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Dalton, Maine #1
The Road to Dalton
From debut author Shannon Bowring comes a novel of small town America that Pulitzer-winner Richard Russo calls, "measured, wise, and beautiful."
It's 1990. In Dalton, Maine, life goes on. Rose goes to work at the diner every day, her bruises hidden from both the customers and her two young boys. At a table she waits, Dr. Richard Haskell looks back on the one choice that's charted his entire life, before his thoughts wander back to his wife, Trudy, and her best friend.
Trudy and Bev have been friends for longer than they can count, and something more than lovers to each other for some time now—a fact both accepted and ignored by their husbands. Across town, new mother Bridget lives with her high school sweetheart Nate, and is struggling with postpartum after a traumatic birth. And nearer still is teenager Greg, trying to define the complicated feelings he has about himself and his two close friends.
The Road to Dalton offers valuable understandings of what it means to be alive in the world—of pain and joy, conflict and love, and the endurance that comes from living.
It's 1990. In Dalton, Maine, life goes on. Rose goes to work at the diner every day, her bruises hidden from both the customers and her two young boys. At a table she waits, Dr. Richard Haskell looks back on the one choice that's charted his entire life, before his thoughts wander back to his wife, Trudy, and her best friend.
Trudy and Bev have been friends for longer than they can count, and something more than lovers to each other for some time now—a fact both accepted and ignored by their husbands. Across town, new mother Bridget lives with her high school sweetheart Nate, and is struggling with postpartum after a traumatic birth. And nearer still is teenager Greg, trying to define the complicated feelings he has about himself and his two close friends.
The Road to Dalton offers valuable understandings of what it means to be alive in the world—of pain and joy, conflict and love, and the endurance that comes from living.
250 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2023
173 people are currently reading
4786 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Bowring
4 books137 followersShannon Bowring’s work has appeared in numerous journals, including Best Small Fictions, and has been nominated for Pushcart and Best of the Net prizes. She is the recipient of the 2022 Julia Peterkin Literary Award for Flash Fiction and was selected by Deesha Philyaw as a finalist for the Fractured Lit Anthology II Contest. Shannon has been recognized on such short- and long-lists as the Maine Literary Awards, the Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition and the New Millennium Writing Awards. Her debut novel, The Road to Dalton, received a Kirkus Starred Review and was included in the June 2023 Indie Next List. Shannon’s sequel to Dalton, WHERE THE FOREST MEETS THE RIVER, is forthcoming from Europa Editions.
Raised in Northern Maine, Shannon now resides in the mid-coast region of the state, where she works as a cataloger at her local public library.
Raised in Northern Maine, Shannon now resides in the mid-coast region of the state, where she works as a cataloger at her local public library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
June 4, 2023
In a Nutshell: A haunting debut work, that offers a character study of various residents of a small town. Intricately written, slow paced. Great for literary fiction lovers.
Story Synopsis:
The prologue sets the right feel for the plot, though it is written in second person and addressed to the reader. Though the rest of the book is in third person, the prologue doesn’t feel like a misfit at all. Rather, it creates the perfect picture of what the fictional town of Dalton, Maine looks like, such that when the first chapter begins, we get a feel of the town even before knowing the characters.
Literary fiction is heavily dependent on character sketching, and this book gets everything spot on in terms of creating characters with believable personalities. I was enthralled by the well-sketched characters, each of whom was like an iceberg – what we could see was only a part of the surface, and their hidden depths held many secrets.
What further enhances this experience is the structure of penning the narrative. Each chapter focusses on a specific character and the close persons in their life. Thus the third person narration keeps moving across characters as the chapters go by. In a way, it's like we are actually on a road in Dalton, peeking into a specific character’s day(s) and after watching them for a while, moving on to the next character in the subsequent chapter. While this is a bit tricky at the start because of the number of characters, things soon become clearer and characters become more familiar because of the detailed insight into individual thoughts. The choice to have longer chapters also works in favour of this approach, as the narrative doesn’t feel jumpy.
Through the various characters, the book covers several heavy themes such as postpartum depression, infidelity, homosexual relationships and homophobia, fat shaming, vocational troubles, marital struggles, domestic abuse, confusion with sexual orientation,… While this looks like too much for a book, the author handles them deftly. I never felt like the kitchen sink of themes had been thrown at me yet again because each character dealt with only one issue. So the character portrayal remained consistent rather than convoluted.
The town of Dalton is almost like a separate character unto itself. The author captures the small town ethos perfectly, where everyone knows everyone and everything about everyone else, but are unaware of the issues in their own home. Gossip and inquisitiveness stand proudly next to empathy and friendship in Dalton.
Most of this book was outstanding. The only minor points where it could have worked better for me were:
1. Mentioning the year before the prologue or the first chapter instead of referring to it only in the blurb. The plot did feel historical but only on reading the blurb did I realise it was set in 1990.
2. Either cutting out Greg’s character or linking him better with the rest of the characters. For a book filled with adult issues, his track was a misfit, though it was handled decently well later in the book. (And yes, I have to admit that a small town will also have teen problems.) But the rest of the themes were so strong that his felt somewhat rudimentary.
Nevertheless, I was hooked right from the prologue, and until about half the book, my attention was unwavering. Then the slowness of the pace bogged me down somewhat. I still enjoyed the book tremendously, and still can’t believe this is a debut work. Such nuanced and consistent character development is something even established authors fail at sometimes.
