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Bitter Sun
It all started when we found the body.Then nothing was ever the same.The Dry meets Stand by Me and True Detective in this stunningly written tale of the darkness at the heart of a small mid-Western town and the four kids who uncover it.In the heatwave summer of 1971, four kids find a body by a lake and set out to solve a murder. But they dig too deep and ask too many questions.Larson is a town reeling in the wake of the Vietnam draft, where the unrelenting heat ruins the harvest, and the people teeter on the edge of ruin.As tension and paranoia run rife, rumours become fact, violence becomes reflex. The unrest allows the dark elements of the close-knit farming community to rise and take control.And John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy are about to discover that sometimes secrets are best left uncovered
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2018
12 people are currently reading
1141 people want to read
About the author
Beth Lewis
5 books347 followersBeth Lewis was raised in the wilds of Cornwall and split her childhood between books and the beach. She has travelled extensively and has had close encounters with black bears, killer whales, and Great White sharks. She has been, at turns, a bank cashier, fire performer, juggler, and is currently working publishing. Her debut novel, The Wolf Road, was shortlisted for the inaugural Glass Bell Award and her third novel, The Origins of Iris was shortlisted for the Polari Prize. She lives in Oxford with her wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
June 12, 2018
Beth Lewis writes a superb emotionally heartbreaking coming of age story depicting a ravaging picture of a small midwestern American town. Larson is struggling economically, plagued by its political intrigue and corruption, amidst the background of the Vietnam draft with the return of damaged soldiers, hard hit by ruined harvests as the unrelenting heat takes it toll, suffering from rising unemployment and suicide, beset by rumours and rampant paranoia as violence simmers. It provides the perfect conditions in this farming community for the emergence of the powerful and ruthless dark underbelly of the town. It is 1971, the 13 year old John Royal and his sister, Jenny, and their well off best friends, Rudy and Gloria, find the murdered body of a young woman by the lake.
In a story narrated by John, the teenagers embark on a quest to find out what happened to the woman, unaware of the darkness they are entering and the dangerous waters that swirl around them. This a bleak tale of lies, secrets, deceptions, the most upsetting and dysfunctional of families incorporating alcoholism, abuse, brutality, violence and absent parents. The sheriff suspects John of being the killer or of the youngsters not coming clean about all that they know. As the town turns against John, a local pastor, Frank, steps in to help and protect him. John worries about his single mother's changing character for the worse, fuelled by drink, and her deteriorating, disturbing relationship with his sister, Jenny. As overheard conversations and more bring the truth closer to the surface, John is heavily weighed down by its burden in a town that colludes to keep its secrets. He is in a quandry, his uncertainty overwhelming, who does he tell, what is he to do and can anyone be trusted?
Beth Lewis is an expert at building up the palpable tension and the growing air of menace in the claustrophobic intense narrative. Her characters and their development is done with such skill that she draws us into their lives with ease. She writes a story that is hard to bear, hard to read about, but you just have to continue turning the pages to find out what happens next, it is indeed a Bitter Sun. This is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel that imprints itself on your psyche, mesmerising and never to be forgotten. Read this. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
In a story narrated by John, the teenagers embark on a quest to find out what happened to the woman, unaware of the darkness they are entering and the dangerous waters that swirl around them. This a bleak tale of lies, secrets, deceptions, the most upsetting and dysfunctional of families incorporating alcoholism, abuse, brutality, violence and absent parents. The sheriff suspects John of being the killer or of the youngsters not coming clean about all that they know. As the town turns against John, a local pastor, Frank, steps in to help and protect him. John worries about his single mother's changing character for the worse, fuelled by drink, and her deteriorating, disturbing relationship with his sister, Jenny. As overheard conversations and more bring the truth closer to the surface, John is heavily weighed down by its burden in a town that colludes to keep its secrets. He is in a quandry, his uncertainty overwhelming, who does he tell, what is he to do and can anyone be trusted?
Beth Lewis is an expert at building up the palpable tension and the growing air of menace in the claustrophobic intense narrative. Her characters and their development is done with such skill that she draws us into their lives with ease. She writes a story that is hard to bear, hard to read about, but you just have to continue turning the pages to find out what happens next, it is indeed a Bitter Sun. This is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel that imprints itself on your psyche, mesmerising and never to be forgotten. Read this. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
September 20, 2018
Second book of this author I read, after The Wolf Road. A grim story and dark coming of age story of four young kids discovering a dead woman in the lake surrounded by fields, close to their secret hiding place. They try to find the killer on their own, and at the same time we get an insight into their grim lives. John, one of the four kids, is the narrator and tells a sad and shocking story of his home and his drunk mother. Dark and sad. Well written although it takes focus to stay into the story. Could have used more edit possibly. Promising writer certainly.
September 4, 2018
No matter the genre of fiction, small town America always seems to be portrayed as desperately, determinedly normal on the surface, while actually steered by unseen currents in the form of grasping, morally vacant men bent on fulfilling their own desires at any cost. Here, the discovery of a body is the first wave in a tide that engulfs the whole town, yet when the water recedes, it only highlights the embedded filth rather than washing it clean. It has a punch like My Absolute Darling or The Summer that Melted Everything, a truly lyrical beauty illuminating and enhancing the disturbing nature of humanity at its worst.
Despite all this watery language, the book burns. The events occur over a period of three years from 1971 and the effects of the cyclical heat on the town are as much a part of the story as anything else. The characters live in sweaty discomfort, frayed at the edges by the relentlessness of the high temperatures, threatened with financial ruin as crops are devastated by the sun, and bombarded by the layered dread created by the Vietnam War- the missing family members, the harrowing sight of returning soldiers physically and mentally destroyed by their experiences, and the horror of the draft. The townsfolk are pushed to the edges of their temper and oh-so-much quicker to snap. Looking back from the finish, it’s hard to imagine all that happened could have done so if life had been calmed by a cool breeze and a refreshing rain, such is the power of the heat within the novel.
This is a coming-of-age story, but also much more than that. Narrated by John, one of the four young teens who find the body of girl in the lake by their hidden clubhouse, The Roost, it follows the course of the murder investigation while also chronicling the changing nature of the relationship between the kids, and especially that of the narrator’s with his sister (one of the four) and mother, a tale of love and abuse that itself has the ebb and flow of a tide. Each character is deftly illustrated, but it is this family of three that commands the greatest attention, with John’s uncertain and heartbreaking search for the right path portrayed with brutal emotional honesty. The accelerating deterioration within the claustrophobic enforced proximity of the familial home is reflective of the larger town, where everybody knows far more than they’re saying and some are prepared to go to extreme lengths to protect the community's shared silence. Each bond is put under pressure by events and revelations as they occur, every secret greater and darker than the last, until the eruption of bloody violence in the finale purports to offer a solution to it all.
While there’s nothing entirely new here, it’s written with an exceptional talent for language and atmosphere, and with a sense of tension and uncertainty that fills you with trepidation for what might come next but still knocks you to the floor when battered by the reality. Highly recommended.
