The Town That Drowned

by Riel Nason

Living with a weird brother in a small town can be tough enough. Having a spectacular fall through the ice at a skating party and nearly drowning are grounds for embarrassment. But having a vision and narrating it to the assembled crowd solidifies your status as an outcast. What Ruby Carson saw during that fateful day was her entire town buildings and people floating underwater. Then an orange-tipped surveyor stake turns up in a farmer's field. Another is found in the cemetery. A man with surveying equipment is spotted eating lunch near Pokiok Falls. The residents of Haverton soon discover that a massive dam is being constructed and that most of their homes will be swallowed by the rising water. Suspicions mount, tempers flare, and secrets are revealed. As the town prepares for its own demise, 14-year-old Ruby Carson sees it all from a front-row seat. Set in the 1960s, The Town That Drowned evokes the awkwardness of childhood, the thrill of first love, and the importance of having a place to call home. Deftly written in a deceptively unassuming style, Nason's keen insights into human nature and the depth of human attachment to place make this novel ripple in an amber tension of light and shadow.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Canada, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Drama

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2011

About the author

Riel Nason writes for both children and adults. She lives in NB, Canada with her family.

Reviews

[Christie (The Ludic Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all our years together, my book club has never been joined by the author of our chosen book. This month, as we met to discuss The Town That Drowned, we were fortunate to have the novel's author, Riel Nason, with us. Riel and one of the members of my book club have known each other since university, so it made sense for Chrissy to choose this book and to invite Riel to join us while we discussed it.

The Town That Drowned is Riel's first novel, but she has honed her skills writing a regular column on antiques and collectibles for the Telegraph Journal, is the author of a collection of short stories, some of which have been published, and blogs about quilting here. For the women who gathered for a discussion of the book, it was a real treat to get the inside scoop on the book's development.

Narrated by 14-year-old Ruby, The Town That Drowned tells the story of what happens to a town when the government decides to build a dam. The narrative of the story is actually based on a true event, as Riel explained at our meeting and on her blog:

"In the late 1960s, before my friends and I were born, the area had been flooded when the Mactaquac Dam was built about 15 miles downstream. As a kid, I thought it was all pretty neat information. Lots of great trivia. But, now if we fast forward to just a few years ago when I was possessed with the idea that I-Must-Write-A-Novel, I immediately knew that the flooding would be the background event."

The Town That Drowned is a quiet story. Riel might have even admitted that nothing much happens, but I would disagree. I think Riel actually did a very nice job of capturing rural New Brunswick during the 1960s. My dad grew up just a few clicks further up the river from Riel's fictional Haventon, in a small town called Perth-Andover and I spent a fair amount of time there as a kid, so I am intimately familiar with towns like that. You know the kind: everyone knows everyone, meaning everyone knows your business and there's no escape from the town bullies. Ruby observes her neighbours and the events that transpire over the course of a couple of years through remarkably mature eyes.

My favourite character in the novel is Ruby's younger brother, Percy. Although it's never overtly stated, Percy has Asperger's, a high-functioning form of autism. Every time he opens his mouth, he is a delight.

"Our mother says we should give you the message of her love," he says to Mr. Cole - a much loved neighbour - on the occasion of a picnic he and Ruby share with him.

Percy thrives on structure and order and routine and the thought that his house might be moved is kept a secret from him for as long as possible. Ruby adores him and is embarrassed by him in equal measure. I just adored him.

The Town That Drowned will have special meaning to those readers familiar with the St. John River Valley and those who remember the Mactaquac Dam being built. But even if you aren't from around here, the story offers up plenty of treasures: first love, the importance of family, and what it means to have a place to call home.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading THE TOWN THAT DROWNED, the sensational debut novel written by Riel Nason.

