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Fire in the Canyon
A new novel about a California grape-grower, his family, and the climate disaster that upends their quiet lives.
Since his release from prison after serving an eighteen-month sentence for growing cannabis, Ben Hecht’s life has settled into a familiar routine. On his farm in the foothills of California, he stays busy cultivating a dozen acres of grapes and tending to a flock of mistrustful sheep. Meanwhile, from her desk in their old redwood barn, his novelist wife, Ada, continues to work on what may be her most important book yet. When their only son, Yoel, comes home from Los Angeles for a rare visit, Ben is forced to confront their long troubled relationship, which has continued to degrade in recent years. But before the two of them can truly address their past, a wildfire sweeps through the region, forcing the Hecht family to flee to the coast, and setting into motion a chain of events that will transform them all.
This is a story about grape growing and wine, financial and familial struggles, and the peculiar characters and unlikely heroes one will always find in small-town California. Through the experiences of the Hechts and the escalating challenges that face their community, Fire in the Canyon is an intimate look at the lives of those already living through the climate crisis.
297 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2023
21 people are currently reading
764 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 16, 2025
If you read my profile page, you will learn that I was a college instructor and director at Cuesta College, in San Luis Obispo, California; and, the Facilitator and Program Director of the Book Discussion Group & Local Authors Program for my local Library, in my ‘past life.’
Why am I telling you this?
Because this book was selected as Cuesta College’s Book of the Year for 2025 which means that it was also carried as the book to read by all the local library book groups in our county, as well.
When any book is hosted as a ‘Book of the Year,’ several programs are also created around the theme of the book and then the author will come and speak, typically to a sold-out crowd. I didn’t have the opportunity to hear the author speak, or read the book at the time the book was being discussed, because so few books were available for check-out in the library. It wasn’t until this was donated to my Little Free Library Shed that I finally got to experience reading it.
And, as a Californian, I appreciated that this was a book that addressed wildfires and climate change. The author sensitively communicated through his writing what anyone would most likely feel and experience during these difficult seasons.
Premise: This is a story of a family. Ben grows grapes in the central California valley. His wife, Ada is a commercially successful author, and their son, Yoel works for a production company in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Ben and Yoel have a strained relationship because of Yoel’s 18-month prison sentence for growing cannabis years earlier, that Ben has had a difficult time getting over.
And now, a new tragedy is on the horizon. Something that Californians are all too familiar with, which the title of the book alludes to, as well…fire in the canyon. How will the family be able to overcome it? If at all?
This is the story of what happens to a family and a community, before, during and after the devastation of fire. Will this be the beginning of healing? Or will the stress affect them further?
This book is scenic, sad, encompassing, thoughtful and thought-provoking. It is a statement of the beauty and destruction of nature, and the reality of what is occurring from the changing climate. The author does a stellar job in addressing the reality of this without attempting to be political.
Also, he remains true to family and community by showcasing the importance of what is happening to each character. So, it is truly a heart-touching story of family, and the harsh realities of what a fire can do to a community.
My biggest concern with the book might be that readers might feel the author is too technical in his climate details, or will leave them with too abrupt an ending. (Even if it feels realistic.)
Otherwise, it was a very compelling read. Which I can see why it was selected as a countywide discussion book. Kleenex may be needed.
4.5 stars
Why am I telling you this?
Because this book was selected as Cuesta College’s Book of the Year for 2025 which means that it was also carried as the book to read by all the local library book groups in our county, as well.
When any book is hosted as a ‘Book of the Year,’ several programs are also created around the theme of the book and then the author will come and speak, typically to a sold-out crowd. I didn’t have the opportunity to hear the author speak, or read the book at the time the book was being discussed, because so few books were available for check-out in the library. It wasn’t until this was donated to my Little Free Library Shed that I finally got to experience reading it.
And, as a Californian, I appreciated that this was a book that addressed wildfires and climate change. The author sensitively communicated through his writing what anyone would most likely feel and experience during these difficult seasons.
