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The Mercy of the Tide
Riptide, Oregon, 1983. A sleepy coastal town, where crime usually consists of underage drinking down at a Wolf Point bonfire. But then strange things start happening—a human skeleton is unearthed in a local park and mutilated animals begin appearing, seemingly sacrificed, on the town’s beaches.
The Mercy of the Tide follows four people drawn irrevocably together by a recent tragedy as they do their best to reclaim their lives—leading them all to a discovery that will change them and their town forever. At the heart of the story are Sam Finster, a senior in high school mourning the death of his mother, and his sister Trina, a nine-year-old deaf girl who denies her grief by dreaming of a nuclear apocalypse as Cold War tensions rise. Meanwhile, Sheriff Dave Dobbs and officer Nick Hayslip must try to put their own sorrows aside to figure out who, or what, is wreaking havoc on their once-idyllic town.
Keith Rosson paints outside the typical genre lines with his brilliant debut novel. It is a gorgeously written book that merges the sly wonder of magical realism and alternate history with the depth and characterization of literary fiction.
The Mercy of the Tide follows four people drawn irrevocably together by a recent tragedy as they do their best to reclaim their lives—leading them all to a discovery that will change them and their town forever. At the heart of the story are Sam Finster, a senior in high school mourning the death of his mother, and his sister Trina, a nine-year-old deaf girl who denies her grief by dreaming of a nuclear apocalypse as Cold War tensions rise. Meanwhile, Sheriff Dave Dobbs and officer Nick Hayslip must try to put their own sorrows aside to figure out who, or what, is wreaking havoc on their once-idyllic town.
Keith Rosson paints outside the typical genre lines with his brilliant debut novel. It is a gorgeously written book that merges the sly wonder of magical realism and alternate history with the depth and characterization of literary fiction.
283 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2017
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2145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
March 8, 2017
This is one of those books that upon finishing had me shaking my head and trying to process what I just read. On the surface it is a story of a car crash, a wife and mother of two, apparently drunk driving kills the wife of the town's chief lawman, a beloved librarian. It is about the man left behind, mourning his wife of many years, the woman who smoothed out his rough edges. A father and two, young children, Sam, the teenage brother who now must provide solace and comfort for, his young sister, who is also deaf, Trina. About the deputy who has many secrets of his own and seems to be falling apart.. That's on the surface.
Beneath the surface, there is much going on in this small Oregon town, dead birds, a man crying out end of days, a very old body discovered that seems to be tied to, an old Indian legend. Also young Trina has developed a fascination and fear of the Cold War and the bomb. Yes, it is the time of nuclear cheaters and fear, but there is more than one thing to fear.
Loved Sam and Trina Finster, but all these characters, like them or not are skillfully developed. The writing is amazingly detailed, this is incredibly well written. The plot goes along, until the last third when it rapidly changes and becomes something else, something a bit frightening. Incentive and imaginative, this is a writer with talent. I just wish I thoroughly understood exactly what happened.
ARC from Netgalley.
Beneath the surface, there is much going on in this small Oregon town, dead birds, a man crying out end of days, a very old body discovered that seems to be tied to, an old Indian legend. Also young Trina has developed a fascination and fear of the Cold War and the bomb. Yes, it is the time of nuclear cheaters and fear, but there is more than one thing to fear.
Loved Sam and Trina Finster, but all these characters, like them or not are skillfully developed. The writing is amazingly detailed, this is incredibly well written. The plot goes along, until the last third when it rapidly changes and becomes something else, something a bit frightening. Incentive and imaginative, this is a writer with talent. I just wish I thoroughly understood exactly what happened.
ARC from Netgalley.
September 22, 2016
I mean, I'm kind of OBLIGATED to give it 5 stars, riiiight?
July 22, 2020
Set in the Pacific Northwest in the early 80's, THE MERCY OF THE TIDE brought home a robust sense of time and place.
In a small Oregon town, tragedy strikes in the form of a drunk driver. In towns like this, with an event like this, nearly everyone is affected as the ramifications ripple outward. Then, other things start happening. Dead, mutilated birds appear on people's doorsteps. A skeleton is found in a local park. One deputy thinks he knows what's happening: it's related to an old native American legend. Can the goings-on in town be attributed to the legend, or are they attributable to humanity? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much related to the characters in this book. There's one named Toad, (a nickname for Todd), and I knew a Toad when I was growing up, which was about the same time period as in this book. I also remember being afraid of the Russians and nuclear war. There's a young girl in this book who is obsessed with nuclear annihilation. The music mentioned: Motorhead, The Ramones, and others-they formed the soundtrack of my teen years. I remember Ronald Reagan being shot as well-so all these things were perfectly drawn as far as I'm concerned.
The writing here was very good, especially the character development. The powerful themes of guilt and grief abound, and the reader cannot help but feel for these people. However, I did have a few issues. I can't get too deeply into what those issues were because SPOILERS, but I can say I felt let down regarding the native American legend portion. I wanted more! I thought the denouement was perfect though-it shocked the hell out of me, but it also made me so mad I'm gritting my teeth just thinking about it.
Overall, I was impressed with this author and the book. The narration was excellent, as I've come to learn-Joshua Saxon's work always is. I recommend this book-especially to those readers who came of age during this time period in American history. If you're like me, you will feel the powerful rise of fond nostalgia.
*I received an audio version from Meerkat Press in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
In a small Oregon town, tragedy strikes in the form of a drunk driver. In towns like this, with an event like this, nearly everyone is affected as the ramifications ripple outward. Then, other things start happening. Dead, mutilated birds appear on people's doorsteps. A skeleton is found in a local park. One deputy thinks he knows what's happening: it's related to an old native American legend. Can the goings-on in town be attributed to the legend, or are they attributable to humanity? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much related to the characters in this book. There's one named Toad, (a nickname for Todd), and I knew a Toad when I was growing up, which was about the same time period as in this book. I also remember being afraid of the Russians and nuclear war. There's a young girl in this book who is obsessed with nuclear annihilation. The music mentioned: Motorhead, The Ramones, and others-they formed the soundtrack of my teen years. I remember Ronald Reagan being shot as well-so all these things were perfectly drawn as far as I'm concerned.
The writing here was very good, especially the character development. The powerful themes of guilt and grief abound, and the reader cannot help but feel for these people. However, I did have a few issues. I can't get too deeply into what those issues were because SPOILERS, but I can say I felt let down regarding the native American legend portion. I wanted more! I thought the denouement was perfect though-it shocked the hell out of me, but it also made me so mad I'm gritting my teeth just thinking about it.
