Not worth your read
⭐️Overall rating: 1/5: ⭐️
For two brothers, an inheritance triggers a dark chain of events in a thrilling short story of loyalty and revenge.
Aspiring musician Pete Hamilton has nothing in common with his older brother, Leo, an aerospace engineer. Until their late father leaves them the family farm, a sprawling dairy operation in Vermont. Pete wants to hold on. Leo wants to sell. All the embattled brothers can agree on is to skydive over the fields and sprinkle their father’s ashes—a grand gesture the old man would have loved. But when the plan goes terribly wrong, only one unexpected eyewitness can see what’s really going on.
This is part of a 6 book mini short series, and honestly it’s the worst in the series. It’s so boring and slow and not worth the read. It’s only like 60 pages but go ahead and skip it just too slow and obvious.
Chris Bohjalian is renowned for his compelling storytelling and ability to weave complex family dynamics into intriguing narratives. 'The Skydivers' centers on two brothers, Pete and Leo Hamilton, whose conflicting desires over their late father's inheritance—specifically a sprawling Vermont dairy farm—trigger a series of emotional and dramatic events. Pete, an aspiring musician, wishes to preserve their family legacy by keeping the farm, while Leo, an aerospace engineer, sees the practical route of selling it. The story’s pivotal moment involves a skydiving ritual to scatter their father's ashes, symbolizing their father's adventurous spirit and possibly their desire to find closure. However, this symbolic act goes tragically wrong, intensifying the tension and creating a suspenseful chain of events. A key element of suspense is the presence of an unexpected eyewitness who reveals hidden truths, adding layers to the narrative about loyalty, betrayal, and family bonds. As part of Amazon Original Stories, this short story is authored by Chris Bohjalian, who has achieved #1 New York Times bestselling status. Despite the insightful themes, readers have noted that this 60-page installment, part of a six-book mini-series, moves at a slow pace and struggles to maintain engagement compared to other works in the series. This critique highlights the challenges in balancing short story brevity with plot development. Nevertheless, 'The Skydivers' offers a glimpse into rural American life, family inheritance dilemmas, and the emotional complexity tied to maintaining or letting go of heritage properties. For readers interested in stories of family conflict, emotional depth, and surprising twists, the context of the brothers' professions—music and aerospace—and their differing worldviews add an authentic dimension. For those considering this story, understanding its place within a broader series and recognizing its slower narrative may help set expectations appropriately. Whether as a standalone piece or part of a collection, 'The Skydivers' exemplifies Bohjalian’s narrative style, blending ordinary family struggles with extraordinary circumstances like skydiving and unexpected eyewitness accounts to explore themes of loyalty and revenge.
