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What Dies in Summer
"A literary tapestry of self-discovery, brutal sadistic violence, custodial battles, and tender, burgeoning sexuality, leaving readers spellbound by a story that delivers on several levels. [Tom Wright's] impressive, multi-tiered storytelling talents are on brilliant display in this entrancing, impressive debut." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“I did what I did, and that’s on me.” From that tantalizing first sentence, Tom Wright sweeps us up in a tale of lost innocence. Jim has a touch of the Sight. It’s nothing too spooky and generally useless, at least until the summer his cousin L.A. moves in with him and their grandmother. When Jim and L.A. discover the body of a girl, brutally raped and murdered in a field, an investigation begins that will put both their lives in danger. In the spirit of The Lovely Bones and The Little Friend, What Dies in Summer is a novel that casts its spell on the very first page and leaves an indelible mark.
“I did what I did, and that’s on me.” From that tantalizing first sentence, Tom Wright sweeps us up in a tale of lost innocence. Jim has a touch of the Sight. It’s nothing too spooky and generally useless, at least until the summer his cousin L.A. moves in with him and their grandmother. When Jim and L.A. discover the body of a girl, brutally raped and murdered in a field, an investigation begins that will put both their lives in danger. In the spirit of The Lovely Bones and The Little Friend, What Dies in Summer is a novel that casts its spell on the very first page and leaves an indelible mark.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2012
55 people are currently reading
1052 people want to read
About the author
Tom Wright
5 books37 followersTom Wright is a practicing psychologist and received his doctorate from Texas A&M University. What Dies in Summer is his first book. He lives in Texarkana, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
August 6, 2015
Just the other day a friend asked me about the worst book I ever read and I couldn't come up with anything. A few titles that I'd had to read for various book clubs flitted across my mind, but I had to admit that none of them were the worst.
Well, I now have the answer to my pal's query. Yup - it was this one, a confused mess so muddled I'm not sure that even the author knew what he intended it to be. Here we have a tale of two cousins who find a body, though that seems to be a subplot. Most of the book is taken up with the main character's dreams, musings and sexual fantasies involving said cousin. The dialogue wavers between hokey and overly dramatic. The author completely fails to establish a sense of time and place. And a little comic relief would have been nice, or at least a single character who is not harboring some deep, dark secret.
Then there's the implausibility of the murder arc. Based on the testimony of two kids, a man is arrested. all in the last 30 pages of the book, oh, never mind - this is JUST AWFUL!
I honestly can't think of one good thing to say about this novel except that I'm glad it's over.
Sadly, two authors that I admire - Pam Houston and Bonnie Jo Campbell - provided glowing blurbs on the back cover.
Ladies, you are on notice!
Well, I now have the answer to my pal's query. Yup - it was this one, a confused mess so muddled I'm not sure that even the author knew what he intended it to be. Here we have a tale of two cousins who find a body, though that seems to be a subplot. Most of the book is taken up with the main character's dreams, musings and sexual fantasies involving said cousin. The dialogue wavers between hokey and overly dramatic. The author completely fails to establish a sense of time and place. And a little comic relief would have been nice, or at least a single character who is not harboring some deep, dark secret.
Then there's the implausibility of the murder arc. Based on the testimony of two kids, a man is arrested. all in the last 30 pages of the book, oh, never mind - this is JUST AWFUL!
I honestly can't think of one good thing to say about this novel except that I'm glad it's over.
Sadly, two authors that I admire - Pam Houston and Bonnie Jo Campbell - provided glowing blurbs on the back cover.
Ladies, you are on notice!
October 2, 2014
The story is narrated by Biscuit, a teenage boy from Oak Cliff, Texas, who tells us about the summer he and his cousin LA found the raped and mutilated body of a young girl. It soon it emerges that the girl is not her killer's first victim, nor, it seems, will she be the last if Biscuit’s psychic visions are to be believed. The race is on to find the killer before he claims another life.
Biscuit and his cousin LA, live with their grandmother, both families broken by abuse and violence. You do begin to wonder if every family in Oak Cliff has an abusive father; a dark-vein of incest and violence runs through the narrative, binding the disparate themes together.
The language is rich and lush and heavily descriptive; perfectly pitched for this tale set across one long, hot, humid southern summer. The language is the best of it; the plot is decidedly thin, loosely knit around the killings and abuse. The story wanders all over the place and never seems to get to the point. I still don’t really understand about the trip to Minnesota, it doesn't help develop the characters and it doesn’t advance the story at all, the revelations it supported could as easily have come over a cup of coffee in the kitchen. It had no apparent purpose other than to broaden the scope and pad out the plot and the plot didn’t really need padding, what the plot needed was more focus and direction; it's why I couldn't love this book.
The writing is undoubtedly gorgeous but it needs more to hang on. A good sub plot would have done the trick and there was a stab at one, in Biscuit’s psychic flashes and the sudden appearance of the shaman woman, but neither were developed or went anywhere. The thing as a whole felt a little like summer’s day at the pool; we jump right in at the deep end with Biscuit and his life - no real beginning as such. We swim and paddle and mess around for two hundred and eighty-odd pages, then jump right out again, having been nowhere and done little, but had a pleasant enough time in between.
In short, What Dies in Summer is full of lovely moments and promise, but as a novel, it never quite delivered.
Biscuit and his cousin LA, live with their grandmother, both families broken by abuse and violence. You do begin to wonder if every family in Oak Cliff has an abusive father; a dark-vein of incest and violence runs through the narrative, binding the disparate themes together.