Overall, I was impressed with this author and the book. The narration was excellent, as I've come to learn-Joshua Saxon's work always is. I recommend this book-especially to those readers who came of age during this time period in American history. If you're like me, you will feel the powerful rise of fond nostalgia.
*I received an audio version from Meerkat Press in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
November 6, 2016
Grief, love, doom and gloom, mystery, end times. "The Mercy of the Tides" has it all.
Sheriff Dave Dobbs, Deputy Nick Hayslip, and siblings Sam and Trina Finster are all reeling from the loss of loved ones resulting from a head on car collision. Sheriff Dobbs has lost the love of his life, wife June. June was Riptide, Oregon's librarian. Dobbs becomes stoic, silent and comes down hard on any infractions. Deputy Hayslip has lost his lover, Melissa Finster, mother of Sam and Trina. Hayslip is unable to eat or sleep. He intends to do the job in front of him because free time is the enemy. He freezes when trying to apprehend a suspect. Sam Finster, Melissa's son has become Trina's caretaker while mourning his mom's death. A heavy load for the teenager. Trina Finster, a deaf nine year old, is very frustrated and belligerent in school. She is the only non-hearing child in her class. She continually draws pictures of The Cold War and nukes scaring her classmates.
The eerie atmosphere of end times is raised when the book commences. The owner of a Bed and Breakfast by the beach delivers a bag of sand to Sheriff Dobbs. The contents contain a desiccated sea gull. Mysteriously, Dobbs later finds dead birds on his doorstep. Strange occurrences abound.
"The Mercy of the Tides" by Keith Rosson opens a window to how a community handles the death of a much loved librarian and the sheriff's wife. This grief is seen mainly through the eyes of four principal characters. I felt the most compassion for Sam and Trina Finster. Mr. Finster's inability to properly use sign language was an obstacle to helping Trina deal with her grief. Sam, although nurturing, was overwhelmed. What about nuclear annihilation? Was the threat real? Author Keith Rosson's multi-faceted book contains several unresolved threads. Hoping the stage is set for a sequel. A great debut tome.
Thank you Meerkat Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Mercy of the Tides".
Sheriff Dave Dobbs, Deputy Nick Hayslip, and siblings Sam and Trina Finster are all reeling from the loss of loved ones resulting from a head on car collision. Sheriff Dobbs has lost the love of his life, wife June. June was Riptide, Oregon's librarian. Dobbs becomes stoic, silent and comes down hard on any infractions. Deputy Hayslip has lost his lover, Melissa Finster, mother of Sam and Trina. Hayslip is unable to eat or sleep. He intends to do the job in front of him because free time is the enemy. He freezes when trying to apprehend a suspect. Sam Finster, Melissa's son has become Trina's caretaker while mourning his mom's death. A heavy load for the teenager. Trina Finster, a deaf nine year old, is very frustrated and belligerent in school. She is the only non-hearing child in her class. She continually draws pictures of The Cold War and nukes scaring her classmates.
The eerie atmosphere of end times is raised when the book commences. The owner of a Bed and Breakfast by the beach delivers a bag of sand to Sheriff Dobbs. The contents contain a desiccated sea gull. Mysteriously, Dobbs later finds dead birds on his doorstep. Strange occurrences abound.
"The Mercy of the Tides" by Keith Rosson opens a window to how a community handles the death of a much loved librarian and the sheriff's wife. This grief is seen mainly through the eyes of four principal characters. I felt the most compassion for Sam and Trina Finster. Mr. Finster's inability to properly use sign language was an obstacle to helping Trina deal with her grief. Sam, although nurturing, was overwhelmed. What about nuclear annihilation? Was the threat real? Author Keith Rosson's multi-faceted book contains several unresolved threads. Hoping the stage is set for a sequel. A great debut tome.
Thank you Meerkat Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Mercy of the Tides".
February 10, 2017
3.5 Stars
Most of the reviews I’ve seen for this book dub it genre-defying, and I’m not sure there's a more apt description. It seems like a mix between character-driven literary fiction and… Horror? Supernatural?? It’s also what I would technically call a Historical Fiction (taking place in 1983) that tends to give an alternate depiction of events.
Taking place in a small, coastal town at the height of the Cold War, this book focuses on four characters and how their lives intersect. After a body is unearthed, more and more questions about their town and their lives come to light.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost my reading-notes for this, so I’m going by memory here.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Pros:
While it’s the mystery element of this book so prominently mentioned in the blurb and tags, I would really argue it’s a side-plot. The true focus of this novel (to me) was definitely the four main characters, who were each fleshed-out and interesting in their own way:
Trina—Born deaf, this 9-year-old appears to sublimate her anxious and helpless feelings regarding her mother’s recent death into worry about a possible nuclear apocalypse. She was my absolute favorite and such a creative, sweet character.
Sam—Trina’s 18-year old brother, who longs to leave his town but struggles to find his footing after their mother’s death. His character really seemed very determined, but like he didn’t know what about; just a wayward sort of soul and I really enjoyed it.
Nick—A Vietnam Vet turned police officer, he was my least favorite character up until the end. Very self-destructive tendencies and he seemed to be struggling with PTSD, and watching his character toe the line between “keeping it together” and "losing it" was very interesting.
Dave-- The aging chief of police, recently widowed. His longing for his wife and passion for his job were depicted slowly and steadily, and cultivated in a very interesting overall arc.
There were some really great and fascinating descriptions here. Because I lost my reading notes, I don’t have any examples to list, sadly. But this truly was an atmospheric novel.
The characters themselves were all very dynamic, with multiple good and bad facets of their personalities being expressed. As more was revealed about how intertwined these four people were in each other’s lives, the similarities and contradictions between them were very strong and oddly beautiful.
At several points their lives would twist and turn while intersecting, and each of these twists took me by surprise.
Again, I’m really ranking this so high because I truly did love the characters and the way they were portrayed. Their dialogue was organic and the interactions overall felt subtle and every day, but still important. I had specific mentions of this in my reading notes, but since these have disappeared I’m just gonna say that Rosson really highlighted the overall similarities in human relationships. We’ve all laughed about something with someone we love so hard that we chuckle thinking about it months later, and moments like this were used to illustrate these relations and grief.
Cons:
Overall, I really did enjoy the writing style. But my biggest complaint with this book is that it was so description heavy. There were some fantastic descriptions, especially of the characters and settings. I really felt immersed in this town, and could picture the characters. But a lot of these really great descriptions seemed smothered by the sheer volume of descriptions. Most of the sentences were loaded with clauses and just exceedingly long (I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a story with as many semi-colons) and they built on each other to form huge paragraphs. I know I was reading this on an e-reader, so the pages were smaller, but I still don’t see a need for a paragraph to be three pages long.
