When I Found You

I should preface this edition of the Book Blog by admitting that I started it when I had been drinking. I was torn about making a post about this book because I didn't know exactly how to express why I loved it, and I wasn't sure that anyone else would love it for the same reasons. Then I got a little drunk and a little sad and realized I was looking to a character I had just read for advice, and yeah, he was in this book, so it obviously warrants a spot.

The Basics:

Title: When I found you

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde 

The Overview:

One fall morning when Nathan MaCann, a middle-aged man in a difficult marriage, goes duck hunting, he stumbles upon an infant left to freeze to death among the leaves. Upon discovering that the baby boy is still alive, Nathan rushes him to the hospital and quickly decides that he wants to keep the child despite the resistance he knows he will meet from his childless wife. Unfortunately for Nathan, when the child pulls through, he is released into the custody of his maternal grandmother. Still, Nathan feels that he needs to be a part of the baby's life, and he ensures the old woman that if ever she needs his help, he will be there.

Years later, the grown child, named Nathan after his savior and nicknamed Nat, discovers the truth about his mother's abandonment and begins a rapid decline into delinquency. With his grandmother at the end of her rope, Nathan the elder finally finds himself called upon for help. For the remainder of his days, Nathan McCann struggles to help guide his charge through adolescence and young adulthood as the younger falls in love, begins a boxing career, and fights the identity and anger issues that he cannot seem to shake. Despite difficult times and set backs, Nathan never abandons the promise he made to the nearly lifeless infant he discovered in the woods.

Why I Read It:

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written something like 20 books and people tell me to read one or another all the time. I didn't choose this one for any particular reason other than that it popped up on my kindle at a low price and at a time when I was looking for a clearly emotional read. When the first sentence of the Amazon description included an abandoned baby, I said, "Here it is!"

Why You Should Read It

First of all, Nathan McCann is the best. A lot of times "wise old man" characters some across as extremely cliche or overwrought, but this character is brilliant in his simplicity and steadfastness. I cannot imagine reading this book and coming away without love for him. Nat is a very interesting character, too. Writing human maturation effectively is not easy, and Hyde handles the task very well in this novel. The cast of supporting characters is well-rounded but simple, keeping this a straight-forward read. 

Secondly, the feelings! You sort of go into this one knowing what to expect (or you will, now that you have read my overview anyway), but it is executed so beautifully and with such simple tenderness that you can't help but be swept up in it. I enjoy books where you end up rooting for all the characters. If you don't need a bad guy to be entertained, this is a good choice for you. 

Finally, if you (like me) read at bed time and can't stop in the middle of chapters, this is a gift. It is organized into several-pages-long vignettes that move quickly through decades of time. Logical stopping points are plentiful, but the plot never feels gapped or rushed. 

In conclusion, if you are looking for a heartfelt, sweet page turner written by a skilled storyteller, check out When I Found You, and bring tissues for the end.