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Eide Family #1
The Lighthouse Road
Against the wilds of sea and wood, a young immigrant woman settles into life outside Duluth in the 1890s, still shocked at finding herself alone in a new country, abandoned and adrift; in the early 1920s, her orphan son, now grown, falls in love with the one woman he shouldn’t and uses his best skills to build them their own small ark to escape. But their pasts travel with them, threatening to capsize even their fragile hope. In this triumphant new novel, Peter Geye has crafted another deeply moving tale of a misbegotten family shaped by the rough landscape in which they live--often at the mercy of wildlife and weather--and by the rough edges of their own breaking hearts.
293 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
140 people are currently reading
3132 people want to read
About the author
Peter Geye
12 books289 followersPeter Geye is the author of the award-winning novels Safe from the Sea, The Lighthouse Road, Wintering, winner of the Minnesota Book Award, Northernmost, and The Ski Jumpers, forthcoming in September 2022.
Geye received his MFA from the University of New Orleans and his PhD from Western Michigan University, where he was editor of Third Coast. He currently teaches the year-long Novel Writing Project at the Loft Literary Center. Born and raised in Minneapolis, he continues to live there with his family.
Geye received his MFA from the University of New Orleans and his PhD from Western Michigan University, where he was editor of Third Coast. He currently teaches the year-long Novel Writing Project at the Loft Literary Center. Born and raised in Minneapolis, he continues to live there with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
February 25, 2019
Having lived all but two of my 65 years in Minnesota, I love discovering more writers from my home state. When a friend loaned me Peter Geye’s
Wintering
, I was fascinated. Here we are in the throes of a February winter to behold, and I was ready to dig in! Then I realized I could get the first book,
The Lighthouse Road
, on “Libby” from the public library. It can be helpful to know the background of the characters in a series, dontcha know?
Geye’s story is set in northeastern Minnesota, primarily in Gunflint Trail and Duluth. As someone who was raised fewer than 20 miles from Duluth, I found the details fascinating. Yesterday, in 2019, we experienced a blizzard that shut down the entire southern part of our state. In 1896, when the story of Thea Eide’s experience in America begins, winter was harsh, and there were many fewer conveniences than we have today. Fast-forward to 1920; some folks had automobiles and trucks, but life was anything but easy.
The Lighthouse Road centers on a young man named Odd Eide and his mother, Thea, a young Norwegian woman who has travelled to America, is rescued by Hosea Grimm. He finds her a job at a logging camp. Later, she becomes pregnant and gives birth to Odd. She dies soon afterward, and her son is raised by Hosea and the rest of the town.
The plot switches back and forth between Thea’s story in the late 1890s and Odd’s relationship with an older woman called Rebekah. The tie that binds them, as it were, is that jack-of-all-trades, Hosea. Hosea runs the town’s apothecary. He also serves as the only doctor and performs other more dubious functions, some of which are only alluded to. We see how Hosea is a mentor to each of these younger folks whom he has taken under his wing, but at what cost?
I had high expectations for this book. I enjoyed the characters. Odd, with his straightforward, simple ways, is basically a hardworking, honest man with a good, gentle heart. Rebekah is more complicated, and I never did get a good sense of who she really is. I couldn’t put my finger on it – something was missing in her, and I think she couldn’t put her finger on it either. Perhaps she suffers from depression. Perhaps she feels used, abused. She seems unable to love, unable to feel lovable. The book is not without scoundrels, and I felt terrible for Thea most of all. She did not deserve her unhappiness.
I liked Thea’s story the most, and while I often like novels where two stories go back and forth in time, I found it distracting in this one. Because it was the family history, I’d have preferred to have gotten the events chronologically.
I found my thoughts wandering and initially, I had difficulty focusing on more than a chapter or two at a time because the book just didn’t flow well. Overall, it was a good story, but not great. Still, if you like reading character-driven historical novels, you may find this enjoyable.
3 stars
Geye’s story is set in northeastern Minnesota, primarily in Gunflint Trail and Duluth. As someone who was raised fewer than 20 miles from Duluth, I found the details fascinating. Yesterday, in 2019, we experienced a blizzard that shut down the entire southern part of our state. In 1896, when the story of Thea Eide’s experience in America begins, winter was harsh, and there were many fewer conveniences than we have today. Fast-forward to 1920; some folks had automobiles and trucks, but life was anything but easy.
The Lighthouse Road centers on a young man named Odd Eide and his mother, Thea, a young Norwegian woman who has travelled to America, is rescued by Hosea Grimm. He finds her a job at a logging camp. Later, she becomes pregnant and gives birth to Odd. She dies soon afterward, and her son is raised by Hosea and the rest of the town.
The plot switches back and forth between Thea’s story in the late 1890s and Odd’s relationship with an older woman called Rebekah. The tie that binds them, as it were, is that jack-of-all-trades, Hosea. Hosea runs the town’s apothecary. He also serves as the only doctor and performs other more dubious functions, some of which are only alluded to. We see how Hosea is a mentor to each of these younger folks whom he has taken under his wing, but at what cost?
I had high expectations for this book. I enjoyed the characters. Odd, with his straightforward, simple ways, is basically a hardworking, honest man with a good, gentle heart. Rebekah is more complicated, and I never did get a good sense of who she really is. I couldn’t put my finger on it – something was missing in her, and I think she couldn’t put her finger on it either. Perhaps she suffers from depression. Perhaps she feels used, abused. She seems unable to love, unable to feel lovable. The book is not without scoundrels, and I felt terrible for Thea most of all. She did not deserve her unhappiness.
I liked Thea’s story the most, and while I often like novels where two stories go back and forth in time, I found it distracting in this one. Because it was the family history, I’d have preferred to have gotten the events chronologically.