I want to rate this higher, because I did very much enjoy the character aspect of this, but I wasn’t overtly happy with the way this ended. I think I was expecting the supernatural/thriller/mystery aspect to have more of an impact on the end result, but it surprisingly didn’t? To me the actual end seemed… what’s the opposite of dues ex machina? Instead of divine intervention that saved the day? The exact opposite.
Again, I did enjoy the writing style, but I was confused about a lot of repeating phrases? Particularly there was a lot of talk about skulls? Like when describing different characters it would mention someone’s skull, a dead body was found and the skull was described multiple times, and dead animals were always depicted based on their skulls. I don’t know if this was intentional and I’m just missing something… or maybe just a quirk of the author?
While I loved her character, I couldn’t help but think Trina acted older than the nine-years she was supposed to be. I understand she’s had a very difficult life and had to mature quickly, but she would often ponder the meaning of the universe, what nuclear war would mean for her, and if other girls asked these same questions. If she’d been a few years older, I’d have bought it.
This may be a personal preference, but there were several sections of this that just seemed needlessly crass? It’s not something I particularly dislike, but it just felt odd here. A character would be talking about how he married his wife, their life together, the dogs they raised and how much he missed her—and then he would go masturbate. It was disorienting, and I’m not sure I understand the reasoning.
In Conclusion:
The literary fiction and Supernatural lovechild, with perhaps the literary fiction aspect being carried better.
Most of the reviews I’ve seen for this book dub it genre-defying, and I’m not sure there's a more apt description. It seems like a mix between character-driven literary fiction and… Horror? Supernatural?? It’s also what I would technically call a Historical Fiction (taking place in 1983) that tends to give an alternate depiction of events.
Taking place in a small, coastal town at the height of the Cold War, this book focuses on four characters and how their lives intersect. After a body is unearthed, more and more questions about their town and their lives come to light.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost my reading-notes for this, so I’m going by memory here.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Pros:
While it’s the mystery element of this book so prominently mentioned in the blurb and tags, I would really argue it’s a side-plot. The true focus of this novel (to me) was definitely the four main characters, who were each fleshed-out and interesting in their own way:
Trina—Born deaf, this 9-year-old appears to sublimate her anxious and helpless feelings regarding her mother’s recent death into worry about a possible nuclear apocalypse. She was my absolute favorite and such a creative, sweet character.
Sam—Trina’s 18-year old brother, who longs to leave his town but struggles to find his footing after their mother’s death. His character really seemed very determined, but like he didn’t know what about; just a wayward sort of soul and I really enjoyed it.
Nick—A Vietnam Vet turned police officer, he was my least favorite character up until the end. Very self-destructive tendencies and he seemed to be struggling with PTSD, and watching his character toe the line between “keeping it together” and "losing it" was very interesting.
Dave-- The aging chief of police, recently widowed. His longing for his wife and passion for his job were depicted slowly and steadily, and cultivated in a very interesting overall arc.
There were some really great and fascinating descriptions here. Because I lost my reading notes, I don’t have any examples to list, sadly. But this truly was an atmospheric novel.
The characters themselves were all very dynamic, with multiple good and bad facets of their personalities being expressed. As more was revealed about how intertwined these four people were in each other’s lives, the similarities and contradictions between them were very strong and oddly beautiful.
At several points their lives would twist and turn while intersecting, and each of these twists took me by surprise.
Again, I’m really ranking this so high because I truly did love the characters and the way they were portrayed. Their dialogue was organic and the interactions overall felt subtle and every day, but still important. I had specific mentions of this in my reading notes, but since these have disappeared I’m just gonna say that Rosson really highlighted the overall similarities in human relationships. We’ve all laughed about something with someone we love so hard that we chuckle thinking about it months later, and moments like this were used to illustrate these relations and grief.
Cons:
Overall, I really did enjoy the writing style. But my biggest complaint with this book is that it was so description heavy. There were some fantastic descriptions, especially of the characters and settings. I really felt immersed in this town, and could picture the characters. But a lot of these really great descriptions seemed smothered by the sheer volume of descriptions. Most of the sentences were loaded with clauses and just exceedingly long (I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a story with as many semi-colons) and they built on each other to form huge paragraphs. I know I was reading this on an e-reader, so the pages were smaller, but I still don’t see a need for a paragraph to be three pages long.
I want to rate this higher, because I did very much enjoy the character aspect of this, but I wasn’t overtly happy with the way this ended. I think I was expecting the supernatural/thriller/mystery aspect to have more of an impact on the end result, but it surprisingly didn’t? To me the actual end seemed… what’s the opposite of dues ex machina? Instead of divine intervention that saved the day? The exact opposite.
Again, I did enjoy the writing style, but I was confused about a lot of repeating phrases? Particularly there was a lot of talk about skulls? Like when describing different characters it would mention someone’s skull, a dead body was found and the skull was described multiple times, and dead animals were always depicted based on their skulls. I don’t know if this was intentional and I’m just missing something… or maybe just a quirk of the author?
While I loved her character, I couldn’t help but think Trina acted older than the nine-years she was supposed to be. I understand she’s had a very difficult life and had to mature quickly, but she would often ponder the meaning of the universe, what nuclear war would mean for her, and if other girls asked these same questions. If she’d been a few years older, I’d have bought it.
This may be a personal preference, but there were several sections of this that just seemed needlessly crass? It’s not something I particularly dislike, but it just felt odd here. A character would be talking about how he married his wife, their life together, the dogs they raised and how much he missed her—and then he would go masturbate. It was disorienting, and I’m not sure I understand the reasoning.
In Conclusion:
The literary fiction and Supernatural lovechild, with perhaps the literary fiction aspect being carried better.
January 14, 2025
What a self-indulgent wanker.
-1 Pretentious Stars
-1 Pretentious Stars
Read
February 21, 2017DNF @ 48%
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it's not really gelling with me. I recently read Idah, which was a character drama disguised as a mystery, and this is exactly what this novel is like, too.
I ended up really enjoying Idaho it was very moving and meaningful, but I'm not getting such vibes from this. Don't get me wrong, it's well written and the character development is beautifully done but I'm looking for something more fast paced and exciting right now.
I'm planning on trying to pick dome DNF's up later on in the year, as a lot of the time I put books down just because I've picked them up at the wrong point in my life (such as this one!), so I'll probably give this another shot later down the line, but for now, it's a pass from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Meerkat Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it's not really gelling with me. I recently read Idah, which was a character drama disguised as a mystery, and this is exactly what this novel is like, too.
I ended up really enjoying Idaho it was very moving and meaningful, but I'm not getting such vibes from this. Don't get me wrong, it's well written and the character development is beautifully done but I'm looking for something more fast paced and exciting right now.
