Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2016.
Description
Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend's future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt. What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion--from dark suffering to true happiness--a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls--including an angel who's been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member AmaliaGavea
"In February,when the snow comes down hard, little globes of light are left along Route 110, on the side of the road that slopes off when a driver least expects it. The lights are candles set inside paper bags, surrounded by sand, and they burn past midnight. They shouldn't last for that amount of
There's a heat wave all over Greece at the moment I'm writing this review. I don't like summer and heat, I want to live in a place of eternal winter. Also, bright sun changes my mood and character completely and in this review, you'll probably see me obsessively describing my incoherent thoughts on how easily and readily I gave my heart to this book. It is one of the rarest of cases when I couldn't stop myself from reading the last chapter when I reached about 80% mark. I just wanted to know. This is how deeply I feel in love with Hoffman's novel.
After a horrific car accident, Shelby's life changes dramatically. She gives up on her dreams, she punishes herself in all ways imaginable and chooses to escape to New York. Not to start anew. She cannot do that yet, because she doesn't believe she is able or even worthy of a good life. She believes she's a nobody, a nothing, a monster. She practically begs for other people to see her this way. But they don't. Because some of us have faith.
The title is extremely poignant and well-chosen. "Faithful" to whom? To what? My answer is to everything. This is the reply I got from the book. To people, to a higher power, but most of all, to ourselves. It is the amount of faith in our abilities and value we gain through the children's love, through the animals' trust. Here, Shelby starts finding her way out of the darkness the moment people start trusting her. They have faith in her and she begins to look at herself under a different light. After trust comes faith and then love follows closely.
Love lies at the centre of the novel, along with faith. Love between a mother and a daughter. Love between a couple (beautifully depicted in Shelby and James). Love between friends, between animals and humans. Love that is firmly rooted in the past or the kind of love that comes out of nowhere, sweeps you off your feet and helps you find yourself a little sooner than you'd think possible.
"As evening falls, the wet street glows as if sprinkled with diamonds...There are bats in the tower of a church overlooking a small park. There's a sprinkling of gold -trigged stars in the sky.
What is it with stories and New York? What is it about this city that makes everything so poetic and special? Why does it turn me into a romantic? I don't know...I fell in love with Hoffman's descriptions of the city. They're marvellous, especially the ones about the evening streets. You'll also find a few but extremely poetic images of the Hudson.
There are certain well-placed hints of magical realism, with the postcards of an angel and Helena's supposed healing abilities. I think they're there to remind us that sometimes magic sometimes and beauty lies within our daily routine, within difficult choices, within the past. The narration is written in the present tense which is probably my favourite technique and it fits the story perfectly. And if by now you haven't been convinced that the writing is impeccable, I don't think I can trust you...
I read that it took Hoffman ten years to write Faithful and this definitely shows in the way the story is tightly put together, in the characters that are fully developed, in the interactions that are realistic and vivid. Dogs have a very prominent role in the action and Hoffman even manages to include references to Poe's Nevermore and to Gaiman's Neverwhere. I mean, come on...This is perfection.
Shelby is one of the most beautiful, most memorable characters out of all the books I've ever read in my life. You'll support her, get frustrated by her, cheer for her to succeed, cry and laugh. You will embark on an exciting journey. Call me superficial but James was...if he doesn't make your heart melt, if you don't fall in love with him as soon as you meet him on the page, then I believe you're heartless beyond repair. (Also, if the book is ever made into a film, I want Jonathan Tucker for the role. I don't know why but I pictured him as I was reading.) Ben, on the other hand, is irritating, a crying self-absorbed infant, competing with Shelby's father for the award of the most annoying character in the novel. To be fair, he has a few redeeming qualities, but I don't want to be fair today, I want to be emotional. See what this book did to me?
None of us wants to make even the tiniest mistakes, but this is impossible. We're human beings. Even gods make mistakes and quite big ones. We're made to make mistakes and to learn in the process. Life isn't the silky cocoon our parents struggled to provide for us. Whatever few ugly experiences I've had taught me to think differently, taught me that there are people you need to discard without a second thought and people you need at all costs. In those moments, everyone need to have faith and trust in someone. In my opinion, this "someone" must be our self. And the rest will follow...
"Together they fight demons in New York City, of which there is an endless supply. Each time another one is defeated, the Misfit comes closer to forgiveness, a state of grace he never can quite reach."
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time, but that's part of the miracle."There's a heat wave all over Greece at the moment I'm writing this review. I don't like summer and heat, I want to live in a place of eternal winter. Also, bright sun changes my mood and character completely and in this review, you'll probably see me obsessively describing my incoherent thoughts on how easily and readily I gave my heart to this book. It is one of the rarest of cases when I couldn't stop myself from reading the last chapter when I reached about 80% mark. I just wanted to know. This is how deeply I feel in love with Hoffman's novel.
After a horrific car accident, Shelby's life changes dramatically. She gives up on her dreams, she punishes herself in all ways imaginable and chooses to escape to New York. Not to start anew. She cannot do that yet, because she doesn't believe she is able or even worthy of a good life. She believes she's a nobody, a nothing, a monster. She practically begs for other people to see her this way. But they don't. Because some of us have faith.
The title is extremely poignant and well-chosen. "Faithful" to whom? To what? My answer is to everything. This is the reply I got from the book. To people, to a higher power, but most of all, to ourselves. It is the amount of faith in our abilities and value we gain through the children's love, through the animals' trust. Here, Shelby starts finding her way out of the darkness the moment people start trusting her. They have faith in her and she begins to look at herself under a different light. After trust comes faith and then love follows closely.
Love lies at the centre of the novel, along with faith. Love between a mother and a daughter. Love between a couple (beautifully depicted in Shelby and James). Love between friends, between animals and humans. Love that is firmly rooted in the past or the kind of love that comes out of nowhere, sweeps you off your feet and helps you find yourself a little sooner than you'd think possible.
"As evening falls, the wet street glows as if sprinkled with diamonds...There are bats in the tower of a church overlooking a small park. There's a sprinkling of gold -trigged stars in the sky.
