Upcountry

by Chin-Sun Lee

A middle-class ex-Manhattanite, a cash-strapped single mother, and a young member
of an obscure religious “sect,” become entangled in a
Catskills town.



Claire Pedersen and her husband are relocating from NYC to the
Catskills—they have found a terrific deal on a property in foreclosure.
The house has been in April Ives’ family for three generations, but the
single mother of three children from two different fathers needs the
money. Claire and April are instantly antagonistic, but the sale proceeds,
and renovations begin.



Soon after, Claire’s husband develops an erotic fascination with
Anna, a young member of a nearby religious community called The
Eternals. Two marriages—and one pregnancy—swiftly and dramatically
end. Claire is left to finish the renovation and salvage the life she had
imagined. April, meanwhile, is dealing with her ex who has just been
released from prison on a drug charge and the decision of whether or
not to let him build a relationship with the son he has never known.



Life “upcountry” means close encounters between disparate social
Claire and April navigate mutual dislike and unanticipated
empathy. The house remains a sore point for both. Anna is the unhappy fulcrum between the two older women. Shunned from The Eternals
since the incident with Claire’s husband, she yearns to return to their protection. Anna’s strict views on transgression and penance are baffling to
April; for Claire, Anna remains the embodiment of her ruined marriage. 

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2023

About the author

Chin-Sun Lee is the youngest child of North Korean exiles—both her parents having fled their native provinces for Seoul at the outset of the Korean War. After a long career in fashion design, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing at The New School in New York. Her work has appeared in The Rumpus, Joyland, Your Impossible Voice, The Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review, and The Believer Logger, among other publications. She's also a contributor to the New York Times bestselling anthology Women in Clothes (Blue Rider Press/Penguin 2014). She currently lives in New Orleans, working on her second novel. Upcountry is her debut.

Reviews

[Teresa]

Lee’s debut novel is an intricate dance of three women whose lives intersect and interlock in various ways in a small village in the Catskills. Events are set in motion with the sale of one woman’s longtime family home to a newcomer. Themes of real estate, outsiders, exploitation, and prejudice lead the reader into a weather event that then leads to drastic changes for two of the women and a revelation for the third.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

With stunning precision, disquieting tension, and assured prose, Lee delivers a transporting and spellbinding story of resiliency and despair, faith and distrust, identity and community I rapidly devoured. --- My interview with Lee at Chicago Review of Books: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2023/11/...

[hannah lee]

Felt a little bit unsatisfied by the ending of this book. I thought that there was a lot more that could have been explored through the characters and was not so much upset by the decision to (spoiler) kill off one of the characters but the execution of it. It seemed like it was more for the convenience of the plot than anything else.

Really well-written and I really appreciated the depth of the characters—I can imagine them as if they were characters in a movie. This book tackles dark topics (religious cults, broken families, drug abuse, sexual abuse, etc.) and speaks to the resiliency of human nature and what it means to create meaning in one’s own life in spite of the trials & tribulations of life. I also deeply respect Chin-Sun Lee’s approach in exploring different aspects of spirituality (religion, psychic, atheism) and how different spiritual views influence one’s response to suffering in the world without feeling prescriptive or casting judgement on any particular view. Much to continue reflecting and pondering over aspects of my own life :-)

[☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um????



SPOILERS:


was this book about a woman buying house fixing it for the previous owner and then dying???

Idk girl I'm really unsatisfied with whatever happened here ,i was expecting more and i wanted more.

The writing was great but it was not tying together ,it felt like things were happening and its not going anywhere,

I Couldn't connect with the characters and felt detached ,and the only character i somewhat care about died ,throughout the story she was suffering and only suffering which made no sense.

I will check out the Author again she is a good writer but the story structure was lacking here

[Cherise Wolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning during the recession in 2009, and over a couple of years, the lives of three women intersect in the fictional town of Caliban, in upstate New York. There is aloof Manhattan attorney Claire Pedersen, married to depressive painter Sebastian, who buys the family home of April Ives, a single mother of three who works several jobs, which isn't far from the compound of The Eternals, a religious sect/cult that seems to mix Fundamental Christianity with Judaism, where Anna, then pregnant, and the only Korean-American member of this white cult, lives. It's an open-ended story, at times eerie, that refreshingly doesn't rely on big hooks or trends. A quiet story that seems to say the especially downtrodden and those with faith, no matter how twisted, find ways to outlast the more educated and ostensibly privileged? I was intrigued, even as I was discomfited by these women, and their choices, how they navigate their worlds.