Strongly recommended to literary fiction lovers. It is a slow-paced character-driven work, as is common with this genre, but the characters, the small-town vibes, and the story structure make the journey into Dalton a memorable one.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Kristi Bontrager of Europa Editions and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “The Road to Dalton”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Content warnings: Whatever I have mentioned in the themes, plus suicide.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Rose: A woman who stays with her abusive fiancé, hiding her bruises from her two sons and the rest of the townsfolk.
Richard Haskell: A doctor who fulfils his medical vocation out of compulsion than out of interest.
Trudy Haskell: Married to Richard, but in love with ‘best friend’ Bev – a fact known to and ignored by her husband as their town will never accept a lesbian relationship.
Nate: Bev’s son, a cop who is too goodhearted to be a cop.
Bridget: Nate’s wife, who is battling PPD without anyone being aware of her inner turmoil.
Alice: A newlywed who can’t seem to make her mother-in-law happy.
Greg: An overweight teenager who battles the strange feelings he has for two of his friends.
These are just a few of the complicated characters you will meet on the ‘Road to Dalton’. The plot focusses on the emotions, growth, losses and learnings of the above characters and those in their lives.
The prologue sets the right feel for the plot, though it is written in second person and addressed to the reader. Though the rest of the book is in third person, the prologue doesn’t feel like a misfit at all. Rather, it creates the perfect picture of what the fictional town of Dalton, Maine looks like, such that when the first chapter begins, we get a feel of the town even before knowing the characters.
Literary fiction is heavily dependent on character sketching, and this book gets everything spot on in terms of creating characters with believable personalities. I was enthralled by the well-sketched characters, each of whom was like an iceberg – what we could see was only a part of the surface, and their hidden depths held many secrets.
What further enhances this experience is the structure of penning the narrative. Each chapter focusses on a specific character and the close persons in their life. Thus the third person narration keeps moving across characters as the chapters go by. In a way, it's like we are actually on a road in Dalton, peeking into a specific character’s day(s) and after watching them for a while, moving on to the next character in the subsequent chapter. While this is a bit tricky at the start because of the number of characters, things soon become clearer and characters become more familiar because of the detailed insight into individual thoughts. The choice to have longer chapters also works in favour of this approach, as the narrative doesn’t feel jumpy.
Through the various characters, the book covers several heavy themes such as postpartum depression, infidelity, homosexual relationships and homophobia, fat shaming, vocational troubles, marital struggles, domestic abuse, confusion with sexual orientation,… While this looks like too much for a book, the author handles them deftly. I never felt like the kitchen sink of themes had been thrown at me yet again because each character dealt with only one issue. So the character portrayal remained consistent rather than convoluted.
The town of Dalton is almost like a separate character unto itself. The author captures the small town ethos perfectly, where everyone knows everyone and everything about everyone else, but are unaware of the issues in their own home. Gossip and inquisitiveness stand proudly next to empathy and friendship in Dalton.
Most of this book was outstanding. The only minor points where it could have worked better for me were:
1. Mentioning the year before the prologue or the first chapter instead of referring to it only in the blurb. The plot did feel historical but only on reading the blurb did I realise it was set in 1990.
2. Either cutting out Greg’s character or linking him better with the rest of the characters. For a book filled with adult issues, his track was a misfit, though it was handled decently well later in the book. (And yes, I have to admit that a small town will also have teen problems.) But the rest of the themes were so strong that his felt somewhat rudimentary.
Nevertheless, I was hooked right from the prologue, and until about half the book, my attention was unwavering. Then the slowness of the pace bogged me down somewhat. I still enjoyed the book tremendously, and still can’t believe this is a debut work. Such nuanced and consistent character development is something even established authors fail at sometimes.
Strongly recommended to literary fiction lovers. It is a slow-paced character-driven work, as is common with this genre, but the characters, the small-town vibes, and the story structure make the journey into Dalton a memorable one.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Kristi Bontrager of Europa Editions and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “The Road to Dalton”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Content warnings: Whatever I have mentioned in the themes, plus suicide.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
February 19, 2023
This is a story about life, love, family, memories that haunt, and those memories and people in our lives that remind us of the better, happier moments. Set in a small, rural town in Maine, the kind where pretty much everybody knows everyone, their good sides, and their bad. It is, in a way, a story of both the comfort of living among people all or most of their lives, as well as the less pleasant side of people remembering the things they’d rather forget. People who live and die in these small towns, and the effect their loss has on others. This isn’t a town you’d go to visit looking for excitement or entertainment, really, but there is a sense of love for this place, and these people that run through their stories.
There is pain, as well, both physical and emotional pain. Some from loss, but others from a lack of understanding, or perhaps a lack of willingness to listen. Perhaps afraid to take in another’s pain for fear this will happen to them. We go through days focused on our needs, on desires for our own future, which sometimes might mean that we aren’t paying attention when someone cries out for help. Cries for help are rarely voiced unless we take the time to listen.
A quietly eloquent debut that peers into the hearts and souls of these people, and shares their stories. Stories which are all too relatable, some alarming, some heartbreaking, and others where there is someone who reaches out to offer a hand and a listening ear.
Pub Date: 6 June 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Europa Editions
October 21, 2025
picked this up on a whim after never having heard of it before seeing it on someone's top books of the year list and i am just....blown away. this was so good. think the smell of other people's houses, but adult! definitely definitely definitely heed the content warnings (especially for postpartum depression) and proceed with caution, but if you think you can handle, i highly recommend!
CW: postpartum depression, suicide, domestic abuse, disordered eating, homophobia, fatphobic language
CW: postpartum depression, suicide, domestic abuse, disordered eating, homophobia, fatphobic language
December 8, 2023
How a novel can be so bleak and despairing, and remain hopeful at the same time, is a trick most accomplished writers find difficult to pull off at any time, let alone in a first novel. On almost every page, Thoreau's phrase about the mass of men leading lives of quiet desperation was ringing in my ears. Almost every one of these characters had broken dreams and broken lives in all sorts of different ways, but couldn't seem to change, even though this reader was urging them every step of the way; get out, get out, get out!
Sometimes, a life of desperation IS the way out. Staying with people you know and love, doing good things without being asked, lending a hand, understanding and staying quiet, helping in small, insignificant ways when you can; these are the important and unheralded reasons we bungle along. Because we need and are needed by others.
"So many tragedies in this world, so much potential disaster. Endless heartbreak."
But not always.
Thank you to Charles Dodd White for leading me to this book by describing it as quiet and beautiful. It was both those things.
Sometimes, a life of desperation IS the way out. Staying with people you know and love, doing good things without being asked, lending a hand, understanding and staying quiet, helping in small, insignificant ways when you can; these are the important and unheralded reasons we bungle along. Because we need and are needed by others.
"So many tragedies in this world, so much potential disaster. Endless heartbreak."
But not always.
Thank you to Charles Dodd White for leading me to this book by describing it as quiet and beautiful. It was both those things.
March 5, 2024
the setup…
The year is 1990 and the town is Dalton, Maine, the epitome of small town America. Trudy Haskell is the town librarian, married to Richard, the only doctor. Her best friend is Bev Theroux who’s married to Bill and they’re parents of one son, Nate. But Trudy and Bev are more than just best friends, something Richard accepted many years ago. He’s not sure if Bill knows. Nate is married to Bridget who recently gave birth to their daughter Sophie a few weeks before her due date. No one notices that she seems more wearier than you’d expect for a new mother. Dr. Haskell knows a lot about the people of Dalton, including Rose Douglas who’s being abused by the father of her two young boys, but he’ll protect her secret as he does for all of those he tends. And there’s Greg, a teen who is struggling with feelings he finds hard to define for his two close friends.
the heart of the story…
It’s a quiet story but rich in its telling of the complexities of the people in this town. Their issues aren’t unique but there’s something different about how they handle the challenges presented to them. People don’t talk about those things, let alone share their feelings with anybody, which leaves them to their own devices to figure things out. It takes a tragedy, sparked by what seemed at the time to be an ordinary event, to move them out of their comfort zone and reach out in a way that was different, subtle but highly impactful.
the narration…
Even the narrator’s performance was understated and subtle, perfect for the story, even though I didn’t initially think so. She let the characters speak for themselves…brilliantly.
the bottom line…
The people of Dalton might not seem all that interesting on the surface but something about all of them had me mesmerized through the end. I found myself swept up in their joys, heartache, crossroads and troubles…invested in how they’d manage their situations. The ending was just as understated as the story, just as it should be…offering the promise of better things to come.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
The year is 1990 and the town is Dalton, Maine, the epitome of small town America. Trudy Haskell is the town librarian, married to Richard, the only doctor. Her best friend is Bev Theroux who’s married to Bill and they’re parents of one son, Nate. But Trudy and Bev are more than just best friends, something Richard accepted many years ago. He’s not sure if Bill knows. Nate is married to Bridget who recently gave birth to their daughter Sophie a few weeks before her due date. No one notices that she seems more wearier than you’d expect for a new mother. Dr. Haskell knows a lot about the people of Dalton, including Rose Douglas who’s being abused by the father of her two young boys, but he’ll protect her secret as he does for all of those he tends. And there’s Greg, a teen who is struggling with feelings he finds hard to define for his two close friends.
the heart of the story…
It’s a quiet story but rich in its telling of the complexities of the people in this town. Their issues aren’t unique but there’s something different about how they handle the challenges presented to them. People don’t talk about those things, let alone share their feelings with anybody, which leaves them to their own devices to figure things out. It takes a tragedy, sparked by what seemed at the time to be an ordinary event, to move them out of their comfort zone and reach out in a way that was different, subtle but highly impactful.
the narration…
Even the narrator’s performance was understated and subtle, perfect for the story, even though I didn’t initially think so. She let the characters speak for themselves…brilliantly.
the bottom line…
The people of Dalton might not seem all that interesting on the surface but something about all of them had me mesmerized through the end. I found myself swept up in their joys, heartache, crossroads and troubles…invested in how they’d manage their situations. The ending was just as understated as the story, just as it should be…offering the promise of better things to come.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
December 6, 2023
The Road to Dalton takes place in 1990 in a sleepy little town in northern Maine. We get to know many of the town’s residents, but the main focus is on three or four families and the one event that would touch them all.
The town sounds a little bit stereotypical—the rich lumber yard owner with the big house up on the hill, with the rest of the townsfolk below, just trying to get by. But these folks are pretty interesting characters. Many hold on to secrets and shame, and in that way they’re no different from any of us. Small town or large city… people are all very much the same, I would think. Some are harbouring secrets that could support a whole novel of their own! Teens are confused about their sexuality; married men and women are ashamed of their affairs; some are holding on to shame from the past, and others still blame themselves for what they said or did long ago.