I'm planning on trying to pick dome DNF's up later on in the year, as a lot of the time I put books down just because I've picked them up at the wrong point in my life (such as this one!), so I'll probably give this another shot later down the line, but for now, it's a pass from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Meerkat Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2016
This is a beatiufully constructed novel. The description of both the places and the people made me feel like I was there and knew them. There is a depth to all of his characters and that strengthens the readers connection to them.
This book is about grief, love, growing up, being a parent and the lies we tell ourselves to get through the day. In a world obsessed with perfection I loved the realistic picture painted characters in this book, each and everyone of them flawed in their own way. Even though they are all flawed, they are all likeable and I could not help by sympathise with them and their struggles.
In some ways this is a slow moving story but you can feel the tension building moving you forward to the end of novel with a few twists I did not see coming. This story held my attention from the very first page and it did not let go of me once I finished it. This is an outstanding debut novel by an author I am sure we will be seeing more of.
I received this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This book is about grief, love, growing up, being a parent and the lies we tell ourselves to get through the day. In a world obsessed with perfection I loved the realistic picture painted characters in this book, each and everyone of them flawed in their own way. Even though they are all flawed, they are all likeable and I could not help by sympathise with them and their struggles.
In some ways this is a slow moving story but you can feel the tension building moving you forward to the end of novel with a few twists I did not see coming. This story held my attention from the very first page and it did not let go of me once I finished it. This is an outstanding debut novel by an author I am sure we will be seeing more of.
I received this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
May 2, 2017
This is a really odd book. You don't really understand the plot until the very end. The best description of The Mercy in the Tide I can think of is that it's a 'mans book' like Patrick deWitt novels. I don't mean that it isn't for women so much as it's a book about men and how they cope with grief. Our one female character is a nine year old deaf girl whom I just adore. Interestingly it's not that Keith Rosson forgot about women, it's that the main female character start out dead. And so we experience and learn about these women through the memories of the men left behind. It's quite clever.
Told in rotating perspectives we get a slice of each person's struggles with grief. Ultimately this book is about grief; how to cope with it, move on from it, and eventually live with it.
There are some interesting twists and turns that I can't say anything about for fear of ruining it. Just be assured that the story does develop and if at the halfway point you are enjoying the book but still not sure what the main plot is hang in there as it all comes together at the end.
Overall this book is interesting but not amazing for me. If I had skipped reading it I don't think I'd have missed out on something; however, it was good enough to finish. This is also outside my usual genre and so was a nice change both in content and writing style.
For this review and more visit my new book review blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review. Don't believe me? Check out the other books I've had eARCs for that I gave good or bad reviews to. I always give my opinion whether good or bad.
Told in rotating perspectives we get a slice of each person's struggles with grief. Ultimately this book is about grief; how to cope with it, move on from it, and eventually live with it.
There are some interesting twists and turns that I can't say anything about for fear of ruining it. Just be assured that the story does develop and if at the halfway point you are enjoying the book but still not sure what the main plot is hang in there as it all comes together at the end.
Overall this book is interesting but not amazing for me. If I had skipped reading it I don't think I'd have missed out on something; however, it was good enough to finish. This is also outside my usual genre and so was a nice change both in content and writing style.
For this review and more visit my new book review blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review. Don't believe me? Check out the other books I've had eARCs for that I gave good or bad reviews to. I always give my opinion whether good or bad.
February 5, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Very interesting story that it could have been, there was just a disconnect from the characters. I had a hard time really caring about anyone.
Very interesting story that it could have been, there was just a disconnect from the characters. I had a hard time really caring about anyone.
December 2, 2016
I keep putting off writing my thoughts on this book. I loved it, but worry that my affection is colored by having grown up alongside Keith in this ‘80s “Riptide”—but screw it, I am just going to let my affectionate ramblings dribble out.
Nearly every line of Mercy is rich with detail. It often reminded me of Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion, accurately describing the lush decay and infinite mold-riddled crevasses of life in the Northwest. This is an ode to coastal living, taking me back to growing up coated in the perpetual Pacific salt spray, amidst the stench of rotting kelp and jellyfish, sea lions barking, fog horns moaning. Keith drops you into the moss and pines to feel as if navigating your own childhood, when everything was still vibrant, phosphorescent.
Utilizing the rain-soaked, wind-whipped environs, there is a heaviness and fog in characters dealing with loss and extreme heartbreak. They persevere, holding tightly to the tenuous family bonds that struggle amidst alcoholism, early and senseless death, long-hidden betrayals of those closest to you. They grow stronger despite life beating them down at every turn.
Every chapter feels so lived-in and delicately paced, letting the story unfold naturally and in real time, each moment presented with incredible attention to detail. Which arguably can make it feel a little slow, but I was relishing that slowness instead of yearning for plot points to unfold.
One of my favorite moments of the book is a quiet Christmas with Gary, Tina and Sam. Amidst a lot of grief, gloom and uncertainty, this was such a wonderful depiction of a family with little means having a much-needed good moment.
I’m not sure if it was the manner of how I read the first third of the book—in fits and starts—but I did have a difficult time piecing together the connection of all the characters, and remembering exactly who each person was from chapter to chapter. The format of the entire book is to follow a single character per chapter, which can be disorienting until you get at least a small foothold in how they tie together. This for me didn’t start to happen until several chapters in, and up to that point I found myself often backtracking to reorient. Of course, a large part of the narrative drive is unveiling exactly why certain characters are behaving the way they are, and when it does eventually open up in a few major reveals, it picks up pace considerably.
Near the end things start happening fast. It’s a slow burn that builds to a bonfire, matching the early scene of pallets blazing at the turnaround. This was an incredible first novel for Keith, and I can’t wait to read his next one.
Nearly every line of Mercy is rich with detail. It often reminded me of Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion, accurately describing the lush decay and infinite mold-riddled crevasses of life in the Northwest. This is an ode to coastal living, taking me back to growing up coated in the perpetual Pacific salt spray, amidst the stench of rotting kelp and jellyfish, sea lions barking, fog horns moaning. Keith drops you into the moss and pines to feel as if navigating your own childhood, when everything was still vibrant, phosphorescent.
Utilizing the rain-soaked, wind-whipped environs, there is a heaviness and fog in characters dealing with loss and extreme heartbreak. They persevere, holding tightly to the tenuous family bonds that struggle amidst alcoholism, early and senseless death, long-hidden betrayals of those closest to you. They grow stronger despite life beating them down at every turn.
Every chapter feels so lived-in and delicately paced, letting the story unfold naturally and in real time, each moment presented with incredible attention to detail. Which arguably can make it feel a little slow, but I was relishing that slowness instead of yearning for plot points to unfold.