I found my thoughts wandering and initially, I had difficulty focusing on more than a chapter or two at a time because the book just didn’t flow well. Overall, it was a good story, but not great. Still, if you like reading character-driven historical novels, you may find this enjoyable.
3 stars
November 17, 2016
It could have been four stars but there were problems.
First, I need to say that the book is well structured and the story was gripping. The development of the plot was excellent through numerous jumps through time from chapter to chapter. So what were the problems.
Simply put, the writing itself was lacking. As friend Joseph subtly points out in his review of the book, author Peter Geye has trouble keeping a secret. He feels the need to tell the reader what's going to happen before it happens.
Also, the dialogue is often weak. There is an inconsistency in the voice of the characters from scene to scene. As well, and this is just my own personal complaint perhaps, he fails to note that not everyone speaks the same. While one of the characters, an immigrant from Norway, seems unable to learn English over time, others seem to be fluent beyond belief. In particular, the local Ojibwa characters show no sign of speaking any language except English. To this day most Ojibwa speakers I know speak English in a distinctive manner, almost a dialect.
Now, all that being said, I can't wait to get to Geye's next book, Wintering, to see what becomes of the characters. We were left hanging or, perhaps better, on thin ice.
I would like to point out that The Lighthouse Road was recommended to me by Marita as a prelude to reading Wintering. I thank her for that. The subject matter and the locale of the story are definitely close to my heart. (And I'll get over my petty complaints.).
First, I need to say that the book is well structured and the story was gripping. The development of the plot was excellent through numerous jumps through time from chapter to chapter. So what were the problems.
Simply put, the writing itself was lacking. As friend Joseph subtly points out in his review of the book, author Peter Geye has trouble keeping a secret. He feels the need to tell the reader what's going to happen before it happens.
Also, the dialogue is often weak. There is an inconsistency in the voice of the characters from scene to scene. As well, and this is just my own personal complaint perhaps, he fails to note that not everyone speaks the same. While one of the characters, an immigrant from Norway, seems unable to learn English over time, others seem to be fluent beyond belief. In particular, the local Ojibwa characters show no sign of speaking any language except English. To this day most Ojibwa speakers I know speak English in a distinctive manner, almost a dialect.
Now, all that being said, I can't wait to get to Geye's next book, Wintering, to see what becomes of the characters. We were left hanging or, perhaps better, on thin ice.
I would like to point out that The Lighthouse Road was recommended to me by Marita as a prelude to reading Wintering. I thank her for that. The subject matter and the locale of the story are definitely close to my heart. (And I'll get over my petty complaints.).
April 5, 2013
A journey across the ocean,
A young woman on her own,
A stark wilderness in northern Minnesota
in 1896.
Gunflint Trail.
The beginning of a small town, Grand Marias.
The Lighthouse Road.
A logging camp in the deep woods,
an apothecary in town
a fish house on Lake Superior.
Dogs. Wolves. Bears.
Oh boy.
Thea alone, pregnant, lost.
Rebekah found, transformed, hidden.
Hosea inventive, wealthy, deceptive.
Odd, hardworking, misunderstood, loved.
A motherless child.
An incestuous affair.
Lies.
Boat building.
Dog-sledding.
Snow falling.
Whiskey running.
Trees toppling.
Ice breaking.
Wolves howling.
Wind blowing.
Waves crashing.
Silence.
Complex
Detailed
Historical
Beautiful
Stark
Wild
Hard
Authentic
Compelling
Memorable.
Need I say more?
A young woman on her own,
A stark wilderness in northern Minnesota
in 1896.
Gunflint Trail.
The beginning of a small town, Grand Marias.
The Lighthouse Road.
A logging camp in the deep woods,
an apothecary in town
a fish house on Lake Superior.
Dogs. Wolves. Bears.
Oh boy.
Thea alone, pregnant, lost.
Rebekah found, transformed, hidden.
Hosea inventive, wealthy, deceptive.
Odd, hardworking, misunderstood, loved.
A motherless child.
An incestuous affair.
Lies.
Boat building.
Dog-sledding.
Snow falling.
Whiskey running.
Trees toppling.
Ice breaking.
Wolves howling.
Wind blowing.
Waves crashing.
Silence.
Complex
Detailed
Historical
Beautiful
Stark
Wild
Hard
Authentic
Compelling
Memorable.
Need I say more?
October 15, 2012
I have mentioned in the past that I am too literal a reader for literary books but every now and then I am offered one that strikes my fancy and I take a chance. The Lighthouse Road was one of those books and I was very glad that I did decide to read it. It made me think and I am finding that more often than not I want a book that makes me think. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy fluff but one cannot live on a diet of sugary sweets alone now, can one?
This book is more about relationships and the power some people have over others than about one particular character. It starts with the immigration of a young woman from Norway to a very small town on Lake Superior. Thea Eide's story begins just as she is about to give birth to her son, Odd. She is helped in her labor by the town's doctor, Hosea Grimm and his daughter Rebekah. These four people are the main characters and their histories are told in a series of back and forth vignettes that move from the present time of the novel (the 1920s) to the character's various pasts. I know that sounds confusing and it was at first but once you get into the rhythm of the writing it all starts to make sense.
The writing is spare, much like the cold, forested landscape of Gunflint, MN, itself. Yet the reader is drawn into the lives of these four interconnected people as their souls are revealed bit by bit. Hosea is a man who is in control. Who feels he is giving people what is best for them. Rebekah is not sure of her place in the world that Hosea has created. Thea's world turned out to be nothing like she thought it would be and Odd is the only one who can make it past The Lighthouse Road to see a different life.
