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Paraíso
Like a Coen brothers noir south of the border, Para�so is a genre-bending story about love, sibling relationships, and the dark side of paradise.
As teens, siblings Peter and Wendy fled their wealthy Philadelphia home in the family station wagon and headed for Mexico, only to be discovered sleeping in the car on the banks of the Mississippi. Now estranged by an apparent betrayal, the two live separate lives. Wendy--a sports photographer--has a new book out, an invitation to Los Cabos, and a chance to complete the trip begun twenty years earlier.
But when Wendy's engine fails near a small town named Para�so--Paradise--she lingers, exploring its underside in an affair with a dangerous man. Meanwhile, from his apartment in lower Manhattan, Peter watches the Twin Towers fall on a beautiful September day. He knows it's time to leave his comfortable life, go find Wendy, and make peace with his long-lost sister.
A noirish tale reminiscent of David Lynch and the Coen brothers, Para�so traces the journey from a family's dark secret to a place where love, and even perfect love, is possible.
"A story so compelling, so sinuously told and passing strange, you feel like you can't take your eyes off the road for a second." --William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Barbarian A Surfing Life
"Chaplin has written a genre-crossing novel based on family dysfunction that becomes darker and more compelling as Peter chases after Wendy and pages turn." --Booklist
"[An] expertly paced noir fairy tale . . . Gorgeous, vivid scenery and fascinating people enrich a story that is both eccentric and universal." --Shelf Awareness
As teens, siblings Peter and Wendy fled their wealthy Philadelphia home in the family station wagon and headed for Mexico, only to be discovered sleeping in the car on the banks of the Mississippi. Now estranged by an apparent betrayal, the two live separate lives. Wendy--a sports photographer--has a new book out, an invitation to Los Cabos, and a chance to complete the trip begun twenty years earlier.
But when Wendy's engine fails near a small town named Para�so--Paradise--she lingers, exploring its underside in an affair with a dangerous man. Meanwhile, from his apartment in lower Manhattan, Peter watches the Twin Towers fall on a beautiful September day. He knows it's time to leave his comfortable life, go find Wendy, and make peace with his long-lost sister.
A noirish tale reminiscent of David Lynch and the Coen brothers, Para�so traces the journey from a family's dark secret to a place where love, and even perfect love, is possible.
"A story so compelling, so sinuously told and passing strange, you feel like you can't take your eyes off the road for a second." --William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Barbarian A Surfing Life
"Chaplin has written a genre-crossing novel based on family dysfunction that becomes darker and more compelling as Peter chases after Wendy and pages turn." --Booklist
"[An] expertly paced noir fairy tale . . . Gorgeous, vivid scenery and fascinating people enrich a story that is both eccentric and universal." --Shelf Awareness
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2016
9 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Chaplin
12 books15 followersGordon Chaplin is the author of the novel Joyride and several works of non-fiction, including Dark Wind: A Survivors Tale of Love and Loss: Full Fathom Five: Ocean Warming and a Father's Legacy, and Fever Coast Log: at Sea in Central America. A former journalist for Newsweek, the Baltimore Sun, and the Washington Post, he has worked on marine conservation with the Baja group Niparaja and since 2003 has been a research associate with the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. He lives with his wife Sarah and young daughter Rosie in New York City and Hebron, NY, and is the father of two older daughters, Diana and Julia.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2016
This book started out just fine. The opening was good. It left me wanting to know all of the events leading up to the present moment. I was actually into this story for quite a while, even though my feelings about the story as a whole was middle of the road. I appreciated that the author let me get familiar with Wendy before he transferred over to Peter. Which the events that Peter had to deal with leading up to his reunion with his sister were real and a moment in history not to be forgotten. Yet, try as I must I really could not get into Wendy and Peter's lives or the story as a whole that much. Other then a faint whisper of the locations, the storyline a little and what was taking place at that moment. Although, from what I can remember of this story there is some depth to it and the ending was good.
December 22, 2021
Decent plot. Terrible writing
May 31, 2016
As soon as you learn that the brother and sister whose relationship is the central focus of Gordon Chaplin’s newest novel Paraiso were named Peter and Wendy, you already know that their parents were not suited for parenthood. Cute names and theme names display a narcissistic impulse that becomes a life-long burden for their children. In this case, did the parents want them to never grow up.
Peter was favored by his mother while she seemed to hate Wendy and Wendy hated her or told herself she did. We all know children need their parents’ love, so her hated had to be mixed with longing. No matter, Peter and Wendy loved each other and supported each other. When Peter ran away from school, he and Wendy decided to run away to Mexico. That they did not make it was a lifelong regret, especially after they became estranged some twenty years ago.