One of my favorite moments of the book is a quiet Christmas with Gary, Tina and Sam. Amidst a lot of grief, gloom and uncertainty, this was such a wonderful depiction of a family with little means having a much-needed good moment.
I’m not sure if it was the manner of how I read the first third of the book—in fits and starts—but I did have a difficult time piecing together the connection of all the characters, and remembering exactly who each person was from chapter to chapter. The format of the entire book is to follow a single character per chapter, which can be disorienting until you get at least a small foothold in how they tie together. This for me didn’t start to happen until several chapters in, and up to that point I found myself often backtracking to reorient. Of course, a large part of the narrative drive is unveiling exactly why certain characters are behaving the way they are, and when it does eventually open up in a few major reveals, it picks up pace considerably.
Near the end things start happening fast. It’s a slow burn that builds to a bonfire, matching the early scene of pallets blazing at the turnaround. This was an incredible first novel for Keith, and I can’t wait to read his next one.
August 6, 2021
i am classifying this with speculative and supernatural and some of it indeed is, but keith rosson has a great ability to mix the realistic with the supernatural by giving the latter a flavor of the former, and i think he does this by making his characters surprised and skeptical about the supernatural, and forced to embrace it slowly. it's so brilliantly done and also strange enough to keep us off balance, and it's full of heart and feeling. his characters are just about exclusively men (in all of his books), but i don't miss women at all (and this is something, coming from me!). this is gentle and inquisitive masculinity, a look into what makes men broken and also what repairs them, and also a look into what makes communities broken and what repairs them. mercy, indeed.
this particular book -- maybe like all of his -- focuses on a specific cultural violation, and on the toll that needs to be exacted for this violation to be set to right. rosson mixes cultural violations with personal violations to great effect, cuz there is no way, ever, that a cultural-historical violation doesn't transmit to, and gets perpetuated by, individuals. good, good stuff.
this particular book -- maybe like all of his -- focuses on a specific cultural violation, and on the toll that needs to be exacted for this violation to be set to right. rosson mixes cultural violations with personal violations to great effect, cuz there is no way, ever, that a cultural-historical violation doesn't transmit to, and gets perpetuated by, individuals. good, good stuff.
September 26, 2016
I received an ARC of this book on NetGalley for an honest review (and devoured it over the weekend). I loved this book. Honestly, I had no idea where the story was going. Sure, I had ideas, but they paled in comparison to the actual twists and turns in the plot. The author's depth of characterization and descriptive skills are off the charts. The similes and metaphors are fresh and precise. 9-year-old Trina grabbed my heart and twisted it into tiny pieces. I saw that the publisher said it blurred the lines between genre and literary, and I agree with that assessment. Between the wonderful prose and the way the author deftly handles family and grief issues, it was squarely checked both boxes for me as well. I would definitely recommend this book.
October 6, 2016
I received an ARC of this book on Net Galley.
Oooo...this story was good. I didn't want to put it down and finished it in about a day. The characters had depth, the story line was interesting, and the ending was good. Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Oooo...this story was good. I didn't want to put it down and finished it in about a day. The characters had depth, the story line was interesting, and the ending was good. Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
February 17, 2017
The Mercy of the Tide is Keith Rosson’s debut novel, and it’s a strong one. Set in a tiny, depressed town on the Oregon Coast during the Reagan Administration, things start out dark, and they’re about to get a whole lot darker. Thank you, Net Galley and Meerkat Press for the DRC, which I received free of charge for this honest review. This book will be for sale February 21, 2017, and those that love good fiction with a working class perspective will want a copy.
The tiny town of Riptide, Oregon is knee deep in grief. A recent head-on collision claimed the lives of Melissa Finster, mother of Sam and Trina, and June Dobbs, the town’s beloved librarian and wife of Sheriff Dave Dobbs. The blow has left everyone reeling and on edge.
Someone else is missing Melissa too, though he can’t say so. Deputy Nick Hayslip--a Vietnam veteran who has no patience for the madness associated with that category, a vet who figures that you go home when the war is over, you put on your clothes and go to work and therapy is for losers--is coming unstuck. Nobody knows about his past with Melissa, and he finds terrible ways to keep her memory alive.
The teaser for this novel tells us that the story centers around Sam and Trina, and since the author generally writes the teaser, that must be his intention. However, I found Trina to be the weakest element here, and it was the other characters that made this story work for me. Part of this is just pure fickle bad luck for the author; I actually taught deaf kids of the same age as Trina, as well as gifted kids that age; and in one instance, a gifted deaf kid that age. It’s true that the gifts of highly capable children vary widely in scope and range, and that every child is unique, but the vocabulary and abstract concepts Rosson bestows on this kid are just not within the realm of the possible, and so Trina isn’t real to me until later in the book, when things other than her obsession with nuclear holocaust are used in the development of her character.
The most interesting character and unlikely hero here is Hayslip. Also beautifully developed are Sheriff Dodds and Sam’s closest friend, Todd, known familiarly as “Toad”. Alternating points of view from the third person omniscient give us ready access to their thoughts, impulses, and feelings.
An interesting side character is zealous Christian wingnut Joe Lyley, who says in a somewhat uncharacteristic understatement, “These are unlovely times.” I also liked Leon Davies, whose role I will let the reader discover, because it’s such a fun surprise.
The setting is almost an anti-tourist brochure. The Oregon Coast is well known for its wild, rugged beauty, but Rosson chooses to introduce the other reality, that of the many local denizens that endure a hardscrabble working class existence in small, chilly, damp coastal communities that rarely see the sun. The moldering smell of rotting wood, porches and floors with a sponge-like give under foot are dead accurate, although the town of Riptide is fictitious; the recession of the 80’s plunged small beach towns into a depression from which there has never been a moment’s relief.
This is a strong story with a tight, tense climax and a powerful resolution. This darkly delicious novel shows that Rosson is a force to be reckoned with; I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.
The tiny town of Riptide, Oregon is knee deep in grief. A recent head-on collision claimed the lives of Melissa Finster, mother of Sam and Trina, and June Dobbs, the town’s beloved librarian and wife of Sheriff Dave Dobbs. The blow has left everyone reeling and on edge.
Someone else is missing Melissa too, though he can’t say so. Deputy Nick Hayslip--a Vietnam veteran who has no patience for the madness associated with that category, a vet who figures that you go home when the war is over, you put on your clothes and go to work and therapy is for losers--is coming unstuck. Nobody knows about his past with Melissa, and he finds terrible ways to keep her memory alive.