"By turns charming, humorous and terrifying, Riel Nason's unique and compelling coming-of-age story is infused with warmth and insight and. - through artfully painted details of a richly textured community - speaks to the transcendent power of human bonds."
- Quote by Carla Gunn, author of Amphibian

"Weird, warm, and wonderful...The Town That Drowned will pull you into its compassionate heart and imbue you with the portrait of a place not easily forgotten."
- Quote by Donna Morrissey, author of What They Wanted


Living with an eccentric little brother can be tough. Falling through the ice at a skating party and nearly drowning are grounds for embarrassment. What about having a vision and narrating it to assembled onlookers? That solidifies your status as an outcast.
What Ruby Carson saw during that fateful hallucination was her entire hometown - houses and people - floating underwater.
Then an orange surveyor stake appears in a field, another in the cemetery. Soon everyone discovers that a massive dam is being constructed and their homes will eventually be swallowed by rising water. Suspicions mount, tempers flare, long-simmering secrets are revealed. As the town prepares for its demise, 14-year-old Ruby watches it all from a front-row seat.

Set in the 1960s in a small village along the shores of the St.John River between Fredericton and Woodstock, New Brunswick, THE TOWN THAT DROWNED deftly evokes the awkwardness of childhood, the thrill of first love, and the importance of having a place, any place, to call home.
4.5 spectacular falling stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️💫

[Laima · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I won this book from Goodreads as a First Reads free giveaway**

I loved this book!
Author Riel Nason has a calm, gentle way of telling a story. It reminds me of how on the television show "The Waltons" John Boy the author (as narrator) reflects on the story he is writing of his family's past. Main character teenage Ruby Carson is the voice of this story which is set in the mid 1960's in small town Haventon, New Brunswick. From her point of view, she tells the story of her town's demise. There are various themes that run through the story. The main theme is of change - for both Ruby herself and everyone in town. Other sub themes are bullying, coming of age, teenage awkwardness, fitting in, and life in small town Canada during the 1960's. I especially like the fact that Ruby's young brother Percy was accepted for who he was, in all his awkward ways, without the stigma of labels that we use today. I recommend this book as a wonderful read to everyone!

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot. Not as wowed as I thought I would be, but a thoroughly enjoyable read that taught me about a piece of Canadian history as well. I particularly liked the character of Percy, and his relationship with his sister, Ruby. Looking at the characters through the lens of my disability awareness I thought they were well drawn, and the fact that the book was set in the 1960s meant that no labels were put on this little boy -- simultaneously a blessing and a curse, in my experience. I found myself judging the other characters by how they treated Percy (something I do in real life with my son too) and liked how diverse this portrayal was (ie., no one right or wrong way). All in all, highly recommended.

[John Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a feel-good summer read. It's a coming of age story of a young woman whose life is interrupted by both her best friend moving away and her home town being flooded by a new dam.

It's a story of rather typical life in rural New Brunswick along the Saint John river. The characters and conflict are believable and personal, and we are carried along in a bucolic setting and style of prose. It has a nice balance of dreaminess and tension.

The voice feels perfect. It's simple prose: I did, she said, we went to the store. In most books this would be a very negative attribute. It reads like a 14 year old girl speaking, and that's why it fits so well. It is not bad writing but a choice of voice, and when you listen to this voice that way, it stands out as almost masterful, even though sometimes you want to throw it in the river. *grin*

The story jumps around a lot. One minute we're visiting Mr. Cole and the next we're helping Percy launch bottles, followed by whomever doing whatever. I initially found this troublesome, but again it's how a 14 year old might tell a story.

It doesn't follow a more standard tension building structure: goal, conflict, disaster, or a sequel structure: reaction, dilemma, decision. It's more of a gently flowing story where the tension is added slowly and peacefully and doesn't get you all worked up, yet it lingers and stays with you. Riel creates some strong characters, a strong situation, and connects with strong emtions: lonliness, self-doubt, family, individuality, community, and love. She adds enough subtle foreshadowing to make you want to read more.

Everybody in the story feels real, and it really feels like New Brunswick. There's a sense of innocence - a 14 year old girl walking alone in the rural community without anybody fearing nasty consequences, even though known idiots are drviing around in their trucks. It adds a sly touch of subliminal tension, and Riel msterully lets it hang. In the end, we really feel good about Ruby, the ugly duckling who has emerged as a beautiful swan and along the way has watched and helped her town and her brother through it's transformation.