What is it with stories and New York? What is it about this city that makes everything so poetic and special? Why does it turn me into a romantic? I don't know...I fell in love with Hoffman's descriptions of the city. They're marvellous, especially the ones about the evening streets. You'll also find a few but extremely poetic images of the Hudson.
There are certain well-placed hints of magical realism, with the postcards of an angel and Helena's supposed healing abilities. I think they're there to remind us that sometimes magic sometimes and beauty lies within our daily routine, within difficult choices, within the past. The narration is written in the present tense which is probably my favourite technique and it fits the story perfectly. And if by now you haven't been convinced that the writing is impeccable, I don't think I can trust you...
I read that it took Hoffman ten years to write Faithful and this definitely shows in the way the story is tightly put together, in the characters that are fully developed, in the interactions that are realistic and vivid. Dogs have a very prominent role in the action and Hoffman even manages to include references to Poe's Nevermore and to Gaiman's Neverwhere. I mean, come on...This is perfection.
Shelby is one of the most beautiful, most memorable characters out of all the books I've ever read in my life. You'll support her, get frustrated by her, cheer for her to succeed, cry and laugh. You will embark on an exciting journey. Call me superficial but James was...if he doesn't make your heart melt, if you don't fall in love with him as soon as you meet him on the page, then I believe you're heartless beyond repair. (Also, if the book is ever made into a film, I want Jonathan Tucker for the role. I don't know why but I pictured him as I was reading.) Ben, on the other hand, is irritating, a crying self-absorbed infant, competing with Shelby's father for the award of the most annoying character in the novel. To be fair, he has a few redeeming qualities, but I don't want to be fair today, I want to be emotional. See what this book did to me?
None of us wants to make even the tiniest mistakes, but this is impossible. We're human beings. Even gods make mistakes and quite big ones. We're made to make mistakes and to learn in the process. Life isn't the silky cocoon our parents struggled to provide for us. Whatever few ugly experiences I've had taught me to think differently, taught me that there are people you need to discard without a second thought and people you need at all costs. In those moments, everyone need to have faith and trust in someone. In my opinion, this "someone" must be our self. And the rest will follow...
"Together they fight demons in New York City, of which there is an endless supply. Each time another one is defeated, the Misfit comes closer to forgiveness, a state of grace he never can quite reach."
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LibraryThing member DanTarlin
Heartbreaking story of Shelby, who is the driver in a car accident that puts her best friend in a coma at age 17. The book traces her fall and slow recovery over many years. Themes of mother-love, guilt, and of course redemption pepper the book. There is also a central mystery of a series of
There are a couple of absurdly unlikely coincidental meetings that I could have done without, but the book is beautifully presented and poignant. A good read.
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anonymous postcards she receives with beautiful art work and cryptic messages over the years.There are a couple of absurdly unlikely coincidental meetings that I could have done without, but the book is beautifully presented and poignant. A good read.
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
When Shelby is seventeen, she's involved in a one-vehicle crash that leaves her best friend in a vegetative state and she attempts to commit suicide, as she was the driver. When she is released, she feels that she must be punished. Instead of going to college, she shaves her head, lives in her
After her move to New York with Ben, things begin to happen to Shelby. Good things, even though she doesn't want them and doesn't think she deserves them. She gets a job at a pet store where she ends up rescuing (stealing) some dogs, becomes friends with Maravelle, and is promoted to manager. She enrolls in college where she hopes to eventually apply to Veterinarian School.
Alice Hoffman has an understanding of people and their flaws. I cheered for Shelby, sympathized with her and was heartbroken for her at various times. I loved watching her move forward and try to forgive herself, even though she did everything she could not to. I love stories like Faithful that explore characters who are flawed and scarred and that draw me into the their lives as they find their way in life. This makes for a powerful and interesting read for me. I really enjoyed this audio book. The narration was very good and it felt like I was actually talking to Shelby as she moved through her story. I will definitely look for more from Alice Hoffman.
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parents' basement, and only makes human contact with her weed supplier, Ben. There are two different Shelbys. The before Shelby, seventeen, fun loving, popular in school, a good student and there is the after Shelby. Survivor guilt. This is her story and parts of it are not pretty.After her move to New York with Ben, things begin to happen to Shelby. Good things, even though she doesn't want them and doesn't think she deserves them. She gets a job at a pet store where she ends up rescuing (stealing) some dogs, becomes friends with Maravelle, and is promoted to manager. She enrolls in college where she hopes to eventually apply to Veterinarian School.
Alice Hoffman has an understanding of people and their flaws. I cheered for Shelby, sympathized with her and was heartbroken for her at various times. I loved watching her move forward and try to forgive herself, even though she did everything she could not to. I love stories like Faithful that explore characters who are flawed and scarred and that draw me into the their lives as they find their way in life. This makes for a powerful and interesting read for me. I really enjoyed this audio book. The narration was very good and it felt like I was actually talking to Shelby as she moved through her story. I will definitely look for more from Alice Hoffman.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
When Shelby survives a crash that leaves her best friend, Helene, in a coma, she suffers survivor’s guilt. She has a breakdown that puts her in a mental institution where she is abused. When her mother learns of the abuse, she pulls Shelby out and, for two years, she lives at her parents’ house
Eventually, she leaves to live on her own but she shuns people even at her job at a pet store. However, several things happen to force her out of her self-imposed punishment – she rescues several abused dogs; a coworker asks her to help her by babysitting, eventually offering her a family which is aware of her shortcomings and accepts her warts and all; she renews a relationship with a boy whom she once had a crush on; and an anonymous someone is sending her post cards periodically with encouraging messages like ‘Say something’ that seem to arrive just when she needs them the most. Healing doesn’t come over night for Shelby but, slowly but surely, Shelby learns to forgive herself.