I was very drawn into this story; it's one of those books that haunts you for days after you put it down. It will go on my "to be read again" shelf. I'm sure that a second read will garner even more insight into these very well drawn and complex characters.
This book is more about relationships and the power some people have over others than about one particular character. It starts with the immigration of a young woman from Norway to a very small town on Lake Superior. Thea Eide's story begins just as she is about to give birth to her son, Odd. She is helped in her labor by the town's doctor, Hosea Grimm and his daughter Rebekah. These four people are the main characters and their histories are told in a series of back and forth vignettes that move from the present time of the novel (the 1920s) to the character's various pasts. I know that sounds confusing and it was at first but once you get into the rhythm of the writing it all starts to make sense.
The writing is spare, much like the cold, forested landscape of Gunflint, MN, itself. Yet the reader is drawn into the lives of these four interconnected people as their souls are revealed bit by bit. Hosea is a man who is in control. Who feels he is giving people what is best for them. Rebekah is not sure of her place in the world that Hosea has created. Thea's world turned out to be nothing like she thought it would be and Odd is the only one who can make it past The Lighthouse Road to see a different life.
I was very drawn into this story; it's one of those books that haunts you for days after you put it down. It will go on my "to be read again" shelf. I'm sure that a second read will garner even more insight into these very well drawn and complex characters.
August 4, 2019
When you travel down The Lighthouse Road note the caution signs. 'Warning, slight turn ahead', 'Slight bump in 1/2 a mile', 'A light touch of uneven pavement'; that sort of thing. You might doubt the need for these warnings, what with the limited traffic, low speed limit and lack of recorded accidents, but why not include an advisory heads-up?
Because you can't warn motorists (or readers) enough, even in a light, turn-of-the-century novel about hard-working folk in the cold American north. For while the setting proves quaint and the pacing borders on glacial, Peter Geye still unearths some dramatic nuggets to surprise or titillate; there's hanky-panky, tragic death and even a dastardly knave or two lurking in the frigid shadows. But most of the story regards the everyday lives of some fairly ordinary people, a format that can work by letting the details wash slowly over the reader, allowing them to earn small surprises as each dramatic turn reveals itself.
But not on The Lighthouse Road, where every potential surprise comes with copious warning signs. When a local businessman is snapping racy (for the 19th century) photos, we know exactly what's going on long before seeing the operation in action. When a character is going to die, the narration announces it explicitly 200 pages beforehand. When a villain prepares to put his scheme into action, Geye warns us that something awfully, despicably terrible (if cliched) is about to happen so that we can avert our eyes.
So take your time and read all the signs. They're lovingly written, if generally unnecessary. And you'll have time to take in each one; such is the pacing of The Lighthouse Road.
Edited 8-4-2019
Because you can't warn motorists (or readers) enough, even in a light, turn-of-the-century novel about hard-working folk in the cold American north. For while the setting proves quaint and the pacing borders on glacial, Peter Geye still unearths some dramatic nuggets to surprise or titillate; there's hanky-panky, tragic death and even a dastardly knave or two lurking in the frigid shadows. But most of the story regards the everyday lives of some fairly ordinary people, a format that can work by letting the details wash slowly over the reader, allowing them to earn small surprises as each dramatic turn reveals itself.
But not on The Lighthouse Road, where every potential surprise comes with copious warning signs. When a local businessman is snapping racy (for the 19th century) photos, we know exactly what's going on long before seeing the operation in action. When a character is going to die, the narration announces it explicitly 200 pages beforehand. When a villain prepares to put his scheme into action, Geye warns us that something awfully, despicably terrible (if cliched) is about to happen so that we can avert our eyes.
So take your time and read all the signs. They're lovingly written, if generally unnecessary. And you'll have time to take in each one; such is the pacing of The Lighthouse Road.
Edited 8-4-2019
September 21, 2012
Set at the cusp of the Twentieth Century, The Lighthouse Road is a masterfully reconstructed landscape that has long since been washed away by passing time. It is generously haunted by a broad cast of very real, old-world souls who inflict love and pain upon one another with the acuteness possibly only in the closest of human relationships. A study of human nature as stark as the frigid landscape upon which it is set, it's thoroughly engaging from the very beginning and Geye tells his tale with biblical flair.
Appealing as the narrative might be, however, what really makes Geye’s The Lighthouse Road an exceptional book, in this reader’s opinion, is his exploration of the space between the inner psychology of his characters and the external geography of the world that they inhabit, and the network of moorings that hold the entire living system together like a great novel. The more eloquent of his analogies are the human skeleton in Hosea’s medical office and the white pine skeleton of Odd’s boat, both considered individually and conflated. “Odd studied the delicate curve of the ribs, the intricacies of the spinal column, the interconnectedness of the entire system . . . and thought of the boat,” and Geye’s readers have the privilege of watching the whole system in motion.
Weighing in just shy of 300 pages, The Lighthouse Road is one of those rare species of modest books that feels like an epic while it’s being read. Most likely, this is on account of both its historic breadth and the amount of time the author must have spent researching in order that it read with authenticity. A talented newcomer, Geye is not only particularly good at rendering his characters’ psychology and emotions, he’s damn good at drawing his readers into those metaphysical spaces (a talent less frequently found – there is a Japanese writer named Yoshikichi Furui who does this particularly well), and this is, perhaps, where The Lighthouse Road achieves its depth.
Appealing as the narrative might be, however, what really makes Geye’s The Lighthouse Road an exceptional book, in this reader’s opinion, is his exploration of the space between the inner psychology of his characters and the external geography of the world that they inhabit, and the network of moorings that hold the entire living system together like a great novel. The more eloquent of his analogies are the human skeleton in Hosea’s medical office and the white pine skeleton of Odd’s boat, both considered individually and conflated. “Odd studied the delicate curve of the ribs, the intricacies of the spinal column, the interconnectedness of the entire system . . . and thought of the boat,” and Geye’s readers have the privilege of watching the whole system in motion.