The one negative that sticks with me is young Percy. He's a great character, serves great purpose, and holds the story together. He's an echo of Ruby's fears, and plays the part of the passive antagonist very well. I love the subtle interplay. What I didn't like about Percy was his speaking. He was very mechanical and emotionless. I know he is supposed to be an Aspberger's child, but he felt too artificial, too over the top. I suppose it's because I have known people with similar issues. None of them ever spoke like robots, not like this. I've left it open to being plausible, though. I accepted who he was and went with it. It didn't hurt too much. *grin*

Overall this was a very nice read, even for a guy. I say that because it sounds like and often reads like a "chick flick" story. Don't let the concept ward you off. There are strong men, strong women, and strong issues in this story. It's a very good read and worth your time.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely interesting book which I connected with immediately. I lived in the Mactaquac Dam floodplain a few miles down river from the setting of this book and my childhood community is no more. The writer very accurately captured many of the same feelings and emotions that those of us who lived in that era experienced. It was truly a walk down memory lane. I remember vividly the sadness that I felt the day I came home from school and the trees that I grew up with surrounding my childhood home had been cut down and later the house itself was burned.

My generation will be the final one that will remember our old communities the way they were and this book will help preserve these memories. I highly recommend it.

This is my second read of this book and I enjoyed it even more this time around. I identified two other themes this time, bullying and hoarding. A truly remarkable book.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently finished reading The Town that Drowned, by Riel Nason, a Red Maple selection for 2013.Through the eyes of a 15 year old girl, Ruby Carson, Nason tells a story set in her own childhood home, New Brunswick and put it together with much effort, however, I thought it was still lacking in some of the trademark qualities of an exceptional book.

The Town that drowned is about [a 15 year old girl] Ruby Carson, in the mid 1960's, in a small town in New Brunswick, and her struggles through hard times. When some mysterious stakes are found in odd places, residents start to wonder. Rumors are spreading, accusations are being made, and secrets are being revealed. Soon, the town learns that the government has created a floodplan, and the town that Ruby, and many others now call home, will be drowned. Worst of all Ruby thinks she might have something to do with it. With a strange little brother, difficult decisions, and a new boy in town, Ruby has a lot to worry about in her new, and seemingly impossible situation.

The town that drowned was a captivating story, and very hard for me to put down. Although it did have its strengths, for example, how Nason incorporates (and quite well) suspension in the story. All the time I was reading, I was plotting what could happen next in the story, and what choices Ruby would make in the many predicaments she was in. On page # 193, it states, " A day passes. And then another. Mr. Cole is missing. Not dead, maybe not even missing if you think about it, but to us his whereabouts are unknown." In this part, and specific quote of the book, I was in constant suspense of what had happened to Mr. Cole: was he missing? is he dead? will he come back? where did he go? will he be found?
Now, as for weaknesses, I did find some of those as well. One of them was the pacing, and excitement levels of the book. In the beginning, I found that Riel Nason started off with a bang! Her intro was hooking: one of the best I have read. As I made my way through the book, characters started to build up, plots thickened, and the tension and suspense were overwhelming! However, as I came to the end of the book, the excitement in the story decreased dramatically. I felt that Nason rushed the ending to a point that I received it as . . . boring.