If you’re sensitive to triggers, I should mention the occurrence that brings the town together: It was interesting to see the effect it had on each person. But my heart really ached for that one person whose life now would never be the same. There were happy times and lighter moments, though, with the usual things that happen in a small town.
I thought it was quite a good read—and it's the author’s first! It was sad, at times but, in general, I'd say it was more or less a “slice of life” story—mostly pleasant with the exception of the one shocking occurrence. The town residents carried on with some dark clouds above but, before too long, I could see the sun starting to peek out—ready to break through those clouds.⛅ And I won't have to wonder for long about what might be in store for Dalton next. I've read that the author is already working on a sequel!
So now, as I look back on the story, I think I can understand why the author set the story in 1990 (or thereabouts). It's because those events would never happen in today's world—not with everything we know now… right?🤔
4 “Small-town🧡big-heart🧡”stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The town sounds a little bit stereotypical—the rich lumber yard owner with the big house up on the hill, with the rest of the townsfolk below, just trying to get by. But these folks are pretty interesting characters. Many hold on to secrets and shame, and in that way they’re no different from any of us. Small town or large city… people are all very much the same, I would think. Some are harbouring secrets that could support a whole novel of their own! Teens are confused about their sexuality; married men and women are ashamed of their affairs; some are holding on to shame from the past, and others still blame themselves for what they said or did long ago.
If you’re sensitive to triggers, I should mention the occurrence that brings the town together: It was interesting to see the effect it had on each person. But my heart really ached for that one person whose life now would never be the same. There were happy times and lighter moments, though, with the usual things that happen in a small town.
I thought it was quite a good read—and it's the author’s first! It was sad, at times but, in general, I'd say it was more or less a “slice of life” story—mostly pleasant with the exception of the one shocking occurrence. The town residents carried on with some dark clouds above but, before too long, I could see the sun starting to peek out—ready to break through those clouds.⛅ And I won't have to wonder for long about what might be in store for Dalton next. I've read that the author is already working on a sequel!
So now, as I look back on the story, I think I can understand why the author set the story in 1990 (or thereabouts). It's because those events would never happen in today's world—not with everything we know now… right?🤔
4 “Small-town🧡big-heart🧡”stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 1, 2024
The Road To Dalton is set in 1990 in a rural, small town in Maine. Everyone knows everyone in this community, most grew up here and have stayed here.
We get to know a handful of characters —
The local doctor and his wife, her best friend, husband, and their adult son, a police officer, who is married and recently became a father. There’s a mother who is in an abusive relationship and generally keeps her head down at work. There’s an older lady who isn’t happy about her adult son’s recent relationship with a younger woman, and more.
The Road To Dalton is a slice of life, character driven story. The book rotates third person POVs and the characters felt authentic. At points while reading this, I was reminded of Dinosaurs (really liked) and A Quiet Life (loved). There is a somber tone throughout the story, along with pain, but there’s also love, hope, and friendship in Dalton.
We get to know a handful of characters —
The local doctor and his wife, her best friend, husband, and their adult son, a police officer, who is married and recently became a father. There’s a mother who is in an abusive relationship and generally keeps her head down at work. There’s an older lady who isn’t happy about her adult son’s recent relationship with a younger woman, and more.
The Road To Dalton is a slice of life, character driven story. The book rotates third person POVs and the characters felt authentic. At points while reading this, I was reminded of Dinosaurs (really liked) and A Quiet Life (loved). There is a somber tone throughout the story, along with pain, but there’s also love, hope, and friendship in Dalton.
May 14, 2023
I love it when a book comes in under the radar, upends my expectations, and wins me over. That’s the case with Shannon Bowring’s debut book.
I took a chance on it, mainly because I’ve rarely been disappointed with books I’ve chosen from Europa. And right from the first few pages, to paraphrase the author, I kept moving forward, slowly and steadily, straight into the heart of Dalton.
Dalton, in Northern Maine, is the kind of town in which everyone keeps secrets – and for that matter, tries to respect others’ secrets. And it’s also the kind of town where, sooner or later, each person’s life will impact others.
These characters are real as can be: two married women who are romantically linked while their husbands adapt, and the town pretends not to see. An overweight teenage boy, struggling with his own sexuality, who reluctantly has to don the mantle of unlikely hero. A young wife with an abusive husband who tries to hide her scars – physically and mentally. And, at the heart of the novel, a young husband who has loved his wife since the second grade and is powerless to help her as she struggles with postpartum depression.
Despite the trauma – infidelity, abuse, depression – there is a resilience in these characters and a belief on the part of the reader that life’s obstacles can and will eventually be overcome. In other words, the characters’ struggles seem real and Dalton itself holds the characters together and shapes them to withstand the pain that life inevitably brings and survive. I’m delighted to have been given the chance to be an early reader by Europa Editions in exchange for an honest review.
I took a chance on it, mainly because I’ve rarely been disappointed with books I’ve chosen from Europa. And right from the first few pages, to paraphrase the author, I kept moving forward, slowly and steadily, straight into the heart of Dalton.
Dalton, in Northern Maine, is the kind of town in which everyone keeps secrets – and for that matter, tries to respect others’ secrets. And it’s also the kind of town where, sooner or later, each person’s life will impact others.