Premise: This is a story of a family. Ben grows grapes in the central California valley. His wife, Ada is a commercially successful author, and their son, Yoel works for a production company in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Ben and Yoel have a strained relationship because of Yoel’s 18-month prison sentence for growing cannabis years earlier, that Ben has had a difficult time getting over.
And now, a new tragedy is on the horizon. Something that Californians are all too familiar with, which the title of the book alludes to, as well…fire in the canyon. How will the family be able to overcome it? If at all?
This is the story of what happens to a family and a community, before, during and after the devastation of fire. Will this be the beginning of healing? Or will the stress affect them further?
This book is scenic, sad, encompassing, thoughtful and thought-provoking. It is a statement of the beauty and destruction of nature, and the reality of what is occurring from the changing climate. The author does a stellar job in addressing the reality of this without attempting to be political.
Also, he remains true to family and community by showcasing the importance of what is happening to each character. So, it is truly a heart-touching story of family, and the harsh realities of what a fire can do to a community.
My biggest concern with the book might be that readers might feel the author is too technical in his climate details, or will leave them with too abrupt an ending. (Even if it feels realistic.)
Otherwise, it was a very compelling read. Which I can see why it was selected as a countywide discussion book. Kleenex may be needed.
4.5 stars
November 22, 2023
What an extraordinarily convincing book. The style seems plain at first but that suits the story of a grape farmer trying to regain his son's trust, keep from going broke, all the while worrying about the growing threat of fires in California. Gumbiner enjoys conveying realistic information that reminds me of the late Australian writer Nevil Shute, but here it serves the purpose of the more serious story about survival in a changing environment. This isn't a message book but the story of a family in a specific place and time. It's completely engrossing and I look forward to telling my friends to read it.
December 30, 2023
This book took me by surprise. I found myself liking it more and more the further I read. Something about the writing style feels so comforting and nostalgic, like maybe I spent my summers as a kid at the Hecht Farm.
Bad things seem to crop up when you least expect them to. Getting through the tough times and looking ahead towards the good ones are what life is about.
I hope Ada puts out a New York Times bestseller, and that each new piece of classical music Ben hears is even more beautiful than the last.
Bad things seem to crop up when you least expect them to. Getting through the tough times and looking ahead towards the good ones are what life is about.
I hope Ada puts out a New York Times bestseller, and that each new piece of classical music Ben hears is even more beautiful than the last.
February 27, 2024
Oh my goodness! This quiet, intense story had me riveted. I learned so much. This man can write!
August 21, 2024
4.5 - one of my favorite books of the year. The most accurate depiction I've ever read of living in a small rural Northern California town. All the major players were represented - weed, fires, wine, weird old hippies, that one hard-ass law enforcement guy. Can't wait to read more from this author
March 6, 2024
Interesting book about a farmer in California wine country who keeps getting hit with fires while to repair his relationship with his adult son. Lots of descriptions of grape growing and wine making.
May 22, 2024
a climate fiction with a conflicted father-son relationship, all set in a California vineyard/farm? say no more.
what really grabs you about this book is the simplicity, the reality of the story, which allows everyone to put themselves in the boots of Ben, the Hechts family father. topics such as California scorching under extreme temperatures year after year, a father trying to make amends with his son, difficult month-ends and the anvil hanging over our heads of a dry bank account, we're familiar with, these are everyday situations that are more or less part of our daily lives. that's not to say that this book is banal, far from it! but it does give us a special accessibility to the reality of the story, enabling us to connect directly with the Hechts family and their trials and tribulations. it almost makes you nostalgic, or at least it was for me.
fire in the canyon is a melancholy ode to rural California, which unfortunately, like many other places in the world, is becoming increasingly unliveable due to extreme temperatures, drought and fires. it’s the touching story of a family and a community coming together in the face of complex relationships, financial difficulties and climatic disasters.
i heartily recommend this book!!