But now Wendy has finally made it all the way to Mexico. Her car breaks down and while waiting for the parts and repairs she joins the life of the village. She attracts the attention of psychopathic village petty tyrant. Meanwhile Peter is in New York on September 11th. The trauma, for both of them, reminds them of their love of each other, but can they find their way to forgiveness?
But there is so much more to Paraiso. There’s Kate, the youthful publishing intern and Claire, Wendy’s best friend. The village of Paraiso has the wonderful Felipe, Isabel, and Clamato. Then there are the murders. No, this is no murder mystery, but things happen.
Read the rest at my blog
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Peter was favored by his mother while she seemed to hate Wendy and Wendy hated her or told herself she did. We all know children need their parents’ love, so her hated had to be mixed with longing. No matter, Peter and Wendy loved each other and supported each other. When Peter ran away from school, he and Wendy decided to run away to Mexico. That they did not make it was a lifelong regret, especially after they became estranged some twenty years ago.
But now Wendy has finally made it all the way to Mexico. Her car breaks down and while waiting for the parts and repairs she joins the life of the village. She attracts the attention of psychopathic village petty tyrant. Meanwhile Peter is in New York on September 11th. The trauma, for both of them, reminds them of their love of each other, but can they find their way to forgiveness?
But there is so much more to Paraiso. There’s Kate, the youthful publishing intern and Claire, Wendy’s best friend. The village of Paraiso has the wonderful Felipe, Isabel, and Clamato. Then there are the murders. No, this is no murder mystery, but things happen.
Read the rest at my blog
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
September 5, 2016
While Paraíso by Gordon Chaplin has its up and downs, along with some murders, at heart it is a story about the bond shared between a brother and sister.
The story is about two siblings, Peter and Wendy. If you immediately thought about Peter Pan after hearing these two names, then good for you, as the classic tale does have a connection here. Peter was his mother’s favorite while she seemed to have hated Wendy. The fact that Wendy and her mother didn’t share a healthy relationship also plays a role in shaping Wendy as she grew older. But I’ll get to that in a bit.
Though there was a difference between how they were treated by their mother, both Wendy and Peter shared a strong bond. They decide to run away to Mexico together but a turn of events stops them from completing their journey. Over the years they become estranged. Wendy becomes a sports photographer and Peter becomes an editor living in New York.
Upon receiving an invitation, Wendy decides to drive to Mexico. Her car breaks down near a small town named Paraíso, and she gets into trouble. That’s the thing about Wendy, due to her upbringing she’s always looking for trouble. I guess she wants to fill a void she feels inside of her, or she just thinks she’s not worthy of being truly loved. She begins an affair with a psychopath and becomes a witness to a horrible crime, etc. It is just bad.
You can read the rest of my review on TheGeekiary
http://thegeekiary.com/paraiso-gordon...
The story is about two siblings, Peter and Wendy. If you immediately thought about Peter Pan after hearing these two names, then good for you, as the classic tale does have a connection here. Peter was his mother’s favorite while she seemed to have hated Wendy. The fact that Wendy and her mother didn’t share a healthy relationship also plays a role in shaping Wendy as she grew older. But I’ll get to that in a bit.
Though there was a difference between how they were treated by their mother, both Wendy and Peter shared a strong bond. They decide to run away to Mexico together but a turn of events stops them from completing their journey. Over the years they become estranged. Wendy becomes a sports photographer and Peter becomes an editor living in New York.
Upon receiving an invitation, Wendy decides to drive to Mexico. Her car breaks down near a small town named Paraíso, and she gets into trouble. That’s the thing about Wendy, due to her upbringing she’s always looking for trouble. I guess she wants to fill a void she feels inside of her, or she just thinks she’s not worthy of being truly loved. She begins an affair with a psychopath and becomes a witness to a horrible crime, etc. It is just bad.
You can read the rest of my review on TheGeekiary
http://thegeekiary.com/paraiso-gordon...
October 25, 2016
Gordon Chapin weaves an intimate, winding, and shocking story of two estranged siblings and their struggle to find peace with each other in the book, “Paraiso”. The siblings, Peter and Wendy (don’t worry there are a few neverland references) were extremely close growing up. The book chronicles their teenage attempt to run away from their well to do philadelphia family and home and head to Mexico. The subsequent fallout and betrayal leads to them living separate lives. Years later. (Read more...)You can read this entire review at San Diego Book Review
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews