Synopses & Reviews
Kenly Alister is a Grownup. Unlike those who sail through life taking what they want regardless of how their actions affect others, Kenly cleans up other people's messes, picks up the pieces, and is the one who others turn to for solace. As the child of an alcoholic, she weathered abuse and sadness and emerged from childhood determined to bring comfort and happiness to those she loves.
While in college she fell for Ross Lowen. Ross wasn't looking for someone to take care of him--he wanted a lover, a friend, and a partner. In Kenly he found not only all that but a woman whose capacity for love and kindness bowled him over.
The last fifteen years have been good to them and Kenly basks in the glow of a wonderful marriage. An as an extral bonus she revels in their son who, even in his most arrogant, adolescent moments, still has the ability to take Kenly's breath away.
This happy life is threatened when her dearest childhood friend dies and Kenly receives an old battered tin box, a relic of her childhood. Inside are the remnants of Kenly's past and a secret she has sheltered for decades. To reveal the secret means the destruction of her happy family--but can she continue to shoulder the weight of years of silence?
The Tin Box is an achingly beautiful novel of one woman's desire to save all that she loves while honoring the past that made her into the woman she is.
Review
"The Tin Box is a very special novel by a spectacular new talent. Holly Kennedy writes with compassion and authenticity...."(Susan Wiggs author of Table of Five, Nov 16 2004 )
Review
"The Tin Box is a rare jewel. Tommy is a character that will stay in my heart forever...." Robyn Carr author of Blue Skies
Review
"I guarantee once you dive into the first pages of this novel, you will not be able to put it down." Linda Holeman author of The Linnet
Review
“
The Tin Box is a very special novel by a spectacular new talent. Holly Kennedy writes with compassion and authenticity about the things that matter most."--Susan Wiggs, author of
Table for Five “The Tin Box is a rare jewel.”--Robyn Carr, author of Blue Skies
“I guarantee once you dive into the first pages of this novel, you will not be able to put it down.”--Linda Holeman, author of The Linnet on The Tin Box
Review
Praise for
The Tin Box "
The Tin Box is a very special novel by a spectacular new talent. Holly Kennedy writes with compassion and authenticity about the things that matter most."--Susan Wiggs, author of
Table for Five "The Tin Box is a rare jewel."--Robyn Carr, author of Blue Skies
"I guarantee once you dive into the first pages of this novel, you will not be able to put it down."--Linda Holeman, author of The Linnet "The Tin Box is nothing if not feel-good fiction. Good triumphs over tragedy, patterns of dark and dubious behaviour are brought into the light before being vanquished, and hope and love reign supreme, with a well-crafted climax that would raise a tear in all but the terminally hardhearted."--Edmonton Journal
"A riveting, heartfelt tale, Kennedy's novel has a depth of emotion that is both believable and real."--Romantic Times BookClub Magazine (4 ½ stars and a Top Pick)
"A story of love for those who don't like love stories. As you read this tale of secrets, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness and undying love you'll find yourself finishing The Tin Box is one stretch."--The Roanoke Times
"A wonderful, poignant tale of forgiveness, perseverance, and the healing power of the human spirit...The Tin Box is a page-turner and not a book to be taken lightly, but is definitely a good read."--Romance Reviews Today
Review
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. In The Tin Box, we see Kenly grow from a child to an adult. Discuss how she changes and matures. What lessons does she learn from Tommy?
2. How did Kenlys life as a child affect the choices she made as an adult? Share your impressions of her father, his role in her life, and why you believe she stayed with him.
3.Tommy is physically unappealing and yet he has an inner contentment that Kenly lacks. Is this what drew her to him initially, or is it that she felt like an outcast as well? Discuss your views on this.
4. Although the differences between Tommy and Kenly are obvious, what are their similarities? Discuss the dynamics behind Tommys physical disfiguration and Kenlys internal damage from being raised by a man who made it clear that hed never wanted her in the first place.
5. Why do you believe everyone is drawn to Max Vardas fire pit? Would Walter Dunning have danced around in his underwear anywhere else?
6. In the small town of Athabasca, Kenly finds the sense of ‘family that she has been missing for years. What are your views on Maxs role in her life, as well as Jeans and Lexies?
7.Throughout the story, Kenly often tells small lies to protect her father. Why does she do this? Do you think she will ever share the secret her father reveals to her in his letter with anyone else? Would you?
8. What would you keep inside a tin box if you had one? Have you ever had a secret youve never shared? Can you relate to Kenlys struggle and her desire for redemption?
9. Discuss the unfolding drama in the delivery room when Kenly gives birth to Connor. Can you relate to what shes going through? How does this compare with your own experiences as a mother?