I am not usually the type of person who enjoys historical/ realistic fiction novels, however, The Town that Drowned was quite amazing for it's genre, and in general. The general content of this story was very unique, I have never seen anything like it: amazing! The setting of the story, a small town in New Brunswick, was where all of the action, and all the storyline took place. The characters in this story were very much believable, and their reactions and actions fit into the atmosphere very well. For me, the most memorable character in the story was surprisingly not Ruby, it was her [strange] little brother Percy. As many would assume, when I use the word "strange" I am referring to his appearance, or lack of intelligence - but, that is not the case. Ever since Percy was young, he behaved exactly like an adult, in his speech, intelligence, habits and actions. He had strict routines, and anything that changed created an outburst from him. This can be shown on page # 163, it states " ' So have you picked out where you'd like to move to?' he asks. ' Ruby told me your parents haven't decided yet.' Percy turns around and looks at Troy's chin just as I'm registering what Troy has said. ' I do not understand your question.' Percy says. ' Our house is indicated by this square.' Percy touches it. ' I mean after the flooding,' Troy says. ' Where would you like to be?' Everything seems to slow down around me. ' Percy,' I say. His shoulders begin to curl and rise. ' I'm sorry,' Troy says, clearly confused, ' Am I wrong?' I can tell that Percy is waiting to hear my answer too. ' No,' I say. ' There was a miscalculation.' I pause. ' They just figured it out lately,' I say - as if this makes any difference. Percy starts to cry. Loud. Really loud." The change in this selection resulted with a dramatic fit from Percy: he does not like changes.

My overall reaction to this book was, a good book. Although it did have many parts which I liked, I personally think that there could have been some improvements to the ending that would have changed my opinion of it. However, this would definitely be a good book to read if you have a liking of this genre. In the end I would like to say that as a first novel Riel Nason did an amazing job! It was not a waste of time reading this book, in fact: time well spent!

[Gerard Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I read Riel Nason’s novel The Town That Drowned, I’ve wanted to grab people by some vulnerable part of their anatomy and say, “Read this. You’re welcome.”

With its wise, strong and vulnerable child narrator, this novel reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird, especially with its—at varying times—microscopic, telescopic, and panoramic take on a rural community in the 1960s after government orders the flooding of an entire town. Resettlement is a subject I can relate to, but I also feel compelled by these full characters and complex relationships, all of which Nason portrays with astounding insight and empathy. Ruby seems to understand her little brother, Percy, better than anyone. He reminds me of what Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory) would have been like as a boy—precocious, logical, annoying, and endearing. At times, the story seems to be a study of Percy as much as it is a study of Ruby herself, her parents, her whole town and the very nature of catastrophic change.

The whole book has us waiting for the inevitable, barely able to watch. And yet we do, because it’s what we do while waiting for the oncoming darkness that says most about who we are. In this portrayal of human continuance in the face of the imaginable worst, and in her clarity of voice and vision, Nason’s work could easily be compared to Cormac McCarthy’s masterful novel The Road. How you, as a reader, respond to that facet of The Town That Drowned will also say a lot about your own character.

Reading this book is like sitting in a tree house with the narrator right there with you, calmly relating this story as it happened two years prior. It’s intimate, fulfilling, entrancing, and lovable. This one completes my personal troika of astonishing novels by Atlantic Canadian women of the past three years: Annabel by Kathleen Winter, The Glass Boys by Nicole Lundrigan, and now The Town That Drowned by Riel Nason.

[❀ Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://ayearofbooksblog.com/2017/10/...

As part of the Cross-Canada Summer Reading Challenge, The Town that Drowned was my choice from New Brunswick. Described as a Young Adult novel it was a fictional story of a family impacted when NB homes were approrpriated, moved and burned to prepare for a hydroelectric dam. Although the story is fictional, many families were impacted and relocated due to hydroelectric dams in the 1960s.

The story, which was written in 3 sections including the Summer of 1965, the Spring of 1966 and the Spring of 1967, centred around 14 year old girl named Ruby. She fell through the ice and experienced a vision of the pending flooding. She was coming of age, struggling with the loss of her best friend and becoming interested in a boy, all in the midst of the drama of the dam. She helped looked after her brother who was described in a way that suggested he had autism or was on the spectrum which exacerbated the problem since he was adverse to change.

This was a great novel which would help share some of Canadian history with young adults. It is hard to imagine being given a choice of leaving your community or taking your house and moving it elsewhere for the sake of the building of a dam.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts off a bit odd and I wasn’t sure what to expect but in the end I loved it. It’s Canadian historical fiction with a tiny touch of the paranormal.