ARC via Netgalley
Despite all this watery language, the book burns. The events occur over a period of three years from 1971 and the effects of the cyclical heat on the town are as much a part of the story as anything else. The characters live in sweaty discomfort, frayed at the edges by the relentlessness of the high temperatures, threatened with financial ruin as crops are devastated by the sun, and bombarded by the layered dread created by the Vietnam War- the missing family members, the harrowing sight of returning soldiers physically and mentally destroyed by their experiences, and the horror of the draft. The townsfolk are pushed to the edges of their temper and oh-so-much quicker to snap. Looking back from the finish, it’s hard to imagine all that happened could have done so if life had been calmed by a cool breeze and a refreshing rain, such is the power of the heat within the novel.
This is a coming-of-age story, but also much more than that. Narrated by John, one of the four young teens who find the body of girl in the lake by their hidden clubhouse, The Roost, it follows the course of the murder investigation while also chronicling the changing nature of the relationship between the kids, and especially that of the narrator’s with his sister (one of the four) and mother, a tale of love and abuse that itself has the ebb and flow of a tide. Each character is deftly illustrated, but it is this family of three that commands the greatest attention, with John’s uncertain and heartbreaking search for the right path portrayed with brutal emotional honesty. The accelerating deterioration within the claustrophobic enforced proximity of the familial home is reflective of the larger town, where everybody knows far more than they’re saying and some are prepared to go to extreme lengths to protect the community's shared silence. Each bond is put under pressure by events and revelations as they occur, every secret greater and darker than the last, until the eruption of bloody violence in the finale purports to offer a solution to it all.
While there’s nothing entirely new here, it’s written with an exceptional talent for language and atmosphere, and with a sense of tension and uncertainty that fills you with trepidation for what might come next but still knocks you to the floor when battered by the reality. Highly recommended.
ARC via Netgalley
March 28, 2018
This book has broken me so I can't review it now.
Nearer publication I will but I'll probably still be sobbing slightly. Best book I've read this year by a clear mile. Easily in contention for my no 1 spot in December and I'll actually be VERY surprised if anything beats it.
I'm going to lie down now and have another good cry. Beautiful writing. Heart wrenching stuff.
Highly Recommended.
Nearer publication I will but I'll probably still be sobbing slightly. Best book I've read this year by a clear mile. Easily in contention for my no 1 spot in December and I'll actually be VERY surprised if anything beats it.
I'm going to lie down now and have another good cry. Beautiful writing. Heart wrenching stuff.
Highly Recommended.
April 13, 2018
As long as the apple is shiny and red, it doesn't matter if it's rotten.
There's almost a sub-genre of books set in a claustrophobic small town where the surface quiet hides a seething mix of secrets and lies culminating in murder - this is one of the better ones. Lewis can write: her prose is unflashy but acute, and there's an undertow of emotion that is barely restrained both in John, the narrator, and the novel itself.
The four protagonists are adolescents 13-15 and in lots of ways this is as much about their coming of age, the decisions and choices they make which will shape their future lives as it is about their investigations into a murder.
There's nothing cosy about this book: mothers drink and neglect their children, fathers snap their son's bones with barely a breath, young men are drafted to fight in Vietnam, adults who should protect the young and vulnerable find themselves helpless in the face of power, and teenagers are forced to face things that no child should have to.
For all the good stuff, this is a story which has been told numerous times by other authors - all the same, Lewis is a writer to watch.
There's almost a sub-genre of books set in a claustrophobic small town where the surface quiet hides a seething mix of secrets and lies culminating in murder - this is one of the better ones. Lewis can write: her prose is unflashy but acute, and there's an undertow of emotion that is barely restrained both in John, the narrator, and the novel itself.
The four protagonists are adolescents 13-15 and in lots of ways this is as much about their coming of age, the decisions and choices they make which will shape their future lives as it is about their investigations into a murder.
There's nothing cosy about this book: mothers drink and neglect their children, fathers snap their son's bones with barely a breath, young men are drafted to fight in Vietnam, adults who should protect the young and vulnerable find themselves helpless in the face of power, and teenagers are forced to face things that no child should have to.
For all the good stuff, this is a story which has been told numerous times by other authors - all the same, Lewis is a writer to watch.
July 5, 2018
There's a simmering heat haze which surrounds this book, set in the harsh dustbowl farming communities of mid Western USA during one long hot summer heatwave in the early 1970s as Vietnam is headline news and the already fragile rural economy crumbles.
Told from the aspect of 4 youngsters trying to solve a mystery, following their discovery of a womans body. This is no famous five story there's a definite Stephen King feel to the storyline which is dark and grim and hostile.
There's nothing light or sweet about it, in fact it was almost too grim for me, with alcoholism and wife and child beating the accepted norm amongst the hicks in this tale, the kids who dream of escaping this ambitionless drudgery are destined to become their parents one day.
Claustrophobic, lethargic and threatening its a very bitter sun that shines down on the little town of Larson.
Told from the aspect of 4 youngsters trying to solve a mystery, following their discovery of a womans body. This is no famous five story there's a definite Stephen King feel to the storyline which is dark and grim and hostile.
There's nothing light or sweet about it, in fact it was almost too grim for me, with alcoholism and wife and child beating the accepted norm amongst the hicks in this tale, the kids who dream of escaping this ambitionless drudgery are destined to become their parents one day.
Claustrophobic, lethargic and threatening its a very bitter sun that shines down on the little town of Larson.
May 27, 2021
Bitter Sun is a novel set in Larson, a small mid western town in America in the early 70’s. This is a story of the coming of age of 4 young teenage kids who discover a body during a long hot summer heatwave. With Vietnam headlining the news and the town facing economic ruin, Bitter Sun takes a long, hard look at family and friendship, love and fear, abuse and power.
The story is narrated by John Royal, a 14 year old boy who lives on a dilapidated farm with his alcoholic mother and younger sister Jenny. John is fiercely protective of his younger sister who is constantly physically and mentally abused by their mother whilst she openly favours John and treats him with love and affection.
John and Jenny have been friends with Rudy and Gloria since childhood and the four of them are inseparable. Whilst spending the afternoon in their secret den, they discover the murdered body of an unknown young girl which the town seems to want to hush up and ignore. John and his friends are traumatised by this discovery and decide to investigate the murder themselves.
This is NOT a light read, in fact it’s very distressing, with elements of child abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, mental health issues and violence. It took me several days to read this book, because of the subject matters.
There is no doubt Bitter Sun is an atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful character-led story which will affect the reader deeply. This book has been described as Stand By Me meets True Detective and I was immediately transported to the hot, sticky, oppressive heat in the town of Larson and following these 4 vulnerable youngsters navigate their way through a truly horrific event whilst dealing with their own personal family issues was heart-breaking.
The story is narrated by John Royal, a 14 year old boy who lives on a dilapidated farm with his alcoholic mother and younger sister Jenny. John is fiercely protective of his younger sister who is constantly physically and mentally abused by their mother whilst she openly favours John and treats him with love and affection.
John and Jenny have been friends with Rudy and Gloria since childhood and the four of them are inseparable. Whilst spending the afternoon in their secret den, they discover the murdered body of an unknown young girl which the town seems to want to hush up and ignore. John and his friends are traumatised by this discovery and decide to investigate the murder themselves.
This is NOT a light read, in fact it’s very distressing, with elements of child abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, mental health issues and violence. It took me several days to read this book, because of the subject matters.