Faithful by author Alice Hoffman is a beautifully written coming-of-age tale. It looks at some very moving and emotional issues - survivor’s guilt, sexual abuse, loneliness, redemption, the need to forgive oneself for past perceived sins and transgressions as well as the need to let others in if this is to happen - all weighty themes that could easily cross the line to melodrama and manipulative tearjerker with a lesser writer. But Hoffman is not a lesser writer - she balances very neatly on that line without ever tipping over and she makes it look easy. The characters are sympathetic while showing flaws that we can relate to and the story is compelling. Hoffman does an amazing job of showing Shelby’s growth from survivor’s guilt to survivor and makes us believe and care every step of the way. A definite high recommendation from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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while continuing on a path of self-harm to ‘atone’ for the fact that she was driving the car.Eventually, she leaves to live on her own but she shuns people even at her job at a pet store. However, several things happen to force her out of her self-imposed punishment – she rescues several abused dogs; a coworker asks her to help her by babysitting, eventually offering her a family which is aware of her shortcomings and accepts her warts and all; she renews a relationship with a boy whom she once had a crush on; and an anonymous someone is sending her post cards periodically with encouraging messages like ‘Say something’ that seem to arrive just when she needs them the most. Healing doesn’t come over night for Shelby but, slowly but surely, Shelby learns to forgive herself.
Faithful by author Alice Hoffman is a beautifully written coming-of-age tale. It looks at some very moving and emotional issues - survivor’s guilt, sexual abuse, loneliness, redemption, the need to forgive oneself for past perceived sins and transgressions as well as the need to let others in if this is to happen - all weighty themes that could easily cross the line to melodrama and manipulative tearjerker with a lesser writer. But Hoffman is not a lesser writer - she balances very neatly on that line without ever tipping over and she makes it look easy. The characters are sympathetic while showing flaws that we can relate to and the story is compelling. Hoffman does an amazing job of showing Shelby’s growth from survivor’s guilt to survivor and makes us believe and care every step of the way. A definite high recommendation from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member teeth
This was a wonderful but sad coming of age story. I had a difficult time getting into this story but in the end it was well worth my initial struggle. Shelby is involved in a terrible car accident where her best friend ends up in a coma. How will she ever be able to forgive herself? The story
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unfolds as Shelby spirals into a deep depression and self destructive behavior. She pushes everyone who loves her away as she feels she doesn't deserve their love.As I kept reading I rooted for Shelby to find herself. The story was enjoyable and taught many lessons about redemption. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member SigmundFraud
Faithful by Alice Hoffman is a polished work of fiction. She is a skillful writer and this is a skillful novel.I question whether the skeleton on which the novel is built justifies a novel. That is when Shelby, the protagonist, has an automobile accident as a teenager when she is driving and
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wearing her seatbelt and her friend and passenger Helene is not wearing hers and ends up terribly injured so that she is in a coma for the rest of her life. Meanwhile Shelby recovers physically after several months but suffers terrible psychological consequences as she feels strong guilt about Helene's injuries as a result of the accident. She lives with this terrible guilt which in turn defines her life and subsequent events in the novel. While I liked the novel i question whether the frame is insufficient. Show Less
LibraryThing member sleahey
A novel about grief, guilt, and recovery, Faithful tells the story of Shelby, whose life does an about-face the night her friend is killed in a car accident while Shelby is driving. Her survivor guilt and sense of loss of her best friend overwhelm her for years, in spite of the best efforts of her
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friends and family, particularly her mother and a mysterious sender of cryptic yet sensitive postcards. When she moves from the suburbs to Manhattan, she begins to recover, thanks to her friend/boyfriend and her affection for dogs she rescues. As her relationships to family and friends become more complex we care more and more about Shelby, leading up to a satisfying resolution. I particularly appreciated reading about "normal" people in New York instead of the wealthy and rarified few Manhattanites who people many recent novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beamis12
3.5 There are two different Shelbys. The before Shelby, seventeen, fun loving, popular in school, a good student and there is the after Shelby. After the accident where Shelby was the driver and made it but her best friend would live paralyzed and in a comma. How does one forgive herself after
A different read from the Hoffman of the last few years but her understanding of people and their imperfections, traumas shine through. I cheered with this character, sympathized with her and at one point was heartbroken when she made a decision I didn't agree with. I applauded her watching as she, almost against her will, tried to move forward and forgive herself. A very poignant story and one that touched me, that I found credible and with characters I loved.
ARC from Netgalley.
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something like this? Go on and live a life knowing the other person can't? Survivor guilt. This is her story and parts of it are not pretty.A different read from the Hoffman of the last few years but her understanding of people and their imperfections, traumas shine through. I cheered with this character, sympathized with her and at one point was heartbroken when she made a decision I didn't agree with. I applauded her watching as she, almost against her will, tried to move forward and forgive herself. A very poignant story and one that touched me, that I found credible and with characters I loved.
ARC from Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
Faithful by Alice Hoffman is a very unusual novel (let me be brutally honest and say it is just plain odd). Shelby Richmond is seventeen years old when she is in a tragic accident that puts her best friend (of a sort) in a coma. Shelby feels survivors guilt and does everything she can to ruin her
Faithful, as I said, was a very peculiar book. It is written like Shelby is talking. The reader is subjected to Shelby’s long, depressing narrative. Some parts of the book are compelling, but there are many pages that should have been tossed on the editing room floor (you get the metaphor). I felt that Faithful was not a finished book. It is also a very dark, negative novel. If you are a person prone to sadness or depression, please stay clear of this novel (otherwise, you will want to off yourself by page 75). I give Faithful 2 out of 5 stars (like I said there are some good parts).
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life. She quits going to high school, tries to kill herself, and then shaves off all her hair. She spends the next two years lounging in her parent’s basement watching television and getting high (let’s not forget the smoking and junk food). The one person she talks to is Ben Mink, her pot dealer. When Shelby is nineteen, Ben is heading to New York for college. He is going to become a pharmacist and asks Shelby to come with him. Shelby then wanders around New York with her bald head (black clothes too). She eventually gets a job at a pet store. Ben is good for Shelby, but she refuses to see it. Shelby is still bent on self-destruction. After the accident, Shelby started receiving postcards. Whoever is sending the postcards is trying to help her move on. To encourage her on the right path. Will Shelby ever be able to move on with her life? Can she forgive herself for surviving an accident? Faithful, as I said, was a very peculiar book. It is written like Shelby is talking. The reader is subjected to Shelby’s long, depressing narrative. Some parts of the book are compelling, but there are many pages that should have been tossed on the editing room floor (you get the metaphor). I felt that Faithful was not a finished book. It is also a very dark, negative novel. If you are a person prone to sadness or depression, please stay clear of this novel (otherwise, you will want to off yourself by page 75). I give Faithful 2 out of 5 stars (like I said there are some good parts).