[Melanie Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I couldn’t put it down, stayed up half the night reading it. Vivid, unique characters and relationships, a story with a lot of unexpected twists and turns, and a dazzling creative voice coming from this debut author. Fabulous!

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this story. The premise was appealing to me but I found the delivery to be uninspiring and difficult to get into. This book wasn’t for me.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Unnamed Press for the early read.

[Lisa]

I’m not sure how to rate this. It started so strong and I was drawn in by the tension and disquieting feel of the modern day gothic plot. However, and I know I’m in the minority here, the story drifted for me after the beginning.

[Tegan Breker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe the book that will get me back into reading? Spooky and twisted and so hard to put down!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

YAY CHIN-SUN 🫰🏽🫰🏽 this was a great southern gothic, couldn’t put it down 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

[Emily Perkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tension created in this was so well done. It had horror vibes and I had to keep reminding myself that there probably wasn’t going to be a supernatural mystery or that the Eternals were not going to turn out to be eating the babies. I will say, I loved all of the characters except for the one I really wanted to like, April, which ended up being very frustrating for me towards the end.

Thank you Unnamed Press & NetGalley for the review copy.

[Becca Hilberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two-thirds of the book was very strong and channeling Otessa Moshfegh, but the ending and random death of a main character seemed scrappily put together and too sudden. This book, however, is the author's debut, and they're definitely going to stay on my radar for future books!

[Makailyn Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marked by many casual yet frank meetings and expository thoughts, this book almost lost me. Relating wasn’t in the plans, so it took me a second to buy in and see myself in the story, but in that waiting time I still couldn’t bring myself to call it boring. And so the reflection had opportunity to settle. Quietly thrilling. There’s an eeriness to the book that holds you. Spiritual, with all the necessary components: a grating awareness of corporeality, the volatility of belief, and slight, human-like expressiveness. Nothing is cartoonish or quick. 245 pages of anxiety and fear and such precise writing.

Three completely different (and I would say rightfully paranoid) women constantly find themselves at the center of judgement (which they teeter between attributing to their gossipy town and something more cosmic). This is not a pleasant story. I felt very afraid for them. It’s a very scary thing to be an outcast. Even more frightening to be a woman, whose main function is often as subject, unwillingly so. A subject who recognizes herself ends up in such a precarious position. Still, I love how they converged on each other—not with love so much as with an uneasy tolerance that begets fixation. I wanted more for them, but maybe it’s the best we can do.

“It was vicious, this business of living. Still, what choice did she have but to get on with it?”

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous debut

I do not read much fiction, but this story immediately drew me in. The characters are depressing and relatable, but the mood and the tenor has a very unique approach, with sincere empathy for characters with deep flaws and conviction. There was really never a dull moment, but this was not the type of forward-motion plot that slaps you in the face either - the progress had the right cadence and stayed entertaining. Very nice work from a great new author!

[Kaitlyn Hermansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet, yet eerie story of 3 women whose lives intersect in a small town and are all briefly connected to the same house. Though never overly exciting, this was an intriguing story that still managed to keep me hooked on each character and their lives. Lee manages to give each character depth and fit a wide variety of dark topics into this book, but it never feels rushed or uncalled for. I didn’t find the ending satisfying, but I nonetheless enjoyed this and it made for an interesting read on how one’s spirituality affects them in their personal afflictions.

[Lauren Godshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting from start to finish. All 3 women were fully realized, and you understood their choices even where you disagreed with them. I had a hard time putting this down.

[Heidi Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense and weird. I liked it.

[iris]

Just okay, typical contemporary litfic faire. Wish it had been more of a ghost story and leaned further into genre fiction.

