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Whispers in the Alders
Alder Ferry would have been just another nondescript suburb living in the shadow of its urban parent if not for one detail: the mysterious stand of alder trees anchoring the town to its past and standing as a reminder to the wilderness that once stood in its place.
In the shadows of the alders a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was, until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood.
Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
In the shadows of the alders a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was, until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood.
Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
- GenresFiction
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2017
2 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
H.A. Callum
4 books17 followersH. A. Callum is a poet and fiction writer calling Bucks County, Pennsylvania, his home. The rolling hills, weathered stone walls, and meandering woodland streams interspersed with quaint farm-lots serve as inspiration to his writing and to his eye as a naturalist and wildlife proponent.
Having crossed the United States several times over, and after calling the American West home for several years, Mr. Callum’s understanding of America serves as his eyepiece to a culture that is constantly changing, like the landscape that defines the continent. The ever-evolving definition of what it means to be American can be reflected in his writing and love of the written word.
Mr. Callum’s poetry and fiction have appeared in local and national literary journals. His debut literary novel, Whispers in the Alders, was published by Brown Posey Press in 2018.
When not writing, Mr. Callum can be found curled up with a good book.
Mr. Callum resides with his two daughters – his greatest sources of inspiration.
Having crossed the United States several times over, and after calling the American West home for several years, Mr. Callum’s understanding of America serves as his eyepiece to a culture that is constantly changing, like the landscape that defines the continent. The ever-evolving definition of what it means to be American can be reflected in his writing and love of the written word.
Mr. Callum’s poetry and fiction have appeared in local and national literary journals. His debut literary novel, Whispers in the Alders, was published by Brown Posey Press in 2018.
When not writing, Mr. Callum can be found curled up with a good book.
Mr. Callum resides with his two daughters – his greatest sources of inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 25, 2018
"We came from different worlds, but here we were misery enjoying company. Our common suffering at home was the bridge that gapped the social distance between us. In the end, we were both two misbegotten children thrown to parents who could have cared less about us, except for the fact that we had had the audacity to circumvent the plans they imagined for their lives."
Are you kidding me? Who writes like that?
This book is To Kill a Mockingbird for a new generation.
Yep. I said it.
There's only one difference, H.A. Callum is a far superior writer.
Yep. I said that, too.
Simply said, this coming of age story is a work of art. Perhaps that is due to the fact Callum is not only a novelist but a poet as well. With his breathtakingly eloquent, and yes, poetic prose, he has breathed life into the pages of this story the likes of which most writers failingly strive their entire lives to achieve.
This book is as beautiful as it is tragic, featuring a pair of teenagers, Aubrey and Tommy, from different sides of the tracks that develop a relationship that not only transcends the insurmountable obstacles they both face, but it propels them to find a way to escape their circumstances, with each finding strength in the other that they never knew they had and most likely would have never found without the other.
This story is so exquisitely written that I found myself pausing to re-read many passages, multiple times in fact, until I had them committed to memory, in complete awe of the emotions the author was able to draw from me with only a few words, placed perfectly in a sequence that left me breathless.
Here's one of my favorite passages as relayed by Aubrey while Tommy reads her a poem he wrote:
"His eyes were the lungs to his soul; they breathed in each word and brought life to them as they danced across his lips."
If that's not sigh worthy then I must be ignorant of the definition.
I strongly recommend this book as it is a master class in mellifluousness the likes of which one rarely comes across, if ever.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Are you kidding me? Who writes like that?
This book is To Kill a Mockingbird for a new generation.
Yep. I said it.
There's only one difference, H.A. Callum is a far superior writer.
Yep. I said that, too.
Simply said, this coming of age story is a work of art. Perhaps that is due to the fact Callum is not only a novelist but a poet as well. With his breathtakingly eloquent, and yes, poetic prose, he has breathed life into the pages of this story the likes of which most writers failingly strive their entire lives to achieve.
This book is as beautiful as it is tragic, featuring a pair of teenagers, Aubrey and Tommy, from different sides of the tracks that develop a relationship that not only transcends the insurmountable obstacles they both face, but it propels them to find a way to escape their circumstances, with each finding strength in the other that they never knew they had and most likely would have never found without the other.
This story is so exquisitely written that I found myself pausing to re-read many passages, multiple times in fact, until I had them committed to memory, in complete awe of the emotions the author was able to draw from me with only a few words, placed perfectly in a sequence that left me breathless.
Here's one of my favorite passages as relayed by Aubrey while Tommy reads her a poem he wrote:
"His eyes were the lungs to his soul; they breathed in each word and brought life to them as they danced across his lips."
If that's not sigh worthy then I must be ignorant of the definition.
I strongly recommend this book as it is a master class in mellifluousness the likes of which one rarely comes across, if ever.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2019
So beautifully written.
May 27, 2017
Whispers In The Alders by H. A. Callum, Kindle Edition, May 26th 2017, Genre: Coming of Age, LGBT Fiction. Warning: May Contain Spoilers. Note: I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Whispers In The Alders is an emotionally evocative coming of age tale. H. A. Callum has proven himself to be a powerful storyteller. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began reading this book. As the story progressed, I began forming expectations, yet those were dashed as the unexpected occurred at each major point in the tale. Despite this, I was delighted and moved by this gem of a story.
Written in first person style, we relive the journey of tortured teen Aubrey Worthington, the only child of the man brought in to eventually lay everyone off and shut down the town’s factory. Most of the town despises Aubrey and her family. A functional alcoholic from a wealthy family, her mother is cold and distant. She wishes deep down she’d never become pregnant with Aubrey or been coerced into marrying Aubrey’s father. Aubrey’s father never would’ve landed his high status job had he not been married to Aubrey’s mother. He is a workaholic, more concerned with appearances than reality. Aubrey’s worst fear is falling prey to the cycle of broken dreams prevalent in the town and being trapped in Alder’s Ferry with her uncaring parents for the rest of her life. Aubrey’s life changes when she discovers the Alder Stand behind her new home and the boy Tommy who makes it his sanctuary. Neither of these children deserve the abuse they receive from the families who are supposed to love and support them. While most people could never imagine some of the things they must endure, these horrible events don’t turn them into jaded, hateful people. Tommy and Aubrey have each other to lean on and confide in. Their friendship is a beautiful expression of love, the “honest affection” they’d been “missing all their lives”. Although I hoped for the best for these characters, world-shattering events conspired against one of them in the end.
My favorite thing about this book is the way Callum gives each character, no matter how minor, a unique voice. The characters are complex. When Mrs. K does wrong, we wonder if we would’ve made the same choices. She’s not evil, merely frail and human. Although the tale begins with quite a bit of narration, once past this point the story’s pace picks up considerably and remains steady throughout. While character-driven, this novel provides numerous plot complications and a mystery for the reader to enjoy. Strongly moving, it tugs on the heartstrings.
I relished reading Whispers In The Alders. I’d recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys moving, coming of age stories.
Whispers In The Alders is an emotionally evocative coming of age tale. H. A. Callum has proven himself to be a powerful storyteller. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began reading this book. As the story progressed, I began forming expectations, yet those were dashed as the unexpected occurred at each major point in the tale. Despite this, I was delighted and moved by this gem of a story.
Written in first person style, we relive the journey of tortured teen Aubrey Worthington, the only child of the man brought in to eventually lay everyone off and shut down the town’s factory. Most of the town despises Aubrey and her family. A functional alcoholic from a wealthy family, her mother is cold and distant. She wishes deep down she’d never become pregnant with Aubrey or been coerced into marrying Aubrey’s father. Aubrey’s father never would’ve landed his high status job had he not been married to Aubrey’s mother. He is a workaholic, more concerned with appearances than reality. Aubrey’s worst fear is falling prey to the cycle of broken dreams prevalent in the town and being trapped in Alder’s Ferry with her uncaring parents for the rest of her life. Aubrey’s life changes when she discovers the Alder Stand behind her new home and the boy Tommy who makes it his sanctuary. Neither of these children deserve the abuse they receive from the families who are supposed to love and support them. While most people could never imagine some of the things they must endure, these horrible events don’t turn them into jaded, hateful people. Tommy and Aubrey have each other to lean on and confide in. Their friendship is a beautiful expression of love, the “honest affection” they’d been “missing all their lives”. Although I hoped for the best for these characters, world-shattering events conspired against one of them in the end.
