Review: Traveler's Rest by Jonathan Marcantoni

Reading the Traveler's Rest was a first on many levels. It was the first historical/political adult fiction I've ever read, and it's a first that I'm able to interview the author Jonathan Marcantoni about the book. I have to say that I was very skeptical about this novel. I usually never read adult fiction, but I was willing to try because you only live once, right?
I love the dialogue in the novel. That was just blissful to me, even though what they said wasn't particularly blissful. I love how he said it how it is. That was incredibly refreshing. I also love how everything connected all together. I was at first struggling with all the flash backs and point of views being switched around, but that made it beautiful to me. I love Jonathan Marcantoni's style of writing. He has a very natural way of telling a story so that was pleasant to read. 

Characters! Oh my lord, these characters were so life like I thought I was reading a biography. I loved all of the characters and good and bad, and they were just so interesting and their stories were beautifully told. I don't think I've ever felt more empathy for a fictional character in my life. I don't know how Jonathan Marcantoni did it, or maybe adult fiction just has better writers but I dearly take all of the character to heart. I think my favorite character is Gustavo because he just sees things differently to me. He's the old guy that you know has more than a lifetime of stories and you feel like a little kid listening to all the tales he tells.