Weighing in just shy of 300 pages, The Lighthouse Road is one of those rare species of modest books that feels like an epic while it’s being read. Most likely, this is on account of both its historic breadth and the amount of time the author must have spent researching in order that it read with authenticity. A talented newcomer, Geye is not only particularly good at rendering his characters’ psychology and emotions, he’s damn good at drawing his readers into those metaphysical spaces (a talent less frequently found – there is a Japanese writer named Yoshikichi Furui who does this particularly well), and this is, perhaps, where The Lighthouse Road achieves its depth.
May 26, 2012
Without the constant juggling of the timeline this book would have been a better read. Moving from Odd's birth through his life in flashforwards and flashbacks meant the narrative thread was often confused - what age was he? where was he living? what was going on? The prose also was erratic, ranging from beautifully sparse to nearly Melville-esque detail (as when Odd bought tools to finish his keel). Again, that's jarring for a reader.
Sadly, as much as I would have enjoyed reading about the Norwegian settlements in the Midwest during the 1890s-1930s, those two problems led to a DNF.
ARC provided by publisher.
Sadly, as much as I would have enjoyed reading about the Norwegian settlements in the Midwest during the 1890s-1930s, those two problems led to a DNF.
ARC provided by publisher.
October 19, 2024
Set in Minnesota during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Odd Eide is the son of a Norwegian immigrant whose mother died shortly after she gave birth to him. It opens with his birth and ends when he finds out more about why his mother died. He gets involved with one of his mother’s friends, despite their age difference. They eventually take a journey together to find a location to resettle. For me, this is one of those middle of the road types of books. It is a character-driven novel and they are well-developed, but the structure is overly complicated. It switches back and forth among characters and timelines, and as a result, feels disjointed. I did not see the need for all the jumping around. The writing is decent, and it has a well-crafted sense of place. I liked parts of it, but other parts were tedious.
March 31, 2013
In 1896 a young Norwegian immigrant woman dies shortly after giving birth in a small town in the northern wilderness of Minnesota. 25 years later her surviving son will discover the truth surrounding his mother's death - a truth that has been shaping his life and destiny - a truth that will destroy everything he believes about those he loves.
I became a huge fan of Peter Geye when I read Safe From the Sea last July. In The Lighthouse Road Geye once again displays his talent for creating realistic settings that are so vivid it's as if you are there shivering and freezing in the dark, cold heart of a Minnesota winter. Braving a Minnesota winter can be difficult in our modern times, but to do it at the turn of the twentieth century is an act of stunning courage.
Winter is as much an enigmatic character as the stoic, strange group of people who live in Gunflint, Minnesota. Each character in The Lighthouse Road is flawed either spiritually or emotionally and it's these flaws, or unrequited needs, that drives them as they tackle their demons. Even Hosea, a character that will turn your stomach, has a sliver of humanity and reasons to be forgiven.
As a work of historical fiction Geye accurately portrays the plight of poor women in the United States during the late 1800s and the tragic sadness of their limited opportunities. Thea and Rebekah both are in dire circumstances and their choices will change the direction of their lives and impact the people of Gunflint for years.
How big a fan am I of Peter Geye? Well, last November when Geye was promoting his book and my mother (who lives in Minnesota) asked me what I wanted for Christmas - I replied a signed copy of this book and sent her all his tour stops in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Not only did Santa bring me this book signed he/she also brought me a signed copy of Safe from the Sea. And people say they don't believe.
I became a huge fan of Peter Geye when I read Safe From the Sea last July. In The Lighthouse Road Geye once again displays his talent for creating realistic settings that are so vivid it's as if you are there shivering and freezing in the dark, cold heart of a Minnesota winter. Braving a Minnesota winter can be difficult in our modern times, but to do it at the turn of the twentieth century is an act of stunning courage.
Winter is as much an enigmatic character as the stoic, strange group of people who live in Gunflint, Minnesota. Each character in The Lighthouse Road is flawed either spiritually or emotionally and it's these flaws, or unrequited needs, that drives them as they tackle their demons. Even Hosea, a character that will turn your stomach, has a sliver of humanity and reasons to be forgiven.
As a work of historical fiction Geye accurately portrays the plight of poor women in the United States during the late 1800s and the tragic sadness of their limited opportunities. Thea and Rebekah both are in dire circumstances and their choices will change the direction of their lives and impact the people of Gunflint for years.
How big a fan am I of Peter Geye? Well, last November when Geye was promoting his book and my mother (who lives in Minnesota) asked me what I wanted for Christmas - I replied a signed copy of this book and sent her all his tour stops in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Not only did Santa bring me this book signed he/she also brought me a signed copy of Safe from the Sea. And people say they don't believe.
November 9, 2012
Set in the 1920s and the 1890s in Minnesota, THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD is the multi-generational story of a town of immigrants, orphans, and outcasts trying to make good lives against tough odds in the unforgiving wilds of a young country.
Thea is alone, pregnant, and scared until she finds love in her newborn son Odd (pronounced ‘Ode.’) Rebekah sells a piece of her soul for a place in the world, but can’t resist the lure of personal happiness. Hosea’s pride and intelligence fool him into believing he can control those under his care. Odd is the heart of the novel and the town, and represents the best of humanity in difficult circumstances.
From the onset, THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD ensnares the reader and won’t let go. With winter settings chilling enough to raise the hair on one’s arms, to portrayals of human love strong enough to warm the heart, THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD is highly evocative and poignant. Scenes of childbirth, rum-running, wolf hunting, boat building, and doomed love give intensity to the plot, while the interior lives of the people of the town and the choices they make bring the characters to life.