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Faithful, Alice Hoffman, author; Amber Tamblyn, narrator
Part of this novel was based on previously published short stories about Shelby Richmond, the main character, and her best friend Helene Boyd, who sustains a traumatic injury in a car crash. Helene was left in a permanent coma state.
While heroic tales rise up about Helene’s ability to cure the sick with her very presence, and candlelight vigils with candles that burn longer than they should, Shelby is whispered about as the girl who drove the car and caused this grievous injury to her best friend, ruining her life. Her guilt consumes her. Shelby never goes to see Helene again after the accident. Instead, she slides down into a state of complete depression; she shaves her head and even attempts suicide. Although Shelby’s home life is nothing to write home, about, because her parents are not happy together, and her father is disloyal, her mother is totally devoted to her and always believes in her ability to achieve a successful life and overcome the effects of the tragedy that has had so devastating an effect on both girls at the tender age of seventeen. By some, one is branded as a savior and one as a villain, but for all intents and purposes, both of the girl’s lives were ruined.
Helene was the beauty and more of a risk taker of the two friends. She was often a bad influence on Shelby. She was the stronger of the pair and held sway over Shelby’s decisions, usually getting her way. Shelby was pretty, but not as pretty as Helene, and of the pair, she was more of a student. She was the more cautious of the two, as well, until that fateful night when Helene convinced her, against her better judgment, to drive her over to her boyfriend’s house to make mischief. Both teenagers had engaged in some bad behavior, like buying and smoking pot in secret; Helene used to sneak beer and boys into Shelby’s basement, and they would hang out there. Still, both had been achievers and were accepted to NYU. They were eagerly looking forward to attending college after their approaching high school graduation. When it became impossible for Helene to go, Shelby also refused; actually, she refused to leave the house and remained in the basement, silent as a mute.
The night of the accident, someone Shelby thought of as an angel came to her and comforted her, encouraging her to live. He told her that Helene was beyond his help. That night, Shelby lost a butterfly bracelet that each of them had worn as a symbol of their friendship. She never found it, although she went back to search after she recovered. Soon after the accident, postcards began to arrive regularly, at her home, for the next several years. Each had a simple two word inspirational message intended for her. The first to arrive said “do something” and the last said “trust me”. Some included tiny likenesses of her on the card. She had no idea who was sending them. Although her mom did see a large male place the card in the mailbox on some occasions, she could not identify him. The postcards reassured Shelby that at least someone out there understood what she was going through.
Soon, Shelby began to venture outside. She became friends with another outcast, not too affectionately known, also, as Ben Stink. He was a nerd and her pot supplier. Together, both began the long journey back to living in the real world. How her journey plays out is the subject of this book that is about guilt and redemption, sin and forgiveness, disappointment and happiness, love and hate, infidelity and promiscuity. It is about falling and rising back up, about succeeding against all odds, about changing, and in so doing, overcoming adversity.
The foreshadowing is pretty obvious and there are few surprises in the book. The reader watches Shelby grow from a girl who is totally unable to interact in the world to a girl who accepts low level jobs proving her ability to do far more, a girl who has a big heart and discovers herself slowly as she begins to recognize her own shortcomings and faults and to welcome and understand her own attributes as she finds she is capable of rising to the occasion each time a problem confronts her. Her behavior is not stellar, though. She steals and lies with abandon, she sleeps with a married man, naively believing he will leave his wife, she takes advantage of her friend Ben, but on the other side, she cares for those less fortunate, animal and human. The reader will watch Shelby grow. Even her ability to influence others changes, as she learns to care more and more about life and people, animals and friends; as she grows into a more positive human being, her life takes a brilliantly positive turn. She discovers things she never knew she could feel or accomplish.
Many of the characters are shown to have two sides. Those who fall and have the courage to rise up are able to succeed. Those who allow their fear and anger to consume them stay in the gutter. Those who feel worthless and never discover what is worthwhile about themselves are doomed, those who are able to express regret and reform are able to find their own value. There are a lot of philosophical messages in the book which make it a very good book club choice. What does the title mean? Who is faithful? Are they faithful to a behavior, a person, a way of life? It is a quick and easy read, but not rocket science.
Part of this novel was based on previously published short stories about Shelby Richmond, the main character, and her best friend Helene Boyd, who sustains a traumatic injury in a car crash. Helene was left in a permanent coma state.
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Shelby was the driver of the car who was convinced to go out that snowy night by Helene who was hurt and angry because her boyfriend had broken up with her that day. He did not want to go away to college with the responsibility of a girlfriend.While heroic tales rise up about Helene’s ability to cure the sick with her very presence, and candlelight vigils with candles that burn longer than they should, Shelby is whispered about as the girl who drove the car and caused this grievous injury to her best friend, ruining her life. Her guilt consumes her. Shelby never goes to see Helene again after the accident. Instead, she slides down into a state of complete depression; she shaves her head and even attempts suicide. Although Shelby’s home life is nothing to write home, about, because her parents are not happy together, and her father is disloyal, her mother is totally devoted to her and always believes in her ability to achieve a successful life and overcome the effects of the tragedy that has had so devastating an effect on both girls at the tender age of seventeen. By some, one is branded as a savior and one as a villain, but for all intents and purposes, both of the girl’s lives were ruined.
Helene was the beauty and more of a risk taker of the two friends. She was often a bad influence on Shelby. She was the stronger of the pair and held sway over Shelby’s decisions, usually getting her way. Shelby was pretty, but not as pretty as Helene, and of the pair, she was more of a student. She was the more cautious of the two, as well, until that fateful night when Helene convinced her, against her better judgment, to drive her over to her boyfriend’s house to make mischief. Both teenagers had engaged in some bad behavior, like buying and smoking pot in secret; Helene used to sneak beer and boys into Shelby’s basement, and they would hang out there. Still, both had been achievers and were accepted to NYU. They were eagerly looking forward to attending college after their approaching high school graduation. When it became impossible for Helene to go, Shelby also refused; actually, she refused to leave the house and remained in the basement, silent as a mute.
