The Risk Pool

Overall, I really liked this book. I thought it was very well written, and I never found myself bored at any point during the novel. I liked the way the book ended the way it started. It ended with Ned Hall’s son being born, and it started with Ned Hall being born. It was a unique way to show the circle of life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good, quick, and easy read, and I would definitely read it again. 

Part IV: Winter

I just finished the book, and over all I thought it was a great book. In the last couple of chapters, Ned tried to visit Sam as often as he could. Sam had a cancer relapse and when he ended up in the hospital, Ned went to visit him. On his arrival, Sam asked Ned to sneak him out of the hospital. Never actually leaving the hospital, Ned returned to New York City. Not for long though. Soon he was back in the hospital being notified of his father’s death. The book ended with Leigh giving birth to a son. 

Part IV: Winter

I have currently read through chapter forty-two. In the decade after Ned moved to Manhattan, he scarcely visited Mohawk, and Sam rarely visited Manhattan. Ned got a job as a junior editor at a publishing company. Claude left his wife, family, and job and took off. Ned is engaged to Leigh, who is also pregnant with his child. When Ned goes back to Mohawk to visit Sam, Sam is doing really well. He is the residential manager at luxury apartment homes and has a newly furnished apartment. However, he is battling lung cancer. I still have about twenty pages left in the book, but I really liked this book. 

Part III: Eat the Bird

I have finished the third part of the book, and Claude and his mother have once again made an appearance. Claude is married and has a job at the post office, so it seems that his life is once again back on track. Tria and Ned were “lovers” and spent a majority of their free time together. Sam is once again working and has gotten his drinking problem under control. Ned was staying with Jenny. Ned and Sam and Sam’s friends continue to go out drinking at nights, however not much trouble ever happens. One big that is different is that the Wards have managed to go broke. Ned once again leaves Mohawk and went to New York City. Jenny also moved, to San Diego, and married F. William Peterson. Things seem to be coming to end, so I can’t wait to see how everything ends in part four. 

Part III: Eat the Bird

Thus far I have read up to chapter thirty-five, and a lot has changed. For one, this section starts ten years later. Ned is in graduate school in Arizona, Sam is back in Mohawk, Jenny is almost fully recovered and is dating her long-time lawyer, F. William Peterson. Ned leaves Arizona and graduate school, where he has mostly stopped attending classes and is broke due to excessive gambling, and goes back to Mohawk to visit his mom and check on his dad, who apparently has a severe drinking problem. Ned immediately gets a job bartending and has a run-in with Mrs. Ward and Tria. After attending brunch at their house, Ned agrees to help Mrs. Ward with a project based on the history of Mohawk. Sam has once again faced legal charges, but both Sam and F. William Peterson, who is also representing Sam, think the charges will be dropped. The topic of “the risk pool” once again made an appearance, however this time was not in reference to a pool table. The risk pool is referred to in reference to Sam’s insurance rate and debt. I made the wrong assumption when I assumed the title referred to a pool table. I’m almost done with the book, and I’m excited to see how everything ends. 

Part II: Mohawk Fair

Having finished Part II, I really like this book so far. Jenny is out of rehab, and although she isn’t living in her old house, she and Ned are once again living together in a new house. Sam has been in and out of trouble, mostly financially, only once with the law. Sam has left town once again, not to be seen for ten years. Claude and Ned are friends again and Ned seems to be Claude’s only friend. Ned had saved up a lot of money to buy himself a car, but Sam took it when he needed help getting himself out of jail. In this section the pool table was mentioned, which has some relation, I’m not sure what yet, to the title of the book. Sam gets Ned a pool table for the apartment and Ned gets really good at playing pool. Ned sees Tria once more. However, when Jack Ward dies of a heart attack, and Ned goes to the Ward house for the viewing, he can’t bear to see Tria so upset and he leaves without saying hello. Ned is now entering high school, but Tria doesn’t attend the same school – she goes to a public school in Connecticut. This book is really interesting to me so far, so I’m anxious to see what happens in the next section.

Part II: Mohawk Fair

I have read up to chapter nineteen so far, and the story is continuing to progress. Jenny has been moved from the hospital into a care home, essentially rehab, and seems to be progressing well. She talks to Ned about how soon they will be back in their old house; however she doesn’t know that her house is being sold, which is what caused Ned to believe Jenny was dead. Sam is once again working, and Ned finished his seventh grade year. Eileen and Sam are still seeing each other, and everything seems to be going well. Two new characters that were introduced were Jack Ward and his daughter Tria Ward. The Ward family is extremely wealthy, but Sam and Jack fought in World War II together. Tria is the same age as Ned, and Ned has convinced himself that he’s in love with her. It’s now summer and Ned is spending most of his time at the library to escape the heat. One major thing that happened was that Claude, Ned’s friend who hasn’t been mentioned in a while, attempted suicide. I am anxious to see how Ned reacts to this news about his friend and can’t wait to see what he does and how the story progresses.