The language is rich and lush and heavily descriptive; perfectly pitched for this tale set across one long, hot, humid southern summer. The language is the best of it; the plot is decidedly thin, loosely knit around the killings and abuse. The story wanders all over the place and never seems to get to the point. I still don’t really understand about the trip to Minnesota, it doesn't help develop the characters and it doesn’t advance the story at all, the revelations it supported could as easily have come over a cup of coffee in the kitchen. It had no apparent purpose other than to broaden the scope and pad out the plot and the plot didn’t really need padding, what the plot needed was more focus and direction; it's why I couldn't love this book.
The writing is undoubtedly gorgeous but it needs more to hang on. A good sub plot would have done the trick and there was a stab at one, in Biscuit’s psychic flashes and the sudden appearance of the shaman woman, but neither were developed or went anywhere. The thing as a whole felt a little like summer’s day at the pool; we jump right in at the deep end with Biscuit and his life - no real beginning as such. We swim and paddle and mess around for two hundred and eighty-odd pages, then jump right out again, having been nowhere and done little, but had a pleasant enough time in between.
In short, What Dies in Summer is full of lovely moments and promise, but as a novel, it never quite delivered.
July 23, 2012
A slow paced poignant story of loss and the innocence of a boy Jim. He narrates to you the trials and tribulations that he faces and how they prove to be testing. He does feel an air of failure about himself, a naive boy at heart not highly intelligent. He posses more than the average strain of innocence and kindness for a man. Unspeakable horrors are brought to him and deaths arise. Amongst all the failure he feels he's had, he does prove to do an act that he can look back at as an achievement with a keen eye.
Jim's father died a while back, his stepfather is of the violent kind. He now lives with his grandma due to this and loves his mother dearly, buy can't be witness to her beatings. His cousin a young girl named L.A also is unfortunate to have two lousy parents foul and abusive she finds herself in company of her grandma also. These two really find safety living with their grandma and if it wasn't for that fact it would have been a more harrowing life for them. They are really good friends, not just blood tied, they look out and care for each other. It seems this family is plagued with darkness but with one light old grandma.
Dead bodies of girls start popping up and a search starts. This is not a thriller hunt the killer down kind of story but more a slow paced account of two unfortunates, kins survival amongst all the darkness. There are many coming of age stories similar to this and that can make it a hard act to follow. I am glad he didn't focus on the killer and murders too much. There was tragic moments and occurrences that stick with you. It was a raw and compelling in places with memorable characters.
I have given it 3.5 borders between really liking it and liking it.
Jim's father died a while back, his stepfather is of the violent kind. He now lives with his grandma due to this and loves his mother dearly, buy can't be witness to her beatings. His cousin a young girl named L.A also is unfortunate to have two lousy parents foul and abusive she finds herself in company of her grandma also. These two really find safety living with their grandma and if it wasn't for that fact it would have been a more harrowing life for them. They are really good friends, not just blood tied, they look out and care for each other. It seems this family is plagued with darkness but with one light old grandma.
Dead bodies of girls start popping up and a search starts. This is not a thriller hunt the killer down kind of story but more a slow paced account of two unfortunates, kins survival amongst all the darkness. There are many coming of age stories similar to this and that can make it a hard act to follow. I am glad he didn't focus on the killer and murders too much. There was tragic moments and occurrences that stick with you. It was a raw and compelling in places with memorable characters.
I have given it 3.5 borders between really liking it and liking it.
November 27, 2013
Wow! What a wild ride of a book! A little like To Kill a Mockingbird, a little like Member of the Wedding - this book takes place in the area of Dallas, Texas. Cousins Jim (aka Biscuit) and L.A. (Lee Ann) live with Gram - L.A. has a deep dark secret and Jim just wants to learn more about girls. Their discovery of a dead girl leads to an explosive ending which changes both of them forever. There are several deaths in this story but the death of innocence is the one mourned and celebrated at once. Lovely writing - great story!
August 4, 2013
Não entendo os adjectivos na capa e contracapa deste livro: "Magnifico", "Imaculado", "Impressionante", "Perturbador", "Arrepiante", "Inesquecível", "Sedutor", "Comovente",...
Referem-se, com certeza, a outro livro...
Referem-se, com certeza, a outro livro...
August 23, 2012
Sometimes I wonder why we all do this - review books, I mean. All these opinions floating out there in the ether. Do they help people find books to read? Do books that deserve to sell really sell more if we say we liked them? Fortunately, whenever I start wondering that too much a book like What Dies in Summer comes along and I remember why I do this - I like blathering about books and I really like it when I find a debut author who impresses me.
What Dies in Summer almost immediately reminded me of North Toward Home, Willie Morris' wonderful memoir about growing up in the South and being an expatriate of the South in that scary place we call "the North." It reads much as Morris' memoir with a slow easy cadence that carries you along. For me it also helped that it's set in the Oak Cliff neighborhood in Dallas where I spent some time as a teenager. There's something warm and comforting about familiar settings.
Once I settled into this groove, a fictional memory, a novel about the loss of innocence, the hero's journey, and so on, the author twisted his gentle cadence down a surprising road filled with rape, murder, and despair, but redeemed in the end by the love of family.
There is so much beauty in this book as our hero (Jim) and his cousin (L.A.) seek out better lives with their grandmother, their own homes being far too dangerous to live in. Things are, of course, complicated in many ways and there is so much brutality lying just underneath the surface that there are moments when you fear it will come up from under the the water even as you see its shadow approaching. Mr. Wright handles this with a deft hand telling a sad, desperate, wistful, and ultimately hopeful story of truth speaking and redemption. Great debut - highly recommended.
More about books: chaotic compendiums
What Dies in Summer almost immediately reminded me of North Toward Home, Willie Morris' wonderful memoir about growing up in the South and being an expatriate of the South in that scary place we call "the North." It reads much as Morris' memoir with a slow easy cadence that carries you along. For me it also helped that it's set in the Oak Cliff neighborhood in Dallas where I spent some time as a teenager. There's something warm and comforting about familiar settings.
