Stay

Catherine Ryan Hyde writes Stay, a deeply heartfelt and human tale about friendship and mortality. The plot follows Lucas Painter, a boy who cherishes his friendships but struggles to find a balance between supporting and fixing. Nick Podehl provides fitting, believable and passionate narration. This is one of Hyde's best works to date, and it should not be missed. From a present-day perspective, Lucas looks back on life as a fourteen-year-old boy. His family is in turmoil due to his parent's near-constant bickering. He spends time with his best-friend Connor, writes letters to his brother who's in the military, and goes on frequent runs in the woods. It's on a run that he encounters Zoe Dinsmore, a social outcast with a negative outlook on life. Along with his brother's addictive inclinations and friend's depressive tendencies, Lucas strives to give the people in his life a reason to live healthy, happy lives. Along the journey, he learns what it means to be a true friend while maintaining his mental health. Stay delves into topics of friendship, war, addiction, family struggles, mental health and moral obligations. Hyde does not present these in a preachy, patronizing or moralistic fashion. Rather, she lays them out as situations and circumstances that anyone might encounter or fall victim to. In this way, the story is not constrained by time or place. The characters, especially Lucas, convey all levels of emotion and confusion when navigating each circumstance. The character's reliance on the advice and friendship of others lends to the sense that they are growing and developing individuals existing in the real world. The plot is delivered with solid, consistent and engaging pacing. The simple yet effective dialogue expertly matches the mood, attitude and disposition of each character. The plot and narrative are delivered in an even more gripping manner due to Podehl's experienced narrative skill. He conveys appropriate emotion in each scene, and his accents are varied. He provides smooth cadence, while maintaining a consistent flow. His voice never grows tiresome throughout the eight hour and 12 minute narration. Once again, Stay proves that Hyde is an expert at conveying real world situations in fiction. She presents convincing, likeable characters, an engaging and consistent plot and a compelling setting. Podehl's strong narration contributes to the believable atmosphere that Hyde creates. All of these aspects come together to present a superb novel that should be experienced by all fans of fiction and good literature.

This was my first Catherine Ryan Hyde book. I didn't realize that she is such a prolific writer. Most importantly, she is an excellent writer. It is very refreshing to read a well-written book, considering some of the terrible stuff that becomes published and passes for literature. I liked this coming-of-age story about a 14-year-old boy set during the 1960s, Vietnam-War era. can't figure out if this is a book intended for the young-adult audience or for adults, too. I did not really like how Part 2 neatly wrapped up all of the questions created during Part 1. It seemed as if the author didn't know how to end the story any other way. I also didn't like how a particular, outcast character in the town became everyone's savior after being a hermit for so long. It was just too perfect. Overall, an enjoyable book to read. I'm looking for the next Hyde book to read.

I thought this story to be very well-written and spoke to the life and times of small towns, as well as people and their communities everywhere. The characters are well-developed, interesting, real and ring true. The story is narrated by the main character, a young teenage boy whose home life is full of conflict, since his parents argue constantly, mostly forgetting his needy presence. The boy's best friend also lives an isolating life, since the adults in his house are emotionally remote, thus inflicting on the son as sense of hopelessness. One day, the narrator chances to meet a woman and her two massive dogs who hole up in a cabin, deep in the woods, on the edge of town. He's been warned to steer clear of those woods, as well as the inhabitant of the cabin, who seems to have turned the whole town against her. Eventually both boys and the hermit lady befriend each other. Over time, they all effect deep, but cleansing, changes in one other. The tale ends in the narrators later, adult life. And, once again, we learn that all is connected and we can all help one another, no matter the gender, age, position in society, and life goals. This novel would truly be a relevant tale for teenage readers who also grapple with the aches and pains of growing up. In the end, we all end up somewhere but it's who we take along on our journeys is what matters most.

This is a story about the people that touched the life of Lucas Painter, in the summer of 1969. Lucas was fourteen years old, he was trying to find himself during that hot summer. This is his story. His Mom and Dad was continuity fighting and yelling at each other. His older brother was fighting in Vietnam War. His best friend, Conner was depressed his parents never talked to him or each other. Lucas and Conner had been best friends since they were three years old. Zoe Dinsmore was an elderly woman living in the woods forever. The main character Lucas Painter, was telling the story as he tries to help his friends and stay true to himself. This is a wonderful story with passion, heart warming, realistic, and sweet. I don't usually read this type of book, but I was unable to put it down until I finished it. I loved the characters with their own personilities, the settings, an especially the plot and the novel was well written. At times I had a few tears. I had never read anything by this author before but I was right there in the story. Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde for sharing this novel. I loved everything about this book.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written a poignant novel about the power of friendship and kindness. Lucas, 14, runs miles every day to burn off anxiety and excess energy. His parents constantly fight, and he’s worried about his brother who is a soldier in Viet Nam. Lucas’s best friend, Conner, is depressed and Lucas doesn’t know how to help him. While running through the woods, Lucas comes across a little run-down cabin. Two large dogs emerge from a make-shift shelter and, much to Lucas’ joy, they join him on his run. This pattern goes on for many days when he finally meets their owner, Zoe, an older woman with an unfortunate past. They become friends and Lucas is able to unburden his worries to this no-nonsense woman. The story is told in first-person by Lucas as an adult, and at the end the reader sees the whole picture of Lucas, his family and his friends. As in her other novels, this author brings the reader into the story as she unflinchingly describes the consequences of addiction, suicide, the terrible toll war inflicts, and the hardship of children caught in family strife. Stay is a heartfelt novel that I enthusiastically recommend for teens and adults.