“Set in the 1960s, The Town That Drowned deftly evokes the awkwardness of childhood, the thrill of first love, and the importance of having a place, any place, to call home”.

The struggles of the town as a whole are beautifully reflected in Ruby’s story. The heart of the novel is Ruby’s relationship with her little brother, who appears to be in the autistic spectrum. His matter of fact way of seeing things and blunt speech frames the crisis in an interesting light, and her protectiveness of him is well written. Every one in the town is exposed as the bullies, hoarders or whatever they are in the face of adversity. It was a hard book to put down, even among the bustle of the holiday season.

I felt like Ruby had a personality that suited her family and small town life.

[Lizinka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book (it did help that I read it in New Brunswick, sitting by the river). The characters are wonderfully developed without being predictable - the protagonist was believable, likeable and charming, and her Autistic brother was a complete person and not merely a plot device. The fact that the story is based on reality made it all the more poignant, although the author refrained completely from dipping into sentimentality. Instead she produced a beautiful, touching and spell-binding story. I highly, highly recommend this book!

[Wendy J. Whittingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story that was hard to put down.
Riel Nason's fictional main character, 14 yr old Ruby struggles with the responsibility of a handicapped brother, the throes of adolescence and the fear that her town will end up under water.
Set in the 1960's and based on a true story, THE TOWN THAT DROWNED is a believable tale of a young girl's life in Eastern Canada.
A very enjoyable read!

[Stephen6400 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting, but quite fabulous. Had a feel of a modern day 'To kill a mocking bird'. Simple story, but real and rich characters with moments of real suspense. Thoroughly recommend this one.

[Byneedleandthread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. It was hard to put down. I felt that I was right there worrying about my home in the town. Also reminded me of summers in NB.

[Steven Buechler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great edition to the #canlit, coming of age canon of novels. It should be on the reading list of every high school student.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Town that Drowned is a gentle story by debut Canadian author Riel Nason which was recently recognized by several major national literary prizes.

It's the mid sixties and the narrator is fourteen year old Ruby Carson who lives in a small rural town named Haverton on the banks of the St John River which wends it's way through New Brunswick, Canada. Ruby's best friend has moved away over the summer and she is dreading the return to school. Already a target of derision by her peers because of her brother's strange behaviour, Ruby finds herself ostracized after falling through the ice and seeing a vision of the town underwater as drowned townspeople drift by.

While The Town That Drowned is a coming of age tale as Ruby experiences the angst of adolescence, including first love, the larger story centers around the death of a community. Ruby's insensible vision becomes a reality when survey pegs appear in the town and the government announces that the building of the new Mactaquac Dam will result in the relocation of Haverton.

The strength of this story is in Nason's characterisation of a community struggling with change. Just as Percy, who has Asperger's, finds it difficult to tolerate any deviations from order and routine, the townspeople are unwilling to embrace the government directive to desert their homes. How each deals with the inevitable paints a poignant tale of loss, change and renewal.

The writing of The Town That Drowned has a dreamy quality but the slow pace coupled with the lack of overt plot action meant I found my attention wondering more than once, even though I found the idea of a town being forcibly destroyed in this way fascinating.

While labeled as literary Young Adult, mainly I suspect because of the teenage narrator, I think The Town That Drowned will more likely appeal to an adult audience who will appreciate the literary style. Reviews suggest it particularly resonates with those whose childhood communities have fallen victim to a similar fate as Haverton.

[Lucy Leblanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riel Nason's debut novel is a true maritime gem. It is the coming of age story of Ruby Carson, a young girl struggling to find her identity and to fit in at school in a small rural town along the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada. Ruby has always been different than the other girls and is an easy target for her classmates to pick on and tease. To make matters worse, she falls through the ice during a community event and has a vision of her town being covered in water. In the vision she sees four members of the community floating by and she knows they are dead. Ruby is called a witch by her tormentors because of the vision and finds herself totally ostracized.