The teaser for this novel tells us that the story centers around Sam and Trina, and since the author generally writes the teaser, that must be his intention. However, I found Trina to be the weakest element here, and it was the other characters that made this story work for me. Part of this is just pure fickle bad luck for the author; I actually taught deaf kids of the same age as Trina, as well as gifted kids that age; and in one instance, a gifted deaf kid that age. It’s true that the gifts of highly capable children vary widely in scope and range, and that every child is unique, but the vocabulary and abstract concepts Rosson bestows on this kid are just not within the realm of the possible, and so Trina isn’t real to me until later in the book, when things other than her obsession with nuclear holocaust are used in the development of her character.
The most interesting character and unlikely hero here is Hayslip. Also beautifully developed are Sheriff Dodds and Sam’s closest friend, Todd, known familiarly as “Toad”. Alternating points of view from the third person omniscient give us ready access to their thoughts, impulses, and feelings.
An interesting side character is zealous Christian wingnut Joe Lyley, who says in a somewhat uncharacteristic understatement, “These are unlovely times.” I also liked Leon Davies, whose role I will let the reader discover, because it’s such a fun surprise.
The setting is almost an anti-tourist brochure. The Oregon Coast is well known for its wild, rugged beauty, but Rosson chooses to introduce the other reality, that of the many local denizens that endure a hardscrabble working class existence in small, chilly, damp coastal communities that rarely see the sun. The moldering smell of rotting wood, porches and floors with a sponge-like give under foot are dead accurate, although the town of Riptide is fictitious; the recession of the 80’s plunged small beach towns into a depression from which there has never been a moment’s relief.
This is a strong story with a tight, tense climax and a powerful resolution. This darkly delicious novel shows that Rosson is a force to be reckoned with; I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.
October 4, 2016
I am so fascinated by this book!
I chose this book after reading the description. I expected a novel with a gloomy Twin Peaks atmosphere. I expected a mystery and a resolution and I hoped for good enough writing. But I got something entirely different.
Let me start by saying that this ebook is really pretty. I really liked how every part of the novel starts and I think it's really well made.
Don't just read the description. This is not your usual mystery novel or and action packed thriller. This is a story about 4 people in a small time and how their lives changed after an accident. The first two characters are members of police force, bruised by what happened. I didn't care about them much, I find them to be typical male characters found in American novel - sexist, alcoholics, broody, moody and whatnot. The surprise starts when you actually start caring about them. The other two characters are something entirely different, they're brother and sister Finster, a troubled teenager and his deaf little sister who is a delight! Trina Finster is such an original character. She is obsessed with Cold War, hunted by her mother's death, feeling alone in the world. Trough her eyes we can see the truth about that time in history.
The story is so well constructed, the way you find out more and more with every chapter and every flashback and it's not just so you can be surprised, it's there to make these characters lovable and just to show the history of their sadness.
Not to mention that there's a really fascinating story about a skeleton found on the beach, a mystery of the way that person lived and died.
This is one of the biggest surprises in my reading life. I would really recommend this book to everyone interested in well written novels and great stories.
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I found this book on NetGalley and I gave my honest review. Thanks so much for sharing!
I chose this book after reading the description. I expected a novel with a gloomy Twin Peaks atmosphere. I expected a mystery and a resolution and I hoped for good enough writing. But I got something entirely different.
Let me start by saying that this ebook is really pretty. I really liked how every part of the novel starts and I think it's really well made.
Don't just read the description. This is not your usual mystery novel or and action packed thriller. This is a story about 4 people in a small time and how their lives changed after an accident. The first two characters are members of police force, bruised by what happened. I didn't care about them much, I find them to be typical male characters found in American novel - sexist, alcoholics, broody, moody and whatnot. The surprise starts when you actually start caring about them. The other two characters are something entirely different, they're brother and sister Finster, a troubled teenager and his deaf little sister who is a delight! Trina Finster is such an original character. She is obsessed with Cold War, hunted by her mother's death, feeling alone in the world. Trough her eyes we can see the truth about that time in history.
The story is so well constructed, the way you find out more and more with every chapter and every flashback and it's not just so you can be surprised, it's there to make these characters lovable and just to show the history of their sadness.
Not to mention that there's a really fascinating story about a skeleton found on the beach, a mystery of the way that person lived and died.
This is one of the biggest surprises in my reading life. I would really recommend this book to everyone interested in well written novels and great stories.
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I found this book on NetGalley and I gave my honest review. Thanks so much for sharing!
June 11, 2017
Things are going very wrong in the fictional Oregon coast town of Riptide. Mutilated animals are appearing, human remains are discovered, and both the Sheriff and the Deputy Sheriff are struggling to function due to their recent overwhelming grief. Also tangled up in this story is Native American legend and whispers about "the Low Walker," a mutated man/beast that can rip a man to shreds in seconds. Infidelity, religious fanaticism, fear, and a firey political landscape bind the town and its residents in this superb, moody mystery that turns a charming seaside town into something reeking of stark terror.
Keith Rosson pens a riveting literary thriller that packs the double punch of both complex characters and an unusual story. Do not miss this tale of ruin, set so perfectly in the dark and dripping Pacific Northwest.
Keith Rosson pens a riveting literary thriller that packs the double punch of both complex characters and an unusual story. Do not miss this tale of ruin, set so perfectly in the dark and dripping Pacific Northwest.
February 7, 2017
Review of THE MERCY OF THE TIDE by Keith Rosson
THE MERCY OF THE TIDE is an exceptional literary adventure, a novel that is deep and rich, a literary pleasure. About halfway through, I was reminded of A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein, a novel which I consider a Best of 2015, as THE MERCY OF THE TIDE I consider a Best of 2017. Both are set in the Pacific Northwest, though A SUDDEN LIGHT occurs in an earlier century. Literate, absorbing, revealing, cutting deep into the characters, both novels bring us their individuals in deeper and clearer ways than the individuals recognise in themselves.
THE MERCY OF THE TIDE is an exceptional literary adventure, a novel that is deep and rich, a literary pleasure. About halfway through, I was reminded of A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein, a novel which I consider a Best of 2015, as THE MERCY OF THE TIDE I consider a Best of 2017. Both are set in the Pacific Northwest, though A SUDDEN LIGHT occurs in an earlier century. Literate, absorbing, revealing, cutting deep into the characters, both novels bring us their individuals in deeper and clearer ways than the individuals recognise in themselves.