what really grabs you about this book is the simplicity, the reality of the story, which allows everyone to put themselves in the boots of Ben, the Hechts family father. topics such as California scorching under extreme temperatures year after year, a father trying to make amends with his son, difficult month-ends and the anvil hanging over our heads of a dry bank account, we're familiar with, these are everyday situations that are more or less part of our daily lives. that's not to say that this book is banal, far from it! but it does give us a special accessibility to the reality of the story, enabling us to connect directly with the Hechts family and their trials and tribulations. it almost makes you nostalgic, or at least it was for me.
fire in the canyon is a melancholy ode to rural California, which unfortunately, like many other places in the world, is becoming increasingly unliveable due to extreme temperatures, drought and fires. it’s the touching story of a family and a community coming together in the face of complex relationships, financial difficulties and climatic disasters.
i heartily recommend this book!!
May 8, 2024
Reading Fire in the Canyon was like reading a new, modern American classic. It’s a story that feels real. Real characters, real towns, real issues. I could feel the smoke in the air and the love the Hecht family has for each other and their farm. I could tell early on that I was in good hands with the author and that the journey was going to be filled with realistic optimism and heart.
“But despite these struggles, despite the ever-looming threat of the fires, there was optimism with regard to the town’s economy. It probably wouldn’t be anything like it had been in the boom days, but it would evolve into something new and different, prosperous in its own way.”
The relationship between the Hecht family is beautifully detailed throughout the novel. That family dynamic kept the story grounded while navigating greater world problems, like climate change, and economic struggles.
“Ben turned around, at that point, and found Yoel’s eyes. He would always remember that look of shock.”
I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a sincere and heartfelt story that also has a message about the world that we live in today.
“But despite these struggles, despite the ever-looming threat of the fires, there was optimism with regard to the town’s economy. It probably wouldn’t be anything like it had been in the boom days, but it would evolve into something new and different, prosperous in its own way.”
The relationship between the Hecht family is beautifully detailed throughout the novel. That family dynamic kept the story grounded while navigating greater world problems, like climate change, and economic struggles.
“Ben turned around, at that point, and found Yoel’s eyes. He would always remember that look of shock.”
I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a sincere and heartfelt story that also has a message about the world that we live in today.
Read
April 10, 2024The book needs editing. For one example, Ben contemplates baking pies and thoughtfully calls a friend who's got an allergy to stone fruit to find out if he's coming to the party; learns he is not; and decides to make peach pie. No mention of apricots. Then at the party, Ben's son gets angry and leaves in a huff because Ben used all the apricots to make pie. The son apparently had previously told Ben that a friend wanted some of the apricots. That's news to readers. Why wasn't it mentioned when Ben was making the pies?
Also, utility company plans an all day power outage for Sunday. Ben tells his wife it is Saturday. Then it's back to Sunday. When Ben makes pies on Sunday there's no mention of the power outage. When discussing the outage with a grocery clerk, Ben could have clued in readers by remarking that luckily we have gas/propane/a generator, but he doesn't, so we're left, well, in the dark.
There are many such mistakes.
Though the family is supposedly broke or struggling, they live a pretty bourgeois lifestyle. Plus, Ben likes to go out and buy antiques. They have many animals to tend, along with grape vines and bee hives, but only Ben works on the farm and doesn't seem to spend much time doing so.
Also, as a native of the Mother Lode, with family on both sides going back to the gold rush, it's pretty clear to me that the novel's author is an "outsider" who doesn't understand the long-time residents, who get dismissed stereotypically as right wingers.
Also, utility company plans an all day power outage for Sunday. Ben tells his wife it is Saturday. Then it's back to Sunday. When Ben makes pies on Sunday there's no mention of the power outage. When discussing the outage with a grocery clerk, Ben could have clued in readers by remarking that luckily we have gas/propane/a generator, but he doesn't, so we're left, well, in the dark.
There are many such mistakes.
Though the family is supposedly broke or struggling, they live a pretty bourgeois lifestyle. Plus, Ben likes to go out and buy antiques. They have many animals to tend, along with grape vines and bee hives, but only Ben works on the farm and doesn't seem to spend much time doing so.
Also, as a native of the Mother Lode, with family on both sides going back to the gold rush, it's pretty clear to me that the novel's author is an "outsider" who doesn't understand the long-time residents, who get dismissed stereotypically as right wingers.
December 31, 2024
I picked this up from my library's 'New Release' shelf after growing impatient to pick a book that spoke to me and be on my merry way. My expectations were not high – in fact, realizing the narrator was a 60yo male farmer in California I even thought "oh god, I could not relate to a demographic less. No shot I enjoy reading the inner workings of some down-on-his-luck man my Dad's age." Turns out, I cherished every moment I spent wrapped up in this story. It really was a heartfelt, educational, and skillful book.
YES, it did remind me of my Dad. YES, I do plan to send him a copy. And while I know he'll enjoy it, I know I did, too. This book is not just for the Dads, or the farmers - it's for all of us!
***bonus points for natural wine advocacy hehe***
YES, it did remind me of my Dad. YES, I do plan to send him a copy. And while I know he'll enjoy it, I know I did, too. This book is not just for the Dads, or the farmers - it's for all of us!
***bonus points for natural wine advocacy hehe***
October 3, 2023
FIRE IN THE CANYON
Reviewed by Robert Darr
Daniel Gumbiner’s latest novel is a sensitive, beautifully written tale about the impact of climate change on several rural communities in Northern California. Enduring a difficult decade of drought and dangerous fires, neighboring residents, farmers, and winery owners necessarily become interdependent. The heart of Gumbiner’s novel, however, centers around spouses Ben and Ada and their moody son Yoel. Financial troubles in the 1960s had driven Ben to cultivate marihuana on the family property just as Yoel was entering high school. A crime in those days, Ben was incarcerated for three years in Lompoc Federal Prison. Yoel’s mother, Ada, becomes a successful novelist whose income suffices the family needs. Upon graduating from high school, a bitter and somewhat confused Yoel chooses to distance himself from his father by moving to Southern California. There he falls in love with his future fiancee, Sally, and rarely visits his parents. A few years later, fires overtake parts of Northern California, threatening Ben and Ada’s region. They become increasingly concerned and Ada asks Yoel for help in preparing for the worst. Yoel rejoins his family and slowly abandons the resentment he had felt for his father. He comes to realize that he could never live in Southern California. So he breaks up with Sally, his fiancee, and moves back to his parents’ farm. Yoel’s change of heart seems nurtured by the fine company of old and new friendships in Northern California––marvelous characters conjured by author Gumbiner. A number of them are climate activists. Yoel and some of his friends soon risk jail for unlawful acts made in the name of protecting the planet. Along the way Joel befriends Halle, a local winemaker/activist. They eventually fall in love. The recurring fires are ever a worry as the novel relentlessly reminds us, and forces us to witness the impotence of mankind in the face of Nature no longer in balance.
Reviewed by Robert Darr
Daniel Gumbiner’s latest novel is a sensitive, beautifully written tale about the impact of climate change on several rural communities in Northern California. Enduring a difficult decade of drought and dangerous fires, neighboring residents, farmers, and winery owners necessarily become interdependent. The heart of Gumbiner’s novel, however, centers around spouses Ben and Ada and their moody son Yoel. Financial troubles in the 1960s had driven Ben to cultivate marihuana on the family property just as Yoel was entering high school. A crime in those days, Ben was incarcerated for three years in Lompoc Federal Prison. Yoel’s mother, Ada, becomes a successful novelist whose income suffices the family needs. Upon graduating from high school, a bitter and somewhat confused Yoel chooses to distance himself from his father by moving to Southern California. There he falls in love with his future fiancee, Sally, and rarely visits his parents. A few years later, fires overtake parts of Northern California, threatening Ben and Ada’s region. They become increasingly concerned and Ada asks Yoel for help in preparing for the worst. Yoel rejoins his family and slowly abandons the resentment he had felt for his father. He comes to realize that he could never live in Southern California. So he breaks up with Sally, his fiancee, and moves back to his parents’ farm. Yoel’s change of heart seems nurtured by the fine company of old and new friendships in Northern California––marvelous characters conjured by author Gumbiner. A number of them are climate activists. Yoel and some of his friends soon risk jail for unlawful acts made in the name of protecting the planet. Along the way Joel befriends Halle, a local winemaker/activist. They eventually fall in love. The recurring fires are ever a worry as the novel relentlessly reminds us, and forces us to witness the impotence of mankind in the face of Nature no longer in balance.