[Daina Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book. the undercurrent of tension and awkwardness between Claire and April in the first chapter immediately piqued my curiosity about these characters and how their different backgrounds will color their relationship. i felt like i was in the room with them when they met. with the introduction of anna and sebastian, the drama builds immediately to a level that was beyond unpredictable. so many things to love about this book, the insightful observations of people who have chosen a place and a way of life, and now have to deal with the people of that place. i stayed up late nights reading as i needed to know what turns the story would take. i highly recommend this book if you are looking for an all absorbing read.

[Elisa Speranza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a spectacular debut novel. Chin-Sun Lee brings us into the beating heart of a small town, with all its buried secrets, grief, loss, and ghosts. Through the eyes of three female protagonists, we're on a guided tour of their lives in this haunted but beautiful landscape, full of broken people and mysterious tragedies that keep us turning the pages. At the root of it all is an abiding sense that our fates are intertwined, whether we like it or not. Lee's prose is lyrical, bracing, and true. Highly recommend.

[Mary Groebner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book on Friday and was through 55 pages before I finally put it down - then finished it the following day. The characters were so different from each other, but so well-drawn and whether I thought I would like them in real life or not, I still wanted to know what would happen to them, how their lives would intersect and where they'd be at the end. Details of their pasts that shaped their intersecting present lives trickled out over the course of the whole book, as did realities of life in a small town. Engaging.

[Loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would never thought I would be this invested in this book. I admit I had low expectations about this book and was surprised how fleshed out and real the characters were. I felt for them, they had problems I could really relate to, even though I haven't gone through the same things myself! The writing was so good I felt it in my gut. Small town life is the same everywhere...

The Eternals cult wasn't that interesting. I initially thought they would be some really esoteric new religion cult but they were just an amalgamation of very strict Christianity and Judaism. Boring. Also Anna was the weakest character, hard to explain but she didn't feel as well written as Claire and April.
There were some things that were left unexplained and minor nitpicks.

All in all, very solid read.

[thubles · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a fantastic little book! really enjoyed the almost atmospheric yet connectedness of the setting. the characters decisions, their reason for their actions, and how seemingly it could be all connected and influenced on the book’s plot. the main three characters, claire, april, and anna, were compelling in their stories and it was interesting to hear their thoughts through the pov shifts. there were some parts about the house that i wished i knew more (what was the rusty smell the women keep smelling? was it related to the history of april’s family with the house) but the ending wrapped up well, not happy but a little satisfying.

[Kristen Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upcountry appeals to a wide range of readers. It hooks like a beach read from the very beginning with an "Oh, no they didn't!" moment and holds you in its grasp until the very end. But make no mistake, Upcountry is rich, its characters deep, its commentary on the housing market, gentrification, religion, the artist's life, small towns and their crippling gossip and limited opportunities thought-provoking. It holds its own amongst literary titles. Lee keeps conflict rolling, but she provides just the right amount of time to process that conflict with beautifully written sentences without ruining the momentum. I highly recommend this book to others.

[Kathy Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel introduced me to three women, each very different from one another and from myself. Yet, on their life journeys they developed into people I was happy to get to know. I found myself appreciating the humanity in each of the women as their individual growth allowed them to learn to appreciate each other. The characterization was vividly drawn. These women will be with me a long time. Hopefully, if I encounter similar people in my own life, I will welcome them with more grace than if I hadn't read this book.

[Sumi Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2/5. An engrossing take on what women must do to survive in a small town in America. The details of each characters past shows how every event (big and small) has a ripple effect which is what eventually led to their lives intersecting. I felt like there were many themes in this book, but definitely a focus on identity, unity, and community.

[Michelle C · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I read a book in one day, but really enjoyed the 3 main characters and could totally visualize them, and how their lives & stories all intertwined around this town and home.

[Carmen Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 strong diverse women thrown together in this smart novel I thoroughly enjoy and recommend!

[Jodi Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention and I just couldn’t put it down. The characters are well developed and the story takes some incredible twists. So good!

[Elvira Colon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Propulsive and dark but not grim. Ultimately hopeful. Cleverly plotted. I felt for each of the three female protagonists. It is so hard to be a woman