From what I've read so far, I think the author conveys the overwhelming sadness and emotional chaos for parents experiencing the death of a child. It seems that there is a serious backstory as well, judging from the unhappy conversation between the mother and father at a time of immense grief. Added to all this is what seems to be a racially-charged situation in his position at an institute of higher learning. I'm not sure where this book is going or what the story telling will be like past the sample chapters, but I think this book can safely be rated 4 stars.