The Promise Seed

by Cass Moriarty

An elderly man, living alone in the suburbs, thinks back on his life—the missed opportunities, the shocking betrayals, the rare moments of joy. When his 10-year-old neighbor hides in his garden one afternoon, they begin an unexpected friendship that gives them a reprieve from their individual struggles. The boy, left to his own devices by his mother, finds solace in gardening and playing chess with his new friend, who is still battling the demons of his past. When a sinister figure enters the boy’s life, he has to choose between his burgeoning friendship and blood ties. Can the old man protect the boy he has come to know—and redeem the boy he once was? A poignant novel by a fresh new voice, The Promise Seed will linger long after the last page is turned.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary, Australia

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Suffice to say that life is a long, hard road, and I learnt that lesson early.’

An elderly man, a ten-year-old boy. They are neighbours on a suburban street in Brisbane. The man meets the boy after the boy takes refuge in his garden one afternoon. I don’t think that we ever learn their names, but we do learn about them and their circumstances. The man’s narrative is related to us in the first person, while the boy’s is told in the third. Who are they? What are their stories?

The man is at the centre of the story: we see parts of his life through his eyes. While he’s experienced occasional moments of joy, much of his life has been a series of betrayals, of being abandoned and of abandoning others. He’s wary. He doesn’t want to get to close to others: the pain of leaving or being left is too great.

And the boy? He’s neglected by his mother whose poor judgement reflects her own neediness and insecurity. The boy and the man begin an unlikely friendship. The man lets down his guard, the boy learns about gardening, about chooks and gardening. He also learns of the promise in a seed. But life is not going to suddenly improve and become ‘happy ever after’ for either the man or the boy. The man has a past which will be used to judge him, the boy has a mother he tries to protect.

As I read this story, I kept thinking that unnamed men and boys (as well as unnamed women and girls) live in the streets around each of us. And some of those unnamed people have been damaged (just like the central characters in this book). As I read this story, I’m reminded of just how hard existence can be for some. And how very easily damaged children can become damaging adults.

I found it difficult to put this novel down. I know similar stories: I wish they were all just a fiction. This was Ms Moriarty’s debut novel, and it is a difficult, powerful read. I am left with questions about how we should protect children, especially children in dysfunctional, abusive families. I am saddened by the experiences of both the man and the boy. Yes, our children should be wary of strangers but how cruel, how tragic it is that much of what children need to be wary of will happen within the family?

I hoped that somewhere after the final page of the novel, the man and the boy can find more happiness in their lives. I found this a challenging novel to read. I won’t forget it.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[J.M. Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Promise Seed' beautifully renders the difficult life of a ten year old boy and the friendship he develops with his elderly neighbour, who has his own sad story. Every part of this book spoke to me and the truths in it make it such a powerful narrative. The boy in the story has a dysfunctional home life. I recognised him from working as a police officer and taking my own kids to school. I despair for him, for all the 'lost' children who are poorly parented by self-absorbed idiots and who slip through the cracks because having a shit parent is not illegal and not serious enough for child services. I wish each one had a kind and understanding neighbour, an adult in their life they can count on. The storyline itself was engaging. The elderly man's life is slowly uncovered with a final twist I didn't see coming. I've been thinking about this book and the questions it raises since I finished reading it. To me, that is the mark of a quality story told well.

[Leeann Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written, and well
paced novel. I loved the tender relationship between the elderly man and the young boy. The novel was reminiscent of Sophia Laguna's Miles Franklin Award winner, Eye of the Sheep, as both deal with the theme of child abuse. This is difficult subject matter to tackle, and at times it is a very difficult novel to read, but Cass Moriarty has crafted this poignant tale with skill and empathy. This boy sits in my classroom every day.

[Kali Napier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Promise Seed, a debut novel by Cass Moriarty, cracks open two suburban homes side-by-side on a Brisbane street, to explore complex issues of ‘family’ and ‘home’. There are two entwining narratives–that of a seventy-six-year old man, told in the first person, and that of a ten-year-old boy, told in the third. The old man is the centre of the story, and the reader learns of his life as a boy growing up in rural Queensland, as a young man in Melbourne, and his middle age in Brisbane, to the present day. He has learned bitter lessons along the “long, hard road” of his life.
Read more of my review here: https://kalinapier.wordpress.com/2016...

[Kym OGorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many emotions reading this book. The warmth of familiarity of my home town and the area I live. Hope for a young boy that was dealt a rough start in life. Gratitude for the relationship between the old man and the boy. Plus despair, disgust, dread. It's a beautifully written book that is at times confronting and challenging but very difficult to put down.

[Poppy Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely novel about the relationship between an elderly man and a young boy. The mystery at the heart of the novel is cleverly unraveled and kept me wondering until the end. Dark themes are subtly explored; in particular one shocking scene is so deftly written I immediately read it twice to be certain. The language is descriptive yet not heavy handed. There is an underlying joy to the novel that reminded me of another favourite Australian debut novel Mr Wigg. Cass Moriarty expertly juggles perspectives and time, carrying the reader back and forth between gritty present day suburban Brisbane and the intrigue of boys homes and country towns of a bygone era.

[BirnitaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this book & author nearly a year ago but somehow it took me this long to read it. What a mistake! Can't believe I inadvertently delayed inhaling this beautiful, well written Australian story. As a Queenslander I knew many of the locations yet Cass Moriarty's evocative descriptions made me sink into the pages as if I was an invisible onlooker to the unfolding tale within. The novel centres around an elderly man and his young neighbour who develop an unlikely friendship. Each finds something they need in the other as they struggle to contain & deal with their darkest secrets. A richly rewarding read and one that has the potential to become a classic Australian must-read.

[Johanna Rooy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book easy to read and I loved the intersecting lives of the boy and the man. It was not a happy tale but one of the truth in the lives of many, complex yet the simplicity is so close. It was a story of hope, pain and half memories and a special friendship.

[June Thorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book by another great Brisbane writer. The story of an old man and a boy and a friendship that binds them together. It is a sad story in many ways but uplifting as well. Well worth the read

[Leanne Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply moving story about a man and his search for redemption and how it is delivered in the most unlikely of ways, disturbing and beautiful all at once

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown away by this book. The credibility of the cruelty. So authentic because it springs from somethign so real - the thick rope that binds us to our family. The writers craft is evident from the beginning, the stark image of the cold in that first paragraph slaps you in the face like a memory and you know you are in the hands of a masterfully observant and vivid writer. Now that I've finished, I just want to hear more of the conversation between the old man and the boy. Just listen to the nurturing sounds of their banter and believe that they are saved, together.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written tale of a lovely but complicated friendship between an elderly man and young boy. There are dark elements in the book centring around violence but these are important issues to raise and Moriarity does it well in the form of fiction. One thought that remained with me after finishing the book, was the struggle the boy has in focusing at school given his home issues. As a teacher you realise how much baggage some children bring with them to the school desk and how hard it is to cut through.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am telling everyone I meet about this book, my hairdresser, the Uber driver, all my book friends and this is what I tell them - "If you only read one book this year, then read this." Absorbing characters, confronting topic but written with a confident tender voice. Definitely an author to watch!!!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a first novel I thought this book was outstanding. In a poignant narrative dealing with the relationship between an old man with secrets and a young boy suffering neglect, the author has beautifully captured the voices of both the man and the child.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Promise Seed’ by Cass Moriarty

Held responsible for his baby sister’s death, and sent away to an institution for wayward children, a now-elderly man has spent a lifetime trying to outrun his shadows. In his twilight years, as he looks back and tries to fit the broken pieces of his youth and adulthood together, he meets the young boy next door. At first the youngster is just an annoyance, clanging his stick against the old man’s fence. Soon, though, he is on the inside of the fence, an afternoon companion, gardening with the old man, taking care of his chickens and learning to play chess. For the boy, the friendship is a reprieve from a life of neglect and broken promises. As he tries to care for and pacify his unstable mother in the hope of winning back the comfort and love he imagines he once had, a sinister threat to the boy’s very existence creeps into his world. ‘The Promise Seed’ maps intricate territories of soul, exploring layers of loss and broken trust and the intrinsic human need to belong and find acceptance. Cass Moriarty is a masterful storyteller, her voice fearless and powerful, exposing the beauty and the terror that often lies beneath the surface of apparently ordinary lives.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story of the gradual friendship that blossoms between an elderly man and a young boy, both of whom are struggling. It is poignant, tender and heart-breaking. The comparison between both their childhoods compared to the childhoods most of us enjoyed is vast and incomprehensible. A chocolate for a Christmas present, a day at the beach, a few seconds attention from his mother were absolute highlights to them. The story is well paced, with a mystery solved and a confrontation we knew had to come. It is written alternately from the child's perspective and the man's with an absolutely perfect ending.

[S G · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, it reminded me of a Spanish proverb(I think it's a Spanish proverb) that says 'they buried us, but they didn't know we were seeds'

This book portrays so beautifully, how friendships are often between 2 unlikely players. How experiences that happen generations apart, can collide. That healing and hope can come when you least expect it and that we must always hope. Hope is what we must always hold on to.

Thank you Cass, for writing this beautiful, yet disturbing, but always hopeful story.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It promised much, but failed to deliver. The character of the old man was completely unconvincing. His first person narration was the mistake, the dialogue wasn't authentic or convincing. But not just that. I don't know any old men who would plant coriander in a garden let alone know what it was! A trivial point maybe, except the coriander seed analogy forms the premise of the novel. The contrived plot, too earnest and laboured story telling made this a struggle to get through. The most successful part of the novel is the character of the boy, and he did at least keep me reading to the end.

[Roslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written book about a serious topic - child abuse. The narrative structure was powerful, moving seamlessly between the lives of the two characters. It showed the 'behind closed doors' life that some of our children experience. Also, the emotional and physical 'baggage' that kids might bring to school, and the 'baggage' that someone could carry throughout their whole life. There will be children like this in my school, and possibly even in my class!

[Ashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. Heartbreaking. Brilliant. Warm. Sad, so incredibly sad. Oh how I adored the Old Man and his friendship with the little boy next door. A true literary master piece. I love the way Cass Moriarty writes, her beautiful description of the moments and settings within her brilliant novel. I can't believe there aren't more reviews and ratings for this book. I'll definately be recommending every book worm friend of mine reads this one. The first Australian fiction I have truly loved!!

[Kate Waldmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Manipulation and self-preservation acting as poor substitutes for unconditional love." The stories of an old man and boy who meet as neighbours are told alternately. The book is insightful, poignant, painful and sometimes hopeful.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and moving tale. The book offers profound insights into emotional trauma. I found it absorbing.

[Reannon Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broke my heart.

[Karen Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written tale of two wounded souls who see in each other rooms with doors closed

[Wendy Lovatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really excellent read. I liked the way the author alternated chapters between the two main characters as the narrators.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could have been a really disturbing read had it not been for the author adding beautiful descriptions from time to time about the changing environment and seasons that the main character, the narrator sees and feels beyond his own pain and loneliness. Now an old man he returns to his childhood and young adult memories that are always there but are highlighted when a young 10 year old neighbour through his own neglected family life takes a shine to him and his chickens.

The darkness that encompasses these two lives is hard not to be affected because it's the life that sadly too many children experience, neglect and abuse. It also refers early to infanticide but the twist is how the old man as a six year old is held to blame. He is removed from his family and put into a home where he relates fond memories, not ever lonely, a lot of activity, he describes the wonderful times of outdoor activities but no family ever visits, his father didn't return from the war for which he discovers why much later in life. The memory of his small sister that had passed away is always with him, in night-time dreams and daydreams, he is haunted by them. As a young adult he is employed as a printer and seems to have a normal life until an event occurs whereby he becomes a father but with the ghost of his sister he's unable to commit as a father which results in him losing another family.

His young friend from next door loves being with his chickens and as the friendship develops, a vegetable garden also comes into the picture along with instructions for playing chess. The boy's mother's boyfriend is a nasty piece of goods and kills the black chicken the boy has as a pet. Along with the neglect and mental abuse from his mother, a drunk, gambler and who is unable to form worthwhile relationships, the boy hasn't got much going for him. The old man sees his own life reflected in the boy's and when a dreadful incident occurs for the first time the old man is able to ensure the right outcome, he gets the mother to take responsibility for the incident. He then sets the boy on the right path for his future.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The promise seed is a very heart touching book about a boy and his friendship with an old man and where their friendship takes them. the book also show how harsh people and live can be on you and that you should trust your instincts no matter where that take you because there is no going back, no matter how much you want to.

[Alison Wootten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Very much in the same vein as Mercy Street .... old person being given a new lease of life by an unrelated youngster .... and all the associated upheavals that causes.

[Marian Matta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's always satisfying to open a book and immediately fall into the characters, the story, the voice. 'The Promise Seed' is such a book. From page one, Cass Moriarty never puts a foot wrong in bringing her two main characters to life. The boy and the old man, their stories interweaving throughout the book, are such rich and wonderful creations, each individual history illuminating the other. This culminates in the final chapter when the old man is able to redeem the boy through his own sufferings. There is something almost Christlike about it. Although the novel contains much violence, loneliness and sadness, I found it to be an optimistic tale. While there's life, there's hope.

The novel covers around seventy years, and Moriarty moves through this period with sure steps. This sounds pretty simple but it's not as easy as it seems. Too often, writers pepper their work with obvious time flags or just plain get it wrong. In 'The Promise Seed', time and place play their parts to perfection.

This is skillful storytelling which allows a reader to reach the truth without having it spelled out. The threads are all there, waiting to be drawn together. The more I think about it, the better the writing becomes. Having a great story is one thing; constructing it well is quite another thing. This book is perfectly constructed, and that is the icing on the cake for me.

Satisfying, moving, important. I loved it. 5/5

[Martin Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I have to apologise to the author, Cass Moriarty. I was sent this book two years ago as part of a Christmas present from a work client based in Australia. I was grateful and had every intention of reading it but it sat on my bookshelf for two years as other books came and went.

What a mistake that was.

I read a lot and a wide variety from autobiographies of 1930's British film stars to modern cop thrillers via Dickens, Sartre, Shakespeare and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Cass Moriarty, by all accounts, is a new novelist but in The Promise Seed she has written a book that will linger long in the memory and I have no doubt I'll be recommending this as a book to read in 30 or 40 years time, if I'm still around. I'm not an emotional type - I'm pragmatic, rational and deal in fact and reason. But this book got to me. Page after page wanting to know how the story was going to develop.

In short, it's actually a simple tale of a developing friendship between a young boy and his elderly neighbour with a couple of intriguing and highly unnerving sub-plots running through involving a child mortality, neglect, and physical and sexual abuse. The story line flits between the old man's youth and current day. It's beautifully written in simple language with well-crafted, largely believable dialogue, although I must say I did find the 10 year old had a general knowledge and vocabulary most normal 10 year olds would not recognise. A minor quibble that does not detract at all.

I don't want to give away any spoilers. Just get it, read it and you will be hooked. I promise.

If this is a taste of Cass Moriarty's skill, then as an author, she is a promise seed in herself.