My favorite thing about this book is the way Callum gives each character, no matter how minor, a unique voice. The characters are complex. When Mrs. K does wrong, we wonder if we would’ve made the same choices. She’s not evil, merely frail and human. Although the tale begins with quite a bit of narration, once past this point the story’s pace picks up considerably and remains steady throughout. While character-driven, this novel provides numerous plot complications and a mystery for the reader to enjoy. Strongly moving, it tugs on the heartstrings.
I relished reading Whispers In The Alders. I’d recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys moving, coming of age stories.
May 23, 2017
“The drifts formed and moved like waves animated in clay, seeming to have a purpose to the shapes they took and the directions they wandered.”
From the beginning, the story swept me up and carried me along. I was entranced by H. A. Callum’s poetic descriptions. He used his words to paint vivid images for his reader. Unlike other novels, I didn’t feel bogged down in the description, rather I wanted to wade through the words and see this new world through Callum’s eyes.
“Tommy and I had always made the vow to break the mold and live our lives on our terms regardless of the cost. And that is what I did.”
By the fourth page, I had identified with Aubrey, the narrator of the story. This is a mark of how easily Callum draws you into his world. Throughout the rest of the book, I found myself in awe of Aubrey and the choices she faced. Aubrey made realistic decisions with realistic outcomes.
“Tommy went on, ‘But it just happens, right? All your life you dream of getting out and exploring the world, but then life just grabs you by the foot and pulls you back in.’”
Throughout the novel, Callum used dialogue to show his characters in unique ways and to make us fall in love with them. Since the book is narrated by Aubrey, many of the dialogues between Aubrey and Tommy are the only clues we get to Tommy’s worlds. The two aren’t able to talk as often as they’d like, but each interaction gives us a glimpse of the kind and tender heart of Tommy.
Personally, I would have loved more interactions between Aubrey and Tommy. A few scenes explained how they continued to talk to one another, and I wish Callum had expanded those scenes with more dialogue. I think it would have anchored their relationship for me.
As much as I can identify with the characters, I can also recognize Alder Ferry. It may very well be unique in its location and setting, but the town's mindset is very much alive across the United States. Many readers will recognize the town mentality and shudder to think what or who is falling through the cracks at this moment in time in their own chunk of the world.
I will be recommending this novel to all my fellow readers, and I look forward to seeing what this talented author has in store for us in the future.
Note: I received an advance review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
From the beginning, the story swept me up and carried me along. I was entranced by H. A. Callum’s poetic descriptions. He used his words to paint vivid images for his reader. Unlike other novels, I didn’t feel bogged down in the description, rather I wanted to wade through the words and see this new world through Callum’s eyes.
“Tommy and I had always made the vow to break the mold and live our lives on our terms regardless of the cost. And that is what I did.”
By the fourth page, I had identified with Aubrey, the narrator of the story. This is a mark of how easily Callum draws you into his world. Throughout the rest of the book, I found myself in awe of Aubrey and the choices she faced. Aubrey made realistic decisions with realistic outcomes.
“Tommy went on, ‘But it just happens, right? All your life you dream of getting out and exploring the world, but then life just grabs you by the foot and pulls you back in.’”
Throughout the novel, Callum used dialogue to show his characters in unique ways and to make us fall in love with them. Since the book is narrated by Aubrey, many of the dialogues between Aubrey and Tommy are the only clues we get to Tommy’s worlds. The two aren’t able to talk as often as they’d like, but each interaction gives us a glimpse of the kind and tender heart of Tommy.
Personally, I would have loved more interactions between Aubrey and Tommy. A few scenes explained how they continued to talk to one another, and I wish Callum had expanded those scenes with more dialogue. I think it would have anchored their relationship for me.
As much as I can identify with the characters, I can also recognize Alder Ferry. It may very well be unique in its location and setting, but the town's mindset is very much alive across the United States. Many readers will recognize the town mentality and shudder to think what or who is falling through the cracks at this moment in time in their own chunk of the world.
I will be recommending this novel to all my fellow readers, and I look forward to seeing what this talented author has in store for us in the future.
Note: I received an advance review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2017
"I looked into the trees then at the catkins bisecting my palm. I knew what I had to do. The trees were calling. Soon they would make my acquaintance."
Like Aubrey, the trees in Alder Ferry called to me, and I soon made their acquaintance. That acquaintance grew into a deep love for the alders and for their keepers, Tommy and Aubrey. Falling in love with trees and fictional characters is a sure sign of an outstanding novel. Whispers in the Alders is a compelling piece of literature for many reasons. The beauty of the book lies within the love and loyalty of an unwavering friendship. The friendship between Tommy and Aubrey made me laugh, it made me cry, and above all, it continues to haunt me with the need for social change.
There is no short way to fully express the layers of intricacies weaved throughout this coming of age story. Those layers depict the hypocrisies and injustices of modern times. The story explores courage, convictions, and examines love at its purest form. In summary, Whispers in the Alders is in 2017 what To Kill a Mockingbird was in 1960, a great American novel that challenges societal comforts.
Like Aubrey, the trees in Alder Ferry called to me, and I soon made their acquaintance. That acquaintance grew into a deep love for the alders and for their keepers, Tommy and Aubrey. Falling in love with trees and fictional characters is a sure sign of an outstanding novel. Whispers in the Alders is a compelling piece of literature for many reasons. The beauty of the book lies within the love and loyalty of an unwavering friendship. The friendship between Tommy and Aubrey made me laugh, it made me cry, and above all, it continues to haunt me with the need for social change.
There is no short way to fully express the layers of intricacies weaved throughout this coming of age story. Those layers depict the hypocrisies and injustices of modern times. The story explores courage, convictions, and examines love at its purest form. In summary, Whispers in the Alders is in 2017 what To Kill a Mockingbird was in 1960, a great American novel that challenges societal comforts.
May 20, 2017
“He looked up at me, and from behind his coy smile, he said, ‘My name’s Tommy.’ And that was where we started.”
Thus begins the story of Tommy and Aubrey, two discarded and lonely teenagers trapped in the unforgiving town of Alder Ferry. There, they face the insurmountable odds of a town filled with embittered, cold-blooded citizens, who mirror the same antiquated, outdated attitudes as the institutions that failed to protect them.
Alder Ferry is a town not unlike others in the northeast. With the Lowanachen River flowing to one side, it’s nestled between a blue collar city to the south and smaller, wealthier towns with expensive neighborhoods to the north. As the Worthington family car makes its way down the gravel road that leads into a two-track dirt road, thirteen-year-old Aubrey gets her first glance at the Grand Old Lady, the house purchased by her father to surprise her mother - and the Alder stand. It is these trees that become her home for the next six years until leaving for college.
With nowhere else to turn but to each other, the two escape the dysfunction of complicated home lives, and the brutality of a town, by finding sanctity inside an ancient stand of trees, their catkins becoming the symbol of love everlasting, in this masterfully written and heartfelt book.
No matter who you are, you cannot help but see glimpses of yourself in these characters, either as a teenager now, or thinking back to a time when you were - you will feel utter empathy as you follow their compelling story.
“Whispers in the Alders” is a book that will stay with you long after you finish it and one not easily put down even then. H. A. Callum has managed to create an inner world of mystique and love, inside a harsher, more realistic one of detachment, detriment, and disharmony imposed by the angered and resentful denizens of Alder Ferry. To say the two are about to collide is a gross understatement, that can only be read to be fully appreciated.
I give this book the highest recommendation possible . It has it all! A unique and unforgettable love story – played out against the turbulent background of a town's dying infrastructure, as seen through the author's excellent portrayal of a declining church and collapsing industrial factory.
I loved this book and when I was reading it, the author made me feel as though I lived in the town with Tommy and Aubrey and was experiencing all of it right along with them. I cannot wait to see what is coming next from H. A. Callum, such an amazing and talented author. I hope we won't have to wait too long.
C.M. Turner
Thus begins the story of Tommy and Aubrey, two discarded and lonely teenagers trapped in the unforgiving town of Alder Ferry. There, they face the insurmountable odds of a town filled with embittered, cold-blooded citizens, who mirror the same antiquated, outdated attitudes as the institutions that failed to protect them.
Alder Ferry is a town not unlike others in the northeast. With the Lowanachen River flowing to one side, it’s nestled between a blue collar city to the south and smaller, wealthier towns with expensive neighborhoods to the north. As the Worthington family car makes its way down the gravel road that leads into a two-track dirt road, thirteen-year-old Aubrey gets her first glance at the Grand Old Lady, the house purchased by her father to surprise her mother - and the Alder stand. It is these trees that become her home for the next six years until leaving for college.