July 1, 2024
Reading this has been an escape. The moment I opened the books, I was transported to Natoma. Gumbiner does an incredible job describing life in the foothills of California, making you feel as if you're part of the setting. In a naturalistic fashion, the author describes every detail of what it is like living in Natoma, with all its beauty and abundance but also with all the bad. The story's focus is the Hetch family, father and son's broken relationship, and the environmental and economic crisis surrounding them.
This story packs so much and does it in a chill and casual way. With a revolving door of characters, we can appreciate the diversity and the role each individual plays in the community. These are your ordinary folks trying to live their life, overcoming struggles, supporting each other, and sharing their love for nature, Natoma, and one another. You can't help but to root for them all the way. The man vs. nature theme shows the impact of environmental crises in a contemporary setting. It displays how vulnerable we are to the wrath of nature, a force that sometimes we can't prevent or control. With hope in their hearts, the citizens of Natoma hold strong to the lives they build there and seek to protect their way of life and rebuild what nature and man destroy. There are many topics to discuss about this novel, some of which stood out the most to me.
If you want a relaxing read, this is it, my friend. Nature lovers will absolutely devour this. I can't stress enough how beautiful the settings and descriptions are. You can really tell that Gumbiner does his research and is knowledgeable about farming and winemaking, among other topics presented in the story. If I had to compare it to another book that I love, I'd say readers who liked Kristin Hanna's The Four Winds will enjoy reading Fire in the Canyon.
I can't stress enough how grateful I am to Daniel Gumbiner for sharing his work with me.
This story packs so much and does it in a chill and casual way. With a revolving door of characters, we can appreciate the diversity and the role each individual plays in the community. These are your ordinary folks trying to live their life, overcoming struggles, supporting each other, and sharing their love for nature, Natoma, and one another. You can't help but to root for them all the way. The man vs. nature theme shows the impact of environmental crises in a contemporary setting. It displays how vulnerable we are to the wrath of nature, a force that sometimes we can't prevent or control. With hope in their hearts, the citizens of Natoma hold strong to the lives they build there and seek to protect their way of life and rebuild what nature and man destroy. There are many topics to discuss about this novel, some of which stood out the most to me.
If you want a relaxing read, this is it, my friend. Nature lovers will absolutely devour this. I can't stress enough how beautiful the settings and descriptions are. You can really tell that Gumbiner does his research and is knowledgeable about farming and winemaking, among other topics presented in the story. If I had to compare it to another book that I love, I'd say readers who liked Kristin Hanna's The Four Winds will enjoy reading Fire in the Canyon.
I can't stress enough how grateful I am to Daniel Gumbiner for sharing his work with me.
March 10, 2025
This book is deceptive. The writing seems so basic. Details extraneous. But then you realize what’s happening. You are absolutely transported into the life of Ben Hecht and the world in which he lives.
The author also captures the feel of increasing wildfires perfectly. As a PNW resident, living in a forest, wine-country adjacent, heavily invested of time and energy in our home and large fruit and vegetable garden, surrounded by a community of friend-neighbors, having seen family and friends in both Oregon and California lose their homes to fires (including a cousin just recently to the Palisades fire) with many others seriously threatened (including us) or evacuated (not us yet), this book has a deep personal resonance.
We have had the fire department evaluation and followed their advice for raising our odds, attended day-long wildfire workshops, and prepped go-bag lists.
The book captures so well the anxiety that accompanies the dry season these days. The days of smoke from nearby fires.
As the fire department folks told us, it’s not if, it’s when. Might be next year might be in 20 years but it’s coming.
And given our minimal points of egress, we have to evacuate on yellow alert.