Once I settled into this groove, a fictional memory, a novel about the loss of innocence, the hero's journey, and so on, the author twisted his gentle cadence down a surprising road filled with rape, murder, and despair, but redeemed in the end by the love of family.
There is so much beauty in this book as our hero (Jim) and his cousin (L.A.) seek out better lives with their grandmother, their own homes being far too dangerous to live in. Things are, of course, complicated in many ways and there is so much brutality lying just underneath the surface that there are moments when you fear it will come up from under the the water even as you see its shadow approaching. Mr. Wright handles this with a deft hand telling a sad, desperate, wistful, and ultimately hopeful story of truth speaking and redemption. Great debut - highly recommended.
More about books: chaotic compendiums
August 31, 2013
Quem tiver curiosidade neste livro, lhe pegar e posteriormente o for ler, não liguem à sinopse, ou pelo menos ao que está escrito no fim da sinopse. Não se dá início a uma investigação que porá a vida dos protagonistas em perigo.
Pelo menos, não da maneira como é feita a chamada de atenção.
Todo o livro se desenrola com a passagem de adolescentes pela casa da avó no verão.
Todas as descobertas que fazem, tanto a nível emocional como a nível físico.
Um rapaz (James) no meio de duas raparigas (L.A. e Diana). . . ai as hormonas, as hormonas. . .
Um rapaz que tem um grande sentido de protecção para com a prima e adora estar com a amiga da também prima. Vão andar o verão todos juntos. Assim, assistimos a tudo o que o que se passou connosco à medida que fomos crescendo. Tal como várias referências dizem, é um livro sobre a perda da inocência a todos os níveis.
A par desta história principal, vão surgindo assassinatos. Assassinatos estes que perturbam seriamente tanto James (biscoito) como L.A.
James que vai inclusivé ter premonições, pensamentos sobre o que aconteceu ou vai acontecer.
L.A, ela própria com a sua história privada que não conta a ninguém e a mantém instrospectiva.
Perto do fim, a história sofre uma reviravolta, e não só temos os crimes, como descobrimos contornos incestuosos. . .
Ao longo da história assistimos também a uma relação bonita de Jim com uma senhora que tem um cancro na fase terminal e esta senhora ensina e faz Jim pensar na vida e em todos os mistérios que esta acarreta. . .
Estive indecisa se havia de dar 3 ou 4 estrelinhas a este livro, mas decido-me pelas 4, pela história, pela forma fácil como estão descritas as situações, sobretudo pelas revelações no fim e pelos capítulos curtinhos que facilitam e muito a leitura.
Não é uma leitura que recomende a toda a gente mas penso que é uma leitura forte que muitas pessoas podem vir a gostar.
Por último, agradeço a Teresa Proença pelo presente tão inesperado e que me permitiu ler este livrinho que queria tanto tão depressa.
Pelo menos, não da maneira como é feita a chamada de atenção.
Todo o livro se desenrola com a passagem de adolescentes pela casa da avó no verão.
Todas as descobertas que fazem, tanto a nível emocional como a nível físico.
Um rapaz (James) no meio de duas raparigas (L.A. e Diana). . . ai as hormonas, as hormonas. . .
Um rapaz que tem um grande sentido de protecção para com a prima e adora estar com a amiga da também prima. Vão andar o verão todos juntos. Assim, assistimos a tudo o que o que se passou connosco à medida que fomos crescendo. Tal como várias referências dizem, é um livro sobre a perda da inocência a todos os níveis.
A par desta história principal, vão surgindo assassinatos. Assassinatos estes que perturbam seriamente tanto James (biscoito) como L.A.
James que vai inclusivé ter premonições, pensamentos sobre o que aconteceu ou vai acontecer.
L.A, ela própria com a sua história privada que não conta a ninguém e a mantém instrospectiva.
Perto do fim, a história sofre uma reviravolta, e não só temos os crimes, como descobrimos contornos incestuosos. . .
Ao longo da história assistimos também a uma relação bonita de Jim com uma senhora que tem um cancro na fase terminal e esta senhora ensina e faz Jim pensar na vida e em todos os mistérios que esta acarreta. . .
Estive indecisa se havia de dar 3 ou 4 estrelinhas a este livro, mas decido-me pelas 4, pela história, pela forma fácil como estão descritas as situações, sobretudo pelas revelações no fim e pelos capítulos curtinhos que facilitam e muito a leitura.
Não é uma leitura que recomende a toda a gente mas penso que é uma leitura forte que muitas pessoas podem vir a gostar.
Por último, agradeço a Teresa Proença pelo presente tão inesperado e que me permitiu ler este livrinho que queria tanto tão depressa.
January 16, 2023
Tinha este livro na estante há anos para ler e ao passar novamente os olhos pela sinopse apeteceu-me pegar-lhe agora.
A experiência de leitura não foi das melhores. A sinopse induz um pouco em erro e a narrativa é muito lenta, por vezes com episódios desnecessários que travam o ritmo.
A história até é boa, mas separa-se em várias linhas de acontecimentos, abordando temas que depois não explora.
A escrita é acessível, o conteúdo pesado. Mas houve qualquer coisa que falhou e que retirou interesse à narrativa.
A experiência de leitura não foi das melhores. A sinopse induz um pouco em erro e a narrativa é muito lenta, por vezes com episódios desnecessários que travam o ritmo.
A história até é boa, mas separa-se em várias linhas de acontecimentos, abordando temas que depois não explora.
A escrita é acessível, o conteúdo pesado. Mas houve qualquer coisa que falhou e que retirou interesse à narrativa.