There is no doubt Bitter Sun is an atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful character-led story which will affect the reader deeply. This book has been described as Stand By Me meets True Detective and I was immediately transported to the hot, sticky, oppressive heat in the town of Larson and following these 4 vulnerable youngsters navigate their way through a truly horrific event whilst dealing with their own personal family issues was heart-breaking.
September 7, 2018
4.5*
Set in Larson, a small town in middle of America’s corn belt, full of seemingly good people and where everything seems perfect on the surface. But secrets and lies abound and the underlying darkness is about to emerge. The story is character driven and told from the perspective of John (Johnny) Royal, a thirteen year old living with his mother and younger sister, Jenny, on a small farm a mile outside of town.
It was during the heat wave summer of 1971 that everything changed. Let out of school early, John, Jenny and their two best friends Gloria and Rudy went to their special place, a shack they’d built in the Roost—a wooded valley with a river running through it. That’s when they discovered the body.
The story spans the years 1971-1973. Things begin to change in Larson during the Vietnam war as the physically and mentally injured soldiers return. Added to this, the combination of persistent heatwaves and lack of rain destroys the crops, threatening financial ruin. Then the body is discovered. The four friends can’t understand why the authorities aren’t doing more to solve what is obviously a murder. They decide to try and find out who she was and why she was killed. They have no idea what the devastating and menacing consequences of their actions will be.
The four of them have differing home lives. John is conflicted, feeling he’s being forced to choose between the mother he loves regardless of the fact she’s drunk, neglectful and mean a lot of the time, and his sister who he is very close to. She fears their mother and what she might do. Gloria’s parents are well to do and she has access to many more material things than the others. Rudy suffers at the hands of his violently abusive father and brother, staying out of their way as much as possible. Each character is well defined but it’s John who is really at the heart of the story. He tries his best to look after his sister and make the right choices as things begin to fall apart, however he’s completely unprepared and unable to handle the situation.
Beth Lewis evokes the setting and time period very effectively. It’s a dark and disturbing tale, evocative and tragic, with shocking twists set in the tense, claustrophobic confines of a small rural town where people know more than they’re willing to admit, underscored with corruption and immorality. The bleak atmosphere and decline is easily imagined. The only thing I would say is that at 14 plus hours it’s quite long and could perhaps have been condensed here and there to pick up the pace. The development of the plot is a slow burn, losing some of the momentum at times. Having said that though, I was invested in the story and couldn’t imagine where it was leading.
Christopher Ragland’s narration is excellent. He has a pleasant voice, the performance is delivered with an authentic southern accent. He gives John’s personality the required intensity, while differentiating well between each character, whether male and female.
Set in Larson, a small town in middle of America’s corn belt, full of seemingly good people and where everything seems perfect on the surface. But secrets and lies abound and the underlying darkness is about to emerge. The story is character driven and told from the perspective of John (Johnny) Royal, a thirteen year old living with his mother and younger sister, Jenny, on a small farm a mile outside of town.
It was during the heat wave summer of 1971 that everything changed. Let out of school early, John, Jenny and their two best friends Gloria and Rudy went to their special place, a shack they’d built in the Roost—a wooded valley with a river running through it. That’s when they discovered the body.
The story spans the years 1971-1973. Things begin to change in Larson during the Vietnam war as the physically and mentally injured soldiers return. Added to this, the combination of persistent heatwaves and lack of rain destroys the crops, threatening financial ruin. Then the body is discovered. The four friends can’t understand why the authorities aren’t doing more to solve what is obviously a murder. They decide to try and find out who she was and why she was killed. They have no idea what the devastating and menacing consequences of their actions will be.
The four of them have differing home lives. John is conflicted, feeling he’s being forced to choose between the mother he loves regardless of the fact she’s drunk, neglectful and mean a lot of the time, and his sister who he is very close to. She fears their mother and what she might do. Gloria’s parents are well to do and she has access to many more material things than the others. Rudy suffers at the hands of his violently abusive father and brother, staying out of their way as much as possible. Each character is well defined but it’s John who is really at the heart of the story. He tries his best to look after his sister and make the right choices as things begin to fall apart, however he’s completely unprepared and unable to handle the situation.
Beth Lewis evokes the setting and time period very effectively. It’s a dark and disturbing tale, evocative and tragic, with shocking twists set in the tense, claustrophobic confines of a small rural town where people know more than they’re willing to admit, underscored with corruption and immorality. The bleak atmosphere and decline is easily imagined. The only thing I would say is that at 14 plus hours it’s quite long and could perhaps have been condensed here and there to pick up the pace. The development of the plot is a slow burn, losing some of the momentum at times. Having said that though, I was invested in the story and couldn’t imagine where it was leading.
Christopher Ragland’s narration is excellent. He has a pleasant voice, the performance is delivered with an authentic southern accent. He gives John’s personality the required intensity, while differentiating well between each character, whether male and female.
August 15, 2018
A really enjoyable coming of age novel with this small town crime element spread over 3 summers. I did get a True Detective vibe like the blurb provides. Violent and eerily disturbing. Its a big change in story type from her first. I actually enjoyed the first alot more, this had such simpler style and plot. Her writing style and prose is still amazing. I'd reccomend her first novel over this but both are still must reads.
October 18, 2022
4,5 stars
August 4, 2022
This might just be the most heartbreaking story I've read since reading
BETTY
by Tiffany McDaniel last year.
BITTER SUN is story of four kids who have the misfortune of discovering a body in the water by their secret fort in an unused portion of a local farmer's property. This discovery rocked the still waters of the town of Larson, a farming community already precariously balanced on the edge of ruin. The children feel responsible for the body, seeing as they found it, and are very upset that no one seems to be too bothered to do anything about it. Wouldn't the person's parents want to know? The sheriff's lack of progress motivates the four to take up their own investigation, which sets things in motion that will forever change their lives and that of the town.
I picked this one up on the recommendation of my friend, Penny. All I really knew going in was that it was a thriller, but it was so much more than that. I love a good crime/murder mystery story, and when I tell you the author reached through the pages of the prologue and snatched me up, it's the truth. I never stopped thinking about this book over the days it took me to read it. I was rushing through work so I could hurry up and get back to it. Not only did I want to know who committed the murder, I wanted to know more about the four children who found the body. This was just as much their story, their coming of age as anything else. Our narrator is the boy, John Royal. He lives with his mother and sister Jenny and their house was a constant powder keg looking to explode. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if/when it would happen - just as much as finding the killer.
I really loved the setting of 1971 Larson. The author did a fantastic job describing the small town, its crops, shops and people. So when the Vietnam draft occurred, I was reeling with the implications alongside the residents. When it was revealed who was at fault, I was just as heartbroken (and shocked) as our boy John Royal. The ending made me cry, but it also made me smile through those tears. This is one that I'm looking forward to rereading, not because of the mystery, but because I love the story of John Royal's character development.
"They say twins can sense when the other is hurt even when they're miles apart. Small towns are the same. When the town is rocked, everyone can sense it."