With nowhere else to turn but to each other, the two escape the dysfunction of complicated home lives, and the brutality of a town, by finding sanctity inside an ancient stand of trees, their catkins becoming the symbol of love everlasting, in this masterfully written and heartfelt book.
No matter who you are, you cannot help but see glimpses of yourself in these characters, either as a teenager now, or thinking back to a time when you were - you will feel utter empathy as you follow their compelling story.
“Whispers in the Alders” is a book that will stay with you long after you finish it and one not easily put down even then. H. A. Callum has managed to create an inner world of mystique and love, inside a harsher, more realistic one of detachment, detriment, and disharmony imposed by the angered and resentful denizens of Alder Ferry. To say the two are about to collide is a gross understatement, that can only be read to be fully appreciated.
I give this book the highest recommendation possible . It has it all! A unique and unforgettable love story – played out against the turbulent background of a town's dying infrastructure, as seen through the author's excellent portrayal of a declining church and collapsing industrial factory.
I loved this book and when I was reading it, the author made me feel as though I lived in the town with Tommy and Aubrey and was experiencing all of it right along with them. I cannot wait to see what is coming next from H. A. Callum, such an amazing and talented author. I hope we won't have to wait too long.
C.M. Turner
August 27, 2017
To put it simply, this is the best coming-of-age story I have ever read.
Let’s begin with style. It’s more than obvious that the author is also a poet; his exposition is intricate and sublime. I was talking about this book with a friend just after reading it, and thereby came up with a good comparison. Callum’s prose is reminiscent of Edith Wharton’s: full of the pain and tragedy of human existence, but rendered with an innate appreciation for the individual beauties offered by a broken world.
Now let’s move on to subject matter. Aubrey Worthington is a teenager made prematurely cynical by a world that never seemed to want her. She is monetarily privileged but emotionally bankrupt. Until she meets Alton “Tommy” Mackay.
Imagine one of the worst literary childhoods you’ve ever read about – and then make that about ten times worse. That pretty much sums up Tommy’s entrance into the world. He is the grandson of a worker at the factory that Aubrey’s father is taking over, and logically, a friendship between the two teenagers should never take place.
But it does, and it’s life-changing. I can’t recall ever encountering a relationship exactly like this one. It’s love as deep as love can be; and yet, it’s love that can hardly be described. It’s all-encompassing, but not in the “Romeo & Juliet” sense. You’d have to read it to understand it.
Not to give anything away, but the ending of the book perfectly emphasizes the entire narrative. The world is broken, but its beauties aren’t few. This beauty doesn’t heal – but it provides a clear channel for the navigation of our hearts and souls.
Let’s begin with style. It’s more than obvious that the author is also a poet; his exposition is intricate and sublime. I was talking about this book with a friend just after reading it, and thereby came up with a good comparison. Callum’s prose is reminiscent of Edith Wharton’s: full of the pain and tragedy of human existence, but rendered with an innate appreciation for the individual beauties offered by a broken world.
Now let’s move on to subject matter. Aubrey Worthington is a teenager made prematurely cynical by a world that never seemed to want her. She is monetarily privileged but emotionally bankrupt. Until she meets Alton “Tommy” Mackay.
Imagine one of the worst literary childhoods you’ve ever read about – and then make that about ten times worse. That pretty much sums up Tommy’s entrance into the world. He is the grandson of a worker at the factory that Aubrey’s father is taking over, and logically, a friendship between the two teenagers should never take place.
But it does, and it’s life-changing. I can’t recall ever encountering a relationship exactly like this one. It’s love as deep as love can be; and yet, it’s love that can hardly be described. It’s all-encompassing, but not in the “Romeo & Juliet” sense. You’d have to read it to understand it.
Not to give anything away, but the ending of the book perfectly emphasizes the entire narrative. The world is broken, but its beauties aren’t few. This beauty doesn’t heal – but it provides a clear channel for the navigation of our hearts and souls.
May 26, 2017
Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].
'Whispers in the Alders' by H.A. Callum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on May 7, 2017
GIVEN FREE COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR HONEST REVIEW
$2.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
(I typically like to try and write my own descriptions for the books I review, but this book's synopsis is so beautifully written, that I had to include it here. I think it perfectly sets you up for the way this book is written and the journey it is going to take you on.)
Alder Ferry would have been just another nondescript suburb living in the shadow of its urban parent if not for one detail: the mysterious stand of alder trees anchoring the town to its past and standing as a reminder to the wilderness that once stood in its place.
In the shadows of the alders a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was, until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood. Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
MY REVIEW:
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If I could give this book ten stars, I would. This is a beautiful, poignant story about friendship and love in a painfully cruel world. Callum writes with an almost poetic style of prose that flows off the page and straight into your heart.
Aubrey moves to the town of Alder Ferry. Her father is the president of the town's central economic source, and when he starts killing off jobs, her family becomes the most hated in town. She's a social pariah, but she's used to it because this is what her dad does. But she makes an unlikely friend in Tommy, a boy who finds his solace in the copse of alders between their homes.
Both teens, although from vastly different backgrounds, suffer in quiet loneliness and deep pain. Together, they find a way to cope and survive life in Alder Ferry. Their love for one another love is in its purest sense, and it brought me to tears multiple times throughout this novel.
The relationship between these two teens is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. They have no one but each other, and as I read this, I found myself rooting for them both, but also becoming infuriated that the adults in their life failed them over and over again. Both Aubrey and Tommy are lovable and darling characters who deserve so much better than life gave them, Tommy in particular, and everyone in their lives failed them.
This is was the sort of story that, as a writer myself, made me want to become a better storyteller. It's so beautifully crafted and is such a human tale that it reaches inside you and clenches right at your soul. I have thought about this story every single day since finishing it, and I have no doubt it will stick with me long into the future.
'Whispers in the Alders' by H.A. Callum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on May 7, 2017
GIVEN FREE COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR HONEST REVIEW
$2.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
(I typically like to try and write my own descriptions for the books I review, but this book's synopsis is so beautifully written, that I had to include it here. I think it perfectly sets you up for the way this book is written and the journey it is going to take you on.)
Alder Ferry would have been just another nondescript suburb living in the shadow of its urban parent if not for one detail: the mysterious stand of alder trees anchoring the town to its past and standing as a reminder to the wilderness that once stood in its place.
In the shadows of the alders a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was, until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood. Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
MY REVIEW:
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If I could give this book ten stars, I would. This is a beautiful, poignant story about friendship and love in a painfully cruel world. Callum writes with an almost poetic style of prose that flows off the page and straight into your heart.
Aubrey moves to the town of Alder Ferry. Her father is the president of the town's central economic source, and when he starts killing off jobs, her family becomes the most hated in town. She's a social pariah, but she's used to it because this is what her dad does. But she makes an unlikely friend in Tommy, a boy who finds his solace in the copse of alders between their homes.
Both teens, although from vastly different backgrounds, suffer in quiet loneliness and deep pain. Together, they find a way to cope and survive life in Alder Ferry. Their love for one another love is in its purest sense, and it brought me to tears multiple times throughout this novel.
The relationship between these two teens is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. They have no one but each other, and as I read this, I found myself rooting for them both, but also becoming infuriated that the adults in their life failed them over and over again. Both Aubrey and Tommy are lovable and darling characters who deserve so much better than life gave them, Tommy in particular, and everyone in their lives failed them.
This is was the sort of story that, as a writer myself, made me want to become a better storyteller. It's so beautifully crafted and is such a human tale that it reaches inside you and clenches right at your soul. I have thought about this story every single day since finishing it, and I have no doubt it will stick with me long into the future.
May 26, 2017
When Aubrey Worthington and her parents first moved into the small town of Alder Ferry, she had few expectations other than it would be miserable. But soon she means Tommy, a young mistreated boy who will become her best friend. The two of them grow up, supporting each other through the trials and tragedies that befall them, all the while dreaming of getting out of Alder Ferry.
I could stop this review after a single sentence.
I am awed by Whispers in the Alders.
The quality of the language and imagery laid out in this book are incredible. Much like Tommy, Mr. Callum has the soul of a poet and this is reflected clearly in his descriptions. These descriptions may vary from the peaceful and serene beauty of the alder stand to the horrific brutality of Tommy's abuse, but they are always written in such a way as to allow the reader to form a fully realised image in their minds.