These characters are real as can be: two married women who are romantically linked while their husbands adapt, and the town pretends not to see. An overweight teenage boy, struggling with his own sexuality, who reluctantly has to don the mantle of unlikely hero. A young wife with an abusive husband who tries to hide her scars – physically and mentally. And, at the heart of the novel, a young husband who has loved his wife since the second grade and is powerless to help her as she struggles with postpartum depression.
Despite the trauma – infidelity, abuse, depression – there is a resilience in these characters and a belief on the part of the reader that life’s obstacles can and will eventually be overcome. In other words, the characters’ struggles seem real and Dalton itself holds the characters together and shapes them to withstand the pain that life inevitably brings and survive. I’m delighted to have been given the chance to be an early reader by Europa Editions in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2023
Dalton, Maine is situated at the top of the state near the Canadian border. It is said that the trees vastly outnumber the people.
It is 1990, and like small towns everywhere, Dalton is a microcosm of humanity. The 1,309 residents are comprised of the haves, the have nots, the happy, the depressed, the hard workers, the layabouts. It is a town where many of the people who live there suffer from ennui. They are dissatisfied with their lives, but know nothing else. Their identity and only memories are of this town, so they stay... It is a mill town, and the lumber mill owners are the town's hierarchy.
The town is riddled with secrets. Some carefully hidden away, and some on the boil, about to come to the surface at any moment. It is a town who keeps their regrets and desires private... until they aren't.
Richard and Trudy Haskell - Richard is the town's physician who runs the health clinic that was run by his father before him. His position in the town makes him privy to many of its secrets. His wife, Trudy, works at the local library.
Bill and Bev Theroux - Bill has taken early retirement for health reasons and Bev was the director of the local long term care facility, but has since left that position.
Trudy and Bev have been best friends for years - and much, much more.
Nate and Bridget - Nate is Bev's beloved son. He works as a policeman in the small Dalton police force. He married his childhood sweetheart and they have an infant daughter. Bridget is the daughter of the town's lumber mill owner.
Rose and Tommy - a couple that some would call 'trailer trash'. They are engaged to be married and have two young sons. Tommy is a ne'er do well who has a temper. A temper that sees Rose sporting bruises on a constant basis...
Angela and Henry - a fourteen year old 'couple' who attend the local high school.
Gregory - another fourteen year old. Overweight and often bullied, Grey is attracted to both Angela and Henry. He questions his sexual identity and fears for his future. He uses food as a crutch to get him through his life's pressures.
A tragic event has a profound impact on many of Dalton's residents.
This literary debut novel touches upon myriad themes. Depression, sexual identity, postpartum depression, suicide, grief, loss, endurance, and resilience.
"The Road to Dalton" is an impressive first novel written with great empathy for its characters. It was poignantly realistic tale, told by a gifted storyteller.
It is 1990, and like small towns everywhere, Dalton is a microcosm of humanity. The 1,309 residents are comprised of the haves, the have nots, the happy, the depressed, the hard workers, the layabouts. It is a town where many of the people who live there suffer from ennui. They are dissatisfied with their lives, but know nothing else. Their identity and only memories are of this town, so they stay... It is a mill town, and the lumber mill owners are the town's hierarchy.
The town is riddled with secrets. Some carefully hidden away, and some on the boil, about to come to the surface at any moment. It is a town who keeps their regrets and desires private... until they aren't.
Richard and Trudy Haskell - Richard is the town's physician who runs the health clinic that was run by his father before him. His position in the town makes him privy to many of its secrets. His wife, Trudy, works at the local library.
Bill and Bev Theroux - Bill has taken early retirement for health reasons and Bev was the director of the local long term care facility, but has since left that position.
Trudy and Bev have been best friends for years - and much, much more.
Nate and Bridget - Nate is Bev's beloved son. He works as a policeman in the small Dalton police force. He married his childhood sweetheart and they have an infant daughter. Bridget is the daughter of the town's lumber mill owner.
Rose and Tommy - a couple that some would call 'trailer trash'. They are engaged to be married and have two young sons. Tommy is a ne'er do well who has a temper. A temper that sees Rose sporting bruises on a constant basis...
Angela and Henry - a fourteen year old 'couple' who attend the local high school.
Gregory - another fourteen year old. Overweight and often bullied, Grey is attracted to both Angela and Henry. He questions his sexual identity and fears for his future. He uses food as a crutch to get him through his life's pressures.
A tragic event has a profound impact on many of Dalton's residents.
This literary debut novel touches upon myriad themes. Depression, sexual identity, postpartum depression, suicide, grief, loss, endurance, and resilience.
"The Road to Dalton" is an impressive first novel written with great empathy for its characters. It was poignantly realistic tale, told by a gifted storyteller.
August 31, 2024
Hmmm. I have questions.
Did I like this book? Yes.
Was it a fast read? Yes.
Would I have ever picked it up had it not been what Meg from my book club picked for our next read? Nope.
Do I think it felt more like a short story writ large? Yup.
Did I like the characters? Oh the whole, yes.
Do I wish I'd found resolution with all the major ones? By that I mean was I annoyed that many characters were introduced enough to get invested in only to be let down by their sudden disappearance? A big YES on that. (What happened to GREG??? I was so fond of that boy and hated that he was brushed aside like so many cookie crumbs.)
Was this book depressing as shit? Oui.
Was I ultimately satisfied? Not quite enough.
Will I read the next installment if it gets published? Most likely, yes, I will. Bowring writes lovely prose. I just could have used a bit more actual PLOT with some beginning middle and endings thrown in for good measure. I know--I'm such a whiner, but yeah, I like conventional storytelling.