BITTER SUN is story of four kids who have the misfortune of discovering a body in the water by their secret fort in an unused portion of a local farmer's property. This discovery rocked the still waters of the town of Larson, a farming community already precariously balanced on the edge of ruin. The children feel responsible for the body, seeing as they found it, and are very upset that no one seems to be too bothered to do anything about it. Wouldn't the person's parents want to know? The sheriff's lack of progress motivates the four to take up their own investigation, which sets things in motion that will forever change their lives and that of the town.
I picked this one up on the recommendation of my friend, Penny. All I really knew going in was that it was a thriller, but it was so much more than that. I love a good crime/murder mystery story, and when I tell you the author reached through the pages of the prologue and snatched me up, it's the truth. I never stopped thinking about this book over the days it took me to read it. I was rushing through work so I could hurry up and get back to it. Not only did I want to know who committed the murder, I wanted to know more about the four children who found the body. This was just as much their story, their coming of age as anything else. Our narrator is the boy, John Royal. He lives with his mother and sister Jenny and their house was a constant powder keg looking to explode. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if/when it would happen - just as much as finding the killer.
I really loved the setting of 1971 Larson. The author did a fantastic job describing the small town, its crops, shops and people. So when the Vietnam draft occurred, I was reeling with the implications alongside the residents. When it was revealed who was at fault, I was just as heartbroken (and shocked) as our boy John Royal. The ending made me cry, but it also made me smile through those tears. This is one that I'm looking forward to rereading, not because of the mystery, but because I love the story of John Royal's character development.
April 27, 2024
Brilliant book. Set in a nondescript small town in the US, in the early 70s Vietnam era. Four kids find something they had no business getting involved in. Lots of twists.
April 30, 2019
Small town mysteries are hugely appealing to me, and Larson is the perfect example of why. In this close-knit community, tensions are running high, the atmosphere is stifling, the unrest, this community could implode at any minute. And the heatwave added to the atmosphere, made it unbearable, put everyone on edge, and sooner or later somethings got to give….
More than the mystery, this novel was a coming-of-age for our main quartet. An exploration of familial relationships, the highs and the lows. Bitter Sun breathes life into the phrase ‘friends are the family you get to choose for yourself’. This novel is narrated by John, it was him and his sister, Jenny, who I was most invested in; the complexities they faced in their young lives, the direction their lives took – wow, Lewis can pen a story!
This novel has darkness at its centre, and as the story progresses, this darkness spills out. John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy try to contain it, but they’re just children, and sometimes things just have to run their course. There are two things I said about this author’s previous novel, The Wolf Road, and I think both apply here! One: a dark tale that is beautifully written. Two: Have you ever wanted to jump into a fictional world and rescue a character, to take away their pain, and offer them the love and care they so clearly need?
Ragland did an amazing job narrating this novel, he put me in the heart of 1971 Larson, and I couldn’t leave until the book ended. Fans of literary [crime] fiction, and coming-of-age tales, you need this novel in your life. The emotion, the heartbreak, the mystery, the lies, the secrets, the heat, the devastation, the tension, the suspense – this novel has it all. There’s so much in this novel, so many relationships and events I could elaborate on, so much I want to say, but I’ll end this review here, because you need to discover this story for yourself, visit Larson and hear it all first-hand!
More than the mystery, this novel was a coming-of-age for our main quartet. An exploration of familial relationships, the highs and the lows. Bitter Sun breathes life into the phrase ‘friends are the family you get to choose for yourself’. This novel is narrated by John, it was him and his sister, Jenny, who I was most invested in; the complexities they faced in their young lives, the direction their lives took – wow, Lewis can pen a story!
This novel has darkness at its centre, and as the story progresses, this darkness spills out. John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy try to contain it, but they’re just children, and sometimes things just have to run their course. There are two things I said about this author’s previous novel, The Wolf Road, and I think both apply here! One: a dark tale that is beautifully written. Two: Have you ever wanted to jump into a fictional world and rescue a character, to take away their pain, and offer them the love and care they so clearly need?
Ragland did an amazing job narrating this novel, he put me in the heart of 1971 Larson, and I couldn’t leave until the book ended. Fans of literary [crime] fiction, and coming-of-age tales, you need this novel in your life. The emotion, the heartbreak, the mystery, the lies, the secrets, the heat, the devastation, the tension, the suspense – this novel has it all. There’s so much in this novel, so many relationships and events I could elaborate on, so much I want to say, but I’ll end this review here, because you need to discover this story for yourself, visit Larson and hear it all first-hand!
April 18, 2020
The gory prologue sets the scene as a blood-covered man is picked up on a desolate road. The book proper starts when a group of children find a body in the lake.
The first chapter is slow and full of the depressing background and lives of the children, who live in a rural part of America. Of course, it changes at the end of the chapter when they find the body of a young woman. Unable to get the discovery out of their minds they decide to find out who killed her.
This is a story of friendship, family, trust and the bonds that bind them. The four children find an escape and sanctuary in their group and the secret 'fort' they made is their refuge. Each lives within a dysfunctional and often abusive family and the friends offer love and security the families do not. And how many of us didn't have that bolthole as a child? The concept has a very nostalgic feel.
As children, their attempts to find out who the dead woman is and who killed her are mocked by the authorities. None of the people who should be trustworthy appear to be, as secrets and threats abound. The coming-of-age experiences take place over three summers and mutate into something much nastier and the story progresses slowly into something very dark indeed. The equilibrium at the end is perhaps a little overstretched, but the story builds, tears and rips at the very core. Harrowing, disturbing and a darn good read. Recommended.
The first chapter is slow and full of the depressing background and lives of the children, who live in a rural part of America. Of course, it changes at the end of the chapter when they find the body of a young woman. Unable to get the discovery out of their minds they decide to find out who killed her.
This is a story of friendship, family, trust and the bonds that bind them. The four children find an escape and sanctuary in their group and the secret 'fort' they made is their refuge. Each lives within a dysfunctional and often abusive family and the friends offer love and security the families do not. And how many of us didn't have that bolthole as a child? The concept has a very nostalgic feel.
As children, their attempts to find out who the dead woman is and who killed her are mocked by the authorities. None of the people who should be trustworthy appear to be, as secrets and threats abound. The coming-of-age experiences take place over three summers and mutate into something much nastier and the story progresses slowly into something very dark indeed. The equilibrium at the end is perhaps a little overstretched, but the story builds, tears and rips at the very core. Harrowing, disturbing and a darn good read. Recommended.
May 13, 2019
John e la sua sorellina Jenny vivono con i loro due migliori amici, Rudy e Gloria, a Larson, una piccola cittadina del Midwest nota per le infinite campagne e le immense distese di campi di mais. Una piccola città, all’apparenza tranquilla, dove tutti conoscono tutti e, a malincuore, alla quale si fa fatica a nascondere i propri segreti.
John ama la sua fattoria e la sua mamma, e non vorrebbe mai lasciare la sua città natale. Dall’altro lato, Jenny non vede l’ora di scappare e andare lontano con suo fratello e i suoi amici. Via da quel posto e, soprattutto, via da sua madre la quale prova per la giovane ragazza un odio sconfinato e non fa altro che rovinarle la vita, talmente tanto da incutere terrore in essa.
L’estate del 1971 trascorre tranquilla e molto calda ma ben presto tutta la città verrà sommersa da una serie di eventi terrificanti.