The author also captures the feel of increasing wildfires perfectly. As a PNW resident, living in a forest, wine-country adjacent, heavily invested of time and energy in our home and large fruit and vegetable garden, surrounded by a community of friend-neighbors, having seen family and friends in both Oregon and California lose their homes to fires (including a cousin just recently to the Palisades fire) with many others seriously threatened (including us) or evacuated (not us yet), this book has a deep personal resonance.
We have had the fire department evaluation and followed their advice for raising our odds, attended day-long wildfire workshops, and prepped go-bag lists.
The book captures so well the anxiety that accompanies the dry season these days. The days of smoke from nearby fires.
As the fire department folks told us, it’s not if, it’s when. Might be next year might be in 20 years but it’s coming.
And given our minimal points of egress, we have to evacuate on yellow alert.
September 20, 2023
Ben Hecht lives with his writer wife Ada in California, where he grows grapes, tends to animals, and is on constant alert for potential wildfires as the climate continues to change in the region. This risk is an ever-present risk for Ben, so he must always be ready to pack up and flee when alarms are raised. Ben and Ada have a son Yoel, who Ben is estranged from. Yoel comes back to visit just as another wildfire sweeps through the region. Fire in the Canyon is both an interior look at a family's dynamics as well as a wider look at climate change, grape growing, and financial struggles of being a farmer. Overall, this book was quite engaging- I was invested in Ben's relationship with Yoel, as well as learning about the wine industry. A slight complaint is the book ended quite abruptly for me, and felt unresolved. Additionally, there is a subplot with Yoel about climate activism that took away from the broader focus of the book on the familial dynamics.
Thanks to Astra House for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
Thanks to Astra House for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
June 9, 2024
I'm not sure how I found this book or why I decided to read it but I probably shouldn't have. The writing was awkward, most every scene had this odd tension that something horrible was going to happen and then nothing. Also, having been here through the horrible California fires of the past few years, this was just anxiety producing but, again, with just an anti-climatic sort of non-ending to every scene.
February 7, 2025
Quiet, gently moving book about family relationships, friendships, the forces of nature and climate change. If you grew up in California’s Central Valley like I did, this book will carry a familiarity and nostalgia that will touch your soul. Triple digits, drought, swimming pools and wild fires. Grapes, wine, protests and cannabis. This book moves slowly but reading it was like comfort food.
March 5, 2024
This was such a beautifully written story. The author wrote in a way that had me highly engaged in the outcome of the story.
This book showcases how the climate changes can have an impact on farmers and rural communities. The story explores topics such as grape growing, climate change, and various struggles that farmers go through.
This book had quite a bit of detailed information on the wine industry and a strong focus on the family dynamics surrounding the characters in the book.
Definitely pick this up if you like reading about:
→ Family struggles
→ Climate change
→ Economic crisis
→ Grape farming
This book showcases how the climate changes can have an impact on farmers and rural communities. The story explores topics such as grape growing, climate change, and various struggles that farmers go through.
This book had quite a bit of detailed information on the wine industry and a strong focus on the family dynamics surrounding the characters in the book.
Definitely pick this up if you like reading about:
→ Family struggles
→ Climate change
→ Economic crisis
→ Grape farming
June 30, 2024
This book came highly recommended. I suggest it is a book to be read, instead of the available audio. Loved the story and the characters. The narration was painful. Only stayed with it due to the investment in the characters.
February 17, 2024
Reading this just after finishing East of Eden was both a good and bad (heartbreaking) decision. Such a beautiful and sad ode to California.
June 6, 2024
An interesting read, if not a little simplistic in the writing.
March 2, 2025
I am shocked that this book appealed to so many readers. Perhaps because I am a native Californian I found this book incredibly boring. Perhaps the target audience is young adults or those unfamiliar with life in California or those fantasizing about a vineyard with plenty of acreage to grow cannabis. I found the read extremely sad and depressing. There are so many wonderful things about California that are never mentioned.
September 24, 2024
This is a fast read. I liked the portrayal of the change that has happened in California due to increased ferocity of wildfires. I also liked his description of being a winemaker. It was very interesting.