March 15, 2012
2 1/2 stars is more accurate. A valiant first effort with some interesting character ideas, but I felt it had struggles with identity. It jumped around a lot with a murder mystery and a coming of age/loss of innocence story and couldn't quite commit to one or other and/or couldn't find the balance. Keep at it, Mr. Wright. You'll get it.
September 3, 2023
Este livro não me prendeu. Está bem escrito e aborda temáticas importantes (violência doméstica, abuso sexual, famílias problemáticas e disfuncionais) mas a estrutura narrativa não articula de forma significativa (no meu entender) os episódios relatados, que se vão somando apenas. Não é um thriller, como é "anunciado", ainda que se respire, ao longo da obra, uma atmosfera de tensão psicológica. O final surge de forma abrupta.
February 7, 2016
O facto de este livro ter sido mal rotulado como thriller ( que não o é nem aqui nem na China) fez as pessoas pegarem nele com outra mentalidade e quando começaram a lê-lo a insatisfação passou a opinião sobre o que leram.
Digo isto porque quando o livro saiu fiquei bastante interessada em lê-lo, mas à medida que ia lendo as opiniões de outras pessoas até cheguei a pensar que este livro era uma porcaria.
Neste momento estou na página 102 e posso afirmar que até aqui adorei tudo o que li.
De facto não é um thriller, mas sim uma história dramática com um assassino pelo meio.
Mas enquanto escrevo estas palavras o facto é que ainda não acabei o livro. Ainda vou na página 103, onde tive de parar depois de um valente ataque de riso por causa de Jim e o seu dilema entre falar com Deus ou com a Santíssima Trindade. Para ele é melhor falar logo com o chefe. Explica-se a situação e já está. Não é nada bom deixar a coisa nas mãos de terceiros (Cordeiro de Deus e a Santíssima Trindade) para explicar a sua situação. O que para mim tem lógica mas não me fez rir menos :D
***********************************************************
Agora que acabei tenho alguma dificuldade em classificar este livro, quer quanto ao género a que pertence como quanto à classificação que lhe dou.
70% é uma obra literária dramática muito bem escrita, mas os restantes 30% é um thriller envolvendo um assassino perverso que tortura e mata jovens raparigas com pormenores horrendos.
Se gostei? Gostei MUITO. Se fiquei um pouco desiludida com a identidade do assassino? Sim.
Daí ter ficado indecisa quanto à classificação. De coração acho que merece um 4. Mas a cabeça diz um 3. Raios... Vou pensar e depois venho aqui.
************************************************************
Um dia depois e a ler outros livros não consigo deixar de pensar neste.
Nas muitas mensagens subliminares que possui... Nas personagens que me cativaram e que me recordaram outros livros que li e filmes que vi. Lembrou-me inclusive do filme "Tempo de Matar", um dos filmes que mais me marcaram.
Por isso e por muitas mais razões dou uma classificação superior.
Digo isto porque quando o livro saiu fiquei bastante interessada em lê-lo, mas à medida que ia lendo as opiniões de outras pessoas até cheguei a pensar que este livro era uma porcaria.
Neste momento estou na página 102 e posso afirmar que até aqui adorei tudo o que li.
De facto não é um thriller, mas sim uma história dramática com um assassino pelo meio.
Mas enquanto escrevo estas palavras o facto é que ainda não acabei o livro. Ainda vou na página 103, onde tive de parar depois de um valente ataque de riso por causa de Jim e o seu dilema entre falar com Deus ou com a Santíssima Trindade. Para ele é melhor falar logo com o chefe. Explica-se a situação e já está. Não é nada bom deixar a coisa nas mãos de terceiros (Cordeiro de Deus e a Santíssima Trindade) para explicar a sua situação. O que para mim tem lógica mas não me fez rir menos :D
***********************************************************
Agora que acabei tenho alguma dificuldade em classificar este livro, quer quanto ao género a que pertence como quanto à classificação que lhe dou.
70% é uma obra literária dramática muito bem escrita, mas os restantes 30% é um thriller envolvendo um assassino perverso que tortura e mata jovens raparigas com pormenores horrendos.
Se gostei? Gostei MUITO. Se fiquei um pouco desiludida com a identidade do assassino? Sim.
Daí ter ficado indecisa quanto à classificação. De coração acho que merece um 4. Mas a cabeça diz um 3. Raios... Vou pensar e depois venho aqui.
************************************************************
Um dia depois e a ler outros livros não consigo deixar de pensar neste.
Nas muitas mensagens subliminares que possui... Nas personagens que me cativaram e que me recordaram outros livros que li e filmes que vi. Lembrou-me inclusive do filme "Tempo de Matar", um dos filmes que mais me marcaram.
Por isso e por muitas mais razões dou uma classificação superior.
June 20, 2012
Original review posted at Layers of Thought.
With a down-to-earth writing style and in-depth human insight, this page-turning crime fiction novel is a quintessential summer read for those who like dark paranormal twists and a Southern Gothic flavor to their novels.
About: In a Southern town during the early 1970’s, a young teenage boy named Jim (aka Biscuit) lives with his grandmother after his stepfather has beaten him badly enough to leave him in the hospital; and it’s not the first time. When his cousin L.A. comes to live with them, because she too is being abused, a common bond and familial friendship is created.
What is special about Biscuit is that besides being unusually introspective for his age, he has a touch of “the sight” and sees glimpses of things in dreams and otherwise that others cannot. It’s all looked at as part of his heritage since the gift runs in the family, with L.A. and his grandmother possessing their own version of knowing.
When Biscuit and L.A. find a mutilated teenage girl’s body near the train tracks, there begins the discovery of a series of murders - all by a twisted serial killer who is profiled as a member of their community.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this novel. Tom Wright has an interesting writing style that is both descriptive and unusual. In giving Biscuit his voice he has created a wonderful character. The boy narrates his story with a youthful southern drawl and local colloquialism that makes the read a special one; it gives the story a realistic and grounded feeling. I felt like Biscuit’s thoughts about life and growing up were reflective and respectable for a growing young man on the verge of adulthood. I liked that a lot.