I don’t make this comparison lightly, but echoes of Hemingway resound in the clean prose, themes of love and death, and in the portrayal of men, women, and relationships. If the better aspects of Hemingway’s TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT and the purity of the truest hero in literature as portrayed in THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA blended together, they could create THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD.
For those who enjoy historical works of literary fiction, I give THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD my highest recommendation. It is one of my favorite books of 2012, and I can’t wait to dig into Geye’s back list.
Thea is alone, pregnant, and scared until she finds love in her newborn son Odd (pronounced ‘Ode.’) Rebekah sells a piece of her soul for a place in the world, but can’t resist the lure of personal happiness. Hosea’s pride and intelligence fool him into believing he can control those under his care. Odd is the heart of the novel and the town, and represents the best of humanity in difficult circumstances.
From the onset, THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD ensnares the reader and won’t let go. With winter settings chilling enough to raise the hair on one’s arms, to portrayals of human love strong enough to warm the heart, THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD is highly evocative and poignant. Scenes of childbirth, rum-running, wolf hunting, boat building, and doomed love give intensity to the plot, while the interior lives of the people of the town and the choices they make bring the characters to life.
I don’t make this comparison lightly, but echoes of Hemingway resound in the clean prose, themes of love and death, and in the portrayal of men, women, and relationships. If the better aspects of Hemingway’s TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT and the purity of the truest hero in literature as portrayed in THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA blended together, they could create THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD.
For those who enjoy historical works of literary fiction, I give THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD my highest recommendation. It is one of my favorite books of 2012, and I can’t wait to dig into Geye’s back list.
November 27, 2015
Peter Geye's 'Lighthouse Road' has been on my 'to-read' list since giving away a box of free copies to random strangers on 'World Book Night' a year ago. An experience that is always surprising and interesting, I look forward to the books that are chosen each year and the chance to do a little shilling for literacy. Giving away free books isn't the easy 'slam dunk' it would seem to be though. I was asked to leave a shopping mall for 'unlicensed solicitation' by the mall cop - what, the books are free?, and given lots of suspicious looks from passersby. Something for nothing - there must be a catch. The only 'catch' was a great read and an historical novel that captures the cold,stark landscape of turn-of-the-century Minnesota and the cold, stark realities of our immigrant heritage. Wood camps, fishing and boatbuilding, apothecaries, and hucksters fill the pages. I loved the period history and Odd Eide is a character whose goodness and heartbreak will stick with me for a while.
January 10, 2016
I thought the book The Lighthouse Road by Peter Geye would be a good book to read since I enjoy reading historical fiction and the book cover appealed to me. I didn't even finish reading it because the writing style was too difficult. The author goes back and forth in time frequently---sometimes I find that adds to the interest of the book---but not in this case. Sometimes the author leaped ahead and sometimes back in time---the transitions were just too difficult to follow. I found the writing style rough as well. It just couldn't hold my interest sufficiently to make the effort to continue through it.
October 31, 2012
Lives of quiet desperation in cold, harsh Minnesota in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Four sad, depressing characters have their stories slowly revealed as the author takes the reader back and forth from the 1890s and the 1920s. There is a claustrophobic feel to the book as the characters struggle to live within very restricted geographical and emotional boundaries. Definitely atmospheric,moody and haunting. I received the book as a Goodreads giveaway, but try as might, I just couldn't like it.
February 21, 2014
I read this as part of the World Book Night Challenge. It was a story told in different times - of a young woman newly immigrated to the US from Norway in the 1890s and of her son, over 20 years later. It involves some discussion about boat building, not something that interests me or that I know anything about, but this wasn't a large part of the story. But I just never really got very caught up in the story.
I didn't feel very invested in the characters, although I was more interested in the story following the son than the story of his mother. And in the end, I felt dissatisfied with the way the author finished.
There are some glowing reviews on the back cover of my copy, and in my opinion, it doesn't live up to any of them. "The Lighthouse Road is a small marvel of a book... A beautifully written, elegantly constructed novel." Emily St John Mandel. And there are 4 other reviews in the same vein. I just couldn't see it.
I didn't feel very invested in the characters, although I was more interested in the story following the son than the story of his mother. And in the end, I felt dissatisfied with the way the author finished.
There are some glowing reviews on the back cover of my copy, and in my opinion, it doesn't live up to any of them. "The Lighthouse Road is a small marvel of a book... A beautifully written, elegantly constructed novel." Emily St John Mandel. And there are 4 other reviews in the same vein. I just couldn't see it.
November 9, 2012
A blurb on the cover of this book refers to it as "A cinematic thundercloud gusting across the northern landscape". I don't know, but to me it just seemed, to use the same metaphor, as a lowlaying dark cloud that meandered through the sky. In other words, pretty boring. I am usually drawn to Minnesota authors and those that write of Minnesota landscapes and people. But I couldn't wrap around any of these characters. There were no big surpises, no gasps of disbelief, no realizing that I didn't see that coming...it was just words and then in ended.
February 10, 2013
I was rather disappointed in this book. I bought it while visiting Bayfield, WI. The local bookstore had it on display because it was about Lake Superior. The book started out good, but the ending left me disappointed. And since that is the last feeling I had about the book, my overall rating is low.
October 18, 2012
I feel like gushing, letting the clichés unleash in a flood of unholy praise. Using “unleash” like that? Cliché?
This was a great book. I loved it. First, the setting is novel. As a city girl who (tragically, inevitably) lives in the desert, I found myself wide-eyed and dazzled by Peter Geye’s snowy wilderness in the Midwest. Boats! Apothecaries! People named Hosea and Odd! A fish house! What’s a fish house?
