the central focal point that brings everyone together. The author did an excellent job of weaving everyone’s storylines in such a way that felt much like a spider web of connectivity, leading up to some pretty scary moments that affected the characters emotionally, mentally, and physically, in both good and not so good ways. In the end, the overall message I received was one of great perseverance and love. The Time Keepers was an amazing story and well worth the experience, a definite five-star read!
Thanks to Get Red PR for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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