A warning: this is crime fiction and depicts graphic details about the murder of young teens, including several violent scenes. Conversely, if you enjoy complicated characters and coming of age stories where a broad spectrum of beliefs are presented, then this will be an excellent pick for you.
One thing I am not crazy about is the cover - not a very comfortable position I am thinking! But beyond that it’s a fine debut and one which I could not decide whether to give a 4 or 4.5 stars to. In the end I have designated it a 4. Definitely recommended for readers who enjoy slightly paranormal themes and are looking for a summer setting.
With a down-to-earth writing style and in-depth human insight, this page-turning crime fiction novel is a quintessential summer read for those who like dark paranormal twists and a Southern Gothic flavor to their novels.
About: In a Southern town during the early 1970’s, a young teenage boy named Jim (aka Biscuit) lives with his grandmother after his stepfather has beaten him badly enough to leave him in the hospital; and it’s not the first time. When his cousin L.A. comes to live with them, because she too is being abused, a common bond and familial friendship is created.
What is special about Biscuit is that besides being unusually introspective for his age, he has a touch of “the sight” and sees glimpses of things in dreams and otherwise that others cannot. It’s all looked at as part of his heritage since the gift runs in the family, with L.A. and his grandmother possessing their own version of knowing.
When Biscuit and L.A. find a mutilated teenage girl’s body near the train tracks, there begins the discovery of a series of murders - all by a twisted serial killer who is profiled as a member of their community.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this novel. Tom Wright has an interesting writing style that is both descriptive and unusual. In giving Biscuit his voice he has created a wonderful character. The boy narrates his story with a youthful southern drawl and local colloquialism that makes the read a special one; it gives the story a realistic and grounded feeling. I felt like Biscuit’s thoughts about life and growing up were reflective and respectable for a growing young man on the verge of adulthood. I liked that a lot.
A warning: this is crime fiction and depicts graphic details about the murder of young teens, including several violent scenes. Conversely, if you enjoy complicated characters and coming of age stories where a broad spectrum of beliefs are presented, then this will be an excellent pick for you.
One thing I am not crazy about is the cover - not a very comfortable position I am thinking! But beyond that it’s a fine debut and one which I could not decide whether to give a 4 or 4.5 stars to. In the end I have designated it a 4. Definitely recommended for readers who enjoy slightly paranormal themes and are looking for a summer setting.
June 17, 2012
It was a slow burner to be sure. I liked the narrator but the book seemed to pull its punches a bit too often. Yes there were some horrific things that happened in the story and to the characters but it almost seems as though the author shied away from these moments once they arrived. Perhaps I'm used to authors like Gillian Flynn, who goes stomping toward the horror with big black boots, but this seemed too gentle, even as grotesque or unspeakable things are happening.
The writing style was lush and southern like a live oak tree, and you could almost feel the Texas heat from the descriptions. While I enjoyed it, I guess I just expected a little more from it. It wasn't a mystery, per se, nor was it horror either. The "touch of the sight" that Biscuit has seems to be less than a touch, as we are often left to wonder if he's having a premonition, or just an overactive imagination.
It seems to me that the author was dabbling in too many genres and with too many influences. There was "Stand by Me" and "The Ice Storm" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Chinatown" and so many others that it wound up a bit muddied in the end. I don't regret the time I spent reading it, but it didn't leave a lasting impact.
The writing style was lush and southern like a live oak tree, and you could almost feel the Texas heat from the descriptions. While I enjoyed it, I guess I just expected a little more from it. It wasn't a mystery, per se, nor was it horror either. The "touch of the sight" that Biscuit has seems to be less than a touch, as we are often left to wonder if he's having a premonition, or just an overactive imagination.
It seems to me that the author was dabbling in too many genres and with too many influences. There was "Stand by Me" and "The Ice Storm" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Chinatown" and so many others that it wound up a bit muddied in the end. I don't regret the time I spent reading it, but it didn't leave a lasting impact.
October 24, 2015
Que livro maravilhoso! Não sabia bem ao que ia, mas queria muito lê-lo - a capa é fabulosa, a sinopse também. Li-o devagar - é daqueles que pedem para ser saboreados, sabem? Não consigo - nem quero - resumir a história. Digo apenas que não me admiraria se, em vez de Tom Wright, o nome que consta na capa fosse João Tordo: o mesmo género de universo narrativo, o mesmo tipo de personagens, a mesma carga dramática. Sendo Tordo o meu autor português vivo preferido, isto é um elogio.
Nota extra para a tradução: perfeita.
Nota extra para a tradução: perfeita.
November 8, 2012
I loved this. Tom Wright uses first person to tell this story of Biscuit, or James, and his summer with his cousin L.A. and his other friends. There is a killer in the community, and L.A. has secrets that she will not share, and Biscuit struggles to understand the female mind, support L.A., love Diane, and protect himself, his Gram, and L.A. against the various threats from family and the unknown. Wright's descriptive prose hooked me just as much as the story did.
February 28, 2022
Deze literaire thriller van Anthos heeft een mooie cover en een intrigerende titel. En het duurt eigenlijk een hele tijd tot het gevoel van een thriller opduikt in "Wat de zomer niet overleeft" van Tom Wright.
De eerste helft van het boek lijkt elk hoofdstuk een losstaande anekdote te zijn uit het tienerleven van James. Hij woont bij zijn grootmoeder, omdat er iets is gebeurd tussen hem en zijn moeder en haar nieuwe vriend Jack. Het boek begint als ook zijn nicht Lee Ann, oftewel L.A., bij hen komt wonen na een vermoedelijk gelijkaardig voorval bij haar eigen ouders. Het is wat vreemd en mysterieus, je kan er vanalles bij bedenken, maar hun leven gaat voort en je ziet wel wat er komt.