But it’s the story, which is ultimately about survivors. People who make it. Though there is a life-threatening bear attack, I’m talking about other kinds of survival: enduring, persevering, and overcoming personal and historical legacies, the human-centric kind—crossing oceans in search of a new life, getting nursed by quacks or fleeing brothels, suffering from the weight of your lineage or lack of one. Some people go on; others do not. Some people live well; others flounder in their past. I found this book rich in such musings.
I was also jealous when I read it. I want to do this! I want to write intricate prose that sounds like a lullaby, plays in the snow, and weaves history together! Geye does that, you know! The story follows multiple historical narrative threads, and puts them all together (and it’s not confusing at all). I was jealous of the complexity and the breadth of the narrative. I had a wave of anxiety when I read this book: I want to be taken seriously like people are going to take this book seriously.
But that’s just me: jealous fool.
At any rate, read it. Cliché-time: it’s rich, original, refreshing, riveting! I may have to do a little investigation into this fish house-business. Peter Geye, the working title of my next book is SAPPHO EATS CATFISH. Though it’s been that way for a while, think of the fish-element in there as a teeny, tiny tribute to your wonderful book. Even if there are no catfish in it.
This was a great book. I loved it. First, the setting is novel. As a city girl who (tragically, inevitably) lives in the desert, I found myself wide-eyed and dazzled by Peter Geye’s snowy wilderness in the Midwest. Boats! Apothecaries! People named Hosea and Odd! A fish house! What’s a fish house?
But it’s the story, which is ultimately about survivors. People who make it. Though there is a life-threatening bear attack, I’m talking about other kinds of survival: enduring, persevering, and overcoming personal and historical legacies, the human-centric kind—crossing oceans in search of a new life, getting nursed by quacks or fleeing brothels, suffering from the weight of your lineage or lack of one. Some people go on; others do not. Some people live well; others flounder in their past. I found this book rich in such musings.
I was also jealous when I read it. I want to do this! I want to write intricate prose that sounds like a lullaby, plays in the snow, and weaves history together! Geye does that, you know! The story follows multiple historical narrative threads, and puts them all together (and it’s not confusing at all). I was jealous of the complexity and the breadth of the narrative. I had a wave of anxiety when I read this book: I want to be taken seriously like people are going to take this book seriously.
But that’s just me: jealous fool.
At any rate, read it. Cliché-time: it’s rich, original, refreshing, riveting! I may have to do a little investigation into this fish house-business. Peter Geye, the working title of my next book is SAPPHO EATS CATFISH. Though it’s been that way for a while, think of the fish-element in there as a teeny, tiny tribute to your wonderful book. Even if there are no catfish in it.
October 8, 2012
I found The Lighthouse Road to be an unusual, compelling book, with a setting that grabbed my attention and characters that made me think.
The best parts of this book for me were the characters of Odd and his mother, Thea. Odd's an unusual man with an unusual life, and that's fine. He'll do what needs to be done, but he'll put his own spin on it.
His mother's story was even more compelling. Thea left behind everything she knew to come to America. Unfortunately, she did not arrive to see the situation she expected, but somehow managed to keep going, even after a devastating experience.
Hosea was the most interesting character, town doctor and purveyor of merchandise legitimate and otherwise. Nothing was straightforward where he was concerned. He'd do almost anything to earn a dollar, but he rarely intended harm to anyone.
All of this takes place in a richly drawn historical setting, Thea's story in an isolated lumber camp in Minnesota in the 1890s, Odd's in the same place, a little less isolated in the 1920s. The effect that the weather and the geography has on the characters permeates the book, giving it shape and substance.
And then there's the story. It's an interesting one, but much of it resolves around the one major character that didn't entirely work for me. Rebekah played a major role in both stories, and I didn't quite understand her motivations that drove so much of what happened.
I may well have been missing something, and I'd love to be part of a book club discussion. I think there's a lot of good material to talk about, and I think I'd appreciate it even more after sharing ideas.
Even without that, I enjoyed reading The Lighthouse Road.
The best parts of this book for me were the characters of Odd and his mother, Thea. Odd's an unusual man with an unusual life, and that's fine. He'll do what needs to be done, but he'll put his own spin on it.
His mother's story was even more compelling. Thea left behind everything she knew to come to America. Unfortunately, she did not arrive to see the situation she expected, but somehow managed to keep going, even after a devastating experience.
Hosea was the most interesting character, town doctor and purveyor of merchandise legitimate and otherwise. Nothing was straightforward where he was concerned. He'd do almost anything to earn a dollar, but he rarely intended harm to anyone.
All of this takes place in a richly drawn historical setting, Thea's story in an isolated lumber camp in Minnesota in the 1890s, Odd's in the same place, a little less isolated in the 1920s. The effect that the weather and the geography has on the characters permeates the book, giving it shape and substance.
And then there's the story. It's an interesting one, but much of it resolves around the one major character that didn't entirely work for me. Rebekah played a major role in both stories, and I didn't quite understand her motivations that drove so much of what happened.
I may well have been missing something, and I'd love to be part of a book club discussion. I think there's a lot of good material to talk about, and I think I'd appreciate it even more after sharing ideas.
Even without that, I enjoyed reading The Lighthouse Road.
August 19, 2017
A most excellent 5 star read
Leif Enger said it best..."The Lighthouse Road is like a cinematic thundercloud gusting across the northern landscape"
I very much wanted to read this book as it is set very close to where I live and I love nothing more than to read about places that I have lived.
