Come! Let us show you our secrets! The voices swirled out from the cavernous hole, echoing against the walls becoming a part of me, flashing under my skin, through my heart and brain, filling every part of my body with fire. Come! Come down to us! Nothing else was important. Nothing else mattered. The thought of complete surrender thrilled me to my core and I leaned forward, completely willing to do whatever they asked of me. Take me, I breathed. Take me, I am yours. It was not Sandpiper’s choice to find the dead body in the village drinking water. There’s something strange about the great, deep pool they call the cenote and the men who keep drowning in it. To help prevent more deaths, only the women are allowed to draw water, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Sandpiper can’t help thinking that the men are hiding something. But then, Sandpiper has a secret of her own. When the women of the village finally learn what beckons the men into the cenote, they struggle to make sense of the shocking truth. When her own husband becomes the next victim, Sandpiper realizes that his life will depend completely on her ability to forgive.
Wow! What a great book! This debut novel is a beautiful allegorical tale, a mystery which takes place in a unique ancient Meso American setting. At only 256 pages it is a fast read, and is rich with symbolism and metaphor. It is well constructed multi-layered solid writing. The story is compelling and the characters with their alternating points-of-view are endearing. It is a clean read with mature themes relevant to our times. This is an inspiring novel with insightful life lessons, sadness that made me cry, and refreshing humor that made me giggle and laugh out loud. With themes of compassion, fidelity, sacrifice and loss, redemption, forgiveness, family relationships and marital honesty it would be a great read for book club discussion. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and am looking forward to reading her newest book, The Last Messenger of Zitol. favorite quote: "...the deepest, most powerful love stories did not happen before the wedding but after. Perhaps we do not hear those stories because they are far more sacred and only meant for two hearts."
I am writing this review with mixed emotions. The book has a powerful message and really tugged at my heart.
Sandpiper finds herself in a marriage to a man she doesn't know. He is also odd, which makes things more uncertain. She also carries a secret which would have a negative impact on her future.
Lark must marry. As the second son of the chief, he has an obi ligation to his family and tribe. Traveling far to a friendly tribe is his hope for finding a wife and a family of his own.
I loved the setting of this book. Lark and Sandpiper live in ancient times after the disappearance of the Mayan's. They live on a hill that covers the ancient temple. Close by is a Cenote, their source of water and greatest fear.
The building relationship between the two illustrate how they are better together than alone. Secrets threaten to pull them apart, but they realize why they need to be together. I loved their commitment to each other and their family. The family plays a central part to the book. The strong sense of community and love are powerful.
This story makes you think. It is not a story to finish and them immediately move on to the next book. There are many layers that brought this story to life for me. I highly recommend this book.
There is some innuendo (sometimes it made me laugh).
Chelsea's book is a clever, multi layered, rich, sensitive and a book that everyone should read. Chelsea takes on some BIG issues in her book. Everyone is sure to relate to the characters as they face the challenges that plague their ancient mezzo American culture. Best of all when you finish the book you are a better person from reading it. I'm not a book club sort of girl but If there was a book I'd really like to talk about and analyze it would be this book. I'm definitely sharing my copy with friends!
Wow! This book is incredible! The story is set in an ancient time. An island girl is chosen as the bride of another tribe from the mainland. She is upset and angry because she is in love with another—a man who left her with his seed and a secret she will be banished for if it is revealed. Her mom knows the only way to escape her shame is to marry…and quickly. But her new husband is shorter than her, weak looking, ugly. But he is kind. Sandpiper starts her new life as Lark’s wife, but her new tribe is very different from her own. She learns that they get their only water from a cenote through a filtering system her husband created. But the cenote also holds secrets, as men keep turning up dead in it, with their heads left hollow. This story takes Sandpiper and Lark through many challenges as they learn forgiveness and what love really entails. The symbolism in this book is powerful, how the cenote represents pornography with all its enticing power and ugliness. This author has a beautiful gift of storytelling and teaching, without the reader ever realizing they are learning great truths. You experience her message, feel it to your core, and finish reading the book with a feeling of awe and inspiration to live better reach for greater heights, and help others. I can’t say enough good about this book. Read it!
Great book for a book club. Lots to discuss about marriage, forgiveness, honesty and truth, beauty, addictions and the nature of love. Very quick read for something with such deep and important issues. I also enjoyed the mystery.
This was a very unique story. It's an allegory of sorts so you can just read it or look beneath the surface to find hidden meanings. Very well done and a nice change of pace from what I usually read.
The Cenote By: Chelsea Dyreng “SPOILER ALERT” The Cenote by Chelsea Dyreng is an alternate point of view, the two main characters are tribal people Lark and Sandpiper. It is larks turn to choose a wife, they travel to the tropical lands to select a girl, little did Lark know that his future wife Sandpiper is already pregnant with a different mans baby. Sandpiper knows that she has to leave to hide her pregnancy. While Lark is off providing for his family Sandpiper spends her days thinking about the mysterious man who impregnated her.There is a secret Lark is keeping from Sandpiper, the village's main source of water the Cenote is a home to three evil maidens/demons. During the day the Demons sing songs and create sirens that taughnt the men to the Cenote. After the men fall into the cenote the demons eat there eyes and suck their brains out leaving there bodys face down on the surface of the water. Lark just wants a wife that will love him because everyone calls him the joke of the village because he is skinny and ugly. Lark doesn't feel desired, he wants is a loyal loving wife. Sandpiper desires the man that took her into the night, she get married to Lark just so her parents can be happy but really she just wanted to wait till her lover comes back for her. The main setting of this story is the forest land where larks lives, it show how Sandpiper grew to love the places and the people in it and how her heart grew . When Sandpiper gets pregnant Lark finds out by actually meeting the man that is her baby's real dad, a while after that happened her baby died which breaks Larks heart and put him at a very vulnerable state. The demons take advantage of this and taunght him into the cenote. Sandpiper notices that he has been missing for a while and starts to get worried. She runs through the jungle yelling his name and all of the sudden she hears a “plop”, her heart sinks to the bottom of her chest knowing that, that was the sound of Lark falling into the cenote. She runs to the cenote and ties a rope around her and the post where the bucket hangs for people to get there water. She jumps into the cenote and swims, she swims further down and down, she see wisps of light fly by her and feels a foot she grabs the foot knowing it’s Lark she grabs him and starts swimming up all of the sudden something grabs her foot, it pulls her down she looks to see what is its and it’s a one of the the demons/ maidens. Sandpiper learns to love someone for not what they look like and she gains more trust in him. Lark learns that even though he may be the ugly duckling of the village he can get an amazing beautiful wife and have a good relationship even through trials. I didn't like how Sandpiper faked being mute, it irritated me that she wouldn't talk in times that she really need to say something I definitely recommend this book it is probably the best book i have ever read.
Let me start the review with a disclaimer. (Something I feel like I do a fair bit of, come to think of it.) This isn't a typical Bryce Book. It's a drama with some light fantasy elements. It's a relationships book. In the immortal words of Fred Savage (in The Princess Bride), it's "a kissing book." So it's outside my normal reading zone by a fair margin. But Chelsea's a personal friend, and she happens to be a spectacular blogger and writer, so I had some extra incentive to read a book I wouldn't normally read, if that makes sense. I'm glad I did. This is a book with a lot to offer. It's set in an ancient Mesoamerican culture, and that culture permeates the book throughout. The point of view alternates between a husband and wife, with each of them viewing the main events of the story through different lenses. Chelsea uses this to great effect, weaving in different layers of tension and advancing the plot in great ways. What's it about? Two newlyweds in an arranged marriage get to know each other over the course of a year, experiencing more than their share of ups and downs. Oh yeah: and there might be some ghosts. That's about all you need to get going, and Chelsea takes it from there. If you like romantic books with supernatural undertones and solid writing, then this is a book for you. That said, I'm notoriously bad at being able to appreciate books in this genre. I have no doubt there are members of my former writing group reading this review, flabbergasted that I actually read this. Honestly, it took me some time to get into the book, but I think a lot of that has more to do with my unfamiliarity with the genre than anything else. Once it got rolling, it really zipped along. I finished the last two thirds in about a day. It's funny in parts, insightful in others, and extraordinarily sad in yet others. You're getting the complete package, that's for sure. In other words, if sounds like your cup of tea, then you should really go out and get a copy. Even if it isn't, you should check out Chelsea's blog. I've been trying to rope her into doing a guest blog post over on my page, so maybe you'll be seeing her sooner than later.