Jim vertelt het verhaal vanuit zijn perspectief. Een verhaal over opgroeien, maar vooral over de omstandigheden waarin: drank, geweld, seks, ze spelen allemaal grote rollen in de wereld en deze kinderen ontdekken gaandeweg hoezeer ze volwassen mensen in de ban houden, en ze voelen ook zelf langszaamaan die vreemde aantrekkingskracht ervan tijdens het opgroeien, vooral wanneer Jim zijn oogje op een meisje laat vallen.
Als Jim en L.A. halverwege het boek op het lichaam van een vermoord meisje van hun leeftijd stuiten, gaat de bal aan het rollen en zijn ze aandachtiger voor de wereld om hen heen, en zien ze dingen die hen nooit eerder zijn opgevallen.
Tom Wright schrijft een meeslepend verhaal waarin je jezelf totaal verliest. Je blijft lezen, zo vlot gaat het. Een verhaal over opgroeien, over liefde en seks, maar ook over de keerzijde van die medaille, over machtsmisbruik en de monsters die op deze wereld rondlopen.
De eerste helft van het boek lijkt elk hoofdstuk een losstaande anekdote te zijn uit het tienerleven van James. Hij woont bij zijn grootmoeder, omdat er iets is gebeurd tussen hem en zijn moeder en haar nieuwe vriend Jack. Het boek begint als ook zijn nicht Lee Ann, oftewel L.A., bij hen komt wonen na een vermoedelijk gelijkaardig voorval bij haar eigen ouders. Het is wat vreemd en mysterieus, je kan er vanalles bij bedenken, maar hun leven gaat voort en je ziet wel wat er komt.
Jim vertelt het verhaal vanuit zijn perspectief. Een verhaal over opgroeien, maar vooral over de omstandigheden waarin: drank, geweld, seks, ze spelen allemaal grote rollen in de wereld en deze kinderen ontdekken gaandeweg hoezeer ze volwassen mensen in de ban houden, en ze voelen ook zelf langszaamaan die vreemde aantrekkingskracht ervan tijdens het opgroeien, vooral wanneer Jim zijn oogje op een meisje laat vallen.
Als Jim en L.A. halverwege het boek op het lichaam van een vermoord meisje van hun leeftijd stuiten, gaat de bal aan het rollen en zijn ze aandachtiger voor de wereld om hen heen, en zien ze dingen die hen nooit eerder zijn opgevallen.
Tom Wright schrijft een meeslepend verhaal waarin je jezelf totaal verliest. Je blijft lezen, zo vlot gaat het. Een verhaal over opgroeien, over liefde en seks, maar ook over de keerzijde van die medaille, over machtsmisbruik en de monsters die op deze wereld rondlopen.
January 26, 2021
Um livro diferente. Muito bem escrito.
Uma viagem para lugares inimagináveis, onde o leitor entra como participante na ação. A travessia é intensa, de momentos cheios de dor, medo mas também de extrema sensibilidade.
A narrativa é bela, rica e muito criativa.
O tema é atual: a violência que ocorre no seio das famílias, aquela que não se vê porque também é resolvida entre os seus elementos e de certo a mais sofrida.
Outro tema é a perda da inocência, as descobertas da idade e a passagem para a vida adulta.
Recomendo.
Uma viagem para lugares inimagináveis, onde o leitor entra como participante na ação. A travessia é intensa, de momentos cheios de dor, medo mas também de extrema sensibilidade.
A narrativa é bela, rica e muito criativa.
O tema é atual: a violência que ocorre no seio das famílias, aquela que não se vê porque também é resolvida entre os seus elementos e de certo a mais sofrida.
Outro tema é a perda da inocência, as descobertas da idade e a passagem para a vida adulta.
Recomendo.
January 3, 2026
A coming of age story of a couple kids who have been born to bad parents. It is a summer filled with the good and the bad. Not my normal read due to the child abuse , but it has a somewhat good ending.
March 10, 2019
Livro pr mim mt confuso, pessoalmente custou me muito a ler.
October 15, 2015
I enjoyed this book very much. It is exceptionally well written for a first novel and it held me engrossed throughout.
The story is set in Dallas, Texas in an unspecified time, but before computers and mobile phones. (Judging by some of the musical references, it seems to be around 1970.) It is narrated by Biscuit, an adolescent boy living with his grandmother and this is really a coming-of-age story with crimes more-or-less in the background for much of the book. For me, even the denouement and discovery of the criminal, although well done, was less gripping than Biscuit's own internal story which is beautifully told. As a portrait of a boy's moral and sexual awakening I thought this was quite exceptionally insightful, sympathetic and involving. Tom Wright catches brilliantly the jumbled thought processes and feelings of adolescence and I found Biscuit a very believable and engaging character. The portrait which emerges of Biscuit's feelings of desire and awkwardness for his girlfriend, for example, is almost painfully recognisable and is one of the best evocations of that first infatuation that I know.
Wright also generates a very good sense of the place and morals of the time there, especially as Biscuit muses about the nature of religious belief, including little gems like, "What it came down to was that I had a hard time seeing prayer as a practical tool in the face of real danger." There is a subtle, growing sense of menace, too. It's all beautifully done and I was completely swept up in it.
If I have a criticism it is that there is just a little too much drama in Biscuit's life to be wholly plausible, even if each part is completely plausible in itself. This is a small niggle, though. I found this an excellent read which carried me along, engaged me with a well-drawn cast of characters and left me with lots to think about afterward. A little against my expectations, this is a five-star book for me and I recommend it very warmly.