Like a snowstorm seen in the distance rolling along the land this book starts out slowly, letting you get to know the characters and the landscape, as the words drift around in your head you become enmeshed in this story of Love gone awry, of the incredibly difficult lives the early settlers had, and like a snowstorm when it is done, in the end all is white and cold and quiet. The words in this story are as beautiful as my northern land is, poetic and sparse.
The story starts out in the 1890’s with Thea Eide’s, a young Norwegian immigrant woman who has come to the wild shores of lake Superior and finds herself working in a lumberjack camp. She is alone and does not speak the language. She is taken in by Hosea Grimm the towns doctor and owner of the local apothecary. Thea dies shortly after giving birth to her son Odd (yes, it is Odd…:) and the love and care of the infant Odd goes to Hosea and his daughter Rebekah.
Odd grows to manhood and falls in love with someone he should not. He builds a gorgeous boat by hand to cross the large and dangerous great lake, Superior and take him & his beloved far from all that he knows.
A wonderful book, I will be looking forward to more from Mr. Geye
I won this on goodreads for a fair and honest review
Leif Enger said it best..."The Lighthouse Road is like a cinematic thundercloud gusting across the northern landscape"
I very much wanted to read this book as it is set very close to where I live and I love nothing more than to read about places that I have lived.
Like a snowstorm seen in the distance rolling along the land this book starts out slowly, letting you get to know the characters and the landscape, as the words drift around in your head you become enmeshed in this story of Love gone awry, of the incredibly difficult lives the early settlers had, and like a snowstorm when it is done, in the end all is white and cold and quiet. The words in this story are as beautiful as my northern land is, poetic and sparse.
The story starts out in the 1890’s with Thea Eide’s, a young Norwegian immigrant woman who has come to the wild shores of lake Superior and finds herself working in a lumberjack camp. She is alone and does not speak the language. She is taken in by Hosea Grimm the towns doctor and owner of the local apothecary. Thea dies shortly after giving birth to her son Odd (yes, it is Odd…:) and the love and care of the infant Odd goes to Hosea and his daughter Rebekah.
Odd grows to manhood and falls in love with someone he should not. He builds a gorgeous boat by hand to cross the large and dangerous great lake, Superior and take him & his beloved far from all that he knows.
A wonderful book, I will be looking forward to more from Mr. Geye
I won this on goodreads for a fair and honest review
December 18, 2012
I was introduced to Peter Geye's first book, SAFE FROM THE SEA, a couple of years ago and immediately fell in love with the story of an estranged father and son, set on the stark shores of rural Minnesota. I was thrilled that he had a new book (and I'm fairly obsessed with the books from his publisher, Unbridled--they always work for me, period.) THE LIGHTHOUSE ROAD is another story featuring the wild terrain of the state I now call home--back in the late 19th and early 20th century. Like SAFE he explores the depths of relationships between children and absent parents in both heartbreaking and heartwarming ways. Odd Eide has an incredibly difficult life but bears it with amazing dignity. Geye's writing is spare and beautiful at the same time. Literary fiction at its best, and another winner from Peter Geye and Unbridled.
October 25, 2012
There are books you pick up and read when you have a moment here and there. And then there are books that beg to be anticipated and planned for. You can't wait to get to it, but you plan for a large block of quiet time, find your favorite reading nook, and block out everything else so you can savor every sentence. The Lighthouse Road is such a book.
Themes of family, abandonment, betrayal, immigration, wilderness. In particular, Peter Geye is masterful in creating very real characters and bringing the wilderness of northern Minnesota to life. Had to pause several times in reading dialogue to process just how resonant and meaningful the characters' words were.
One of my new favorite authors!
Themes of family, abandonment, betrayal, immigration, wilderness. In particular, Peter Geye is masterful in creating very real characters and bringing the wilderness of northern Minnesota to life. Had to pause several times in reading dialogue to process just how resonant and meaningful the characters' words were.
One of my new favorite authors!
October 11, 2012
Peter Geye successfully weaves three timelines (late 1800s and early 1900s) and four distinct characters to tell the story of a family of sorts in a small town perched on the edge of Lake Superior. Most of the novel hinges on one-eyed Odd, an orphan, and the people who care for him, or try to. There is lots of trouble in this story, wolves and illness and pervasive melancholy, but people cluster together to fight against the dangers of animals and weather, as well as the internal forces that urge survival in the face of adversity. The undercurrents of loneliness and love run as deep as the lake, and secrets hold sway over every act. This story pulled me in and wouldn't let go until the very last word.
February 3, 2013
Peter Geye writes with the mesmerizing power of the snowstorms that so often come howling off Lake Superior. I am in awe of how he swirls through so many years and juggles so many characters, all of them unforgettable and weighed down by secrets and regrets and desires that burn through the hoarfrost of Geye's bristling sentences.
August 26, 2021
This is a different sort of book, involving the main character, Odd, his mother, Thea-whom he did not know-Rebekah, who helped raise Odd, and Hosea, who raised both Odd and Rebekah. Sounds confusing, eh? It is told in an interesting way, starting at Odd’s birth, where all four characters are together for the only time, then jumps forth, and back and around. The year to keep in mind is 1896, when Odd was born-that is how I kept track of ages. The characters are interesting-Hosea, perhaps the most. There are secrets, but, without spoilers, I cannot delve into them here.
The thing that jumps out the most is the atmosphere-cold, icy, foggy, and gray. The relationships are strange and certainly out of the norm, one of which is abusive. Everything does mesh, there are multiple onion skin layers, and all is revealed slowly.
There are excellent secondary characters-the fatherly and godly Harald, and Odd’s wonderful best friend, Danny Riverfish.
Why I gave it only 3 stars is a mystery, even to me. I just feel that I will not remember it, and there is an absence of something. Also, it goes into detail with the building of a boat, descriptions of places-coves, bays, rivers, etc. that did not add a thing to the story, in my opinion. The whole thing was a bit…foggy.