I quattro ragazzi giocano spensierati al loro rifugio, un posto segreto creato con oggetti racimolati ovunque, quando tutto ha inizio: nel lago, si imbattono nel cadavere di una giovane donna.
A partire da quel giorno, nella piccola cittadina si diffonde la notizia, ormai evidente, che si tratta di un omicidio ma a nessuno, nemmeno alla polizia locale, sembra importare.
I giorni trascorrono e i ragazzi, ormai scalfiti nel profondo dalla morte, cominciano a indagare con l’intento di riportare alla luce la verità sullo strano omicidio e a restituire giustizia alla famiglia della vittima.
Tutto ciò però ha un prezzo e lo sa Bene John che, da quel momento in poi, dovrà vedersela con una realtà totalmente differente da come l’aveva sempre vista e affrontare i segreti più oscuri di tutta la cittadina che lui, ingenuamente, tanto ama.
“L’estate che cambiò tutto” è un romanzo cupo e affascinante, con una storia intensa e struggente dai luoghi macabri e, a tratti, grotteschi.
Attraverso gli occhi di John, Beth Lewis ci accompagna nella psiche oscura e profonda di tutti i personaggi che prendono parte alle vicende. Ci troveremo a condividere con i protagonisti i loro dolori, le invidie, le sconfitte e tutte le disgrazie che li investiranno.
Grazie alla sua scrittura acuta, precisa e introspettiva, l’autrice costruisce personaggi reali e lampanti, perfetti anche avendo dei minimi difetti.
Essi sono caratterizzati divinamente sia dal punto di vista fisico che psicologico e talmente concreti nell’esprimere le loro emozioni da sembrare compagni di una vita.
È un romanzo estremamente coinvolgente e originale, che avvolge completamente il lettore, immergendolo in uno stato di suspense talmente pazzesco da voler entrare nel libro, nella storia per aiutare i quattro ragazzini, consolarli e non abbandonarli mai più.
John, ancora troppo giovane, è costretto a fronteggiare una realtà che gli appare completamente estranea da quella in cui credeva e sperava.
Se da un lato abbiamo il ragazzino e il suo gruppo di amici che lottano con tutte le loro forze per riportare a galla giustizia e verità sull’omicidio, dall’altro troviamo il resto dei cittadini e numerosi personaggi corrotti che lottano per insabbiare verità scomode e difficili da accettare.
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Filo conduttore del romanzo è la verità: ogni singolo personaggio, a proprio modo, seppur in maniera differente e distorta, lotta per tenere sottochiave oscuri segreti.
È in questo modo che John, a sua volta, viene a scontrarsi con un’ ulteriore veridicità. Tutto ciò in cui aveva riposto speranza, pian piano si sgretola nelle sue mani.
Crollano le apparenze ed emerge alle luce l’altra faccia delle persone, quella sporca e meschina. Il ragazzino finalmente capisce che le persone di cui si fida, in realtà, indossano delle maschere e sono proprio quelle da cui stare il più lontano possibile.
In una voragine nera e turbolenta, dove la speranza viene spazzata via ogni volta dal tradimento e dall’ingiustizia, sarà proprio il valore dell’amicizia, pura e genuina, a salvare gli animi dei giovani ragazzi e a tendere loro una mano ogni qualvolta tutto precipita.
“L’estate che cambiò tutto” è un romanzo agghiacciante, da leggere e comprendere. Inoltre, da leggere con attenzione e soffermarsi anche sui minimi dettagli in quanto contiene delle crude verità da digerire.
È una storia nata dalla follia, che gira intorno a personaggi viziosi e a una città complice, la quale sceglie di restare muta, accettando tutti gli orrori e gli scempi che avvengono e consapevole di disintegrarsi a poco a poco, sempre di più.
Recensione presente anche sul mio blog: https://universolibri.wordpress.com/2...
John ama la sua fattoria e la sua mamma, e non vorrebbe mai lasciare la sua città natale. Dall’altro lato, Jenny non vede l’ora di scappare e andare lontano con suo fratello e i suoi amici. Via da quel posto e, soprattutto, via da sua madre la quale prova per la giovane ragazza un odio sconfinato e non fa altro che rovinarle la vita, talmente tanto da incutere terrore in essa.
L’estate del 1971 trascorre tranquilla e molto calda ma ben presto tutta la città verrà sommersa da una serie di eventi terrificanti.
I quattro ragazzi giocano spensierati al loro rifugio, un posto segreto creato con oggetti racimolati ovunque, quando tutto ha inizio: nel lago, si imbattono nel cadavere di una giovane donna.
A partire da quel giorno, nella piccola cittadina si diffonde la notizia, ormai evidente, che si tratta di un omicidio ma a nessuno, nemmeno alla polizia locale, sembra importare.
I giorni trascorrono e i ragazzi, ormai scalfiti nel profondo dalla morte, cominciano a indagare con l’intento di riportare alla luce la verità sullo strano omicidio e a restituire giustizia alla famiglia della vittima.
Tutto ciò però ha un prezzo e lo sa Bene John che, da quel momento in poi, dovrà vedersela con una realtà totalmente differente da come l’aveva sempre vista e affrontare i segreti più oscuri di tutta la cittadina che lui, ingenuamente, tanto ama.
“L’estate che cambiò tutto” è un romanzo cupo e affascinante, con una storia intensa e struggente dai luoghi macabri e, a tratti, grotteschi.
Attraverso gli occhi di John, Beth Lewis ci accompagna nella psiche oscura e profonda di tutti i personaggi che prendono parte alle vicende. Ci troveremo a condividere con i protagonisti i loro dolori, le invidie, le sconfitte e tutte le disgrazie che li investiranno.
Grazie alla sua scrittura acuta, precisa e introspettiva, l’autrice costruisce personaggi reali e lampanti, perfetti anche avendo dei minimi difetti.
Essi sono caratterizzati divinamente sia dal punto di vista fisico che psicologico e talmente concreti nell’esprimere le loro emozioni da sembrare compagni di una vita.
È un romanzo estremamente coinvolgente e originale, che avvolge completamente il lettore, immergendolo in uno stato di suspense talmente pazzesco da voler entrare nel libro, nella storia per aiutare i quattro ragazzini, consolarli e non abbandonarli mai più.
John, ancora troppo giovane, è costretto a fronteggiare una realtà che gli appare completamente estranea da quella in cui credeva e sperava.
Se da un lato abbiamo il ragazzino e il suo gruppo di amici che lottano con tutte le loro forze per riportare a galla giustizia e verità sull’omicidio, dall’altro troviamo il resto dei cittadini e numerosi personaggi corrotti che lottano per insabbiare verità scomode e difficili da accettare.
<>
Filo conduttore del romanzo è la verità: ogni singolo personaggio, a proprio modo, seppur in maniera differente e distorta, lotta per tenere sottochiave oscuri segreti.
È in questo modo che John, a sua volta, viene a scontrarsi con un’ ulteriore veridicità. Tutto ciò in cui aveva riposto speranza, pian piano si sgretola nelle sue mani.
Crollano le apparenze ed emerge alle luce l’altra faccia delle persone, quella sporca e meschina. Il ragazzino finalmente capisce che le persone di cui si fida, in realtà, indossano delle maschere e sono proprio quelle da cui stare il più lontano possibile.