Told by an older Aubrey, as she thinks back on her earlier life and her memories of Tommy, we get to see the slow unfolding of their relationship. The story may proceed at a gentle pace but it never meanders; from their first meeting in the titular alders, the bond between the two unwanted and unloved teenagers is told in an authentic and convincing manner. He helps her cope with the knowledge that her parents view her as a mistake and that the town's hatred of her father is so easily transferred to her. We see her desire to help Tommy when she learns some of his troubles, the fear and confusion as her actions have unintended consequences and her rage when Tommy is almost taken from her.
Due to the first person narrative, we learn less about Tommy, with the majority of what we discover coming as Aubrey learns about it herself. Most of the insight into his character comes from the dialogue during his interactions with Aubrey and the occasional pieces of his poetry that he allows her to read. He is carefully set up as perhaps the most hopeful and decent character in the novel, where virtually all the adult inhabitants of the town are variously cold, unforgiving, violent or self-serving. I will admit to occasionally wondering if anyone could retain the optimism Tommy does after the varied ill treatment he receives, but maybe that says more about me than the writing.
In summary, I would recommend this book to anyone who would appreciate lyrical storytelling, picturesque descriptiveness and a message that we can always rise above the circumstances the world puts us in. A strong contender for my favourite book of the year.
A strong contender for my favourite book of the year.
NB. I Received an advance copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
I could stop this review after a single sentence.
I am awed by Whispers in the Alders.
The quality of the language and imagery laid out in this book are incredible. Much like Tommy, Mr. Callum has the soul of a poet and this is reflected clearly in his descriptions. These descriptions may vary from the peaceful and serene beauty of the alder stand to the horrific brutality of Tommy's abuse, but they are always written in such a way as to allow the reader to form a fully realised image in their minds.
Told by an older Aubrey, as she thinks back on her earlier life and her memories of Tommy, we get to see the slow unfolding of their relationship. The story may proceed at a gentle pace but it never meanders; from their first meeting in the titular alders, the bond between the two unwanted and unloved teenagers is told in an authentic and convincing manner. He helps her cope with the knowledge that her parents view her as a mistake and that the town's hatred of her father is so easily transferred to her. We see her desire to help Tommy when she learns some of his troubles, the fear and confusion as her actions have unintended consequences and her rage when Tommy is almost taken from her.
Due to the first person narrative, we learn less about Tommy, with the majority of what we discover coming as Aubrey learns about it herself. Most of the insight into his character comes from the dialogue during his interactions with Aubrey and the occasional pieces of his poetry that he allows her to read. He is carefully set up as perhaps the most hopeful and decent character in the novel, where virtually all the adult inhabitants of the town are variously cold, unforgiving, violent or self-serving. I will admit to occasionally wondering if anyone could retain the optimism Tommy does after the varied ill treatment he receives, but maybe that says more about me than the writing.
In summary, I would recommend this book to anyone who would appreciate lyrical storytelling, picturesque descriptiveness and a message that we can always rise above the circumstances the world puts us in. A strong contender for my favourite book of the year.
A strong contender for my favourite book of the year.
NB. I Received an advance copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2017
I received an review copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
This book was submitted to Rosie Amber's Book Review Team, of which I am a member. Interestingly, I didn't initially choose it as the genre and blurb didn't particularly appeal, but then I got talking to the author on Twitter (about something else entirely) and he asked me if I would take a review copy. I'm glad I did.
Whispers in the Alders is set in the small east US town of Alder Ferry, where young teenagers Aubrey (female) and Tommy both suffer loveless, cold childhoods. Aubrey's family are wealthy, whereas Tommy's are poorer, and his life is quite brutal. They meet in a wooded area behind Aubrey's family home, amongst the alders, a place that both of them feel is 'home'.
The book starts in the present, with Aubrey in Portland, Maine, as an adult; she has left her family and the prejudices of the small town long behind. It then goes back to her early teens, and the loneliness she feels. The books spans the period of this time until early adulthood, and follows the tragedies of her and Tommy's lives.
I'd class this book as literary fiction, as well as a contemporary 'coming of age' story. Much of the writing is beautiful; I read that Mr Callum is a poet, too, and this is evident, but it's not wordy for the sake of it. It's quite a dense sort of novel, with much description, and on occasion I felt it could have been trimmed down just a little, but that's just personal preference, and I certainly appreciated every line. The plot itself develops slowly, with some shocking outcomes (child abuse and homophobia, but nothing graphic), and it's perfectly plotted. It's a heartrending, lonely sort of book; I longed for Aubrey and Tommy to find happiness.
A hidden gem by an extremely talented writer, very American (which I liked), and one I definitely recommend.
This book was submitted to Rosie Amber's Book Review Team, of which I am a member. Interestingly, I didn't initially choose it as the genre and blurb didn't particularly appeal, but then I got talking to the author on Twitter (about something else entirely) and he asked me if I would take a review copy. I'm glad I did.
Whispers in the Alders is set in the small east US town of Alder Ferry, where young teenagers Aubrey (female) and Tommy both suffer loveless, cold childhoods. Aubrey's family are wealthy, whereas Tommy's are poorer, and his life is quite brutal. They meet in a wooded area behind Aubrey's family home, amongst the alders, a place that both of them feel is 'home'.
The book starts in the present, with Aubrey in Portland, Maine, as an adult; she has left her family and the prejudices of the small town long behind. It then goes back to her early teens, and the loneliness she feels. The books spans the period of this time until early adulthood, and follows the tragedies of her and Tommy's lives.
I'd class this book as literary fiction, as well as a contemporary 'coming of age' story. Much of the writing is beautiful; I read that Mr Callum is a poet, too, and this is evident, but it's not wordy for the sake of it. It's quite a dense sort of novel, with much description, and on occasion I felt it could have been trimmed down just a little, but that's just personal preference, and I certainly appreciated every line. The plot itself develops slowly, with some shocking outcomes (child abuse and homophobia, but nothing graphic), and it's perfectly plotted. It's a heartrending, lonely sort of book; I longed for Aubrey and Tommy to find happiness.
A hidden gem by an extremely talented writer, very American (which I liked), and one I definitely recommend.
May 31, 2017
Whispers in the Alders is an outstanding book written about a girl named Aubrey Worthington. Her parents move to this backdated, evil town called, Alders and that is where she meets a boy named Tommy. The story is told in the first person narrative and it does not take long to realize how badly both are suffering, individually.
Tommy and Aubrey become best friends. Aubrey realizes how mistreated this poor boy is. Tommy writes poems and shares some with Aubrey. He also is discriminated and abused by his own family. The town folk hates Aubrey’s dad and that is transpired on to Aubrey as well. She also is considered to be a mistake and her family fails to understand her either.
What unfolds in this truly beautiful book is the bond of friendship. When everyone has turned their back on you and you feel absolutely alone, at an age where everything is questionable and you are still trying to figure yourself out, Aubrey and Tommy have each other.
I found the literature standard to be delightfully fulfilling. It has a hint of poetic writing, which I adore, making it very unique to read. There are sensitive topics such as sexual orientation, gender issues, faith and many more important matters teenagers face now and also back in the 1980’s.
The novel is all about exposing the understanding of abuse, aiming for a better life such as a higher education, and accepting one's sexual identity. Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I would strongly recommend this book to people that love to read on sensitive topics and enjoy a heartfelt strong written book.
Tommy and Aubrey become best friends. Aubrey realizes how mistreated this poor boy is. Tommy writes poems and shares some with Aubrey. He also is discriminated and abused by his own family. The town folk hates Aubrey’s dad and that is transpired on to Aubrey as well. She also is considered to be a mistake and her family fails to understand her either.
What unfolds in this truly beautiful book is the bond of friendship. When everyone has turned their back on you and you feel absolutely alone, at an age where everything is questionable and you are still trying to figure yourself out, Aubrey and Tommy have each other.
I found the literature standard to be delightfully fulfilling. It has a hint of poetic writing, which I adore, making it very unique to read. There are sensitive topics such as sexual orientation, gender issues, faith and many more important matters teenagers face now and also back in the 1980’s.
The novel is all about exposing the understanding of abuse, aiming for a better life such as a higher education, and accepting one's sexual identity. Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I would strongly recommend this book to people that love to read on sensitive topics and enjoy a heartfelt strong written book.
July 28, 2017
Whispers in the Alders by W. A. Callum is an American based coming of age story. It is a thought provoking, lyrical novel that is permeated with an air of tragedy.