The night of the accident, someone Shelby thought of as an angel came to her and comforted her, encouraging her to live. He told her that Helene was beyond his help. That night, Shelby lost a butterfly bracelet that each of them had worn as a symbol of their friendship. She never found it, although she went back to search after she recovered. Soon after the accident, postcards began to arrive regularly, at her home, for the next several years. Each had a simple two word inspirational message intended for her. The first to arrive said “do something” and the last said “trust me”. Some included tiny likenesses of her on the card. She had no idea who was sending them. Although her mom did see a large male place the card in the mailbox on some occasions, she could not identify him. The postcards reassured Shelby that at least someone out there understood what she was going through.
Soon, Shelby began to venture outside. She became friends with another outcast, not too affectionately known, also, as Ben Stink. He was a nerd and her pot supplier. Together, both began the long journey back to living in the real world. How her journey plays out is the subject of this book that is about guilt and redemption, sin and forgiveness, disappointment and happiness, love and hate, infidelity and promiscuity. It is about falling and rising back up, about succeeding against all odds, about changing, and in so doing, overcoming adversity.
The foreshadowing is pretty obvious and there are few surprises in the book. The reader watches Shelby grow from a girl who is totally unable to interact in the world to a girl who accepts low level jobs proving her ability to do far more, a girl who has a big heart and discovers herself slowly as she begins to recognize her own shortcomings and faults and to welcome and understand her own attributes as she finds she is capable of rising to the occasion each time a problem confronts her. Her behavior is not stellar, though. She steals and lies with abandon, she sleeps with a married man, naively believing he will leave his wife, she takes advantage of her friend Ben, but on the other side, she cares for those less fortunate, animal and human. The reader will watch Shelby grow. Even her ability to influence others changes, as she learns to care more and more about life and people, animals and friends; as she grows into a more positive human being, her life takes a brilliantly positive turn. She discovers things she never knew she could feel or accomplish.
Many of the characters are shown to have two sides. Those who fall and have the courage to rise up are able to succeed. Those who allow their fear and anger to consume them stay in the gutter. Those who feel worthless and never discover what is worthwhile about themselves are doomed, those who are able to express regret and reform are able to find their own value. There are a lot of philosophical messages in the book which make it a very good book club choice. What does the title mean? Who is faithful? Are they faithful to a behavior, a person, a way of life? It is a quick and easy read, but not rocket science.
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LibraryThing member pdebolt
Shelby Richmond's life is irrevocably altered in the instant her car spins out of control and leaves her passenger and best friend, Helene, in a vegetative state. Shelby spends time in a psychiatric ward where she is repeatedly raped by a caregiver, and then returns to her parents' basement where
As with all the Hoffman novels I have read there is a mystical quality that requires a suspension of disbelief for many of the coincidences and situations. It is impossible not to care about Shelby as she emerges slowly from her self-imposed exile and begins to value herself.
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her transformation from a confident, popular teenager into a drug-addicted loner is completed. Her new best friend and former classmate is a drug dealer, Ben Wick. Shelby and Ben eventually move together to New York, where Ben begins to turn his life around. Shelby's survivor guilt leads to crippling self loathing, and she is incapable of returning Ben's devotion. She begins a relationship with a married man who practices serial infidelity. Having pushed Ben out of her life for her affair, she is totally alone except for a strong friendship with a woman who works at a pet store with her. Throughout the years since the accident, Shelby shows unfailing kindness and compassion for the lost and lonely. As with all the Hoffman novels I have read there is a mystical quality that requires a suspension of disbelief for many of the coincidences and situations. It is impossible not to care about Shelby as she emerges slowly from her self-imposed exile and begins to value herself.
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LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
Alice Hoffman's writing works for me sometimes, and sometimes it does not, so I never know whether I will love her books, one to the next. This one I loved. Shelby is a hard-shelled young woman who, despite some poor decisions, tries to be kind to everyone but herself. She is a tender, damaged soul
I liked her quirks, her personality, her tenderness towards dogs which she carried to the point of criminal acts. Well, good for her! And I wished her well in her messed-up relationships. The characters in this book are lovely, and drew me in. Yes, fiction, I know, but really good fiction can make you forget that. This is a tender, uplifting novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was given an advance e-book copy for review.
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who can accept other people's shortcomings, but not her own. She doesn't deserve to be happy.I liked her quirks, her personality, her tenderness towards dogs which she carried to the point of criminal acts. Well, good for her! And I wished her well in her messed-up relationships. The characters in this book are lovely, and drew me in. Yes, fiction, I know, but really good fiction can make you forget that. This is a tender, uplifting novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was given an advance e-book copy for review.
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LibraryThing member nyiper
Just great! Yes, a tough story but I loved the character development and you really get close to them through their thoughts and words and actions, especially Shelby's, of course, the main character. The CD was read by Amber Tamblyn----thoroughly enjoyable.
LibraryThing member dreplogle
Grief and loss....like falling helplessly, hopelessly into a black hole. All the "what ifs..." and the "I should haves..." that run through one's mind, examining all ways that this mindnumbing loss could have been prevented. Having been through this type of loss four years ago when my mother
And yet, this story is not the sad descent into hopelessness that one may expect. It's the powerful story of the support of family and friends, and even strangers. Working one's way through grief and again finding worth in your own being. Being faithful to the person you've lost and to yourself. Dealing with Grief can take years, and it never really goes away. One just gets better at dealing with it in microsteps. And one can find truths in one's own hidden depths. This is a touching story, full of hidden hope. Don't miss it.
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passed, I easily recognized the desolation Shelby feels when her best friend is left comatose, after a black ice incident when Shelby had been driving. Reliving the incident in every moment endlessly on some type of hideous loop of self destruction and self recrimination.And yet, this story is not the sad descent into hopelessness that one may expect. It's the powerful story of the support of family and friends, and even strangers. Working one's way through grief and again finding worth in your own being. Being faithful to the person you've lost and to yourself. Dealing with Grief can take years, and it never really goes away. One just gets better at dealing with it in microsteps. And one can find truths in one's own hidden depths. This is a touching story, full of hidden hope. Don't miss it.
