Cycles Of Hatred: Will He? is a coming of age/social issues novel for young adults written by Linda Heavner Gerald. Laura Lombardi was born into what most would consider a fairy-tale existence. She and her twin brother, Lawrence, were the beloved children of Cal and Mimi, a wealthy and sophisticated couple who were born into “old money”. Summers were endless for the twins as they indulged in swimming, sailing and long hours of relaxation on the family’s spacious grounds of their Newport, Rhode Island estate. Everything changed, however, when the twins were ten, and a officer came to their door and told Laura that her parents were dead. Their plane had crashed while traveling over the ocean, and their bodies had not been recovered. Laura’s grief and emotional outpouring were interrupted in a most disquieting fashion as she heard Lars’ mocking laughter and disparaging comments. For the first time, she came to realize that there was something seriously wrong with her beloved twin brother.

Plans were made for Lars to return that fall to the boarding school he had been attending, and Laura assumed she’d be attending prep school as well. Instead, she ended up on a plane bound for Italy, her father’s ancestral home. Arriving at the Rome airport, she began looking for a chauffeur bearing a sign with her name on it, but soon she discovered a beautiful, dark-haired woman who flung her arms around her and made Laura instantly feel at home. Laura would be staying with Aunt Sophia, her father’s sister, in a grand estate that dwarfed her family’s Rhode Island home.

Cycles Of Hatred: Will He? is a lush and lovely work describing a young girl’s life growing up on an Italian estate in the loving care of her aunt, and Geppe and Gabrielle, the staff who had grown to be Sophia’s and then Laura’s family. I was instantly entranced by Laura’s elegant and artistic Aunt Sophia and loved following along as the aunt and her niece explored Italy. Gerald’s characters are finely honed and credible, and her story unfolds beautifully. She also explores the problem of misogyny, and the devastating impact it has upon the lives of so many. Cycles Of Hatred: Will He? is most highly recommended.

Cycles of Hatred: Will He? by Linda Heavner Gerald is a coming of age novel with compelling characters and powerful psychological themes. Laura and Lars are twins and while Laura loves her brother very much, the latter seems to harbor a destructive hatred and contempt for his sister — or is it for every woman? His attitude is driving Laura nuts and she can’t understand why her own brother hates her this much. A temporary separation seems to offer Laura respite, when Lars is sent to Phillips Academy, but when they get together, things seem worse than they were before. Can Laura continue to love a brother who hates her this much and is there any hope that Lars can be redeemed from his depraved behavior towards her?

Linda Heavner Gerald is a gifted writer and her narrative begins with a powerful stream of consciousness, plunging the reader into the troubled mind of the protagonist. The characters are introduced right off the bat and the reader immediately gets acquainted with the conflict. The pacing is fast and the writing crisp and gorgeous, filled with insightful descriptions. It is interesting that the dynamics of the relationship are constructed between siblings who are twins and this gives more depth to the conflict. Cycles of Hatred: Will He? is filled with powerful emotional moments and the characters come across as real and compelling. It is easy to connect with Laura’s psychological state, to understand her pain and frustration. I enjoyed how the author handles themes of family, love and hatred, and how she unveils the humanity of the characters. This is a story with manifold lessons and deep insights for readers. A very interesting and engaging read.

Although Cycles Of Hatred: Will He? by Linda Heavner Gerald is summarized to be about men who are misogynists, the plot is a web of various human emotions and life lessons. Laura and Lars were born into a very affluent family. On the surface, everything about these twins seemed absolutely normal; however, there was something evil lurking in the mind of Lars. He hated Laura to his very core. Laura was afraid of what Lars might do or say next to hurt her. When they were ten years old, a plane crash took the lives of their parents. This tragedy changed the living arrangements of Laura and Lars, for better or for worse. Laura started living with her Aunt Sophia near Rome and Lars went to boarding school at Philips Academy. This separation, however, could not remove Lars' daunting memories from Laura's mind.

The writing style of Linda Heavner Gerald is extremely impressive. There is a lot going on in Cycles of Hatred: Will He? Laura's heart is scarred due to her own twin brother, but she refused to let the pain drive her life. She was hurt and unable to comprehend the reason for his hatred, yet she remained kind and trusting towards others. There is a life lesson in there for readers not to let your pain drive your life; rather, embrace a life of hope and faith. The author is an amazing storyteller. She maintained the pace and hinted at little secrets throughout the book, and this tactic ensured that the reader would remain hooked till the end. The characters are very well written. I could relate to Laura because I, too, try to see the best in people. Sophia is an admirable character who defines class and sophistication. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading dramatic novels with a lot of life lessons.

Cycles of Hatred: Will He? is a grim and realistic coming of age tale penned by author Linda Heavner Gerald. Focusing on its protagonist during the formative years of her life, from early childhood through to adulthood, we meet Laura and her family. Laura is a sweet girl with a heart full of love, but her twin brother Lars is brimming with hatred, specifically for his sister. Even though Lars is disciplined for his actions and warned by his family to stop this unreasonable behavior, the misogyny within him is deep set and seems to be inescapable. For poor Laura, this results in a graphic and extreme event at Lars’s hands, posing terrifying questions about the nature of his attitude to women in general.

Though the protagonists are young adults, this is very much an adult read looking back on a formative time. Linda Heavner Gerald writes with stark clarity, particularly in the scenes where Lars is at his most abusive, which is certainly not for the faint hearted. The novel produces a shocking account of misogyny that is timely and appropriate for the book world right now, exercising the skills of drama and storytelling to try to explain where the belittling, hostile hatred comes from in just a few terrible men who do terrible things to women they claim to love. Overall, Cycles of Hatred: Will He? is an important work, but will take a lot of bravery and a thick skin to read. It’s extremely worth it when you do.