Structure

In this book, Finkel follows a variety of veterans, their families and the people who try to help them as they struggle with PTSD and TBI. Finkel scatters statistics and hard facts into a narration describing the lives of the people Finkel interviewed for his book.

The veteran of focus in this novel is Adam. Finkel follows him from the beginning of his third deployment to his return home after he spends months in a California treatment program. The climax of Adam’s story comes in Chapter 6 when he threatens to shoot himself with his shotgun. The falling action begins when Adam decides to stay at Pathway Home instead of going home like Saskia asked him to do. The denouement comes when Adam arrives at home feeling better than he had since he had retuned from his last deployment.

Perspective

This story is told from a third...