February 7, 2025
Our Cuesta 2025 Book of the Year.
Themes of climate change, urban fires in California, the winery business, and more are so very relevant, especially after Jan 2025 devastating Palisades and Eaton fires. It really hits home..
Themes of climate change, urban fires in California, the winery business, and more are so very relevant, especially after Jan 2025 devastating Palisades and Eaton fires. It really hits home..
December 27, 2023
Read it in two sittings. Highly recommended!
March 16, 2025
4.5 🔥🔥🔥🔥
While I cannot endorse the audio format I definitely loved this story.
Quintessentially Californian and set near where I live—the characters, the land, the wine, the cannabis, the animals, and the raging wildfires threatening it all. Capturing the fear and terror we west coasters live with these days, after the media blitz and the smoke clears, then what?
I appreciated the author’s intent to explore the fire’s aftermath. As he stated in an LA Times interview:
“The seeds of the book in my mind became the way that fire could change the trajectory of a community or an individual’s life…There is much to be repaired — family, livelihood, land. The fire is the catalyst, the farm their crucible… The characters are flawed, but through those flaws and under the right conditions, people can do great things.”
Those things are how we make it through and keep going. This was special to me and I learned a lot. Highly recommended, especially for those of us who live in fire country.
While I cannot endorse the audio format I definitely loved this story.
Quintessentially Californian and set near where I live—the characters, the land, the wine, the cannabis, the animals, and the raging wildfires threatening it all. Capturing the fear and terror we west coasters live with these days, after the media blitz and the smoke clears, then what?
I appreciated the author’s intent to explore the fire’s aftermath. As he stated in an LA Times interview:
“The seeds of the book in my mind became the way that fire could change the trajectory of a community or an individual’s life…There is much to be repaired — family, livelihood, land. The fire is the catalyst, the farm their crucible… The characters are flawed, but through those flaws and under the right conditions, people can do great things.”
Those things are how we make it through and keep going. This was special to me and I learned a lot. Highly recommended, especially for those of us who live in fire country.
April 11, 2025
(2.5)
While this book spoke to me as a person in California familiar with the scare of wildfires, the writing was a bit off for me to fully enjoy it. I liked the descriptions of the animals and farm life of a small grape grower in the foothills. I love that area and life. I was distracted by details that didn’t seem necessary and brought me out of the story. Words should be intentional or not included – I often thought ‘why is he telling me this?’ and expected things to happen that didn’t. Many of these side stories go nowhere. I also found inconsistencies such as the main character mentions several times that he can’t afford to take his wife out to dinner but eats lunch out all the time. The descriptions of living in an area of drought that is threatened by fire are good and realistic, though maybe not something most of us need to read. The writing is not good enough for me to recommend this to those who have not experienced it.
While this book spoke to me as a person in California familiar with the scare of wildfires, the writing was a bit off for me to fully enjoy it. I liked the descriptions of the animals and farm life of a small grape grower in the foothills. I love that area and life. I was distracted by details that didn’t seem necessary and brought me out of the story. Words should be intentional or not included – I often thought ‘why is he telling me this?’ and expected things to happen that didn’t. Many of these side stories go nowhere. I also found inconsistencies such as the main character mentions several times that he can’t afford to take his wife out to dinner but eats lunch out all the time. The descriptions of living in an area of drought that is threatened by fire are good and realistic, though maybe not something most of us need to read. The writing is not good enough for me to recommend this to those who have not experienced it.
July 31, 2025
I received this eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
This is an overwhelmingly quiet book about a family and community, the good and the challenging. They are trying to resume their lives and routines after a wildfire evacuation. There was unfathomable damage, but it still could have been worse. So over this small town environment looms the threat of the worse. An overarching sense of doom ratchets up and is in tension with the quiet, ordinary nature of the characters and their community.
I felt creeping anxiety as I got deeper into the book. It was worth the read.