The town soon finds out there is going to be a dam constructed on the river and everyone has to move as their town will be flooded. People react in different ways to this news and soon the whole town is on edge. The distrust of the government officials involved in this process is one we can all relate to when decisions are being made without public input. Emotions run high in this story and Ruby is often questioning the meaning of home and the nature of progress.

Nason cleverly uses humour throughout the book without making everything into a joke. The many characters in this town are well fleshed out in the story and the reader really wants to know what's going to happen to them next. The family dynamic and parental roles are clearly defined in the interations between Ruby, her parents, and her brother, Percy.

This book kept me interested from beginning to end and I hope Riel Nason is working on her next book as I would love to see what else this author has to offer.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a pre-release copy of this book from Allen and Unwin in Australia, this is the review I provided to them ...

This is a hauntingly beautiful novel that captured me from its first pages and kept me reading to its end in one sitting.

This is a coming of age novel written from the perspective of self-described outsider, Ruby, who ages from 14 to 16, as the small village of 'Haventon', learns, and responds, to the news that it is to be moved to make way for that, very 1960s, sign of progress, a new dam.

Through Ruby we hear the easy cruelness of school children, not just to her, but to her even more different brother, Percy, who lives, seemingly without any sense of emotion, in a world of his own creation. Through Ruby we feel the tiredness and anxiousness of her parents, for Percy, and for what is to become of their home . but we also hear and feel their love. Through Ruby we learn of the bitterness, resentments and fears of the village people as they learn the fate of their homes and we experience their defiance, their sense of hope and also the tragedy that occurs as the change becomes too much to bare for some .

Throughout all this wider change, we also experience Ruby's own changes as she learns something of herself and starts to understand more of the people around her.

Sweetly too, we are with Ruby as she experiences first love, and her first kisses . for in the end, this is a story of hope, as an old crabapple tree takes root in new soil, rescued before the flood waters moved in and changed the landscape of Haventon forever.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was recommended this book due my love of YA lit, but this book was so much more than that. This book took a huge idea, the flooding and demise of a small town, and grounded it in small, quiet, well-written characters. Ruby Carson's small town is being flooded due to the creation of a nearby dam. The idea of flood waters and fresh starts is not a new one, but Nason is able to navigate all the literary metaphor and biblical significance with ease. Through Ruby, we meet her high-functioning, autistic brother, her hardworking father and her mother, the successful painter. We are also introduced to a cast of small town characters and see how they all react to the news their town will be submerged. All this takes place in 60s New Brunswick, Canada - but the scary part is that it could take place in any community near a river.

I'm completely fascinated with the notion that the government can swoop in, buy up a town and destroy it with ease. Nason brings you along for the ride with lovely imagery and clear writing. I loved this book enough to give it as a gift to a friend. An amazing novel that should be added to high school reading lists across Canada.

[Barbara Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another Goose Lane book. A first novel, set in New Brunswick in the 1960s.
The story revolves around a teenage girl and her struggles to fit in, and how being seen as different and unusual doesn’t make fitting in easy at all.
Ruby is the main character and her younger brother is clearly autistic, but was only viewed as weird back then. Despite his differences, he does not seem to struggle as much as Ruby does—maybe because girls are much crueller to other girls.
This is a very calm read. It reminded me somewhat of the TV show The Waltons, where even bad things don’t seem so bad.
There is an innocent in their everyday life, even with the town facing the loss of their community. Houses being moved because of the building of a dam.
I liked imagining their houses as they were, but only underwater, but in reality, their houses were moved or burned.
The book is labelled literary Young Adult, but I think that’s only because the main character is teen.
I balanced this easy read with that of a young man’s journey with cancer.
I love the cover image on this book—it is what really kept drawing me back to finally reading it.

