Set in Stone by Catherine Dunne

Publication Date: June 4th 2010
Genre: Realistic Fiction
My Goodreads Rating: 3/5
Source: Own Copy

I recently finished reading "Set in Stone" by Catherine Dunne. Although some parts of the plot were predictable, I really enjoyed this story. The story revolves around an Irish family.
 Lynda is a Mosaic artist who works from the house, while her husband Robert is a Developer. Their daughter Katie studies at a university away from home, and their son Ciaran lives at home but goes to a college nearby. The family has had a horrible past- linked only to Robert's brother Danny.
 As the story unfurls, readers realize why Danny is such an issue, and what he has to do with their present day lives. A new character is introduced to the family near the beginning of the story. Ciaran's friend Jon needs a place to stay and ends up living with the Grahams. Is he related to the mysterious "Watcher" that lurks outside their house? Is Lynda's family at risk? The novel poses various questions to the reader, and all are answered in due time.


 I learned to expect a new twist with the turn of every page. Although packed full of twists, "Set in Stone" occasionally eases the readers into the twists by providing a second point of view. Dunne alternates between Lynda's life and the life of a mysterious character known as "The Watcher". The Watcher gives he reader an insight into the damage about to happen.
 Although Dunne tackles various themes in her novel, it remains a light read. The plot progresses steadily and hits the occasional bump in the road. The simple writing along with the speed of progression really allows one to read the novel at their own pace.
 Themes such as family, destruction, revenge, love, and friendship were certainly stand out themes for me. However, I don't believe that there is a limit to the number of themes that appeared in this story. There were certainly a lot that were subtly presented, while others were obvious right from the get-go
 It definitely wasn't a book that I couldn't stand to put down. However, it did allow me to catch up on my Goodreads Challenge, and I enjoyed it. I'd recommend this as a read to anyone desperately in need of a book, or desperately in need of a quick read.