Book Review "Penitence" by Kristin Koval

"Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done." - Bryan Stevenson

This quote presages the crux of a central theme of "Penitence," a novel by Kristin Koval and helps explain the book's title.

Penitence is regret that rises to the level of sorrow. Sometimes it leads to penance which fuels action that is aimed at restorative justice, at reconciliation, and perhaps forgiveness.

Koval asks the foundational question whether a terrible, unconscionable, one-time act can ever be forgiven and, if so, what form would that forgiveness take?

What was done that would drive penitence in search of forgiveness and reconciliation?

The first paragraph of the novel provides the answer with the introduction of the protagonist as a slight girl, barely a teenager, sitting in a jail cell because she shot and killed her brother.

In a standard thriller, the plot would be driven forward as a 'who done it' but in this story, the reader is given that answer up front. The mystery here is why. Until the why becomes moot.

And then another mystery is revealed. And another. And another.

But the why of the original crime is continually brought to mind. Clues are provided along the way. It is only when the why becomes moot that the reveal is made in a very offhand fashion.

And what about the other, accompanying mysteries?

They, too, are revealed as the story progresses. Until the biggest, unexpected twist of all that forms the largest irony in the story is revealed.

What can be said is that Koval, a Boulder resident, has obviously invested herself in developing her craft. Her level of character development, of wisdom on the subject of the nature and possibility of forgiveness, and of the failures and downfalls of the juvenile justice system, alongside her riveting and interwoven plot development belies the fact that this is her premiere as a writer of novels.

That she spent some time in a novel generator class at Catapult Publishing (novel generator website) while writing this book is evident. Her investment in understanding her subject and developing her writing tools has helped her remove any dross from this refined product.

Koval is also an alumnus of Sewanee Writers' Conference (sewanee.org) and Aspen Summer Words (Aspenwords.org), and her short story "Inheritance" was named a Finalist in the Salamander 2022 Fiction Contest (salamandermag.org.).

Of all the books that I have read lately, this is the one that I was most challenged to put down.