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Chasing Fireflies: A Novel of Discovery Audiobook
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(4.01) - 2,275 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
When Chase Walker returns home, there's a lot waiting for him in the sleepy little town he rests his head in. A little boy, not more than six years old, has been found by the train tracks on the other side of the town. The mysteries start to stack up: Who is the boy? Where did he come from? Most importantly...why won't he talk? But the artwork the boy produces shows Chase more than words ever could, and he starts to see himself in the little lost soul. After all, Chase himself was abandoned, and as he searches deeper into the mysterious boy's past, he begins to learn more about himself and his origins.
Chasing Fireflies is a heartwarming tale about a man's bond with a small boy, and what that boy's past can tell him about himself. It's an excellent read appropriate for young adult and older audiences, and there's a little something in it for everyone.
Charles Martin grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He describes himself as having "somewhat of a Huck Finn childhood". He attended Georgia Tech, and after a brief and unsuccessful stint as an accounting major, he found himself in the English department. The rest was history. He lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Christy, and their son, Charlie. He takes much of the inspiration for his novels from Georgia, where he went to school, and Jacksonville, where he grew up. His books have been highly lauded by critics, and he's won several literary awards.
"I really liked this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Had many different story lines with an intriguing plot throughout. It took me a while to realize the similarities to my life where probably what drew me into it. It is written from the perspective of a 28-year-old former foster child living above the garage of his former foster parents while they go through the process of accepting another foster child into their home. It wasn't until page 184 that I realized this is not normal life for everyone and, therefore, probably a good part of the reason I liked it so much. But the suspense, mystery, and twisting of the plot lines were great as well. I felt like I would have liked to see a bit more justice done at the end, but still enough closure that I was okay with it."
— Wendy (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
When paramedics find a malnourished six-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is—and why he won't speak. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mountain Between Us comes a story of self-discovery, healing, and hope.
On a stifling summer day, an old Chevy Impala ignored the warning signals and was annihilated by the oncoming train. What no one realized until much later was that the driver had paused just before entering the tracks and kicked a small boy out of the car. A small boy with broken glasses who is clutching a notebook with all his might . . . but who never speaks.
Chase Walker was one of the lucky ones. He was in foster care as a child, but he finally ended up with a family who loved him and cared for him. Now, as a journalist for the local paper, he’s moved on and put the past behind him. But when he’s assigned the story of this young boy, painful, haunting questions about his own childhood begin to rise to the surface.
And as Chase Walker discovers, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive—and as magical—as chasing fireflies on a summer night.
Praise for Chasing Fireflies:
“Colorful, memorable characters; Southern regional flavor that’s drop-dead accurate; and lyrical, intelligent writing make Chasing Fireflies an exceptionally good read.” —Aspiring Retail
“Martin understands the power of story and he uses it to alter the souls and lives of both his characters and his readers . . .”—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author
- Full-length emotive Southern fiction
- Also by Charles Martin: The Water Keeper, The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, and When Crickets Cry
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Chasing Fireflies Listener Reviews
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" A twist on the Prodigal Son, this book is a heart-warming story of a young man and a homeless, mute child who find their place in this world. Charles Martin intertwines the lives of the main character and an abandoned, mute young boy to jerk at your heart strings many, many times. This is a well-written, thought-provoking book by my now favorite author. "
— Eric, 8/26/2016 -
" A delicious read. A story of family, pain,laughter! Gives you insight to troubled abandoned children, and great people in this world. It has it all, mystery, laughter, makes you cry, and LOL. I CAN'T FIND WORDS ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE IT, JUST TRUST ME, A MUST READ!! "
— Judy, 2/1/2014 -
" This book has been added as one of my favorites. Maybe not one of the top favorites but it definitely is one to re-read. "
— WendyR, 1/24/2014 -
" A father/son book. The prologue us difficult, but the hopefulness I was left with when I finished kept me afloat all week. I loved the writing and the characters. Not sappy, yet full of love. "
— Liatris, 1/20/2014 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Keep Kleenex on hand. "
— Nancy, 1/12/2014 -
" "One of the most compelling books I have ever read and my favorite author! You will enjoy if from Atlanta (can appreicate)...a guys book but girls will love it as well! Father/son love...well written...you will be reading when when the sun comes up...have some tissue handy...heart-felt story making you fall in love with Unc, Chase, and all the characters...not wanting it to end and wanting more! A Must Read! " "
— Judy, 12/30/2013 -
" This is a great book and I cannot recommend it enough. I thought that the story and the characters were very well developed and I could not put this book down. We read this for book club and everyone agreed that this was well worth the read. I really love this author and anything by him. "
— Donna, 12/25/2013 -
" I wish there was a 4.5 rating - ok it's probably a 5. This is an incredible story about the way a Dad fills the holes in the hearts of his boys. I'm sure glad that God takes up the slack... none of us is the parent we want to be. I'm assuming that Moms do the same thing for our little girls! "
— TJ, 12/24/2013 -
" Love Love Love - a perfect Charles Martin Book. "
— Stacie, 12/17/2013 -
" Great story with plot twists and an intriguing mystery woven throughout, and a happy, redemptive ending. "
— Camber, 12/9/2013 -
" I would definatly read something else from this author! "
— Krista, 12/7/2013 -
" This was one of the best books I have ever read! The story pulled me in and wouldn't let me go. "
— Laurie, 12/2/2013 -
" It started out really slow for me, but after I got a few chapters into it, it picked up quickly. A very enjoyable read. "
— Stephknep, 12/2/2013 -
" This is the sort of "comfort book" that I love to read. It has an interesting mystery, and a heartwarming story. "
— Karen, 11/28/2013 -
" I plan to read all of Charles Martin's books because they've all been great reading. I love them. "
— Shannon, 11/21/2013 -
" Loved this book. The writing is great, story is great and I enjoyed the narrator as well , (audible book.) I found it to be a fast and easy read. "
— Jessica, 7/27/2013 -
" Another nice story by Charles Martin. "
— Lee, 2/27/2013 -
" I really loved this book even though there were many unbelievable aspects to it. (like a former felon being able to be a foster parent). The story line was a bit convoluted but the characters were lovable and it had a happy ending. "
— Lynn, 2/23/2013 -
" Wow! Another gripping story by Charles Martin. Great character development, surprising twist at the end, and enough humor to keep the tears from flowing. "
— Linda, 2/11/2013 -
" Clean, but parts are dark, and rough. This book gripped me right off. I HAD to find out what happened. It ends well, and has lots of little tid-bits that leave you thinking for a long time afterwards. Has mystery, a hint at romance, and lots of heart. Excellent book. "
— Rebecca, 12/24/2012 -
" This was my first Charles Martin read. I felt like there were a few loose ends that weren't tied up and I didn't care for the Tommye/Chase relationship. Still, looking at the big picture, it was a beautiful story about fathers, sons, adoption and family relationships. "
— Karla, 9/18/2012 -
" This is the second Charles Martin read for me. I enjoy his writing and the locales in the coastal south. His characters are rich and the storylines inventive. "
— Don, 6/25/2012 -
" I love all of Charles Martin's books, but this one is by far my favorite. I recommend it to everyone! "
— Jewell, 3/3/2012 -
" I stayed up until 3 am finishing this book. Great story! "
— Ashlee, 10/27/2011 -
" 4.5 stars out of 5 "
— Jenny, 10/15/2011 -
" Excellent book. First I read by this author but I promptly went out and bought his other ones. Character development was well done. Story had a bit of aa mystery. Story of a newspaper who is trying to piece together his past. A book of discovery. Carol "
— Carol, 8/3/2011 -
" One of my favorite reads this year. A surprising find thanks to Bookswap! "
— Michelle, 6/25/2011 -
" Clean, but parts are dark, and rough. This book gripped me right off. I HAD to find out what happened. It ends well, and has lots of little tid-bits that leave you thinking for a long time afterwards. Has mystery, a hint at romance, and lots of heart. Excellent book. "
— Rebecca, 6/15/2011 -
" I really liked the story, but it was a little maudlin to me. Others might not think so. "
— Hilary, 6/15/2011 -
" I give this 3 and 1/2 stars. It was an easy read, and kept my interest. Some of the things that happened didn't seem very plausible, and some questions were left unexplored and unresolved. Interesting premise. "
— Lainy, 6/6/2011 -
" I thought this was a really good book, a little hard to follow sometimes.. but in the end, I was left with my mind wandering, my heart sinking and a smile on my face. "
— Angela, 5/4/2011 -
" This was a good book. I'll definitely be reading other books written by him. A soft, Christian undertone to the book. "
— Kim, 4/19/2011 -
" Great book, loved the ending... highly recommend to others who like southern fiction & one-of-a-kind characters. "
— Amy, 3/15/2011 -
" This one ended up very well. The beginning is hard to get through due to the subject matter, but worth the effort. "
— Stephen, 3/10/2011 -
" Quite a story from beginning to end. Another great story by Charles Martin. "
— Jennifer, 2/21/2011 -
" Another nice story by Charles Martin. "
— Lee, 2/12/2011 -
" " Uma história realmente comovente, uma escrita lírica e inteligente, e personagens inesquecíveis fazem do livro uma leitura memorável." Acho que isto diz tudo... "
— Babete, 2/7/2011 -
" I have now read two of this author's books and really enjoyed both of them. I will definitely look for some more of his. "
— Mary, 2/6/2011
About Charles Martin
Charles Martin is a USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. His work has been translated into numerous languages. Learn more about him at CharlesMartinBooks.com; Facebook: Author.Charles.Martin; Twitter: @storiedcareer.
About Adam Verner
Adam Verner is a stage, film, television, and voice actor and an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. He holds a BS in theater arts from Bradley University and an MFA from Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.