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LibraryThing member rmckeown
Anne Hoffman is an author I admired back in the 80s, who has resurfaced on my radar. Her latest novel, Faithful, has brought Anne Hoffman right back up into my reading life. She was born in 1952, and she currently lives in Boston. She is most well-known for Practical Magic, an Oprah Book Club
Faithful tells the story of two young women, BFFs as they say these days, who, while on a car ride, encounter a patch of ice which sends the care into a tailspin. At first, the women are excited, but when the sliding stops, Helene Boyd is dead, and Shelby Richmond is seriously injured. The two were a slightly odd pair. Helene was the popular girl, the beautiful woman every man in their high school desired. Shelby was slightly marginalized, but when Helene took her on as a friend, things changed for both young ladies. Shelby suffers from survivor’s guilt, PTSD, and she cuts herself, and she is dangerously close to suicide. A young man, Ben, befriends Shelby despite the fact she wants nothing and nobody, as she sinks further and further into depression. At first, Shelby will not even talk to him.
Finally, she slowly relents. Hoffman writes, “Whenever she talks about high school, Shelby takes out her house key and digs it into the palm of her hand until she bleeds. No miracle. That’s Helene’s business. Shelby’s blood is strictly a penance. It’s for real. // ‘I don’t think you should do that,’ Ben said to her when he realized what she was doing, drawing her own blood while she sat beside him. // ‘You think?’ she goaded him. ‘That’s a surprise. Did you know we used to think you were a werewolf?’ // Shelby guessed he’d stalk away, insulted, and maybe that’s what she wanted to happen. Her aloneness, after all, is all she has. Instead Ben said, ‘I’m just worried about you,’ // ‘Don’t be,’ Shelby warned him. // ‘I wouldn’t mind being a werewolf,’ he said, which only made Shelby feel guiltier about all those years they’d made fun of him” (8-9).
Shelby begins writing postcards to her future self, and then begins receiving others. Hoffman writes, “She thinks about the anonymous postcards that she keeps in her childhood jewelry box. Every day she waits even though sometimes there are months in between their arrivals. When she sees one in the mailbox she feels a thrumming inside her. She’s always excited to read them, no matter the message. Be something, with a hive of bees made of gold ink and a girl who’s been stung running into a dark wood. Feel something. A heart held in the palm of a hand. Inside the heart are words written in red ink: Faith, sorrow, shame, hope. Someone is watching over her. Someone knows what she needs” (28-29). Then she begins hearing voices.
This suspenseful novel will have you turning pages faster than you might ever have done. Alice Hoffman is a wonderful writer, and her latest novel, Faithful, might just be a author you have been waiting to cross your desk. I, for one, am going to revisit those couple of novels of hers I own. Stay tuned. 5 stars.
--Jim, 12/11/16
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Selection and is a best-selling author of over 30 works of fiction. I read a couple of her novels around the millennium, but my usual vacuuming of the book lists has inexplicably passed by her. She is most often noted for her magic realism, a sub-genre I really enjoy.Faithful tells the story of two young women, BFFs as they say these days, who, while on a car ride, encounter a patch of ice which sends the care into a tailspin. At first, the women are excited, but when the sliding stops, Helene Boyd is dead, and Shelby Richmond is seriously injured. The two were a slightly odd pair. Helene was the popular girl, the beautiful woman every man in their high school desired. Shelby was slightly marginalized, but when Helene took her on as a friend, things changed for both young ladies. Shelby suffers from survivor’s guilt, PTSD, and she cuts herself, and she is dangerously close to suicide. A young man, Ben, befriends Shelby despite the fact she wants nothing and nobody, as she sinks further and further into depression. At first, Shelby will not even talk to him.
Finally, she slowly relents. Hoffman writes, “Whenever she talks about high school, Shelby takes out her house key and digs it into the palm of her hand until she bleeds. No miracle. That’s Helene’s business. Shelby’s blood is strictly a penance. It’s for real. // ‘I don’t think you should do that,’ Ben said to her when he realized what she was doing, drawing her own blood while she sat beside him. // ‘You think?’ she goaded him. ‘That’s a surprise. Did you know we used to think you were a werewolf?’ // Shelby guessed he’d stalk away, insulted, and maybe that’s what she wanted to happen. Her aloneness, after all, is all she has. Instead Ben said, ‘I’m just worried about you,’ // ‘Don’t be,’ Shelby warned him. // ‘I wouldn’t mind being a werewolf,’ he said, which only made Shelby feel guiltier about all those years they’d made fun of him” (8-9).
Shelby begins writing postcards to her future self, and then begins receiving others. Hoffman writes, “She thinks about the anonymous postcards that she keeps in her childhood jewelry box. Every day she waits even though sometimes there are months in between their arrivals. When she sees one in the mailbox she feels a thrumming inside her. She’s always excited to read them, no matter the message. Be something, with a hive of bees made of gold ink and a girl who’s been stung running into a dark wood. Feel something. A heart held in the palm of a hand. Inside the heart are words written in red ink: Faith, sorrow, shame, hope. Someone is watching over her. Someone knows what she needs” (28-29). Then she begins hearing voices.
This suspenseful novel will have you turning pages faster than you might ever have done. Alice Hoffman is a wonderful writer, and her latest novel, Faithful, might just be a author you have been waiting to cross your desk. I, for one, am going to revisit those couple of novels of hers I own. Stay tuned. 5 stars.
--Jim, 12/11/16
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LibraryThing member hellonicole
3.5 Stars
I'm not sure how to go about reviewing Faithful. Is it coming of age? Is it a redemption story? I mean, I guess in the end it is both. Shelby, who was driving the night she and her friend, Helene, are in a horrible accident, both comes of age and slowly redeems herself over the years
The story feels very real, and yet farfetched at times. Shelby's actions, fueled both by guilt and depression, range from self-destructive to selfless.
Mostly I couldn't help thinking that Shelby needed help. Yes she spent time in a psychiatric hospital, but obviously she still needed yet. I'm sure the idea of the story is that she helped herself by helping others, or some such, but she really and truly needed help.
Alice Hoffman does have a way with emotions, sucking you into the character's world. This was my first Alice Hoffman novel, though I'd heard a great deal about some of her past books. I am tempted to pick up another to give it a try.