The novel is written in first person narrative from the point of view of Aubrey Worthington, the only child of an affluent couple. Due to the peripatetic nature of her father’s job, Aubrey has spent her life moving around the country which has made it hard for her to fit in. She’s a lonely, introspective girl until her arrival at Alder Ferry when she is thirteen. It is here that she forms a deep friendship with local boy, Tommy.
Callum uses his novel to raise lots of interesting ideas. Aubrey’s father is the Vice President of a conglomerate that takes over companies, assimilating their contracts and ultimately making the workers redundant. Aubrey refers to her father as the “grim reaper”. What’s unusual is the way that we see how Stuart Worthington’s job impacts upon his daughter who, along with her father becomes hated by the communities in which they live. The Worthingtons buy their first home in Alder Ferry, a grand colonial house which is ironic given the nature of Stuart’s job. Although we sympathise with the concept of the workers losing their jobs Callum does not humanise them enough to allow us any perspective other than that of Aubrey.
Callum is obviously a skilled writer and his use of language is complex and dense. This is particularly the case when he describes the woods that are overlooked by Aubrey’s house. The house is personified as “The Grand Old Lady” and her surroundings are presented as somewhat mystical. The trees that form the Alders are given a life of their own, evoking both energy and a sense of peace that Aubrey has not known before.
The small town of Alder Ferry is also brought to life through Callum’s language. The desolation of the town and lack of opportunity cements the Catholic Church as the centre of the community. The novel questions the way this power allows abuse within the church to be overlooked as people are afraid to challenge the Priest’s authority and potentially lose the only sense of certainty that they have.
Alton “Tommy” Mackey is the heart of the novel. He is the grandson of Stuart Worthington’s nemesis, Mike Genardo and Aubrey’s only friend. Mike Genardo is the head of the union and a brutal drunk who subjects Tommy to a childhood defined by fear and loneliness. Tommy’s only refuge is reading and writing poetry and despite little encouragement or education, he is a talented, intelligent boy who inspires Aubrey to embrace her own learning. Tommy struggles with his sexuality and it is only in adulthood that he is able to accept who he is and find some semblance of happiness.
The comparison between Tommy and Aubrey is stark and really brings home the inequality of an education system dependent on wealth. Aubrey’s affluent background ensures that she goes to a good university despite that fact that it is Tommy who edits her work. Meanwhile Tommy is unable to fulfil his potential and has to join the Coast Guards in order to raise the money to pay for some classes at the community college.
If Tommy is the heart of the story then, for me, Aubrey is its Achilles heel. I really didn’t like her and didn’t fully understand whether I was supposed to. Initially I assumed that she was a purposefully unreliable witness to the events she was describing. Her childhood wasn’t ideal with a driven, morally bankrupt father and functioning alcoholic mother but she presented as a whiney, self-obsessed voice. I felt that Callum had maybe chosen not to humanise the parents in order to depict the simplistic, self-involved way that children see life. However about two thirds of the way in it became clear that there was no ambiguity and they were in fact the monsters that Aubrey described as were most of the residents of Alder Ferry. I wonder if the story might have benefitted from a lighter touch and less of a sense that everything is in black and white.
As I have said Callum’s skill as writer is never in any doubt, his use of language is extremely impressive. However, strangely I found that the complexity of the language sometimes got in the way of the narrative as it slowed everything down. None the less, this is a novel that is well worth reading as it raises so many relevant questions.
If you’re looking for something that may not be an easy read but will certainly get you thinking then I recommend that you give this one a try.
The novel is written in first person narrative from the point of view of Aubrey Worthington, the only child of an affluent couple. Due to the peripatetic nature of her father’s job, Aubrey has spent her life moving around the country which has made it hard for her to fit in. She’s a lonely, introspective girl until her arrival at Alder Ferry when she is thirteen. It is here that she forms a deep friendship with local boy, Tommy.
Callum uses his novel to raise lots of interesting ideas. Aubrey’s father is the Vice President of a conglomerate that takes over companies, assimilating their contracts and ultimately making the workers redundant. Aubrey refers to her father as the “grim reaper”. What’s unusual is the way that we see how Stuart Worthington’s job impacts upon his daughter who, along with her father becomes hated by the communities in which they live. The Worthingtons buy their first home in Alder Ferry, a grand colonial house which is ironic given the nature of Stuart’s job. Although we sympathise with the concept of the workers losing their jobs Callum does not humanise them enough to allow us any perspective other than that of Aubrey.
Callum is obviously a skilled writer and his use of language is complex and dense. This is particularly the case when he describes the woods that are overlooked by Aubrey’s house. The house is personified as “The Grand Old Lady” and her surroundings are presented as somewhat mystical. The trees that form the Alders are given a life of their own, evoking both energy and a sense of peace that Aubrey has not known before.
The small town of Alder Ferry is also brought to life through Callum’s language. The desolation of the town and lack of opportunity cements the Catholic Church as the centre of the community. The novel questions the way this power allows abuse within the church to be overlooked as people are afraid to challenge the Priest’s authority and potentially lose the only sense of certainty that they have.
Alton “Tommy” Mackey is the heart of the novel. He is the grandson of Stuart Worthington’s nemesis, Mike Genardo and Aubrey’s only friend. Mike Genardo is the head of the union and a brutal drunk who subjects Tommy to a childhood defined by fear and loneliness. Tommy’s only refuge is reading and writing poetry and despite little encouragement or education, he is a talented, intelligent boy who inspires Aubrey to embrace her own learning. Tommy struggles with his sexuality and it is only in adulthood that he is able to accept who he is and find some semblance of happiness.
The comparison between Tommy and Aubrey is stark and really brings home the inequality of an education system dependent on wealth. Aubrey’s affluent background ensures that she goes to a good university despite that fact that it is Tommy who edits her work. Meanwhile Tommy is unable to fulfil his potential and has to join the Coast Guards in order to raise the money to pay for some classes at the community college.
If Tommy is the heart of the story then, for me, Aubrey is its Achilles heel. I really didn’t like her and didn’t fully understand whether I was supposed to. Initially I assumed that she was a purposefully unreliable witness to the events she was describing. Her childhood wasn’t ideal with a driven, morally bankrupt father and functioning alcoholic mother but she presented as a whiney, self-obsessed voice. I felt that Callum had maybe chosen not to humanise the parents in order to depict the simplistic, self-involved way that children see life. However about two thirds of the way in it became clear that there was no ambiguity and they were in fact the monsters that Aubrey described as were most of the residents of Alder Ferry. I wonder if the story might have benefitted from a lighter touch and less of a sense that everything is in black and white.
As I have said Callum’s skill as writer is never in any doubt, his use of language is extremely impressive. However, strangely I found that the complexity of the language sometimes got in the way of the narrative as it slowed everything down. None the less, this is a novel that is well worth reading as it raises so many relevant questions.
If you’re looking for something that may not be an easy read but will certainly get you thinking then I recommend that you give this one a try.
May 19, 2017
I'm having such a crisis trying to figure out where to begin with Whispers in the Alders.
It went from 0 to 60 in no time flat.
Aubrey Worthington, daughter of a company bigwig, spends life moving from place to place. Until Alder Ferry. There she meets a young boy named Tommy, and initiates an unlikely friendship. Not an easy one, either. And I will tell you right now that it does not go where you think it goes.
Okay, tone. Let me start with the narrator's (Aubrey) voice. In the beginning, it's full of whimsy. And longing. It's full of imagery and the like. Because of this, it opens rather slow. That's okay, though, because once it gets going, it doesn't stop. The deeper into it you get, the less whimsical it feels. Right along with Aubrey's character development from teen to adult. Watching her shed the naivety of adulthood is such an emotional process. Even the minor characters took on their own, unique journeys. Through Aubrey's telling, they come alive. Characterization was different for everyone. They were easy to tell apart, with their own voice.
The pacing of the story was great. Not too long or short, but plenty of time to get to know the characters. Enough time to develop an emotional tie with them. Backgrounds and character traits aren't given immediately upon introduction. We get to know the character in pieces so they're easier to identify with. We follow along on their journey of self-discovery and identity. The writing style fits well into how the narrative progresses. The author makes excellent use of tension and suspense. Coupled with plenty of twists, this novel has more drama than an episode of Grey's Anatomy.