The story is set in Dallas, Texas in an unspecified time, but before computers and mobile phones. (Judging by some of the musical references, it seems to be around 1970.) It is narrated by Biscuit, an adolescent boy living with his grandmother and this is really a coming-of-age story with crimes more-or-less in the background for much of the book. For me, even the denouement and discovery of the criminal, although well done, was less gripping than Biscuit's own internal story which is beautifully told. As a portrait of a boy's moral and sexual awakening I thought this was quite exceptionally insightful, sympathetic and involving. Tom Wright catches brilliantly the jumbled thought processes and feelings of adolescence and I found Biscuit a very believable and engaging character. The portrait which emerges of Biscuit's feelings of desire and awkwardness for his girlfriend, for example, is almost painfully recognisable and is one of the best evocations of that first infatuation that I know.
Wright also generates a very good sense of the place and morals of the time there, especially as Biscuit muses about the nature of religious belief, including little gems like, "What it came down to was that I had a hard time seeing prayer as a practical tool in the face of real danger." There is a subtle, growing sense of menace, too. It's all beautifully done and I was completely swept up in it.
If I have a criticism it is that there is just a little too much drama in Biscuit's life to be wholly plausible, even if each part is completely plausible in itself. This is a small niggle, though. I found this an excellent read which carried me along, engaged me with a well-drawn cast of characters and left me with lots to think about afterward. A little against my expectations, this is a five-star book for me and I recommend it very warmly.
February 8, 2015
Dallas, dos primos adolescentes viven con su abuela, el chico maltratado por su padrastro, la chica abusada por su padre. Asistimos al despertar de estos chicos a la vida adulta. Por momentos los chicos parecen tener una especie de poder extrasensorial, hay visiones, lluvias de peces plateados y sueños premonitorios. Hasta ahí todo parece una novela iniciática, de fin de la adolescencia. En un momento los chicos encuentran el cadáver de una chica, entonces todo parece inclinarse hacia el policial, pero rápidamente la narración huye de los elementos que podrían convertirla en policial y vuelve a deambular sin rumbo entre la novela iniciática y los sobrenatural.
Hay escenas y personajes que no llevan a ningún lado, parecen alinearse en función de un relato pero finalmente son abandonados sin más. Finalmente se vuelve al policial y terminan descubriendo al previsible asesino cuando ya no tiene demasiada importancia, el lector lo habrá descubierto mucho antes.
No está mal escrita, tiene escenas que están muy bien, pero a esta novela le falta estructura, dirección y sentido. No es un thriller, tampoco un policial, ni una novela iniciática o una obra estrictamente literaria, y no es porque supere y englobe a todos esos los géneros o porque sea, como la mayoría de las obras maestras, inclasificable, si no porque se queda a medio camino entre todas ellas, no alcanza a ser nada. El que mucho abarca poco aprieta, a veces la ambición desmedida termina en un mal collage. Lástima, porque con este material se podría haber hecho una linda novelita policial y un par de buenos cuentos.
Me aburrió bastante.
Hay escenas y personajes que no llevan a ningún lado, parecen alinearse en función de un relato pero finalmente son abandonados sin más. Finalmente se vuelve al policial y terminan descubriendo al previsible asesino cuando ya no tiene demasiada importancia, el lector lo habrá descubierto mucho antes.
No está mal escrita, tiene escenas que están muy bien, pero a esta novela le falta estructura, dirección y sentido. No es un thriller, tampoco un policial, ni una novela iniciática o una obra estrictamente literaria, y no es porque supere y englobe a todos esos los géneros o porque sea, como la mayoría de las obras maestras, inclasificable, si no porque se queda a medio camino entre todas ellas, no alcanza a ser nada. El que mucho abarca poco aprieta, a veces la ambición desmedida termina en un mal collage. Lástima, porque con este material se podría haber hecho una linda novelita policial y un par de buenos cuentos.
Me aburrió bastante.
August 26, 2015
Besides mayflies, droughted crops, and Gore Vidal, what dies in summer is poor, murdered Tricia Venables—and this very title that brings her to us. Despite some lovely moments, few readers will have the patience for a shitshow that has about as much continuity as a slug after attacking a pillar of salt. The story’s centerlessness infects the main character, a 1960s Texas tween named Jim, with incoherence. Jim lives with his Grams ‘cuz his mom don’t want him, and he’s around 12 when his cousin Lee Ann, who’s the same age, moves in. The two share some sexual tension and weird little adventures, but Jim remains aloof as a character. First-time author Wright is practically aberrant in refusing to get on with the freakin’ story. Wtf is Jim’s ‘night visitor’? Why does his mother’s boyfriend hate him? What’s up with that dwhat dies in summerude they met at the liquor store? The book is doubly frustrating as Wright is particularly good at description, e.g., a preacher is “…a big, hearty, pink man who looked as if he’d been squirted down into his clothes like drive-in ice cream…” But descriptions do not a novel make, and the problems are compounded by Jim’s insightful, expressive, completely unrealistic idealism; 12-year-old boys don’t absolve abusive stepfathers while still woozy from the beating. BFD looks forward to the next Wright book.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
July 24, 2012
What Dies in Summer
By Tom Wright
Jim Beaudry is a teenage boy whose dreams are haunted by a young woman, a dead young woman. One day Jim and his cousin L.A. stumble upon the dead body of the girl that has been haunting Jim’s dreams she had been brutally raped and murdered. Over the course of one summer these teenagers who have been through so much in their short lives find out that there is more hell that they must eventually endure.