This book was a deep well of beautiful words. The Vietnam era was when I was growing up so it hit close to my heart. Things about that war affected how I live and how I think to this day. I protested the war and believed it was as a huge mistake to send our boys there. I saw how it changed the boys who did make it home. The belief that we are all all responsible for our actions regardless of those in power above us came from watching a trial of soldiers involved in a massacre of civilians. To this day I will remember that outcome. This story felt very personal to me after listening to my oldest brother and my parents discuss what he was going to do if he was drafted. I knew he was no coward but he believed deeply that the war was wrong. He would not have gone to fight. He was one of the fortunate few whose draft number didn't come up before the war was over.

This had me all the way up to the time jump to the present. I enjoyed the "Stand by Me" vibe and liked the main characters, writing, and plot well enough. But the historical inaccuracy at the end about the draft really annoyed me, and what subsequently happened to Lucas as told in the present was silly. If he finished freshman year in '69, he graduated in '72, as I did. The draft had become the lottery in '69, and if my memory serves me, the numbers for boys born in 1954 weren't drawn until 1974, and the draft was essentially over at the end of '73. De-escalation was already well on its way. Yes, Lucas would have been required to register, but he wouldn't have been called no matter what his number was. Because of this and the too predictable ending, I didn't care for most of that "50 years later" section. It was too neatly tied up and kind of spoiled the earlier narrative. I did enjoy the last scene with the two brothers at the old cabin, and honestly would have preferred that to be the ending without the story told to the grandson.

I loved this story. It's the 6th book by Hyde that I have read the past few months and my favorite so far because of all of the great advice given by one of the characters. I wish I had the wisdom to speak such great sentences to my children and grandchildren. I am 80 years old and definitely do not believe this story was written for young adults as some have said in their reviews. There is always something to take away form a Hyde book, mostly in the way the characters respond and this book was no exception. It is a tale of friendship, unqualified love, wisdom , sincerity, youth and morality. I saved the ending for when I was very mentally alert, rather than finish it before sleep because I just knew it would be profound, and it was. I already have 8 more of Hyde's books on my shelf to read. I am obsessed with her stories, each so different from the other. What a smart lady! If what she said about the drugs in the War is true, I am definitely shocked. I imagine it is true since she does great research.

In the headline, I called this book "emotionally charged", because at times it will overcome you and you might find yourself tearing up or outright crying. You may feel danger and fear and then just as quickly happiness. This is because the central character Lucas is a fourteen year old boy in the late nineteen sixties who is seeing, hearing and doing things that are brand new to him. But this is so much more than a simple coming of age novel. It is a life lesson and one you won't easily forget. This is the sixth time I have picked out a Catherine Ryan Hyde book and loved every word of it. The plot is so masterfully drawn that I don't want to give a synopsis here. I think it would be better if you read it without knowing what was coming. You won't regret it.

Another great story by Catherine Ryan Hyde, love her books. Love the way the story is about caring people helping each other and the love of animals. I loved this book made me laugh and cry. Would recommend.

Beautifully written account of the bittersweet brushes with mental health, addiction and suicide and the realisation we stay for others when we cannot find a reason for ourselves. Very thought provoking well written with commanding characters and deep empathy and sensitivity. As someone who lost my Dad and Brother to suicide and who has PTSD this really resonated with me and as someone who has had counselling spreads some important messages of hope and the enormous value of being there even if you say nothing. A wonderful book

Il tema fondamentale resta immutato: la formazione adolescenziale nell’affacciarsi all’età adulta e tutte le problematiche che la vita presenta in questa delicata transizione. Questa volta lo scenario è uno dei più attuali e drammatici: la guerra. L’assurdità della guerra in una cultura che la rifiuta identificandola per quello che è: la scelta della forza rispetto alla logica della ragione. Fatto salvo quindi l’importanza e la sacralità dell’argomento, devo confessare che a mio parere non è la migliore opera dell’autrice, forse più portata alla sensibilità dei sentimenti più intimistici relazionali che ai grandi problemi umani. Ho trovato la narrazione un po’ lenta e ridondante. Voto di apprezzamento: 3,8/5,0.

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