December 19, 2016
Dave Dobbs, Nick Hayslip, Sam Finster, and Trina Finster live in the tiny ocean-side Oregon town of Riptide in 1983. The four of them are connected by recent deaths in a two car collision; in that collision, June, who was Dobb’s wife of decades, and Melissa, mother of Sam and Trina and also the adulterous girlfriend of Hayslip, were killed. Each chapter tells the evolving story- and the past- from a different characters point of view. Sam is a senior in high school; his little sister Trina is 9 years old, deaf, and dealing with the death of her mother by concentrating on the news of worsening relations between Russia and the USA and worrying about nuclear annihilation. Dobbs is the head of the police department; Hayslip is one of his officers. Dobbs is dealing with his loss in a pretty normal way; Hayslip is losing it rapidly- in part because no one knew about his relationship with Melissa and he doesn’t want it getting out. Meanwhile, birds are being found torn apart, and Trina has found a human skeleton in the park.
The book is billed as horror, but it’s also an alternate history thriller. You’re given a few clues about the difference in the timeline fairly early on, but you don’t get to find out how different it is until the end. The horror, it seems (and there is a little bit of supernatural horror), is only a lead up to the thriller part. Mainly it’s a story about how different people deal with loss- no two people deal with loss in the same way- and it’s done very well.
Despite the horror element, this book is character driven. The main players are well drawn and deep. I loved young Sam, who paired regular teen punk rocker angst with taking a lot of responsibility on after his mother’s death. I felt so sorry for Sam and Trina’s father, trying to keep the family from falling apart after his wife’s death. While all the characters are flawed, they are all good people, just trying to get through life, even when (especially when) life throws some really weird shit at them. It’s sort of Stephen King meets Ray Bradbury.
The ending was… odd. I’m not sure if this is the start of a series or if that was, indeed, the rather abrupt end. It’s dramatic and stunning, either way.
The book is billed as horror, but it’s also an alternate history thriller. You’re given a few clues about the difference in the timeline fairly early on, but you don’t get to find out how different it is until the end. The horror, it seems (and there is a little bit of supernatural horror), is only a lead up to the thriller part. Mainly it’s a story about how different people deal with loss- no two people deal with loss in the same way- and it’s done very well.
Despite the horror element, this book is character driven. The main players are well drawn and deep. I loved young Sam, who paired regular teen punk rocker angst with taking a lot of responsibility on after his mother’s death. I felt so sorry for Sam and Trina’s father, trying to keep the family from falling apart after his wife’s death. While all the characters are flawed, they are all good people, just trying to get through life, even when (especially when) life throws some really weird shit at them. It’s sort of Stephen King meets Ray Bradbury.
The ending was… odd. I’m not sure if this is the start of a series or if that was, indeed, the rather abrupt end. It’s dramatic and stunning, either way.
November 19, 2016
Thanks to netgalley.com for an advance readers copy in return for an honest review. The first part of this book reads like a regular small-town, police-department, gloomy (in a good way) novel set on the Oregon coast in the 1980s. Then, about a third of the way in, it becomes clear that this is an alternate 1980s and all bets are off. This book is a good read - but it has a bit of an "uncanny valley" problem. I wanted it to be either less realistic and go full Stephen King on me, or to stick more closely to the social realism, character-driven genre that is the first part of the book. I think this is the freshman novel effort from Keith Rosson, who says in the author notes that this is a "weird book" - but for me, it could have been weirder.
August 26, 2017
Received an advanced copy via NetGalley.
I'm not really sure what to make of this one. I'd put it somewhere around a 3.5. It kind of started off slow, kind of stayed slow. I thought it was building to a mystery, but the mystery wasn't really the focus and when I started to accept that, it became more interesting. Whatever mystery there is, odd and small that it is, is sort of a side effect. The focus is elsewhere, on loss and grief.
The ending could have been bizarre and outlandish -if I described it, it would totally sound bizarre and outlandish- but it wasn't. Magical realism done where it feels more real than magical always kind of surprises me when it works.
I'm not really sure what to make of this one. I'd put it somewhere around a 3.5. It kind of started off slow, kind of stayed slow. I thought it was building to a mystery, but the mystery wasn't really the focus and when I started to accept that, it became more interesting. Whatever mystery there is, odd and small that it is, is sort of a side effect. The focus is elsewhere, on loss and grief.
The ending could have been bizarre and outlandish -if I described it, it would totally sound bizarre and outlandish- but it wasn't. Magical realism done where it feels more real than magical always kind of surprises me when it works.
October 19, 2016
First, thank you Netgally for letting me get my eyeballs on this book ahead of time,
and oh wow, What a great book. Dark, tragic with a sprinkle of the supernatural. But the characters...
This is how you write characters. They were people you cared about instead of just names in a book. They were the reason I gave this book 5 stars. The story was good, but the characters were what stole the show, what kept you turning pages and what sticks with you in the end.
I don't know how I feel about the very end of this book, but that takes nothing away from how great the rest of it was.
and oh wow, What a great book. Dark, tragic with a sprinkle of the supernatural. But the characters...
This is how you write characters. They were people you cared about instead of just names in a book. They were the reason I gave this book 5 stars. The story was good, but the characters were what stole the show, what kept you turning pages and what sticks with you in the end.
I don't know how I feel about the very end of this book, but that takes nothing away from how great the rest of it was.
December 5, 2016
I blurbed this book and will share that blurb once the book is released but this is an incredible book. An absolutely spellbinding reading experience. Highly recommended.
Read
February 6, 2017DNF'd at 30% because I didn't like or connect with any of the main four characters. Not the book for me.
April 22, 2017
I was provided with an ARC copy of The Mercy of the Tide, by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Debut novelist, Keith Rosson, has delivered a riveting character-driven tale that crosses the line between mild horror and alternate reality. Set in the small seaside town of Riptide Oregon, the time is late 1983. The town is grieving the loss of two women killed in a head-on car crash, leaving siblings Trina and Sam Finster motherless and Sheriff Dave Dobbs a widower. The blame for the accident is firmly laid on Melissa Finster, after beer cans are discovered in the back of the wreck, causing more anguish for her devastated family.
The story is told from the point of view of four characters in alternating chapters: eighteen-year-old Sam Finster, his nine-year-old sister Trina Finster who is profoundly deaf, Sheriff Dave Dobbs, and Deputy Nick Hayslip, a Vietnam veteran who grieves for Melissa Finster in secrecy, unable to reveal their affair in light of the tragedy.
Rosson’s characters are well-drawn and believable, each dealing with their grief in their own way, each with their own personality and their own voice, and the addition of several interesting secondary characters only makes the narrative stronger. I thought each of the characters was relatable, although I probably felt the least connection with Trina Finster, who deals with the loss of her mother by obsessing about the possibility of nuclear war, which seems an unlikely reaction for a nine-year-old, even a gifted one.
As the story unfolds, mutilated corpses of birds and animals are found about town and fear grips the tiny community, wondering what sort of animal or human could be responsible. However the discovery of a hundred-year-old skeleton of a Native American girl leads Deputy Hayslip to suspect that something darker and much more ancient is at work.
