'Caught' is a novel of forgiveness, and the past and the present

Host: The soft light of the evening filtered through the window, casting a golden hue across the room, highlighting the dust motes that danced lazily in the air. The quiet hum of the city outside felt distant, as though the world had slowed down just for a moment. Jack sat in his favorite chair, his legs stretched out in front of him, a book open on his lap but his mind clearly elsewhere. Jeeny stood near the window, her hands gently pressed against the glass, staring out at the twilight. The quote Jack had read earlier lingered between them, an unspoken question that filled the space.

Jeeny: “I was thinking about this quote from Harlan Coben. He said, ‘Caught is a novel of forgiveness, and the past and the present—who should be and who shouldn’t be forgiven. None of my books are ever just about thrills, or it won’t work.’ There’s something powerful about that, don’t you think? The idea that a story isn’t just about the plot, but about the deeper questions it raises?”

Jack: “I get that. But forgiveness, the past, and the present—it’s heavy stuff. Coben is saying his books aren’t just about the action, but about these emotional questions. But it’s hard to untangle that. I mean, who really deserves to be forgiven? And is forgiveness something we even have the right to give?”

Jeeny: “I think that’s exactly why Coben brings it up in his work. Forgiveness isn’t an easy thing, Jack. And it’s not always about whether someone deserves it, it’s about what you do with the burden of holding onto the past. In life, we all have our moments, our mistakes, and our regrets. But we also have to learn to let go of that weight, to find a way to move forward. Not just for the other person, but for ourselves.”

Host: The air in the room seemed to thicken as Jeeny’s words settled into the space between them, like a slow tide creeping over a shore. Jack’s expression was pensive, his eyes distant, as if he were wrestling with something only half-formed in his mind.

Jack: “But can you really move on, Jeeny? I mean, I get what you're saying, but forgiveness isn't always possible. There are things that are done, choices that are made, and the damage left behind can be irreversible. Sometimes, letting go feels like you’re just accepting what happened, like it’s saying it’s okay when it’s not. What if you can’t forgive because it feels like letting someone off the hook?”

Jeeny: “I don’t think forgiveness is about letting someone off the hook. It’s not about saying that what they did is okay. Forgiveness is a way of freeing yourself from the grip of the past. If you hold onto the anger, the hurt, you’re letting them continue to control your present. It’s like holding onto a stone in your hand. It’s heavy, and eventually, it will wear you down. Forgiveness is about putting that stone down and saying, ‘I’m done carrying this weight.’ It doesn’t mean what happened was right, it just means you’re choosing not to let it define you anymore.”

Jack: “But what about the people who don’t deserve forgiveness? What about the ones who never acknowledge the harm they’ve caused, the ones who don’t even care? Can we still forgive them, or is there a point where holding on is the only way to maintain any sense of justice?”

Jeeny: “That’s the tough part, right? The unacknowledged harm. Sometimes it feels impossible to forgive when the person who hurt you doesn’t even see the damage they’ve done. But forgiveness isn’t about them, it’s about you. You don’t forgive for them—you forgive for your own peace. Sometimes, justice comes from within, from the decision to no longer let someone’s actions control how you live your life. It’s not about being weak, it’s about being strong enough to let go of the anger, to stop letting it dictate your future.”

Host: The room felt quieter now, the tension of their conversation swirling around them. Jack’s fingers tightened around his cup, the grip firm as though holding on to the words Jeeny had spoken. The world outside continued to shift, but inside, their exchange had paused time, creating a space for reflection.

Jack: “Maybe that’s the hardest part of forgiveness. It feels like we’re giving up a part of ourselves, letting someone off the hook for the hurt they caused. But I guess you’re saying that holding on is just making the pain stick around longer than it should.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. Forgiving doesn’t erase what happened, and it doesn’t mean the other person was right. It’s about breaking free from the past, from the constant replay of the hurt. It’s about saying, ‘I’m not going to let this define who I am, who I’m becoming.’ And in that way, forgiveness becomes a way to grow, to move forward.”

Jack: “It’s like what Coben was saying in that quote, isn’t it? The past and the present are always intertwined, and who we forgive shapes who we are now. I guess forgiveness is about reconciling both sides of us—the person we were in the past, and the person we want to be in the future. It's about finding a way to live with the mistakes, but not let them define us.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. We don’t forget, but we release. We grow by making peace with the past, not by staying in it. That’s how we move forward, how we shape who we are meant to be.”

Host: The quiet seemed to deepen around them, the weight of the conversation settling into a comfortable silence. Outside, the evening had fully arrived, the soft glow of the streetlights casting a gentle light through the window. Jack leaned back in his chair, his thoughts quieter now, as if the burden of the past had shifted slightly, just enough for him to breathe easier. Jeeny stood by the window, her gaze turned inward, reflecting on the very truths they had explored—truths that didn’t have simple answers, but were still worth embracing.