The thing that jumps out the most is the atmosphere-cold, icy, foggy, and gray. The relationships are strange and certainly out of the norm, one of which is abusive. Everything does mesh, there are multiple onion skin layers, and all is revealed slowly.
There are excellent secondary characters-the fatherly and godly Harald, and Odd’s wonderful best friend, Danny Riverfish.
Why I gave it only 3 stars is a mystery, even to me. I just feel that I will not remember it, and there is an absence of something. Also, it goes into detail with the building of a boat, descriptions of places-coves, bays, rivers, etc. that did not add a thing to the story, in my opinion. The whole thing was a bit…foggy.
August 2, 2022
This had been on my TBR since 2013 and I decided to have my in person book club read it. Well-written, this is a grim story with echoes of East of Eden. Told from alternating points of view, back and forth over 40 years, I was dissatisfied. These characters are living a very hard life in northern Minnesota, some working in logging camps, some fishing and building boats. Few of them are satisfied, many are just going through motions trying to find some happiness. I am glad I read it, but this is not a book for me.
January 3, 2021
Realistic portrayal of turn of the century Northern MN. A harsh life! Family trauma and flawed characters...I liked the big dogs guarding the logging camp from wolves, and the boy stumbling upon the bear den. Well written.
August 15, 2025
This is a 10 star book. You fall into each character and see through their eyes. Great descriptions without being overly wordy. Compelling story through out.
June 8, 2020
A good family saga.
March 17, 2017
3.5 stars
It was a little slow and depressing, but I liked it overall. I bought Wintering without realizing that it was the second in a series, so I had to read this first. I was drawn to the series because it takes place in Minnesota and the characters are Norwegian immigrants or of Norwegian heritage.
It was a little slow and depressing, but I liked it overall. I bought Wintering without realizing that it was the second in a series, so I had to read this first. I was drawn to the series because it takes place in Minnesota and the characters are Norwegian immigrants or of Norwegian heritage.
September 2, 2013
I read Peter Geye’s other book, “Safe from the Sea,” and I liked it, so I thought I would like this one. It did not disappoint. I’m not going to get into the plot (you can read that in the book’s description on this site) but I will tell you what I liked and what gave me pause.
The storytelling in this novel is wonderful. Event the “bad guy,” Hosea Grimm, is crafted with a complexity of character that shows the author’s deep understanding of human nature. The same goes for another potentially unsympathetic character, Rebekah Grimm, Hosea’s “daughter.” She ends up doing something unthinkable to most women, yet readers can understand her plight because her character is so skillfully crafted.
There’s a reason this book won the Northeastern MN Book Award. The tale, set in the past, is full of all things northern Minnesotan: lumberjacks, Norwegian fishermen, Lake Superior, cold weather (even the summer scenes felt cold and stark to me), boats, wolves, and ravens (an unkindness of ravens, at that!)
Endings of novels are important to me. I’m of two minds about this one. Part of me admires the artfulness of it. Another part doesn’t like the tenuousness of it. The main character (Odd, pronounced Ode) and his son Harry are out on Lake Superior ice fishing, while Rebekah, who has become a madwoman, is watching out a window on shore. The wind has switched and fissures are forming. Despite this, Odd and Harry stay on the ice because they are having such good luck fishing. Readers are left to make up their own minds about what happens to them.
Anyone who is familiar with ice fishing knows the characters are not in a good situation. The most inane thing that could happen (besides nothing) is they float away on an ice floe and require rescue. The least inane thing is that they drown. Why would an author allow that possibility for characters that he took so long in crafting? I can see how readers could be put off by this – to read the whole book only to have the characters die in the end.
However, they don’t actually die in the story and such situations are all part of the risks of living close to nature. Perhaps the ending signifies how, as orphans, these characters are cast adrift in life. But the literalist in me wonders if it’s wise even to end with the whiff of the possibility of death.
In any event, it’s an awesome read, and thought-provoking.
The storytelling in this novel is wonderful. Event the “bad guy,” Hosea Grimm, is crafted with a complexity of character that shows the author’s deep understanding of human nature. The same goes for another potentially unsympathetic character, Rebekah Grimm, Hosea’s “daughter.” She ends up doing something unthinkable to most women, yet readers can understand her plight because her character is so skillfully crafted.
There’s a reason this book won the Northeastern MN Book Award. The tale, set in the past, is full of all things northern Minnesotan: lumberjacks, Norwegian fishermen, Lake Superior, cold weather (even the summer scenes felt cold and stark to me), boats, wolves, and ravens (an unkindness of ravens, at that!)
Endings of novels are important to me. I’m of two minds about this one. Part of me admires the artfulness of it. Another part doesn’t like the tenuousness of it. The main character (Odd, pronounced Ode) and his son Harry are out on Lake Superior ice fishing, while Rebekah, who has become a madwoman, is watching out a window on shore. The wind has switched and fissures are forming. Despite this, Odd and Harry stay on the ice because they are having such good luck fishing. Readers are left to make up their own minds about what happens to them.
Anyone who is familiar with ice fishing knows the characters are not in a good situation. The most inane thing that could happen (besides nothing) is they float away on an ice floe and require rescue. The least inane thing is that they drown. Why would an author allow that possibility for characters that he took so long in crafting? I can see how readers could be put off by this – to read the whole book only to have the characters die in the end.
However, they don’t actually die in the story and such situations are all part of the risks of living close to nature. Perhaps the ending signifies how, as orphans, these characters are cast adrift in life. But the literalist in me wonders if it’s wise even to end with the whiff of the possibility of death.
In any event, it’s an awesome read, and thought-provoking.
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