This book is fantastic! From the beginning, I was curious about Sandpiper. She started off with a secret. When a neighboring chief came to their village to find a wife for his son, her mother encouraged her to "win." The ceremony was pretty funny and before she knew it, Sandpiper was off to become Lark's wife. She was not very impressed with Lark and was definitely not in love with him. When she got to his village, she found a way to keep her first secret but it required her to keep yet another secret.
It was interesting to learn about life in her new village. She was easily accepted and, as she started to learn more about Lark, she was able to see past her first impression and learn who he truly was. They both changed throughout the course of the story, but it wasn't smooth sailing. Sandpiper was frustrating at times but she was young, likable, and willing to learn. I wasn't sure about Lark at first, either, and he ultimately became my favorite character.
Then there was the Cenote itself. It was mysterious and only the men knew the truth about it. All the women knew was that they needed to collect the water because it was dangerous for the men and there were men who would drown in it. I was so curious as to what it was and why that would happen.
It's an allegory so there's plenty to discuss. It is clean but there are adult themes so I would recommend this to older readers. It would make a great selection for a book club or would be good to read with your spouse. It's a great story about love and forgiveness and made me laugh as well as cry. This is one of those books that sticks with you long after you turn the final page. What a great debut novel! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
I received a copy from the author for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
In her first novel, The Cenote, author Chelsea Dyreng will blow readers away and capture their hearts. From page one readers become attached to the mesmerizing story of a young woman, Sandpiper, who is forced to marry not of her choosing, Lark, and leave her beloved island home. In her new home there is great mystery and legend surrounding the Cenote, the village’s only water source. This heart-wrenching novel set in the ancient Meso-American time period will have you laughing and crying as the richly developed story and beloved characters go through times of joy, trial, and forgiveness. Smooth transitions between the main characters, a man and his wife, brings a new depth to the story and the wonderful relationship between them and their families, enhancing the story this beautiful story. I would highly recommend this touching and inspiring fantasy-romance novel to readers that enjoy deeply moving literature set in the Meso-American time period.
Genre: fantasy, romance Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing & Media Publication date: November 10, 2015 Number of pages: 264
Content Rating: PG Book Rating: 5 stars
A review copy of this book was provided by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media.
My first book of the year and I could not put it down! There were so many parallels to life and the challenges that we face. Sprinkled in with values we need to build in ourselves and help build in others. It is a story of mistakes, working together, forgiveness, and redemption and ultimately love. I loved how people in the village would greet each other with the words, "I hope to bring you peace." A favorite quote I liked was: "I do not think beauty is something you can put on and take off. It is always with you. It is displayed by the way you act and speak. Any woman who feels good about herself is a beautiful woman. And for a man, feeling needed, wanted, and desired by a woman with that kind of beauty, well, that is a very powerful thing.” This was a great first novel and I hope to read another by this author.
This was a very interesting read. I was a little confused by a few of the other reviews because I definitely wouldn't consider this a "light, fun read". It is deeply emotional, very sad in places, and thought provoking throughout. Written as an allegory, this is a story that teaches, that draws clear parallels to problems, challenges or struggles readers may identify in their own lives or at least recognize in society. In this way the book is very honest, painting clear pictures of human behavior that are both raw and a little painful but also poignantly touching.
The more I think about this book the more I appreciate what Dyreng has accomplished. It is not without its flaws but I still say well done, and I'm grateful for having read it.
My favorite things about Cenote are the timely message and strong metaphors. This great YA book ranges from funny, insightful, inspiring, and heartbreakingly sad. Written in alternating viewpoints between Sandpiper, an island girl, and Lark, her less-than-handsome husband, the book will keep you turning pages to see what happens.
And you will be pondering what you so quickly read for days afterward. I found this book to be inspiring and well written.
This book was so fun; the perfect curl-up-with-a-blanket-and-cup-of-tea book. The Cenote world is so interesting, the cultures immersive and well-thought out. But most of all, the characters are so engaging. I truly came to care for them and their relationships. It was refreshing to read a book with such perceptive commentary on what love really means.
This book was fresh and different. I loved the setting and characters. The relationships carried enough story for me, even without the issue of the Cenote.
Though the story is set in ancient times, there were many good messages taught in an allegorical style that are relevant to women in modern times.