Tom Wright creates two characters whose lives are so troubled that you cannot help but feel for them and hope that they will be able to pull through this new situation and hopefully find a better life in the end. But this is not all, the author creates a world you can envision easily, his scenes are flawless in there execution pulling you into the moment and even though there is a touch of supernatural it is subtle making it all the more believable. I am not sure who I would recommend this book to, it is a brilliant blend of horror and mystery with touches of romance and young adult, and you will either love it or hate it. As for me I enjoyed it immensely.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
By Tom Wright
Jim Beaudry is a teenage boy whose dreams are haunted by a young woman, a dead young woman. One day Jim and his cousin L.A. stumble upon the dead body of the girl that has been haunting Jim’s dreams she had been brutally raped and murdered. Over the course of one summer these teenagers who have been through so much in their short lives find out that there is more hell that they must eventually endure.
Tom Wright creates two characters whose lives are so troubled that you cannot help but feel for them and hope that they will be able to pull through this new situation and hopefully find a better life in the end. But this is not all, the author creates a world you can envision easily, his scenes are flawless in there execution pulling you into the moment and even though there is a touch of supernatural it is subtle making it all the more believable. I am not sure who I would recommend this book to, it is a brilliant blend of horror and mystery with touches of romance and young adult, and you will either love it or hate it. As for me I enjoyed it immensely.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
July 1, 2016
This has to be the most pitiful excuse for a thriller I have ever read.
The majority of the book is taken up by mundane and disjointed events that seem as though they are building up to some kind of plot, but ultimately never do. It is obvious who the killer is just half way through and so everything else that happens in the meantime is essentially worthless filler. All of the characters are bland, one dimensional and exist solely as a plot device. Even the main protagonist who narrates the whole thing is so inanely dull that you wish you could escape his painful inner monologues and run for the hills. In fact all of the characterization in this is shit, especially the adult characters who are all inexplicably dumb and oblivious.
This book is already short but you could cut half the story out and still have the same reading experience. It's so full of useless information and pointless tangents, which I'm assuming were just put in there to stretch out the word count considering it bears no relevance to the plot. There's way too much ''She was wearing...'' and ''I approached the door, put my hand on the knob and turned it''. The metaphors are farcical.
The conclusion was rushed and implausible, all conflict is abruptly solved. Poor writing. Wouldn't recommend.
The majority of the book is taken up by mundane and disjointed events that seem as though they are building up to some kind of plot, but ultimately never do. It is obvious who the killer is just half way through and so everything else that happens in the meantime is essentially worthless filler. All of the characters are bland, one dimensional and exist solely as a plot device. Even the main protagonist who narrates the whole thing is so inanely dull that you wish you could escape his painful inner monologues and run for the hills. In fact all of the characterization in this is shit, especially the adult characters who are all inexplicably dumb and oblivious.
This book is already short but you could cut half the story out and still have the same reading experience. It's so full of useless information and pointless tangents, which I'm assuming were just put in there to stretch out the word count considering it bears no relevance to the plot. There's way too much ''She was wearing...'' and ''I approached the door, put my hand on the knob and turned it''. The metaphors are farcical.
The conclusion was rushed and implausible, all conflict is abruptly solved. Poor writing. Wouldn't recommend.
July 23, 2018
Unfortunately I was deeply disappointed by this book, although not as much as I am perplexed by its ludicrously inflammatory reviews featured on its blurb. I am particularly disturbed that the author Nice Cave described this book as 'sexy' and that, along with his radiant review featured on the front sleeve, I can only think he read a completely different novel. (Ugh, every time I am so betrayed by a novel's blasphemously good reviews I do lose a little faith in all literary matters.)
Firstly, there are no characters in this novel; instead, just a vague intermingling blur of cliched tropes and hopelessly mundane characterisations that are nothing in the way of convincing nor consistent. This is certainly not helped by the dialogue which is peculiar at the best of times and unbelievable cringey at the worst.
All of the novel's 'big reveals' failed in their contrived suspense and flopped to the sound of tumbleweed. The 'plot twists' were forced, to say the least and I didn't find myself caring an ounce for anything or anyone or any of these supposed twists.
If this book is indeed 'harrowing' it is only because it is quite terrible.
(My apologies Tom Wright!)
Firstly, there are no characters in this novel; instead, just a vague intermingling blur of cliched tropes and hopelessly mundane characterisations that are nothing in the way of convincing nor consistent. This is certainly not helped by the dialogue which is peculiar at the best of times and unbelievable cringey at the worst.
All of the novel's 'big reveals' failed in their contrived suspense and flopped to the sound of tumbleweed. The 'plot twists' were forced, to say the least and I didn't find myself caring an ounce for anything or anyone or any of these supposed twists.
If this book is indeed 'harrowing' it is only because it is quite terrible.
(My apologies Tom Wright!)
March 23, 2012
I have to be really honest in saying that I didn't like anything about this book...the way it was written, the storyline, the characters, etc. I just thought that nothing about the book was really developed and it was really lagging. I actually believe that I think whoever wrote the jacket description for the book did a better job than the author in writing it. I was just really disappointed.
June 19, 2012
A solid, engrossing read. The reveal of the killer's identity isn't a big surprise, but that seems beside the point. The characters are fully fleshed out and fully fascinating. I loved the main character's voice and the supernatural elements that lurked around the edges but never took over the story. Plus it's set in Dallas in the 70's, which was an added layer of cool for a Texan like me.
August 29, 2014
I so didn't know know where this book was heading. Too many things going on- troubled cousin LA's past? The recent murder investigation? The mom's abusive boyfriend? too many characters with problems. Listened as an audiobook-loved the narrators voice-only thing that kept me in there as long as I was-Finally threw in towel w/ 3 chapters left. Didn't even care how it ended.
February 27, 2013
If you care about good writing, don't miss this book. It is unbelievably vivid and heart-stoppingly tense from the first line to the last. The narrative voice is irresistible, and you will never forget these characters.
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