In una voragine nera e turbolenta, dove la speranza viene spazzata via ogni volta dal tradimento e dall’ingiustizia, sarà proprio il valore dell’amicizia, pura e genuina, a salvare gli animi dei giovani ragazzi e a tendere loro una mano ogni qualvolta tutto precipita.
“L’estate che cambiò tutto” è un romanzo agghiacciante, da leggere e comprendere. Inoltre, da leggere con attenzione e soffermarsi anche sui minimi dettagli in quanto contiene delle crude verità da digerire.
È una storia nata dalla follia, che gira intorno a personaggi viziosi e a una città complice, la quale sceglie di restare muta, accettando tutti gli orrori e gli scempi che avvengono e consapevole di disintegrarsi a poco a poco, sempre di più.
Recensione presente anche sul mio blog: https://universolibri.wordpress.com/2...
April 6, 2020
Sono 3,5 ⭐
Devo dire la verità un thriller che non mi ha convinta, una storia pesante da digerire a tratti horror/paranormale.
Il protagonista è John, un ragazzo di 14 anni, che con la sua sorellina Jenny, un po' più piccola e due loro amici Gloria e Rudy, tutti tra i 12 e i 14 anni, trovano il cadavere di una giovane che sembra solo di pochi anni più grande di loro. Notando lo scarso impegno nello svolgere le indagini dello sceriffo e dei suoi vice, i quattro si improvviseranno investigatori per scoprire l'identità della ragazza e soprattutto chi l'ha uccisa.
Il Giallo si divide in tre parti e tra stop e riprese delle indagini dura l'arco temporale di tre anni.
La prima parte molto intrigante in cui l'autrice fa una bellissima caratterizzazione dei personaggi tutti, protagonisti e non, e con delle descrizioni belle e accurate, ma a mio avviso, eccessivamente lunghe che appesantiscono già la storia dura di suo.
Nella seconda parte, in cui succede poco altro, la narrazione diventa lenta e noiosissima per ritornare scorrevole e interessante nella terza e ultima parte...e intanto abbiamo superato le 400 pagine!!
Il finale...beh per me decisamente un NI.
Devo dire la verità un thriller che non mi ha convinta, una storia pesante da digerire a tratti horror/paranormale.
Il protagonista è John, un ragazzo di 14 anni, che con la sua sorellina Jenny, un po' più piccola e due loro amici Gloria e Rudy, tutti tra i 12 e i 14 anni, trovano il cadavere di una giovane che sembra solo di pochi anni più grande di loro. Notando lo scarso impegno nello svolgere le indagini dello sceriffo e dei suoi vice, i quattro si improvviseranno investigatori per scoprire l'identità della ragazza e soprattutto chi l'ha uccisa.
Il Giallo si divide in tre parti e tra stop e riprese delle indagini dura l'arco temporale di tre anni.
La prima parte molto intrigante in cui l'autrice fa una bellissima caratterizzazione dei personaggi tutti, protagonisti e non, e con delle descrizioni belle e accurate, ma a mio avviso, eccessivamente lunghe che appesantiscono già la storia dura di suo.
Nella seconda parte, in cui succede poco altro, la narrazione diventa lenta e noiosissima per ritornare scorrevole e interessante nella terza e ultima parte...e intanto abbiamo superato le 400 pagine!!
Il finale...beh per me decisamente un NI.
August 30, 2018
Good coming of age story, too long drawn out and too repetitive for me, and i want the baddies to suffer!!
May 21, 2019
2,5 stelline su 5
Recensione sul blog
https://lettricesenzatempo.wordpress....
Recensione sul blog
https://lettricesenzatempo.wordpress....
May 24, 2018
Set over 3 long hot summer from 1971 in a small American town this book is so utterly addictive I could not put it down.
Told from young 13 yr old Johnny Royal's view as the sanctuary of his younger sister and two best friends' clubhouse becomes the area where a girls body is found by the children.
Like a car crash in slow motion you know something is bad in the town, each year sees the children's home life become worse. Indeed his sister Jenny is under the impression their mother will kill her soon. Johnny loves his Momma and wonders why they rile each other up so. His best friend Rudy gets a beating but when they all meet up nothing can touch them, that is why they know they are the only ones who can solve the murder.
The characters are so well written, like reading Stephen King's The Body {Stand by Me} Johnny's view is naïve and innocent as he hopes the only Pa he trusts can save them.
This book devastated me. I got so emotionally involved the children were my best friends, the long hot summers ones I could picture having, I couldn't believe what Lewis put them all through but couldn't look away, I had to know, like Johnny was it as bad as it was going to get?
Just pick this up, one for you one for your friend to discuss and spread the word. The most unputdownable book this summer - can I say year?- is here.
Thank you so much HarperCollins for the proof read
Told from young 13 yr old Johnny Royal's view as the sanctuary of his younger sister and two best friends' clubhouse becomes the area where a girls body is found by the children.
Like a car crash in slow motion you know something is bad in the town, each year sees the children's home life become worse. Indeed his sister Jenny is under the impression their mother will kill her soon. Johnny loves his Momma and wonders why they rile each other up so. His best friend Rudy gets a beating but when they all meet up nothing can touch them, that is why they know they are the only ones who can solve the murder.
The characters are so well written, like reading Stephen King's The Body {Stand by Me} Johnny's view is naïve and innocent as he hopes the only Pa he trusts can save them.
This book devastated me. I got so emotionally involved the children were my best friends, the long hot summers ones I could picture having, I couldn't believe what Lewis put them all through but couldn't look away, I had to know, like Johnny was it as bad as it was going to get?
Just pick this up, one for you one for your friend to discuss and spread the word. The most unputdownable book this summer - can I say year?- is here.
Thank you so much HarperCollins for the proof read
January 3, 2019
quite the departure from 'The Wolf Road', and not in ways i care for much... to get the bad list done first off: pages and pages and pages of dialogue, which works well if you're writing a (good) screenplay, not so much in a book of this length; awful, trite, and stereotypical characters; total prick narrator; even more dialogue; utterly unbelievable scenarios abound; nonsensical solutions to scenarios; over-trying attempt at some sort of childhood/YA/teen 'gang of four'; unfitting conclusion; entirely too long, by at least 200 pages... the good list: Lewis does conjure up some deep emotional moments, and manages to drop some beautiful prose in between the never-ending dialogue... not much to get excited about here, these types of tales - coming of age, mystery, small town secrets, the evil that humans do - have been done better elsewhere, and often... i will still seek out her next book and hope for something more like her debut than this one, which almost seems written by someone else entirely...
April 12, 2018
This was a goodreads giveaway. Really enjoyed this book. I did not realise Beth Lewis had written Wolf Road which has been on my to read list for some time. The atmosphere and characters were so well written. The feeling of helplessness and dread built like the storm clouds over the three summers. We were teased by the opening and knew something dreadful was going to happen but to who and when. The small town mentality and corruption felt all too real. The only slight criticism I had with the writing was the many many ways and times we were told of John Royal's internal anguish and how that felt inside of him. I thought that a little overdone even though the reader felt that anger and injustice too. However it did not detract from my overall enjoyment. Good ending too. I was very pleased I had the chance to read this before publication and will be seeking out Wolf Road.