Fantastic. The story had me hooked from the beginning, and now that I finished it, I need to discuss it with someone. Maybe a book club read? So very well written, with a few laugh-out-loud parts, and heart wrenching moments. Symbolism is perfect. The different behaviors intriguing. A lot of truth to be found in this story.
This book was good marriage therapy. I've read it several times now and enjoyed every page....so did my husband. Well done. I hope the author writes many more books.
The Cenote is a story about a young woman who made a very foolish choice - as youth often do - which led to deceit and her new lifestyle away from home. Sandpiper was devastated at first, so she determined to keep her thoughts totally secret. As time goes by, Sandpiper slowly learns some very painful lessons in life which may be the destruction of all she is.
This is a "real life" type of romance story which is unique and touching. The characters are very believable and endearing. The scenes are described in a manner which is very easy to visualize. The Book Title is a good fit but the Book Cover does not depict the story well.
The book flowed smoothly and kept the readers interest. As the tale progressed, so did the intensity of the story ending with a profound message.
I highly recommend this to all YA and Adult readers. It is very "clean"!
*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review, of which I have given.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE CENOTE is a work of fiction told in alternating viewpoints between Sandpiper, a girl who has lived on an island her entire life, and Lark, the son of a chief whose village is in the heart of the jungle. When Lark and his father, the chief, show up on the tiny island that Sandpiper and her people inhabit, Sandpiper's future is uncertain and somewhat bleak. A disgrace to her family, Sandpiper goes along with the plan to obtain the favor of the chief's son, despite her utter disgust towards him. When chosen to be his bride, she must move away from the only home she's ever known and embark on a journey to a new land to live amongst a different culture, people, and family. And no one must know the secret she carries.
This is a great book with an important message. The Central American village setting and the legendary Mayan Cenotes provide an exotic backdrop to the exciting plot. The story from the point of view of Sandpiper and Lark as husband and wife is unique and very effective. I appreciated the timely message and metaphors. To me, the book, while set in a mystical land, provides a valuable lesson for our modern society. The story was captivating, the characters memorable and relatable, and the climax thrilling.
A beautiful story of love and forgiveness. Sandpiper has a secret, her husband has a secret, you watch it all crash and burn, and then you watch as they try to heal. It's a beautiful allegory set in Meso-America. Everyone has something they need to heal from so I could relate to the storyline. The author did a great job of developing the characters and making each of their journey's seem believable. So beautiful.
This book was super! It was a wonderful allegory for what pornography can do to a person, a marriage, and a society. Pornography is such a taboo subject, which this book addresses. It shouldn't be! We should talk about it, and work together to prevent people from falling victim to it! This book is about REAL love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good story, but also wants a better perspective on addiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Amazing first book. This is a thought provoking book set in the mesoamericas probably sometime after the Mayans. It's an allegory that perfectly examines problems that can occur in marriage through the main characters of Sandpiper and Lark as well as their family and friends. Theirs is an arranged marriage and both carry harmful secrets that can destroy their growing love. It is definitely worth reading especially for newly married couples.
Great book, beautifully written with a rich Mesoamerican setting and interesting, flawed characters. It's hard to describe what it is--supernatural mystery-romance is probably the closest I can come--but it's one of those stories that you can definitely read on a deeper level. Parts of it are heartbreaking, and I would have liked to see more of the resolution, but it delivers a hopeful and thought-provoking message. Contains some non-graphic references to sex.
It was good. I don't know the author, but know people that know her. It was a concise story with characters that were relatable. The magical realism reminded me a bit of 100 years of solitude but the story moves much faster. I know that in the time and place, no one had glasses, but due to the way he was written, I pretty much always pictured Lark with them. I don't know if that's due to really good writing, or not?
Beautifully written, thought-provoking book. It broke my heart, made me laugh, and taught me about why we love and how we show it. Dyreng gives us an honest, profound, and hopeful look at human nature, forgiveness, and relationships. I was completely wrapped up in the setting and in the lives of the characters. Captivating, heartbreaking, and real. I can't wait to read it again!
Great book. Fast read. Help you think about how should treat your spouse and that love is something that needs continual work. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to re-reading many times in the future I found my own analogy for the cenote and I'm sure others can find things that the cenote represents to them
I loved the intrigue and mystery of this book that was coupled with a powerful story about love and forgivenes. This is an amazing first book, and I can't wait to see what Chelsea Dyreng (author) produces next.