What do you think?
The People Who Stay
Who says you can't go home again?
Sylvia can’t imagine why anyone would ever try. She had left rural Newfoundland as a scrawny, shy girl who was too smart for her own good. When she dragged herself home for her cousin’s wedding, she couldn’t believe how much had changed—or how much had stayed the same.
Ten years older but no less fixated on an exit strategy, Sylvia returns to confront the person she left behind: her younger self. When she left, she was Miss Sylvia Pride, a fisherman’s daughter without an education, money, or any sophistication. Returning now, she is a different person.
Whether she wants to or not, Sylvia reconnects with her long-lost best friend. While they are unpacking things left unsaid for years, Sylvia’s life gets more complicated when her husband arrives from Boston. Surrounded by the successful families in her hometown, and with her own marriage on the brink of collapse, Sylvia finds herself at a crossroads. Is there such a thing as happily ever after? And can the family and friends she left behind now help her find it?
The People Who Stay is a tale of love and redemption in which the heart of family beats like the relentless tide against the rugged Newfoundland shores.
Sylvia can’t imagine why anyone would ever try. She had left rural Newfoundland as a scrawny, shy girl who was too smart for her own good. When she dragged herself home for her cousin’s wedding, she couldn’t believe how much had changed—or how much had stayed the same.
Ten years older but no less fixated on an exit strategy, Sylvia returns to confront the person she left behind: her younger self. When she left, she was Miss Sylvia Pride, a fisherman’s daughter without an education, money, or any sophistication. Returning now, she is a different person.
Whether she wants to or not, Sylvia reconnects with her long-lost best friend. While they are unpacking things left unsaid for years, Sylvia’s life gets more complicated when her husband arrives from Boston. Surrounded by the successful families in her hometown, and with her own marriage on the brink of collapse, Sylvia finds herself at a crossroads. Is there such a thing as happily ever after? And can the family and friends she left behind now help her find it?
The People Who Stay is a tale of love and redemption in which the heart of family beats like the relentless tide against the rugged Newfoundland shores.
280 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2016
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 10, 2016
Just finished reading Samantha Rideout's wonderful book. I truly loved it (and I'm not being biased here). Sylvia, Ty, Charlie, and Drew are an amazing cast of characters. You can feel the pulse beat of Newfoundland in every conversation. (Though it totally stayed clear of the cliches which I appreciated.) Loved the twists and turns as well. I think this book has broad popular appeal, but if you're someone who grew up in a small town (could be Newfoundland, but really doesn't matter where) and then moved away, you will identify with this story. Add it to your reading list. You won't regret it. Sometimes you have to go away, to come back.
September 1, 2016
Had to give up on this one!
February 27, 2023
The entire novel can be summed up by: a woman thinks about whether her marriage is okay, and it is.
I honestly didn't get why Sylvia, the main character, spent so much time agonizing over her marriage. There was no incident, nothing negative happened. Was she just bored? After a while, the constant, repetitive questions in her head just got really, really old.
I did like the way the Newfoundland small town was portrayed. People who grew up together, knew all the neighbours, helped each other out. That rang true to me, and in the book it was used effectively as a contrast to living in a big, impersonal city. I liked Charlie and Drew, supporting characters who were much more interesting than Sylvia.
Other than that, I didn't especially enjoy the book. The plot seemed clumsy in places and the endless rattling around in Sylvia's marriage thoughts was overdone.
I honestly didn't get why Sylvia, the main character, spent so much time agonizing over her marriage. There was no incident, nothing negative happened. Was she just bored? After a while, the constant, repetitive questions in her head just got really, really old.
I did like the way the Newfoundland small town was portrayed. People who grew up together, knew all the neighbours, helped each other out. That rang true to me, and in the book it was used effectively as a contrast to living in a big, impersonal city. I liked Charlie and Drew, supporting characters who were much more interesting than Sylvia.
Other than that, I didn't especially enjoy the book. The plot seemed clumsy in places and the endless rattling around in Sylvia's marriage thoughts was overdone.
March 20, 2018
Being from rural Newfoundland and now living in the states I could very much relate to Sylvia. I enjoyed the plot and the story. My heart broke for Sylvia and Ty as they struggled to find their way back to each other after a a rough couple of years. I overall really enjoyed this book! The reason I didn’t give it 5 stars? The ending felt very rushed and while it was neatly tied up I was still left wondering about Libby and the Twins and feeling like there should have been more. Is it possible there will be a sequel?
May 9, 2017
*3.5*
I did enjoy this book. It was well written and the plot was good. I really connected with Sylvia- as a Newfoundlander who left and really came to miss it I understood where she was coming from. However there were a few things that I couldn't get past - how they talked was a major one even if it was accurate, I just don't like it. And it seemed to end too neatly for me. But overall a really nice book.
I did enjoy this book. It was well written and the plot was good. I really connected with Sylvia- as a Newfoundlander who left and really came to miss it I understood where she was coming from. However there were a few things that I couldn't get past - how they talked was a major one even if it was accurate, I just don't like it. And it seemed to end too neatly for me. But overall a really nice book.
May 21, 2023
Sometimes a little hard to follow and the story seemed to jump all over the place. Found myself thinking about if certain parts were necessary or even relevant to the overall story.
I wish Part II was longer, more detailed, and didn't take so long to get to.
Was a decent read for someone from Newfoundland, though. Definitely made me feel a little homesick for the small town and familiar personalities.
I wish Part II was longer, more detailed, and didn't take so long to get to.
Was a decent read for someone from Newfoundland, though. Definitely made me feel a little homesick for the small town and familiar personalities.
September 20, 2021
Who says you cant go home, in this case to a small town in Newfoundland. A fun and easy read with some charming East Coast characters.
October 18, 2016
It was okay.
December 5, 2016
Reminiscent of Ann Tyler's early work.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews