It was a struggle to get into, the first two parts of the book (185 pages) didn't capture my attention. They were necessary as back story however, I just think it could have been done better. The third part of the book was much more interesting. ( )

I kept reading out of morbid curiosity and I just didn’t like it. I know the reality in other places of the world is not our reality but I still want to see the good in people. It left me without a good feeling ( )

Good narration; quick listen, but at the same time, hard story to listen to. Had difficulty understanding why/how family was supposed to be so important throughout the story, when in reality many in the family were all about betrayal and greed. ( )

The Golden Child is a family drama set in rural Trinidad. The Deyalsingh family, Trinidadians of Indian heritage, are Clyde and Joy, and their twin 13-year-old sons Peter and Paul. Peter is the "golden child" of the title, academically gifted, and Clyde saves all the family's money for his future, despite his wife's desire to move to the city or to improve the house they live in.

Despite the title, Paul is the main focus of the novel. He is believed to be "slightly retarded" due to loss of oxygen to his brain at birth. But over the novel it is revealed that he is a kind child with many hidden talents, and most likely has learning disabilities, although this is never specifically stated. The novel begins with Paul going missing, and then flashes back on the previous 13 years of the family from various points of view. When we return to the present day timeline, Paul is facing a very real threat and Clyde is faced with difficult choice.

Adam does well at developing the characters and family dynamics, as well as showing everyday Trinidadian culture. But this is also a grim and disheartening book, so don't pick it up for light reading. ( )

An engrossing tale that starts with the disappearance of Paul Deyalsingh, a teen-age boy given to dreaming and wandering, unlike his studious, disciplined twin Peter. Nicknamed "Tarzan" because of his long hair, Paul has always lived in Peter's shadow - born second, with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, he was called "retarded" at birth and he and his parents have accepted this moniker as true. However, it is not and it takes the insistence of a priest at his private high school to challenge this. Paul is definitely learning-disabled, possibly dyslexic, and in the 1980s (?) rural Trinidad setting he is an enigma to all. We learn the family recently suffered a traumatic break-in despite burglar bars, watch dogs and a fence - this seems to be common for the community. When Paul doesn't come home, is it connected? It is possible he wandered off, it is possible he is out with a bad crowd, it is possible he is in trouble and it isn't until the end of the book that it is revealed and the book becomes a Sophie's Choice of impossible outcomes. Clyde, the father is hard-working, avoids trouble which in this crime-ridden, corrupt country is no easy task. The mother, Joy takes care of the house and boys and does some cooking to bring in extra needed income. They are poor, but not destitute. Peter wins a scholarship to a private high school in the distant city, but Paul must go too - Joy is adamant about keeping them together and "equal." For Peter this is a haven, but for Paul it is torture. The sacrifices the family makes to give their sons opportunity is inspiring, but also the crux of the conflict. Joy has some well-connected, successful relatives: an uncle who is a doctor, a brother who is a judge and another brother who married well, but as a result of the country's instability, these successes are no guarantee of safety or longevity. The uncle dies in a crash, the brother is murdered and the other brother sells out to the corrupt forces around him. What is so heartbreaking is that Clyde and Joy have tried so hard to do the right thing to ensure a better future for their sons, but their environment (politically and naturally) is against them. Much of the middle of the book looks at the familial relationships and gives some of Paul's point of view, and definitely delves into some of the culture of the country. "It is better to live without illusions." is Clyde's summation as he confronts the forces against him. This is an SJP (Sarah Jessica Parker) imprint at Hogarth - the latest in celebrity book supporters, which I didn't know until I finished it. I'm a little skeptical of the celebrity influence in general, but if it allows gems like this to come to light, there is a legit role for name-dropping/branding. ( )