Did I like this book? Yes.
Was it a fast read? Yes.
Would I have ever picked it up had it not been what Meg from my book club picked for our next read? Nope.
Do I think it felt more like a short story writ large? Yup.
Did I like the characters? Oh the whole, yes.
Do I wish I'd found resolution with all the major ones? By that I mean was I annoyed that many characters were introduced enough to get invested in only to be let down by their sudden disappearance? A big YES on that. (What happened to GREG??? I was so fond of that boy and hated that he was brushed aside like so many cookie crumbs.)
Was this book depressing as shit? Oui.
Was I ultimately satisfied? Not quite enough.
Will I read the next installment if it gets published? Most likely, yes, I will. Bowring writes lovely prose. I just could have used a bit more actual PLOT with some beginning middle and endings thrown in for good measure. I know--I'm such a whiner, but yeah, I like conventional storytelling.
December 24, 2023
2.5. Unpopular/outlier review alert, I am sorry to say! This novella is one of those “people in small, rural, seemingly quiet towns of yore have complex lives too” books. It’s a collection of interconnected stories that most readers seem to love, but heartless reader me thought it was just fine. It’s perfectly adequate, but I didn’t feel it broke any new ground: there is the couple with domestic violence; the new mom with severe postpartum depression; the wife who is in a semi-secret romantic relationship with her best friend; the teen who is struggling with sexual identity and an eating disorder. These are all very inherently important and interesting concerns, to be sure, but it all felt a little forced and, to me, not super authentic, to be honest. Hopefully most of us know these days that these concerns and individuals exist, and yes, even in the past and in remote, bucolic environs: I think you need to do more with this material. All of the characters seemed to talk in the same voice and were basically elegant stereotypes with not much depth or differentiation. I also felt the prose was pretty labored and effortful, not exactly purple but definitely a Deliberately Literary try-hard lavender hue: it seemed stilted to me and I did not enjoy reading it. I think Hot Springs Lane is a good example of a recent book that tries to do something different with this same sort of premise.
May 28, 2023
This book is quietly and masterfully beautiful and engaging. It is a narrative of connected stories about a small town in Maine and the people who live there.
Richard is a doctor whose wife has fallen in love with a female friend. She has told him about it but he is to averse to change so he won't leave the marriage.
Nate is a gentle man who married the love of his life, Bridget. When Bridget has their child, no one is astute enough to realize how serious her postpartum depression is.
Tommy is a bully and a thug who beats up his wife Rose. Richard, the physician, is aware of what is happening, as are her work colleagues at the police station, but no one intervenes. Rose is on her own with her made up 'accidents' and 'falls'.
Greg is an overweight high school student whose act of heroism defines him. He wishes that no one mentions his heroism. He wants to quietly go to his room and eat all the sweets he hides under his floor board.
These are some of the characters that populate this quietly amazing novel. I know it will be one of my top ten books for 2023. The author is so articulate and insightful that her characters will resonate with me long past the time I finished this book. I highly recommend this novel to all my reading friends and anyone who loves a literary page-turner.
Richard is a doctor whose wife has fallen in love with a female friend. She has told him about it but he is to averse to change so he won't leave the marriage.
Nate is a gentle man who married the love of his life, Bridget. When Bridget has their child, no one is astute enough to realize how serious her postpartum depression is.
Tommy is a bully and a thug who beats up his wife Rose. Richard, the physician, is aware of what is happening, as are her work colleagues at the police station, but no one intervenes. Rose is on her own with her made up 'accidents' and 'falls'.
Greg is an overweight high school student whose act of heroism defines him. He wishes that no one mentions his heroism. He wants to quietly go to his room and eat all the sweets he hides under his floor board.
These are some of the characters that populate this quietly amazing novel. I know it will be one of my top ten books for 2023. The author is so articulate and insightful that her characters will resonate with me long past the time I finished this book. I highly recommend this novel to all my reading friends and anyone who loves a literary page-turner.
July 6, 2024
3.5⭐️ Reminiscent of Elizabeth Strout’s Amgash series, but not quite as nuanced.
September 22, 2023
I have to be honest about The Road to Dalton. I kept ignoring it because it sounded twee to me. I have no idea why I thought this, it was a gut feeling. I kept seeing it the library and something told me to grab it finally. I'm really glad I did, this was such good storytelling and just felt real.
We get to see a year (1990) in the life of a small northern Maine town told through multiple character studies. The land itself feels like a character. This is the kind of town that doesn't take too kindly to outsiders, but is dedicated to each other. As the year progresses and we see each character's life, we learn about their secrets and struggles. This ranges from domestic abuse, infidelity, depression, sexual confusion, and grief. We also see that some secrets are a little more open than others. With all that, this book never felt melodramatic. It was very controlled and quiet, with beautiful writing and character development. Thankfully this book was able to get me out of my slump so I was excited to see a sequel announced this week
We get to see a year (1990) in the life of a small northern Maine town told through multiple character studies. The land itself feels like a character. This is the kind of town that doesn't take too kindly to outsiders, but is dedicated to each other. As the year progresses and we see each character's life, we learn about their secrets and struggles. This ranges from domestic abuse, infidelity, depression, sexual confusion, and grief. We also see that some secrets are a little more open than others. With all that, this book never felt melodramatic. It was very controlled and quiet, with beautiful writing and character development. Thankfully this book was able to get me out of my slump so I was excited to see a sequel announced this week
May 16, 2023
“The Road to Dalton”, by Shannon Bowring is NOT your run-of-the-mill "lots of characters with lots of secrets in a small town" story! Oh no, this one packs an emotional punch!