*A free copy was provided by the publisher/netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I'm not sure how to go about reviewing Faithful. Is it coming of age? Is it a redemption story? I mean, I guess in the end it is both. Shelby, who was driving the night she and her friend, Helene, are in a horrible accident, both comes of age and slowly redeems herself over the years
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following.The story feels very real, and yet farfetched at times. Shelby's actions, fueled both by guilt and depression, range from self-destructive to selfless.
Mostly I couldn't help thinking that Shelby needed help. Yes she spent time in a psychiatric hospital, but obviously she still needed yet. I'm sure the idea of the story is that she helped herself by helping others, or some such, but she really and truly needed help.
Alice Hoffman does have a way with emotions, sucking you into the character's world. This was my first Alice Hoffman novel, though I'd heard a great deal about some of her past books. I am tempted to pick up another to give it a try.
*A free copy was provided by the publisher/netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
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LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
Shelby Richmond was behind the wheel the night of the accident that put her best friend into a permanent coma. Helene continues to exist, and for some reason people thing being in her presence can perform miracles of healing. People crowd Helene’s house, with her parent’s admitting them in
Saddled with major depression, PTSD, insanely low self-esteem, and survivor guilt, Shelby is a mess at the beginning of the story. She grows slowly through the years, but she goes grow- life sort of forces itself on her. Even though at times I wanted to shake some sense into her, it was beautiful to watch her spirit unfold. Of course she makes mistakes- we all do. It’s a coming of age story, albeit slightly delayed as she finds out who she really is. Hoffman almost always writes stories that I can’t put down, and this one was no exception.
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lines. Shelby, on the other hand, is alone. She retreats to the basement, shaves her head, doesn’t speak, and attempts suicide. The only friend she has is the boy who she buys weed from, and she doesn’t consider him a friend. She doesn’t consider herself worthy of having a friend. But for some reason she follows him when he goes to pharmacy college, and slowly comes out of her shell, getting a job cleaning cages at a pet store. Unwillingly, she forms a friendship with a co-worker, even having the co-workers children- Shelby hates children- dumped on her one long weekend. Meanwhile, throughout this time, from accident to the end, she receives mysterious postcards with art on them and brief statements: Say Something, Be Something, See Something, Believe Something. Saddled with major depression, PTSD, insanely low self-esteem, and survivor guilt, Shelby is a mess at the beginning of the story. She grows slowly through the years, but she goes grow- life sort of forces itself on her. Even though at times I wanted to shake some sense into her, it was beautiful to watch her spirit unfold. Of course she makes mistakes- we all do. It’s a coming of age story, albeit slightly delayed as she finds out who she really is. Hoffman almost always writes stories that I can’t put down, and this one was no exception.
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LibraryThing member bugzna2000
“Show her a rose and she’ll see only the wasp in the center of the bloom.”
Shelby stopped caring about everything and everyone after a tragic car accident that resulted in her best friend lying comatose. Shelby was the driver and her ‘survivor’s’ guilt and suffering run deep as she tries
Shelby stopped caring about everything and everyone after a tragic car accident that resulted in her best friend lying comatose. Shelby was the driver and her ‘survivor’s’ guilt and suffering run deep as she tries
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to come to terms with the accident. Memories affect every part of her being, her relationships, her choices. Shelby’s story as a scarred survivor move forward through the stages of loss to acceptance and is an emotional roller coaster ride. Alice Hoffman is a gifted writer who again seamlessly weaved together strong characters and storyline. Not only did I love Shelby, but I loved her mother, Sue. Everyone should have a mother like Sue, the voice of reason and unconventional ways she exhibits love for her daughter. A very good read by the author of one of my favorite books, The Dovekeepers. Show Less
LibraryThing member Whisper1
Alice Hoffman never disappoints, and this book is yet another top notch read on the ladder of 30 successful books.
When teen aged Shelby listens to her best friend and drives through snow, hitting an icy patch that spins the car out of control, renedering her friend forever on life support, Shelby
Shaving her hair to become bald, living hermit-like in her parents basement, venturing out only to meet a local near do well who provides pot to her, in her guilt, Shelby remains severely depressed and responsible for an event out of her control
Eventually, it is the love and accumulation of animals that saves Shelby when she moves to New York with her pot providing friend who now is working his way through college.
Shelby uses him, but he loves her and will keep her at any cost. Eventually, Shelby moves on to find a life worth living.
Filled with heart felt emotion, Hoffman once again provides a wonderful story of guilt, gief and redemption. Unlike other authors who write many books while using their same story line over and over to the point of boredom, Hoffman always recreates magic!
When teen aged Shelby listens to her best friend and drives through snow, hitting an icy patch that spins the car out of control, renedering her friend forever on life support, Shelby
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becomes locked in grief. Shaving her hair to become bald, living hermit-like in her parents basement, venturing out only to meet a local near do well who provides pot to her, in her guilt, Shelby remains severely depressed and responsible for an event out of her control
Eventually, it is the love and accumulation of animals that saves Shelby when she moves to New York with her pot providing friend who now is working his way through college.
Shelby uses him, but he loves her and will keep her at any cost. Eventually, Shelby moves on to find a life worth living.
Filled with heart felt emotion, Hoffman once again provides a wonderful story of guilt, gief and redemption. Unlike other authors who write many books while using their same story line over and over to the point of boredom, Hoffman always recreates magic!
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LibraryThing member c.archer
This is one of my favorite books of the year. It is an amazing and moving story of guilt, forgiveness, self-discovery, and the power of love. Ms. Hoffman once again touches my heart with her lovely prose. She tells a beautiful story that made the rest of my world disappear while I was reading.
I
I
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thank the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. Show Less
LibraryThing member cln1812
Shelby Richmond was driving the car the night of the accident that left her friend, Helene in a coma from which Helene is unlikely to ever recover. Shelby feels survivor's guilt and takes it out on herself, including a suicide attmept, shaving her head, and holing up in her parents' basement for
Eventually, Shelby moves to New York City with her drug-dealer, Ben Mink. As Ben begins to pull his life together, Shelby pulls away, both from her romantic involvement with Ben and her life in general. She eventually takes a job at a pet store and makes friends with one of her co-workers, Maravelle. Against her wishes, Shelby is pulled into Maravelle's life and that of Maravelle's kids.