2025 NYT Book Review Summer Bucket List #8: Read a book set somewhere you’ve never been.
52 Book Club 2025 Reading Challenge #14: Climate fiction.
Taylor Swift Reading Challenge #129: Cruel Summer/A book set in summer.
Ultimate Book Riot Reading Challenge #157: Read a book with a cover you don’t like.
This is an overwhelmingly quiet book about a family and community, the good and the challenging. They are trying to resume their lives and routines after a wildfire evacuation. There was unfathomable damage, but it still could have been worse. So over this small town environment looms the threat of the worse. An overarching sense of doom ratchets up and is in tension with the quiet, ordinary nature of the characters and their community.
I felt creeping anxiety as I got deeper into the book. It was worth the read.
2025 NYT Book Review Summer Bucket List #8: Read a book set somewhere you’ve never been.
52 Book Club 2025 Reading Challenge #14: Climate fiction.
Taylor Swift Reading Challenge #129: Cruel Summer/A book set in summer.
Ultimate Book Riot Reading Challenge #157: Read a book with a cover you don’t like.
November 30, 2024
I was gifted a copy of this book by Astra Publishing House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
After an exceptionally dry season, California is even more at risk of facing wildfires.
When Ben and Ada lose their barns and an entire manuscript to a fire, they must come up with ways to recoup their losses and ease their increasing financial strain.
The climate themes were what drew me to this story, but as a whole, I found it underwhelming.
Having experienced wildfires and sudden evacuations, I can say that Gumbiner did a great job depicting the ongoing ptsd and anxieties that are tied to such events. As for the father-son estrangement, I thought that it was kept too surface-level.
The last chapter was arguably the best and had so much tension — I really wish it hadn’t ended there. Give me an epilogue!
cw: animal death
After an exceptionally dry season, California is even more at risk of facing wildfires.
When Ben and Ada lose their barns and an entire manuscript to a fire, they must come up with ways to recoup their losses and ease their increasing financial strain.
The climate themes were what drew me to this story, but as a whole, I found it underwhelming.
Having experienced wildfires and sudden evacuations, I can say that Gumbiner did a great job depicting the ongoing ptsd and anxieties that are tied to such events. As for the father-son estrangement, I thought that it was kept too surface-level.
The last chapter was arguably the best and had so much tension — I really wish it hadn’t ended there. Give me an epilogue!
cw: animal death
August 19, 2024
This is an excellent book! Those of us who have suffered through wild fires and smoke know all too well the devastation. I have been in a wild fire, have suffered through toxic smoke events that lasted days and know of at least 5 couples who have lost their homes and 2 couples that came so close as to have assumed their houses were gone. This is real. The disruption is real. Climate change isn't a problem for the future, it is here. There are American refugees from extreme events such as floods, hurricanes and wild fires. There will be more. It may be you. To read this book is to see first hand the pain and terror of this new world.
It is time for all of us to make the hard choices to stop the destruction of the biosphere that keeps us alive.
It is time for all of us to make the hard choices to stop the destruction of the biosphere that keeps us alive.
April 11, 2025
2.5 stars. I often enjoy a nonfiction book that reads like a novel because the story is so compelling and the writing smooth and transparent. This book is a novel that reads like nonfiction. And I’ve read better nonfiction books about fire, such as “Paradise” by Lizzie Johnson.
This book included side stories that went nowhere and details that seemed unnecessary (too much information about wine grapes, for example). The characters were okay, but descriptions of their thoughts and actions, and all the descriptions, seemed more like reporting than literature.
Also, I do NOT recommend the audiobook! Worst narrator ever. The female characters all sounded like they were on The Simpsons, and many words and names were mispronounced, like Haggadah, Tonopah, and Placer.
This book included side stories that went nowhere and details that seemed unnecessary (too much information about wine grapes, for example). The characters were okay, but descriptions of their thoughts and actions, and all the descriptions, seemed more like reporting than literature.
Also, I do NOT recommend the audiobook! Worst narrator ever. The female characters all sounded like they were on The Simpsons, and many words and names were mispronounced, like Haggadah, Tonopah, and Placer.
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