December 31, 2020
https://lalettrice.altervista.org/l-e...
Lo stile molto particolare, la tensione perenne che il lettore percepisce, renderanno molto scorrevole e accattivante la lettura, che non risulterà mai noiosa o scontata; geniale la scelta da parte dell’autrice di renderci lettori “conoscenti” di ciò che accade, di ogni personaggio coinvolto e in particolar modo di condurci con semplicità e con degli indizi alla verità, che molto spesso i protagonisti stessi si rifiuteranno di accettare.
Altro punto a favore di questo romanzo è la caratterizzazione dei personaggi: ognuno di essi appare fin da subito ben strutturato e soprattutto particolare, diverso dagli altri, man mano il lettore imparerà a conoscerli meglio ed entrerà facilmente in empatia con le loro storie.
Storie, come dicevo prima, molto difficile e complesse, ma che verranno ben articolate, in modo che il lettore possa comprenderle al meglio e analizzarle per certi versi, in modo che il lettore possa capire il perché di molte azioni da parte dei protagonisti.
Lo stile molto particolare, la tensione perenne che il lettore percepisce, renderanno molto scorrevole e accattivante la lettura, che non risulterà mai noiosa o scontata; geniale la scelta da parte dell’autrice di renderci lettori “conoscenti” di ciò che accade, di ogni personaggio coinvolto e in particolar modo di condurci con semplicità e con degli indizi alla verità, che molto spesso i protagonisti stessi si rifiuteranno di accettare.
Altro punto a favore di questo romanzo è la caratterizzazione dei personaggi: ognuno di essi appare fin da subito ben strutturato e soprattutto particolare, diverso dagli altri, man mano il lettore imparerà a conoscerli meglio ed entrerà facilmente in empatia con le loro storie.
Storie, come dicevo prima, molto difficile e complesse, ma che verranno ben articolate, in modo che il lettore possa comprenderle al meglio e analizzarle per certi versi, in modo che il lettore possa capire il perché di molte azioni da parte dei protagonisti.
August 12, 2018
When I saw 'Stand by Me meets True Detective' I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed.
Small town America is always portrayed in a certain way so it is easy to see the picture which the author paints. The awful secrets a town hides and how within a moment - your life is changed forever.
I don't give spoilers in any review I do, but if you like either Stand by me or True Detective then you must read this book. The author writes with ease. I'll definitely be checking other titles of theirs out!
Small town America is always portrayed in a certain way so it is easy to see the picture which the author paints. The awful secrets a town hides and how within a moment - your life is changed forever.
I don't give spoilers in any review I do, but if you like either Stand by me or True Detective then you must read this book. The author writes with ease. I'll definitely be checking other titles of theirs out!
August 22, 2021
3.5 stars
November 6, 2020
Lewis on mestarillinen luomaan ahdistavaa ja vainoharhaista ilmapiiriä ja tämäkin opus piti tiukasti otteessaan loppuun asti. Edeltäjänsä ”Suden tien” tapan kirjan tunnelma jäi vainoamaan monta päivää lukemisen jälkeenkin.
March 28, 2018
I was so impressed with Beth's debut 'The Wolf Road' that I couldn't wait to read her next book. And 'Bitter Sun' does not disappoint one iota. Another stark coming-of-age which pits 13 year old Johnny Royal and his friends into the wilderness of a small mid-Western town's politics and corruption from which no-one can emerge a winner.
Happily playing in their secluded cubby, The Roost, down by Big Lake, John and his sister Jenny and best friends, Gloria and Rudy, discover the body of a young girl. They are mesmerised by this atrocity and vow to tell the sheriff the following morning but when John and Jenny are found sleeping beside the body the next morning their innocence is questioned.
The town of Larson labels John a killer and stepping in for his absent, drunken Momma at the sheriff's office, the local pastor, Frank Jacobs, shields John from the town's furore offering guidance and friendship. And with repeated weekly meetings John puts his trust in Pastor Jacobs elevating him to fatherhood status for looking out for him as he imagines a father would for a son.
John has enough on his plate without the whole town suspecting him of murder. His beloved Momma has a heart of gold, or at least once did, but her tough life has seen a seething meanness develop in her, viciously fuelled by too much whiskey. Her frequent target is her daughter, Jenny, whom John is committed to always protecting. When Sheriff Samuels questions why they were sleeping beside the body the truth can't come out. The town needn't know what happens in their household. And so John keeps his mouth shout and wears the undeserved insults.
But Jenny and his friends won't let the Jane Doe body disappear without knowing her name and innocently think they can uncover her killer. They follow tracks where the body has been dragged which lead to Rudy's property - home of his father Bung-eye Buchanan, Larson's most wicked thug and controller of everything. But is the answer as simple as that? No, by no means, and through various happenings, where John hears more revelatory conversations, the plot thickens.
Does he reveal all to Sheriff Samuels or does he withhold information? Does he tell his friends or does he protect them? Can he save his sister or is he trapped? Who can he trust or must this dreadful knowledge be his personal burden for ever? Can he, at least, save himself and Jenny?
The torment of this young man's mind is beautifully juxtaposed against current affairs - compulsory drafting, broken soldiers returning from the Vietnam War; parochial affairs - the Easton Mill explosion, rising unemployment, teen suicide and the hopelessness of failing rural communities; and teen issues - first love, school, failing grades and bullying. The author's figurative expression continues to impress. Examples would necessitate me quoting most of the book.
In summary, as the book blurb writes "'The Dry' meets 'Stand by Me' and 'True Detective' in this stunningly written tale of the darkness at the heart of a small mid-Western town." Extremely atmospheric and engaging with a steadily building pace that had me teetering on a precipice not knowing whether I would stay there or fall, lose my breath or breathe. Beth Lewis is a writer most deserving of continuing attention.
Happily playing in their secluded cubby, The Roost, down by Big Lake, John and his sister Jenny and best friends, Gloria and Rudy, discover the body of a young girl. They are mesmerised by this atrocity and vow to tell the sheriff the following morning but when John and Jenny are found sleeping beside the body the next morning their innocence is questioned.
The town of Larson labels John a killer and stepping in for his absent, drunken Momma at the sheriff's office, the local pastor, Frank Jacobs, shields John from the town's furore offering guidance and friendship. And with repeated weekly meetings John puts his trust in Pastor Jacobs elevating him to fatherhood status for looking out for him as he imagines a father would for a son.
John has enough on his plate without the whole town suspecting him of murder. His beloved Momma has a heart of gold, or at least once did, but her tough life has seen a seething meanness develop in her, viciously fuelled by too much whiskey. Her frequent target is her daughter, Jenny, whom John is committed to always protecting. When Sheriff Samuels questions why they were sleeping beside the body the truth can't come out. The town needn't know what happens in their household. And so John keeps his mouth shout and wears the undeserved insults.
But Jenny and his friends won't let the Jane Doe body disappear without knowing her name and innocently think they can uncover her killer. They follow tracks where the body has been dragged which lead to Rudy's property - home of his father Bung-eye Buchanan, Larson's most wicked thug and controller of everything. But is the answer as simple as that? No, by no means, and through various happenings, where John hears more revelatory conversations, the plot thickens.