Set in small-town Maine in 1990, Bowring captivates the reader immediately with this skillfully written, character-driven, perfectly plotted page-turner!
I loved the way Bowring engages her readers in this story; WE know so many things that the characters do not! So often I was thinking “oh no, oh no, oh no” as a character headed toward tragedy or disaster!
Setting the story in 1990 is wonderfully provocative, because we know so much more now about serious issues that are addressed here in the 1990s mindset, not the way we would observe them in our present day.
“The Road to Dalton” is a slim paperback and yet my copy shows the grip marks where I clutched the pages in suspense, heartbreak, and hope.
I was not ready to leave these characters and I so hope Bowring continues the stories of Dalton in the future.
Thank you Europa Editions for this wonderful read.
Set in small-town Maine in 1990, Bowring captivates the reader immediately with this skillfully written, character-driven, perfectly plotted page-turner!
I loved the way Bowring engages her readers in this story; WE know so many things that the characters do not! So often I was thinking “oh no, oh no, oh no” as a character headed toward tragedy or disaster!
Setting the story in 1990 is wonderfully provocative, because we know so much more now about serious issues that are addressed here in the 1990s mindset, not the way we would observe them in our present day.
“The Road to Dalton” is a slim paperback and yet my copy shows the grip marks where I clutched the pages in suspense, heartbreak, and hope.
I was not ready to leave these characters and I so hope Bowring continues the stories of Dalton in the future.
Thank you Europa Editions for this wonderful read.
May 13, 2024
I often think that writers romanticize life in small towns but this book keeps things very real. I genuinely cared about these characters and I’m so happy to see that a sequel is coming so I can revisit them.
June 17, 2023
“And where else do you have to go; what else do you have to do? You must keep moving. Just a little further.”
Set in 1990, The Road to Dalton is a compelling character driven novel set in small town America from debut novelist, Shannon Bowring.
Dalton, Maine, is home to around 1300 people, among them, town doctor Richard Haskell, who once dreamed of becoming an artist, and his wife of thirty odd years Trudy, who has been having an affair with her best friend, Bev, for nearly as long. Bev’s son Nate, a police officer married to his childhood sweetheart, Bridget, who is struggling with new motherhood. Rose, a young mother of two, who is the regular victim of her abusive drug-dealing husband Tommy; Greg, a teenager who overeats to compensate for his complicated feelings about his sexuality; and town newcomer Alice, who can’t seem to please her mother in law, Nora.
Bowring introduces an ordinary cast of people who live as we all do, with joy and sadness, longing and regret, pleasure and misery, uncertainty and hope, grief and love. While each chapter focuses largely on the thoughts and actions of a different character, they are all intimately connected, creating a seamless and whole narrative.
I was surprised at how quickly I became invested in these characters and their stories. Bowring effortlessly elicits a sense of familiarity and compassion that is only heightened when tragedy strikes, and the regular rhythms of the character’s lives are interrupted.
The writing is understated yet eloquent, evoking an authentic sense of time, place, and character with few flourishes, yet startling ease.
The Road to Dalton is an immersive and insightful novel, a real gem that surprised and charmed me.
Set in 1990, The Road to Dalton is a compelling character driven novel set in small town America from debut novelist, Shannon Bowring.
Dalton, Maine, is home to around 1300 people, among them, town doctor Richard Haskell, who once dreamed of becoming an artist, and his wife of thirty odd years Trudy, who has been having an affair with her best friend, Bev, for nearly as long. Bev’s son Nate, a police officer married to his childhood sweetheart, Bridget, who is struggling with new motherhood. Rose, a young mother of two, who is the regular victim of her abusive drug-dealing husband Tommy; Greg, a teenager who overeats to compensate for his complicated feelings about his sexuality; and town newcomer Alice, who can’t seem to please her mother in law, Nora.
Bowring introduces an ordinary cast of people who live as we all do, with joy and sadness, longing and regret, pleasure and misery, uncertainty and hope, grief and love. While each chapter focuses largely on the thoughts and actions of a different character, they are all intimately connected, creating a seamless and whole narrative.
I was surprised at how quickly I became invested in these characters and their stories. Bowring effortlessly elicits a sense of familiarity and compassion that is only heightened when tragedy strikes, and the regular rhythms of the character’s lives are interrupted.
The writing is understated yet eloquent, evoking an authentic sense of time, place, and character with few flourishes, yet startling ease.
The Road to Dalton is an immersive and insightful novel, a real gem that surprised and charmed me.
January 14, 2024
This book felt emotionally shallow. Covers a number of emotionally painful subjects but in a way that wasn’t moving.
September 5, 2023
Taking place over the course of one year, we come to deeply know the residents of the small town of Dalton. I think that's all you need to know about the "plot" here, as the point isn't the plot, it is getting to the heart of the residents of this town. They all carry secrets yet believe they all know it all. This year will unravel them, challenge them, and build up their empathy in unexpected ways.
Each chapter of this book focuses on a different resident of the town, while still expertly revealing new things about the characters we've already met in the background. This book is SLOW, know that if you are going to pick it up, but I found it so worth it despite dragging just a bit in the middle. Despite it being slow and quiet, this book tackles a whole lot in very few pages, but does it all justice.