Along the way, Shelby begins to rescue dogs and even a cat from terrible living circumstances. She is haunted by periodic postcards she receives in the mail carrying simple but profound messages that have great meaning in her life every time she receives a new one.
Will Shelby ever begin to live up to her true potential and forgive herself for an accident on an icy road long ago?
This is a great read, one of the best books I read in 2016, carrying profound lessons and beautiful imagery.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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years. She puts her life on hold, including not going to college in the fall as she had planned.Eventually, Shelby moves to New York City with her drug-dealer, Ben Mink. As Ben begins to pull his life together, Shelby pulls away, both from her romantic involvement with Ben and her life in general. She eventually takes a job at a pet store and makes friends with one of her co-workers, Maravelle. Against her wishes, Shelby is pulled into Maravelle's life and that of Maravelle's kids.
Along the way, Shelby begins to rescue dogs and even a cat from terrible living circumstances. She is haunted by periodic postcards she receives in the mail carrying simple but profound messages that have great meaning in her life every time she receives a new one.
Will Shelby ever begin to live up to her true potential and forgive herself for an accident on an icy road long ago?
This is a great read, one of the best books I read in 2016, carrying profound lessons and beautiful imagery.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
Alice Hoffman, another favorite author of mine! I own and have read every single book she has written! This book is no exception, it's incredible, amazing and just plain old wonderful. Shelby is in a tragic car accident that leaves her best friend in a permanent coma. She cannot get past this. The
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story shows how she tries to function after this unbelievable event. Every word is perfect, I just absolutely loved this book! Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
Wow, Alice Hoffman’s best book to date. I loved reading about a teen who thinks she’s nobody quietly evolve into a person with depth, compassion and knowledge, despite her never really thinking she’s somebody. If I were to use a adjective to describe this book I’d say “heartfelt”,
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although I still think Shelby was crazy to “rescue” the dogs and the cat and she was a person I probably would have ignored if possible. Shelby makes me stop and think about how a person’s appearance really has nothing to do with the size of their heart. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Guilt is a powerful emotion. It cripples a person mentally and physically. It tears apart a person’s self-esteem much more harshly than any bully. It is insidious and difficult to ignore. It has the power to bring a person to the edge and beyond.
In the opening pages of Faithful, Shelby
Faithful is one of those novels that is both painful and healing. Watching Shelby suffer through the unimaginable guilt associated with being the person driving the car and walking away from the very same accident that put your best friend into a permanent vegetative state becomes its own catharsis for anything about which you might be harboring guilt. Shelby’s disgust with herself and refusal to consider herself worthy of a normal life makes it okay to feel the same. At the same time, her inability to truly give up on life provides an example of the importance of doing the same.
The truly important thing about Shelby is the fact that she is the epitome of faking it until you make it. It takes her most of the novel to recognize that she is worthy of anyone’s love or professional accolades, something everyone else figures out very early on in the story. However, even though she does not believe she is worthy, she still acts like she does. She dresses for the role she has been given even though she does not agree that it is hers to have. She never thinks herself worth the trouble, but she never gives in to her desire to give up entirely either.
Faithful is a beautiful novel. Shelby is so filled with self-loathing but still manages to live her life one day at a time that she becomes one of the most hopeful characters you will ever meet. The unconditional love she provides her dogs and the love she receives from her mother eases your own heartaches as you recognize the power and importance of such relationships. You do not just fall in love with Shelby, you become one of her biggest cheerleaders along her journey, cheering every minor success and encouraging the setbacks. Faithful reminds you that no matter how bad things get, there is always someone out there who loves you for who you are. It is a timely message and one that truly soothes the soul.
In the opening pages of Faithful, Shelby
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experiences all of this. Hiding away in her parents’ basement, she does not consider herself worthy enough to live a normal life, let alone live. Drugs get her through her waking hours, and her mother’s presence prevents her from doing anything more permanent to ease her guilt. A funny thing happens though once Shelby is forced to interact with other humans outside of her family. It is this awakening, slow and filled with setbacks, that is the heart and soul of the novel. And what a novel it is.Faithful is one of those novels that is both painful and healing. Watching Shelby suffer through the unimaginable guilt associated with being the person driving the car and walking away from the very same accident that put your best friend into a permanent vegetative state becomes its own catharsis for anything about which you might be harboring guilt. Shelby’s disgust with herself and refusal to consider herself worthy of a normal life makes it okay to feel the same. At the same time, her inability to truly give up on life provides an example of the importance of doing the same.
The truly important thing about Shelby is the fact that she is the epitome of faking it until you make it. It takes her most of the novel to recognize that she is worthy of anyone’s love or professional accolades, something everyone else figures out very early on in the story. However, even though she does not believe she is worthy, she still acts like she does. She dresses for the role she has been given even though she does not agree that it is hers to have. She never thinks herself worth the trouble, but she never gives in to her desire to give up entirely either.
Faithful is a beautiful novel. Shelby is so filled with self-loathing but still manages to live her life one day at a time that she becomes one of the most hopeful characters you will ever meet. The unconditional love she provides her dogs and the love she receives from her mother eases your own heartaches as you recognize the power and importance of such relationships. You do not just fall in love with Shelby, you become one of her biggest cheerleaders along her journey, cheering every minor success and encouraging the setbacks. Faithful reminds you that no matter how bad things get, there is always someone out there who loves you for who you are. It is a timely message and one that truly soothes the soul.
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LibraryThing member teachlz
Alice Hoffman's "Faithful" is an engrossing and captivating novel dealing with a devastating situation, loneliness, self- deprecating behavior.redemption,survival,trust, love and believing. The characters are flawed, not perfect living in an imperfect world. Family and love are important elements
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of the novel. The heroine shows tremendous growth in her character and has more self respect and a sense of purpose. I enjoyed the location of the story, especially since it is the town I live in. Friendship and relationships are evident as well. I enjoyed Alice Hoffman's use of words, and how she "magically" tells a story. I would recommend this book as an engrossing read. Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this book. (less) Show Less
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2018)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Fiction — 2016)
Language
Original publication date
2016-11
ISBN
9781476799209
Local notes
First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition November 2016
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DDC/MDS
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