Does he reveal all to Sheriff Samuels or does he withhold information? Does he tell his friends or does he protect them? Can he save his sister or is he trapped? Who can he trust or must this dreadful knowledge be his personal burden for ever? Can he, at least, save himself and Jenny?
The torment of this young man's mind is beautifully juxtaposed against current affairs - compulsory drafting, broken soldiers returning from the Vietnam War; parochial affairs - the Easton Mill explosion, rising unemployment, teen suicide and the hopelessness of failing rural communities; and teen issues - first love, school, failing grades and bullying. The author's figurative expression continues to impress. Examples would necessitate me quoting most of the book.
In summary, as the book blurb writes "'The Dry' meets 'Stand by Me' and 'True Detective' in this stunningly written tale of the darkness at the heart of a small mid-Western town." Extremely atmospheric and engaging with a steadily building pace that had me teetering on a precipice not knowing whether I would stay there or fall, lose my breath or breathe. Beth Lewis is a writer most deserving of continuing attention.
February 19, 2024
4.5 stars
Small town America... where everyone knows everyone,and they all have secrets.
That's how this feels... feels tense and claustrophobic and prone to violence at any second.
It reminded me a lot of Chris Whitakers All the wicked girls,which is no bad thing,that was one of my favourite books last year.
The weather scorching hot,the priest,the small town....
I cringed at some of the scenes between Jenny and her mother,but smiled at the ones with the four kids...All of their actions given the circumstances felt real,something I find lacking in many books.
A real coming of age story.
I'm loving Beth Lewis's work.
Small town America... where everyone knows everyone,and they all have secrets.
That's how this feels... feels tense and claustrophobic and prone to violence at any second.
It reminded me a lot of Chris Whitakers All the wicked girls,which is no bad thing,that was one of my favourite books last year.
The weather scorching hot,the priest,the small town....
I cringed at some of the scenes between Jenny and her mother,but smiled at the ones with the four kids...All of their actions given the circumstances felt real,something I find lacking in many books.
A real coming of age story.
I'm loving Beth Lewis's work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2019
I was eager to read this as it has been compared to The Dry by Jane Harper, which I enjoyed. I wasn't disappointed, this is a moving coming of age book that held my interest from the very start. My only criticism would be that it felt a little drawn out at times. I haven't heard many people talking about this book and I feel it deserves to be given more recognition. A worthy 4.5 stars, and I will be checking out the author's other book.
December 30, 2020
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
I saw Bitter Sun mentioned on a number of blogs last year and my FOMO well and truly kicked in. I really can’t help myself when it comes to literary crime fiction at the moment and as soon as I clapped eyes on this book, I knew I had to read it. And oh my goodness, I’m so glad I did. Heartbreaking and emotive, this is a wonderfully consuming piece of fiction which I lost myself in.
A group of young teenage friends make a harrowing discovery one day whilst wasting time down by the lake. The body of a young woman. Their discovery is both horrifying and fascinating. They’re repulsed but drawn to the corpse. No one seems to particularly care who the victim is or why she was killed. So the friends take it upon themselves to find out. From the point of their shocking discovery and for the rest of their lives, life will never be the same for John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy…
Set in a small, claustrophobic mid-Western town in the early 1970s, Bitter Sun is an all-consuming novel about family, friendship and the cruel hand fate can deal you, among other things. This is a powerful, character-driven coming-of-age novel which, in parts, broke me. Our lead character is John Royal. At the ripe old age of 13, John holds sole responsibility for the family farm (unless you count the endless ‘pigeon pa’s’ who fly in, sh!t all over the place and then fly out again!) and is determined to return it to its former glory. His mother is a man-hungry drunk who has all the time in the world for her son but a confusing, turbulent, sometimes hateful relationship with John’s younger sister, Jenny. It makes for uncomfortable reading at times but the author shows the reader exactly how things stand between these two characters. Poor John, who adores both his mother and his sister, is very much stuck in the middle of this warzone.
The day the kids discover the body is the day everything changes. John sees a new side to his sister. She reacts strangely to the discovery and he struggles to understand what is going on. The friends, as one would expect from a group of 13-year-olds in this situation, make the wrong decision – making a bad situation ten times worse. From here, the intricate unravelling of these four lives begins. We see life in Larson over several skin-blistering Summers. Each year brings more change, more bad news, more revelations. My heart ached for John. The author has done an exceptional job in writing this character. I wanted to look after him, protect him from more hurt and shield him from more bad news.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Bitter Sun is an engrossing tale which really got under my skin. Heart-breaking at times and chock full of emotion, it was exactly the right book at the right time for me. If you’re a reader who thinks characters are key then get yourself a copy of this beautifully written novel. I can promise you, you won’t regret it. Completely immersive, unforgettable and utterly mesmerising. Recommended.
I saw Bitter Sun mentioned on a number of blogs last year and my FOMO well and truly kicked in. I really can’t help myself when it comes to literary crime fiction at the moment and as soon as I clapped eyes on this book, I knew I had to read it. And oh my goodness, I’m so glad I did. Heartbreaking and emotive, this is a wonderfully consuming piece of fiction which I lost myself in.
A group of young teenage friends make a harrowing discovery one day whilst wasting time down by the lake. The body of a young woman. Their discovery is both horrifying and fascinating. They’re repulsed but drawn to the corpse. No one seems to particularly care who the victim is or why she was killed. So the friends take it upon themselves to find out. From the point of their shocking discovery and for the rest of their lives, life will never be the same for John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy…
Set in a small, claustrophobic mid-Western town in the early 1970s, Bitter Sun is an all-consuming novel about family, friendship and the cruel hand fate can deal you, among other things. This is a powerful, character-driven coming-of-age novel which, in parts, broke me. Our lead character is John Royal. At the ripe old age of 13, John holds sole responsibility for the family farm (unless you count the endless ‘pigeon pa’s’ who fly in, sh!t all over the place and then fly out again!) and is determined to return it to its former glory. His mother is a man-hungry drunk who has all the time in the world for her son but a confusing, turbulent, sometimes hateful relationship with John’s younger sister, Jenny. It makes for uncomfortable reading at times but the author shows the reader exactly how things stand between these two characters. Poor John, who adores both his mother and his sister, is very much stuck in the middle of this warzone.
The day the kids discover the body is the day everything changes. John sees a new side to his sister. She reacts strangely to the discovery and he struggles to understand what is going on. The friends, as one would expect from a group of 13-year-olds in this situation, make the wrong decision – making a bad situation ten times worse. From here, the intricate unravelling of these four lives begins. We see life in Larson over several skin-blistering Summers. Each year brings more change, more bad news, more revelations. My heart ached for John. The author has done an exceptional job in writing this character. I wanted to look after him, protect him from more hurt and shield him from more bad news.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Bitter Sun is an engrossing tale which really got under my skin. Heart-breaking at times and chock full of emotion, it was exactly the right book at the right time for me. If you’re a reader who thinks characters are key then get yourself a copy of this beautifully written novel. I can promise you, you won’t regret it. Completely immersive, unforgettable and utterly mesmerising. Recommended.
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