This is a book about memories - the ones that haunt us and the ones fill our cups. It's a box full of juxtapositions in people. They are both happy and sad. They are living with both regret and hope. These dualities made these characters feel real and complex, an incredible feat from this debut author. While parts of this book are incredibly dark, the overall hopeful tone makes it a book I recommend widely if you are a fan of literary fiction.
Each chapter of this book focuses on a different resident of the town, while still expertly revealing new things about the characters we've already met in the background. This book is SLOW, know that if you are going to pick it up, but I found it so worth it despite dragging just a bit in the middle. Despite it being slow and quiet, this book tackles a whole lot in very few pages, but does it all justice.
This is a book about memories - the ones that haunt us and the ones fill our cups. It's a box full of juxtapositions in people. They are both happy and sad. They are living with both regret and hope. These dualities made these characters feel real and complex, an incredible feat from this debut author. While parts of this book are incredibly dark, the overall hopeful tone makes it a book I recommend widely if you are a fan of literary fiction.
May 14, 2024
I thought this story was excellent. Looking forward to discussing it with my bookclub.
February 13, 2023
I call this type of book a fish bowl book. Fish bowl captivate you at first glance with its color and life swimming around. Then you are even more captivated at the sight of the algae, the torn fins, the fish swimming in a way that makes you sure something is wrong. And you can't stop looking.
The town of Dalton is so familiar and captivating in the rural-ness of the inhabitants. But then the wrongness appears. And you can't stop reading.
Bowring gives us people worthy of reading - they have issues and they have a flawed normality. The setting of the nineties is a comfort but also foreign. Again, you can't stop reading.
This is a book that celebrates life, but through lots of bumps and pain. A wonderful, somber reading experience.
When I finished the book, I left the people of Dalton, but I won't forget about them any time soon.
The town of Dalton is so familiar and captivating in the rural-ness of the inhabitants. But then the wrongness appears. And you can't stop reading.
Bowring gives us people worthy of reading - they have issues and they have a flawed normality. The setting of the nineties is a comfort but also foreign. Again, you can't stop reading.
This is a book that celebrates life, but through lots of bumps and pain. A wonderful, somber reading experience.
When I finished the book, I left the people of Dalton, but I won't forget about them any time soon.
October 3, 2025
2025: rereading so that I can read the sequel and then the trilogy finale!
2023 review: I don't normally read/watch/listen to stuff by people I know in real life, because that can just be awkward if it sucks. Luckily, this didn't suck, and I actually liked it! It's about the people in a small northern Maine town, and the way their lives intertwine. It definitely hit on a LOT of different topics, but I think it works.
This is also a very "Maine" book, with familiar landmarks and cultural nods.
My main complaint is the use of present-tense writing, which I always find irritating. I read this on audio, however, and the narrator was able to smooth out that experience for me a bit.
2023 review: I don't normally read/watch/listen to stuff by people I know in real life, because that can just be awkward if it sucks. Luckily, this didn't suck, and I actually liked it! It's about the people in a small northern Maine town, and the way their lives intertwine. It definitely hit on a LOT of different topics, but I think it works.
This is also a very "Maine" book, with familiar landmarks and cultural nods.
My main complaint is the use of present-tense writing, which I always find irritating. I read this on audio, however, and the narrator was able to smooth out that experience for me a bit.
October 20, 2023
If you find character-driven novels about small town life appealing, this is your book! Set in the northernmost reaches of Maine, the locals touched my heart and their stories will stick with me for a very long time. I loved this novel.
January 1, 2024
I wasn’t expecting to love this debut as much as I did, but this literary fiction gem captured my attention and held it all the way through until the end. I loved these characters, flaws and all. Definitely recommend this one. Thank you to Edelweiss and Europa Editions for putting it on my radar.
January 16, 2024
A truly enjoyable debut novel! Crafted almost like a collection of connected stories, this novel introduces the residents in the small town of Dalton, Maine and reveals their secrets, passions, ambitions, fears and their hidden connections. It follows several families impacted by a tragic event, the effects of which leave the entire community shaken. I loved the premise that behind closed doors secrets are hidden which often mask complexities that are often unknown. Bowring created a novel full of interesting characters, complex relationships, and the town that holds them all together. I look forward to another work by this author…hopefully I will not have to wait too long.
March 2, 2024
An intimate portrayal of an inter-connected community and the hardship of being human. I loved the cast of characters, the Maine setting, and the exploration of humanity ♥️
April 7, 2024
Great book! Excited to read the sequel!
November 28, 2025
An under-the-radar gem if you’re a fan of what I call quieter books by authors like Ethan Joella, Elizabeth Strout, and Anne Tyler. This one has many characters that were a lot to keep track of but I understand the naming of everyone as it conveys the small town feel. A Goodreads friend reads that likes a lot of similar books as me put this author on my radar with her review of the second one in this series. I’ve already bought it and looking forward to it!
July 5, 2024
Normally the sort of book I love but never really got invested in this one. Kept getting confused on who was who.
October 17, 2023
What is it about Maine that invokes concise fiction packed with flawed and relatable characters in a desolate and still charming setting? The Road to Dalton, Shannon Bowring's debut, is no exception. The seemingly simple people of Dalton are far from predictable, and their thoughts and actions dive well below the surface. Yet dark secrets often find their way to the light, as they do in Dalton, where life can be hard and, at times, hardly worth living.
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