The descriptions in this novel are vivid. Rosson paints a picture of the town that is dark and cold and windswept, a fitting backdrop to the grief and melancholy that dominates the characters’ thoughts. I did feel the book was a bit of a slow burn, as the tension didn’t really build until the second half, the first half dedicated to setting the scene and building the characters. However, this didn’t seem to detract from the narrative. I kept turning the pages, and when the suspense rose to the ultimate climate, I was invested in the characters and genuinely anxious for their fate.
Overall, a highly enjoyable read. Recommended for readers who enjoy alternate reality, supernatural themes and mild horror.
Review first published on my blog. To see this and other reviews go to http://sonyaspreenbates.wordpress.com.
Debut novelist, Keith Rosson, has delivered a riveting character-driven tale that crosses the line between mild horror and alternate reality. Set in the small seaside town of Riptide Oregon, the time is late 1983. The town is grieving the loss of two women killed in a head-on car crash, leaving siblings Trina and Sam Finster motherless and Sheriff Dave Dobbs a widower. The blame for the accident is firmly laid on Melissa Finster, after beer cans are discovered in the back of the wreck, causing more anguish for her devastated family.
The story is told from the point of view of four characters in alternating chapters: eighteen-year-old Sam Finster, his nine-year-old sister Trina Finster who is profoundly deaf, Sheriff Dave Dobbs, and Deputy Nick Hayslip, a Vietnam veteran who grieves for Melissa Finster in secrecy, unable to reveal their affair in light of the tragedy.
Rosson’s characters are well-drawn and believable, each dealing with their grief in their own way, each with their own personality and their own voice, and the addition of several interesting secondary characters only makes the narrative stronger. I thought each of the characters was relatable, although I probably felt the least connection with Trina Finster, who deals with the loss of her mother by obsessing about the possibility of nuclear war, which seems an unlikely reaction for a nine-year-old, even a gifted one.
As the story unfolds, mutilated corpses of birds and animals are found about town and fear grips the tiny community, wondering what sort of animal or human could be responsible. However the discovery of a hundred-year-old skeleton of a Native American girl leads Deputy Hayslip to suspect that something darker and much more ancient is at work.
The descriptions in this novel are vivid. Rosson paints a picture of the town that is dark and cold and windswept, a fitting backdrop to the grief and melancholy that dominates the characters’ thoughts. I did feel the book was a bit of a slow burn, as the tension didn’t really build until the second half, the first half dedicated to setting the scene and building the characters. However, this didn’t seem to detract from the narrative. I kept turning the pages, and when the suspense rose to the ultimate climate, I was invested in the characters and genuinely anxious for their fate.
Overall, a highly enjoyable read. Recommended for readers who enjoy alternate reality, supernatural themes and mild horror.
Review first published on my blog. To see this and other reviews go to http://sonyaspreenbates.wordpress.com.
October 14, 2025
3.7*
Novel·la que s’endinsa amb un ritme deliberadament pausat en la vida d’un poble castigat. Ambientada a Riptide, Oregon, el 1983, combina el drama humà amb el sobrenatural en un relat on l’ambientació és tan important com la trama. En un escenari permanentment amarat de pluja i records, els habitants —un sheriff turmentat, un noi ferit per la pèrdua de la mare i una nena sorda obsessionada amb l’apocalipsi— s’enfronten a esdeveniments inquietants: animals mutilats, ossos antics i la sensació insidiosa que alguna cosa fosca s’ha despertat.
Rosson construeix la novel·la amb una lentitud calculada, prioritzant l’atmosfera i la profunditat emocional dels personatges per sobre de l’acció immediata. Aquesta elecció narrativa, recolzada en una prosa poètica i absorbent, permet que la tensió i la melancolia s’infiltin en el lector de forma gairebé orgànica. Tot i que algunes dimensions, com l’element indígena, podrien haver-se explorat amb més profunditat, la novel·la destaca per la seva sensibilitat en el retrat del dol i la memòria col·lectiva. El resultat és una obra hipnòtica i trista, on el terror es converteix en una metàfora potent de les forces —externes i internes— que ens ultrapassen. Malgrat tot, no he aconseguit establir una química lectora amb l'obra.
Novel·la que s’endinsa amb un ritme deliberadament pausat en la vida d’un poble castigat. Ambientada a Riptide, Oregon, el 1983, combina el drama humà amb el sobrenatural en un relat on l’ambientació és tan important com la trama. En un escenari permanentment amarat de pluja i records, els habitants —un sheriff turmentat, un noi ferit per la pèrdua de la mare i una nena sorda obsessionada amb l’apocalipsi— s’enfronten a esdeveniments inquietants: animals mutilats, ossos antics i la sensació insidiosa que alguna cosa fosca s’ha despertat.
Rosson construeix la novel·la amb una lentitud calculada, prioritzant l’atmosfera i la profunditat emocional dels personatges per sobre de l’acció immediata. Aquesta elecció narrativa, recolzada en una prosa poètica i absorbent, permet que la tensió i la melancolia s’infiltin en el lector de forma gairebé orgànica. Tot i que algunes dimensions, com l’element indígena, podrien haver-se explorat amb més profunditat, la novel·la destaca per la seva sensibilitat en el retrat del dol i la memòria col·lectiva. El resultat és una obra hipnòtica i trista, on el terror es converteix en una metàfora potent de les forces —externes i internes— que ens ultrapassen. Malgrat tot, no he aconseguit establir una química lectora amb l'obra.
March 31, 2017
This is a really interesting book that is incredibly difficult to pigeon hole. It's a deep character study of four intersecting lives during 1983-4 in a small, coastal town. The characters are wonderfully drawn, flawed and interesting trying their best to make their way through difficult times. It is also an alternate history tale of nuclear trouble during the cold war and a fascinating look at Native American legends. It won't be for everyone, as it is very languidly paced and doesn't focus too much on plot. What I found most enjoyable was the nostalgia for a time before mobile phones and the internet and MP3 players. The author is an unabashed lover of the cassette tape and it features prominently here to great effect. This is a very good book that deserves to be read by anyone who loves to remember the eighties - fans of Stranger Things would love it.
April 24, 2017
I may bump this up to 4 later. I liked the character work, they all seemed well developed. I never really felt the tension or suspense that I expected. In a sense it feels unfinished, the mystery part is sort of unresolved and it doesn't feel like there was resolution for the characters either. There was definitely some stuff to like here, it just never quite clicked. It sort of fell short as a thriller and as a study of grief or loss.
November 1, 2024
3.5 stars.
April 17, 2017
More like 3.75. This novel gets major points for: being very original, independently published, peopled with interesting, sympathetic characters.
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