[Calzean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice feel good story that is well written and crafted.
Narrated by 14 year old Ruby over two years in the mid sixties. Ruby's younger brother Percy cannot abide change, is focused on structure, numbers and facts and is a cause of much childhood ribbing. Ruby also becomes a social outcasts after she has an accident and has a premonition of a future disaster.
Ruby is mature above her years. But I just couldn't get her stoicism in the face of constant bullying, the lack of sexual awakening in her especially when she meets Troy nor her almost saintly relationship towards her brother. I also thought that some of the nice tying together of some of the story lines were a bit too nice. The physic angle also was a bit strange.
Still it gives a little piece of New Brunswick history, shows the various reactions of people to life changing news in a small town bound through churches, school and local traditions.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was right where it should be, the writing and story well-matched to give a young girl's account of human nature's resistance to change. Though rooted as a coming of age story, the fascination comes from her village's preparation and resistance to the coming of change that is inevitable as technology and government planning aim to wipe her village from the map. And the memories, routine, everything you feel to depend on right along with it. As it turns out, the most equipped to deal with change are those who do it on their own terms, in their own way - something eminent domain can't touch. Riel Nason gives an honest voice to the girl and there's some good storytelling here - no wonder this was the Canadian/European regions's representative for the Commonwealth prize given to debut novelists.

[Chantale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby Carson is dealing with a lot. She tries to protect her autistic brother from teasing, her best friend has moved away, she's bullied at school for being weird, and she's fallen in love with a boy from out of town. While at a neighbourhood skating event, she falls and hits her head and has a vision that the town and some of her neighbours are underwater. When the government makes an announcement the townspeople will be relocated and the town flooded to make way for a dam, she begins to secretly piece together the truth of her vision.

The Town that Drowned captures the voices of children well and captivatingly describes the resilience of a community under stress. I also like how the author sneaks her own family into the story at the end.

[Donna Alward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this book ends up on Can Lit and Atlantic Lit course lists, because it's brilliant.

My family was affected by the expropriation and because I'm extremely familiar with the area, I was interested in reading it. But that took a back seat to the wonderfully crafted story of Ruby and her family and neighbours. The characters were vividly drawn, the pacing was bang on and the plot had a way of sneaking up on me so that when I finished the second section my mouth dropped open and I was almost scared to read the end - I started it on a Friday night and left the third part to finish early Saturday morning (I was done by 8:15). Totally unputdownable.

It's the best book I've read in a long, long time.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Town That Drowned” by Riel Nason is a work of fiction by a New Brunswick author about a town allowed to be flooded when the Mactaquac dam was built in the 1960s. I love reading Canadian fiction, especially when the story takes place in an area I know and love, the Saint John River Valley! Reading names and locations from “home” makes this book are the more special. It also helps that the story is unique, well written and has characters that are compelling and complicated. The author keeps you reading, wondering and questioning. Thank you Goose Lane Editions and Tidewater books for bringing this book to my shelf! -Kathy

[Stephanie Boyle Mays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read. Had heard some buzz about this book and got our local library (Central Oregon, U.S.A.) to order it. Now I'll have to buy my own copy. The New Brunswick (Canada) government seizes land to build a dam and hydro-electric project. What happens to the town that will eventually be flooded and the people who live there is told through the eyes of Ruby who is 14 when the story starts. The writing is funny, sweet and, at times poignant.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has never made me feel so proud and so ashamed of the New Brunswick way. The story and the character are strong and moving as we follow a town for two years are their world is changed in many different ways. What made this story especially great for me is that it is a fictionalised tale of a local event that is both sad and uplifting. RECOMMEND HIGHLY!!!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book was eccentric and heartwarming. The main character in this book, Ruby, was a very well-developed chracter. I think that ruby would be really good friend because of the way she stands up for her little brother, Percy. I would recommend this book to any reader who likes the heartwarming tale about siblings, first loves, and how awkward it is to be an outcast.

[Rachel Seigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and nostalgic coming-of-age story set in New Brunswick between 1964-1967. This may not resonate particularly well with children, but adult readers will enjoy the quality of the writing and an engaging look at a true episode from New Brunswick's history.

[Kate Merlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's published as an adult book but it is also very good for High school Can LIt students.