I finished with only one or two questions. Everything else ties up with a nice little bow. With the opportunity for many stereotypes, this novel tends to bypass most. It makes use of the "broken family" trope, but in a way that's necessary. Even still, it doesn't feel like the same old story. It ditches the gritty atmosphere for a warmhearted one, despite the events that occur.
Whisper in the Alders was nowhere near what I expected. It was so much better. It was worth the emotional distress I went through while reading at work. The farther into I got, the harder it was to put down. A literary representation of #relationshipgoals to the letter.
It went from 0 to 60 in no time flat.
Aubrey Worthington, daughter of a company bigwig, spends life moving from place to place. Until Alder Ferry. There she meets a young boy named Tommy, and initiates an unlikely friendship. Not an easy one, either. And I will tell you right now that it does not go where you think it goes.
Okay, tone. Let me start with the narrator's (Aubrey) voice. In the beginning, it's full of whimsy. And longing. It's full of imagery and the like. Because of this, it opens rather slow. That's okay, though, because once it gets going, it doesn't stop. The deeper into it you get, the less whimsical it feels. Right along with Aubrey's character development from teen to adult. Watching her shed the naivety of adulthood is such an emotional process. Even the minor characters took on their own, unique journeys. Through Aubrey's telling, they come alive. Characterization was different for everyone. They were easy to tell apart, with their own voice.
The pacing of the story was great. Not too long or short, but plenty of time to get to know the characters. Enough time to develop an emotional tie with them. Backgrounds and character traits aren't given immediately upon introduction. We get to know the character in pieces so they're easier to identify with. We follow along on their journey of self-discovery and identity. The writing style fits well into how the narrative progresses. The author makes excellent use of tension and suspense. Coupled with plenty of twists, this novel has more drama than an episode of Grey's Anatomy.
I finished with only one or two questions. Everything else ties up with a nice little bow. With the opportunity for many stereotypes, this novel tends to bypass most. It makes use of the "broken family" trope, but in a way that's necessary. Even still, it doesn't feel like the same old story. It ditches the gritty atmosphere for a warmhearted one, despite the events that occur.
Whisper in the Alders was nowhere near what I expected. It was so much better. It was worth the emotional distress I went through while reading at work. The farther into I got, the harder it was to put down. A literary representation of #relationshipgoals to the letter.
November 14, 2018
This was a beautifully tragic book. This was a love story between Aubrey and Anton, Bree and Tommy. This was a coming of age story but so much more. Please do not put it aside thinking that is all it is. Mr. Callum loved each and everyone of his characters, the good the bad and the ugly, and presented them to the reader to embrace. The story was so well laid out that the reader can almost imagine the author ending his writing day feeling a bit bittersweet as his story and characters grew. He held nothing back to in his writing and I frequently found myself rereading a paragraph or phrase, not because I had skimmed it the first time but because, just like the peace Bree and Tommy found in the alders, I felt the same in Mr. Callum's writing.
"Our rejection by everyone else drew us together. No matter what the people around us did to make us feel different towards one another, our compassion for each other's predicament prevent that split from occurring."
Isn't that the level of friendship everyone strives for? True understanding? Unbreakable acceptance? While this story is heartbreaking and beautiful, it does include some violence and child abuse. It was not included lightheartedly but should be noted for those that might be avoiding the subjects. However, despite these unpleasant topics, the book is well worth reading.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Sunbury Press, Inc, in exchange for an honest review.
"Our rejection by everyone else drew us together. No matter what the people around us did to make us feel different towards one another, our compassion for each other's predicament prevent that split from occurring."
Isn't that the level of friendship everyone strives for? True understanding? Unbreakable acceptance? While this story is heartbreaking and beautiful, it does include some violence and child abuse. It was not included lightheartedly but should be noted for those that might be avoiding the subjects. However, despite these unpleasant topics, the book is well worth reading.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Sunbury Press, Inc, in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2017
I honestly had no clue what I was going into with this story but I'm really glad I chose t review it because this was amazing. Heartbreaking in so many ways... and heart wrenchingly beautiful in so many other ways.. This is about 2 teens so i believe it is YA.. but the things they go through are so very adult and so sad in some ways and so happy in others.. I loved watching these two grow up together.. be who they needed to be together.. love.. learn.. sadness and happiness.. all of it.. and they only had each other so they fought to be together. it was wonderful and im so glad i got to review it
March 5, 2019
Aubrey has moved from town to town her whole life. Her father has the job that no one wants: he’s the guy who swoops in to run a company when it’s on its last legs, the guy who mercilessly cuts payroll by half in order to salvage what’s left. As a result, he’s usually hated by most of the town—and, by extension, so is Aubrey.
When Aubrey moves to Alder Ferry, she expects more of the same. While out exploring the forest behind her new home one day, though, she meets Tommy, a quiet local boy who she immediately befriends. The two become inseparable and, over time, learn to lean on each other as they face some incredibly awful circumstances.
I absolutely do not understand the glowing reviews I’ve seen for this book. The first 25% of the story is torture to get through. I think the writing is meant to be poetic and meandering and moody, but I found it overwrought and boring. There are so many words, and yet nothing is actually said.
And then suddenly (SPOILER ALERT), bam, out of nowhere: physical abuse against a child, sexual abuse against a child, and finally child rape. There is zero story development between these abuses. It’s like the author just put that in there for shock value.
And yet I persevered. Halfway through, I told myself to be patient. Maybe the random change in tone meant the story was turning into some kind of whodunnit mystery or something?
But no. The first wave of crimes are solved almost immediately, and the author moves right back into pointless pontificating and MORE horrific abuses.
Three-quarters of the way through I was over it. I skimmed the rest of the book, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to be done with it. I’m definitely in the minority on this one, but nope. Nope, nope, nope.
Thanks to Brown Posey Press for the ARC.
When Aubrey moves to Alder Ferry, she expects more of the same. While out exploring the forest behind her new home one day, though, she meets Tommy, a quiet local boy who she immediately befriends. The two become inseparable and, over time, learn to lean on each other as they face some incredibly awful circumstances.
I absolutely do not understand the glowing reviews I’ve seen for this book. The first 25% of the story is torture to get through. I think the writing is meant to be poetic and meandering and moody, but I found it overwrought and boring. There are so many words, and yet nothing is actually said.
And then suddenly (SPOILER ALERT), bam, out of nowhere: physical abuse against a child, sexual abuse against a child, and finally child rape. There is zero story development between these abuses. It’s like the author just put that in there for shock value.
And yet I persevered. Halfway through, I told myself to be patient. Maybe the random change in tone meant the story was turning into some kind of whodunnit mystery or something?
But no. The first wave of crimes are solved almost immediately, and the author moves right back into pointless pontificating and MORE horrific abuses.
Three-quarters of the way through I was over it. I skimmed the rest of the book, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to be done with it. I’m definitely in the minority on this one, but nope. Nope, nope, nope.
Thanks to Brown Posey Press for the ARC.
September 9, 2019
To delve into the world of Tommy and Aubrey was such a great honor. Friendship like theirs is priceless, beautiful and rarely understood by the rest of us.
The constraints of family life etched within each framework, Tommy and Aubrey’s respectively, became an echo chamber carrying forth much darker material, and propelling bittersweet memory behind it.
The writing is timeless, classic and lean. The narrative is precise in its invocation of memory, time and place. More than once, I wept for innocence lost, for the lessons we all must know before we graduate and make our brave choices that carry us into adulthood.
The alders, catkins, even the cherished books, reminded me so much of my youth. A sincere admiration for nature, cradled struggle, emotional pain and the emergence of the main characters as young adults, as they learned how to survive, navigate and overcome a slurry of tribulations. Small town life, even smaller minds and the public battles that define our social class and stations.
If you have not read this touching and heart-wrenching, coming of age story, you are truly missing out. Exceptional, soulful writing like "Whispers in the Alders" is the reason I’ve had a lifelong love affair with books.
The constraints of family life etched within each framework, Tommy and Aubrey’s respectively, became an echo chamber carrying forth much darker material, and propelling bittersweet memory behind it.
The writing is timeless, classic and lean. The narrative is precise in its invocation of memory, time and place. More than once, I wept for innocence lost, for the lessons we all must know before we graduate and make our brave choices that carry us into adulthood.
The alders, catkins, even the cherished books, reminded me so much of my youth. A sincere admiration for nature, cradled struggle, emotional pain and the emergence of the main characters as young adults, as they learned how to survive, navigate and overcome a slurry of tribulations. Small town life, even smaller minds and the public battles that define our social class and stations.
