Book Review: ‘The Resolutions: A Novel’ By Brady Hammes

Three siblings are out in the world and things are not going good for any of them. Gavin is an actor in L.A. and hist TV series has just been cancelled, he broke up with his girlfriend and was offered a play in New Mexico, where he had an affair with his engaged director. Jonah is in Gabon studying elephants as part of his college studies and gets involved with ivory smugglers. Samantha is in Russia working with a Moscow ballet company and addicted to heroin, which costs her the job. Now it’s Christmas time and they all have to go to Chicago for the holiday. Gavin and Jonah try to talk sense into Sam but she doesn’t want to hear it. They all decide to go to Gabon so Sam can get help with a tribe that has a special herb and ceremony that could help with her addiction. It also puts Jonah in trouble because of the ivory that he had to smuggle. All three siblings will be tested in different ways once in the jungle and have to come to terms with their lives now.

This is the debut novel from author Brady Hammes and it’s a solid story of family, addiction and starting over. It also hits on the aweful trade of poaching and killing poor animals. You follow these three characters and root for them as you read along.

You can pick up The Resolutions in stores on Tuesday, May 5th from Ballantine.