Oliver Loving

Block's powerful, ambitious third novel (after The Storm at the Door and The Story of Forgetting) examines the dislocation, confusion, and psychological trauma experienced by families and communities when sudden, violent loss of life occurs. At the heart of the novel is a tragic event that has become shockingly familiar—a troubled young teenager bursts into his west Texas high school and kills a beloved music teacher and a number of students before taking his own life. The repercussions of this event are deep and far-reaching, and Block traces them over the course of ten years, focusing on one family, the Lovings, whose son, Oliver, survives the attack but is left in a vegetative state, unresponsive and helpless. Block follows the members of this family—Oliver's mother, father, and younger brother, along with Oliver's female friend, Rebekkah—as they try to come to terms with this loss. The author handles this deep psychological exploration very skillfully. The ending of the novel is a beautifully rendered meditation on the nature of forgiveness, mercy, and healing.