If you have not read this touching and heart-wrenching, coming of age story, you are truly missing out. Exceptional, soulful writing like "Whispers in the Alders" is the reason I’ve had a lifelong love affair with books.
August 9, 2017
5*****
Spellbinding and impeccably written!
Whispers in the Alders is a captivating, remarkably written story, that will undoubtedly some day become a classic. I loved the emotion the author made me feel. At times I found myself hard pressed not to cry as I read. I wont give away the plot, however I will say that Tommy's life was a hard one. A life filled with intense pain and struggle. Again, I greatly admired the authors poetic style of writing, which elevated the imagery and deepened the emotions within the story and myself the reader. This spellbinding story is a must read, and for me a paperback must have. In all, this is a 5 plus read that I very highly recommend to all readers. You won't be disappointed! - Angel Strong
October 16, 2018
Read my reviews at http://www.jenchaosreviews.com
Whispers in the Alders
Brown Posey Press, September 21, 2018
310 Pages, Kindle Edition
Adult Fiction
"Alder Ferry would have been just another nondescript suburb living in the shadow of its urban parent if not for one detail: the mysterious stand of alder trees anchoring the town to its past and standing as a reminder to the wilderness that once stood in its place.
In the shadows of the alders, a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender, and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender, and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood.
Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
Goodreads Rating:4.68/ My Rating 4.00
Review:
This is a profound book and worthy of a read for people who need to understand what happens to kids "fall through the cracks," as it were.
Aubrey comes from a well to do family whose father is responsible for "cleaning up" companies that are falling apart. This never settles well in towns they live in. Thus she is always a loner; none want to be her friend. That's until "Tommy" appears to her. A boy of deep dark secrets from "the other side of the tracks," meets her in thick of alder trees and despite her father's position in the town becomes her friend.
Curiosity is what gets her about "Tommy." Not only is not "Tommy" but he is born to another name that he doesn't like. He goes to the same school and has a brutal childhood. She thought she had it bad from negligent from wealthy parents; however, seeing what she did at "Tommy's" house while hiding made her realize, some people have it worse than her.
She feels for him, and in a way, it draws her closer to him.
They share the same past with negligent unloving mothers, a dark past and some things better left unsaid. However, when Aubrey discovers something so shocking, so sad, she sends the town on its head without realizing the only victim here is her beloved "Tommy."
They swear indefinite loyalty and love for one another that carries them throughout the story which is heart-wrenching and also enchanting. "Tommy" is a good person, but, trauma forms a person, leaves definite scars that will not heal. Aubrey the friend who can't let things go is always trying to "save" him, primarily from himself.
Writing:
The writing was excellent and hailed from the days was narration was primarily the focus of the book. The prose was poetic and light, yet easy to read and not to confuse like older books. I was not unhappy with the way it was written and was able to read the book in a few days.
Plot:
With a linear plot that brings a story about two different lives with similar circumstances leaves no confusion. There is no predictability factor in this story, although, it's safe to say that one would guess what happens to a person who suffers the fate the boy did. Having a good friend that always backs you, supports you no matter what makes all the difference in the world.
The town is angry, of course, with Aubrey's father's company taking over a major company as are all of the other companies left in his wake. The focus, however, is to Aubrey and "Tommy." This is refreshing as there was no confusion for me.
What I Liked:
The fierce loyalty that Aubrey had to "Tommy" was heartfelt. I was in awe of her indifference to his humble roots, and she struck me as one who did not take things lightly. She was a strong female lead and showed much determination throughout the story.
What I Didn't Like:
The story was great; however, I would have liked it better had it had more dialogue, more interaction between people. I want to see people in situations without so much narration. I am not one that prefers narrated reading. Getting through can be difficult. I would have liked to see more interaction between Aubrey and her parents and maybe some more stuff at her school and as an adult. This would give the characters more life, more dimension.
Whispers in the Alders
Brown Posey Press, September 21, 2018
310 Pages, Kindle Edition
Adult Fiction
"Alder Ferry would have been just another nondescript suburb living in the shadow of its urban parent if not for one detail: the mysterious stand of alder trees anchoring the town to its past and standing as a reminder to the wilderness that once stood in its place.
In the shadows of the alders, a boy named Tommy found refuge. There, an eclectic book collection was his only companion through a tumultuous childhood, serving as his escape from the brutal realities of his life. That was until Aubrey appeared.
Born of different worlds, the alders become their escape while their unlikely friendship blossoms into a love that few people ever come to understand or enjoy—proving that true friendship is a romantic pursuit in its purest form.
Together they come of age in a town hostile to their friendship—a friendship that challenges the intersecting boundaries of class, gender, and sexuality. Prejudice and privilege masquerade to destroy their dreams while class, gender, and faith collide. All are tested as Tommy and Aubrey carry each other through their teen years and into adulthood.
Whispers in the Alders is an impassioned experience that will test the emotions and is a story that will linger with the reader long after the last page is turned.
Goodreads Rating:4.68/ My Rating 4.00
Review:
This is a profound book and worthy of a read for people who need to understand what happens to kids "fall through the cracks," as it were.
Aubrey comes from a well to do family whose father is responsible for "cleaning up" companies that are falling apart. This never settles well in towns they live in. Thus she is always a loner; none want to be her friend. That's until "Tommy" appears to her. A boy of deep dark secrets from "the other side of the tracks," meets her in thick of alder trees and despite her father's position in the town becomes her friend.
Curiosity is what gets her about "Tommy." Not only is not "Tommy" but he is born to another name that he doesn't like. He goes to the same school and has a brutal childhood. She thought she had it bad from negligent from wealthy parents; however, seeing what she did at "Tommy's" house while hiding made her realize, some people have it worse than her.
She feels for him, and in a way, it draws her closer to him.
They share the same past with negligent unloving mothers, a dark past and some things better left unsaid. However, when Aubrey discovers something so shocking, so sad, she sends the town on its head without realizing the only victim here is her beloved "Tommy."
They swear indefinite loyalty and love for one another that carries them throughout the story which is heart-wrenching and also enchanting. "Tommy" is a good person, but, trauma forms a person, leaves definite scars that will not heal. Aubrey the friend who can't let things go is always trying to "save" him, primarily from himself.
Writing:
The writing was excellent and hailed from the days was narration was primarily the focus of the book. The prose was poetic and light, yet easy to read and not to confuse like older books. I was not unhappy with the way it was written and was able to read the book in a few days.
Plot:
With a linear plot that brings a story about two different lives with similar circumstances leaves no confusion. There is no predictability factor in this story, although, it's safe to say that one would guess what happens to a person who suffers the fate the boy did. Having a good friend that always backs you, supports you no matter what makes all the difference in the world.
The town is angry, of course, with Aubrey's father's company taking over a major company as are all of the other companies left in his wake. The focus, however, is to Aubrey and "Tommy." This is refreshing as there was no confusion for me.
What I Liked:
The fierce loyalty that Aubrey had to "Tommy" was heartfelt. I was in awe of her indifference to his humble roots, and she struck me as one who did not take things lightly. She was a strong female lead and showed much determination throughout the story.
What I Didn't Like:
The story was great; however, I would have liked it better had it had more dialogue, more interaction between people. I want to see people in situations without so much narration. I am not one that prefers narrated reading. Getting through can be difficult. I would have liked to see more interaction between Aubrey and her parents and maybe some more stuff at her school and as an adult. This would give the characters more life, more dimension.
January 4, 2019
I have delayed writing a review of this book thinking I might change my mind, that I may have misunderstood the author’s intention, but upon reflection I can’t dispel the opinion that this was one of the most tragic books I have ever read. The story is narrated by thirteen year old Aubrey Worthington, an only child in an extremely dysfunctional family. She can find no positives in her life and being alone with either of her parents is intolerable. She perceives herself as the daughter of the most despised man in town and it makes no difference in which town they live. Her father is an executive with a manufacturing conglomerate that is taking over plants along the east coast, laying off workers, absorbing whatever profits are left and moving on to the next target.
Arriving at Alder Ferry in 1974 was just another stop and the story centers around this town, Aubrey Worthington, Alton Mackay known as Tommy, a solitary oak tree and a stand of alders. It is in this stand of Alder trees that Aubrey and Tommy find refuge from their daily struggles. It is in this environment that the writing soars. Hate, violence, brutality, child abuse, betrayal, are all in this book. I hoped for more humanity, compassion, and understanding.