10. Consider the scene after Connors accident, where Kenly goes fishing in her pajamas. What kind of turning point is this for her?
11. Do you feel it was realistic for Kenly to put her dream of sculpting aside until she had found some stability in her life? Can you relate to this choice?
12. Secrets figure largely in The Tin Box, as does forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. What effect do these elements have on you as a reader? Discuss how the story has changed your perspective in relation to each one. "The Tin Box is a very special novel by a spectacular new talent. Holly Kennedy writes with compassion and authenticity...." Susan Wiggs author of Table of Five
Review
"I guarantee...you will not be able to put it down."
Linda Holeman, author of The Linnet
Review
"The Tin Box is nothing if not feel-good fiction."
Edmonton Journal
Review
"A riveting, heartfelt tale, Kennedy's novel has a depth of emotion that is both believable and real."
Romantic Times BookClub Magazine
Review
"...You'll find yourself finishing The Tin Box is one stretch."
The Roanoke Times
Review
"A wonderful, poignant tale of forgiveness, perseverance, and the healing power of the human spirit."
Romance Reviews Today
Synopsis
Kenly Alister's happy life is threatened when she receives a battered tin box, a relic from her childhood that contains the remnant' of her past--and a secret she's sheltered for decades.
Synopsis
Growing up, Kenly Lowen's life was shaped around a widowed alcoholic father who made it clear that he never wanted her in the first place. She emerged from childhood determined to find happiness. Today, at thirty-two, Kenly has a husband and a son who mean the world to her; the kind of life she always dreamed of having.
When her closest childhood friend dies, Kenly is given an old tin box they once shared - a tin box they hid on the roof of a tree house fifteen years earlier. Inside is a secret she has kept for years. To reveal it could end her marriage and shatter her world, but can she continue to shoulder the weight of years of silence?
Kenly's is a story filled with heartbreak, tragedy, and hope. In a small town filled with hidden treasures, young Kenly discovers people who change her life. From terminally ill Tommy, who loves her, to old Max, who shows her that a fire pit is sometimes the best medicine, to edgy Lexie, who believes life should be lived, The Tin Box will take Kenly on an unforgettable journey. The decision she finally makes will test the ties that bind people together against a wound that could tear them apart.
The Tin Box is an achingly beautiful novel of one woman's desire to save all that she loves while honoring the past that made her into the woman she is.
About the Author
The Tin Box is
Holly Kennedy's first novel. She lives with her husband in Alberta, Canada.
Reading Group Guide
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Holly Kennedy was born in Alberta, Canada. She was raised in Hinton and Athabasca along with three brothers and a sister. After years in sales and business management in Edmonton and Winnipeg, she decided to chase her dream of becoming a writer.
In June of 2000, she was accepted to Francis Ford Coppolas Writers Workshop in Belize based on the strength of a short story shed written called “The Tin Box.” That short story eventually grew into a novel that has now been published in six languages.
Holly is married, has two young sons, and is a stepmother to another son and daughter. She resides in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Calgary, Alberta.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Tin Box is the story of one womans desire to save all that she loves while honoring the past that made her into the woman that she is. Everything that matters in Kenly Lowens life is threatened when a childhood friend dies. Following the tragedy, Kenly is given an old tin box that they hid on the roof of a tree house fifteen years ago. Inside is a secret that could end Kenlys marriage and shatter her world, but to find redemption she must risk everything.
In the tradition of heartwarming novels such as Billie Lettss Where the Heart Is, Robert James Wallers The Bridges of Madison County, and Nicolas Sparkss The Notebook, Holly Kennedys The Tin Box is a first novel that will tug at readers heartstrings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Holly Kennedy was born in Alberta, Canada. She was raised in Hinton and Athabasca along with three brothers and a sister. After years in sales and business management in Edmonton and Winnipeg, she decided to chase her dream of becoming a writer.
In June of 2000, she was accepted to Francis Ford Coppolas Writers Workshop in Belize based on the strength of a short story shed written called “The Tin Box.” That short story eventually grew into a novel that has now been published in six languages.
Holly is married, has two young sons, and is a stepmother to another son and daughter. She resides in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Calgary, Alberta.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Tin Box is the story of one womans desire to save all that she loves while honoring the past that made her into the woman that she is. Everything that matters in Kenly Lowens life is threatened when a childhood friend dies. Following the tragedy, Kenly is given an old tin box that they hid on the roof of a tree house fifteen years ago. Inside is a secret that could end Kenlys marriage and shatter her world, but to find redemption she must risk everything.
In the tradition of heartwarming novels such as Billie Lettss Where the Heart Is, Robert James Wallers The Bridges of Madison County, and Nicolas Sparkss The Notebook, Holly Kennedys The Tin Box is a first novel that will tug at readers heartstrings.