It took me longer to finish this book than I thought possible, but I attribute that to the depth of the writing. I savored the words and descriptions. The writing is very good with beautiful, mellifluous descriptions. The story is just too painful.
Thank you NetGalley, HA Callum and Sunbury Press for a copy.
Arriving at Alder Ferry in 1974 was just another stop and the story centers around this town, Aubrey Worthington, Alton Mackay known as Tommy, a solitary oak tree and a stand of alders. It is in this stand of Alder trees that Aubrey and Tommy find refuge from their daily struggles. It is in this environment that the writing soars. Hate, violence, brutality, child abuse, betrayal, are all in this book. I hoped for more humanity, compassion, and understanding.
It took me longer to finish this book than I thought possible, but I attribute that to the depth of the writing. I savored the words and descriptions. The writing is very good with beautiful, mellifluous descriptions. The story is just too painful.
Thank you NetGalley, HA Callum and Sunbury Press for a copy.
March 18, 2020
‘In the end, we were both two misbegotten children thrown to parents who could have cared less about us, except for the fact that we had the audacity to circumvent the plans they imagined for their lives.’
It’s difficult to do justice to how much I loved the story of Aubrey and Tommy, teenage outsiders rejected by their families and society, who form an unbreakable bond. It pulled me and captured my heart, even as if cracked it open. In fact, the characters are still haunting me, which is always the sign of a great novel. Gut-wrenching trauma alternates with tenderness, as Tommy and Aubrey find refuge in each other, in books, and in the natural world, particularly in a group of alder trees that becomes their secret world. Mr Callum is a born storyteller, with a deep understanding of the human psyche. His language is poetic: the calls of gulls ‘cut through the late summer air, peeling it apart like sharp claps of thunder, the bright white flash of their underwings reflecting the sunlight back to me.’ Elsewhere, a figure vanished into the alders ‘with all the fluidity of the morning fog.’ The ending made me cry, yet love and loyalty triumph over hypocrisy, injustice and oppression.
I think Whispers in the Alders is a true classic and will enthral you as much as it enthralled me. I cannot wait to see what Mr Callum writes next.
It’s difficult to do justice to how much I loved the story of Aubrey and Tommy, teenage outsiders rejected by their families and society, who form an unbreakable bond. It pulled me and captured my heart, even as if cracked it open. In fact, the characters are still haunting me, which is always the sign of a great novel. Gut-wrenching trauma alternates with tenderness, as Tommy and Aubrey find refuge in each other, in books, and in the natural world, particularly in a group of alder trees that becomes their secret world. Mr Callum is a born storyteller, with a deep understanding of the human psyche. His language is poetic: the calls of gulls ‘cut through the late summer air, peeling it apart like sharp claps of thunder, the bright white flash of their underwings reflecting the sunlight back to me.’ Elsewhere, a figure vanished into the alders ‘with all the fluidity of the morning fog.’ The ending made me cry, yet love and loyalty triumph over hypocrisy, injustice and oppression.
I think Whispers in the Alders is a true classic and will enthral you as much as it enthralled me. I cannot wait to see what Mr Callum writes next.
September 29, 2018
Catkins are the flowering, downy spikes dangling from trees such as alders, and are the symbolism throughout H. A. Callum's novel Whispers in the Alders. The catkin device serves to underscore the growing affection between two alienated teenagers, Aubrey and Tommy, both of whom, for different reasons, are outcasts in the decaying community of Alder Ferry, where Tommy takes refuge in a small cave within a grove of Alders. Tommy's story, as narrated by Aubrey, is particularly perilous, as, abandoned by his mother, he is regularly beaten by his thug-like grandfather, preyed upon by his peers, sexually molested, and nearly murdered in a violent rape. Through the years, his only friend is Aubrey, herself mistreated, but who finds herself ever drawn to Tommy. It would be welcome were their story to have a happy ending, but life doesn't always conclude that way. Readers will find much to like in the poignant love story of Aubrey and Tommy, and, despite the odds again them, their youthful resilience. --Don Swaim, author of Man With Two Faces
May 26, 2017
An unforgettable read
I was thoroughly engaged in this book. It's one of those stories I won't soon forget. The writing was wonderful and the prose was indeed something that led to the story. It was a perfect pace for the story, and the characters were filled with chemistry. The story was made perfectly by the POV of the story. It would've been different in another POV. This is the first book I've read of Callum's and I hope it won't be the last.
I was thoroughly engaged in this book. It's one of those stories I won't soon forget. The writing was wonderful and the prose was indeed something that led to the story. It was a perfect pace for the story, and the characters were filled with chemistry. The story was made perfectly by the POV of the story. It would've been different in another POV. This is the first book I've read of Callum's and I hope it won't be the last.
October 8, 2018
Whispers in the Alders by author H A Callum is a great book. The two main characters are well developed as well as the plot.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Whispers in the Alders in exchange for honest opinions.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Whispers in the Alders in exchange for honest opinions.
October 23, 2018
Great book - well written. Story is based around 2 characters. Not a bad book all round. Thank you to both NetGalley and Sunbury Press Inc for giving me the opportunity to read Whispers in the Alders in exchange for my honest unbiased review.
September 4, 2017
This is a beautifully-written novel by a very talented writer.
The story centres on the relationship between Aubrey and Tommy – both living in the small town of Alder Ferry and both trying to survive adolescence.
Aubrey is wealthy, but her privilege doesn’t bring her happiness. She is taken from pillar to post by her cold, uninterested and self-centred parents. Her father is responsible for takeovers of local firms, resulting in the dismissal of the employees, something that makes it incredibly difficult for Aubrey to fit into whatever school she has to attend. Tommy is poor, unwanted, his life brutal and cruel. They find comfort and companionship in each other, and they develop an intense relationship that helps them to cope.
The alders provide a sanctuary where the two of them can breathe, where they can be teenagers, away from the hostility and hate they are both subjected to in their small town.
The narrative here is dense, intelligent, poetic in places. This is an author who can really write, who has a detailed and complex knowledge of words and how to use them. This doesn’t make for an easy read at times, but some of the prose was astounding. That said, there were times when the writing overtook the story and I did feel that the narrative could have done with some trimming in places. The writing is beautiful – but sometimes it is too much, and for me this lessened the impact somewhat. It is a skill to write like this, but there is also a skill in knowing when to cut some of those beautifully composed lines – when the story needs to be allowed to come through. Aubrey and Tommy are complex, interesting characters and they need to be at the fore – a brave and honest edit would help to make this book really shine, and to be the story it deserves to be.
The story centres on the relationship between Aubrey and Tommy – both living in the small town of Alder Ferry and both trying to survive adolescence.
Aubrey is wealthy, but her privilege doesn’t bring her happiness. She is taken from pillar to post by her cold, uninterested and self-centred parents. Her father is responsible for takeovers of local firms, resulting in the dismissal of the employees, something that makes it incredibly difficult for Aubrey to fit into whatever school she has to attend. Tommy is poor, unwanted, his life brutal and cruel. They find comfort and companionship in each other, and they develop an intense relationship that helps them to cope.
The alders provide a sanctuary where the two of them can breathe, where they can be teenagers, away from the hostility and hate they are both subjected to in their small town.
The narrative here is dense, intelligent, poetic in places. This is an author who can really write, who has a detailed and complex knowledge of words and how to use them. This doesn’t make for an easy read at times, but some of the prose was astounding. That said, there were times when the writing overtook the story and I did feel that the narrative could have done with some trimming in places. The writing is beautiful – but sometimes it is too much, and for me this lessened the impact somewhat. It is a skill to write like this, but there is also a skill in knowing when to cut some of those beautifully composed lines – when the story needs to be allowed to come through. Aubrey and Tommy are complex, interesting characters and they need to be at the fore – a brave and honest edit would help to make this book really shine, and to be the story it deserves to be.
January 3, 2020
Unfortunately, this novel did not resonate with me. I think the use of language felt formal, stilted, and kept me at an emotional distance, which is odd as the story is very emotional indeed. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.
March 18, 2020
Whispers in the Alders captured my heart from the very first page, until the end when it pierced it. A story of love and hope with so many twists and turns that it made it impossible to put down. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an honest, thought provoking read.
September 10, 2020
I loved the 2 main characters but the writing style was not for me. If I had to read another long-winded passage essentially saying "we were great friends" I was going to throw my Kindle, so I skimmed the second half of the book.
July 1, 2019
Heartfelt tale of two young people who, against all odds, find a sense of belonging.
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