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RIPPLES
Is repaying a debt of gratitude worth the cost of sanity? Ben Bramley must answer that question when a fall day phone call beckons him back to the farm of his youth, to the land that scarred him to the bone. If he rescinds his resolution of lifetime avoidance, he will be returning to the postcard mountain hamlet of Abundance where townsfolk are long on judgment but short on sympathy. Clueless that their black-or-white world of Southern Baptist status quo is in jeopardy should Ben decide to unload his repository of dark secrets and completely unravel the pious fabric of the close-knit community, which includes the handful of those who care for him most. Complex relationships fuel a story in which hypocrisy is an art form, change is impossible, and to love someone is to give them the power to destroy.
"A wise, ardent debut novel about the burden of one man's past and his search for absolution. Williams knows what Faulkner knew: that literature’s one true subject is the human heart in conflict with itself.”
—Jonathan Dee, Pulitzer Prize Finalist for The Privileges, Guggenheim Fellow
"There's a dark secret hidden in the apple orchards of Abundance, North Carolina, a scenic mountain town on the banks of the Unolama River, and native son Ben Bramley has been running from it for too long. When the summons comes, Ben--like Thomas Wolfe's George Webber before him--sets out to recover what he's lost and can't live without in the place he fears the most. Evan Williams's fierce, Wolfian first novel reminds us, contra Wolfe, that to complete the journey, we not only can go home again, we must."
—David Payne, author of Barefoot to Avalon: A Brother's Story
"Williams’s narrative is nothing short of a startling once-in-a-millennia meteor shower. A big, wide-sky tale with tiny shimmering glimpses into the cosmos within us all. He seems always to capture little parts of who we are, of who we know we are, but only recognize when he points them out. Both scenic and sonic, with Ripples, Williams joins the gorgeous literary canon that the Carolina Appalachians have bestowed on America."
—F. Rutledge Hammes, 2019 South Carolina Arts Commission Prose Fellow, and author of A Curious Matter of Men with Wings
"A wise, ardent debut novel about the burden of one man's past and his search for absolution. Williams knows what Faulkner knew: that literature’s one true subject is the human heart in conflict with itself.”
—Jonathan Dee, Pulitzer Prize Finalist for The Privileges, Guggenheim Fellow
"There's a dark secret hidden in the apple orchards of Abundance, North Carolina, a scenic mountain town on the banks of the Unolama River, and native son Ben Bramley has been running from it for too long. When the summons comes, Ben--like Thomas Wolfe's George Webber before him--sets out to recover what he's lost and can't live without in the place he fears the most. Evan Williams's fierce, Wolfian first novel reminds us, contra Wolfe, that to complete the journey, we not only can go home again, we must."
—David Payne, author of Barefoot to Avalon: A Brother's Story
"Williams’s narrative is nothing short of a startling once-in-a-millennia meteor shower. A big, wide-sky tale with tiny shimmering glimpses into the cosmos within us all. He seems always to capture little parts of who we are, of who we know we are, but only recognize when he points them out. Both scenic and sonic, with Ripples, Williams joins the gorgeous literary canon that the Carolina Appalachians have bestowed on America."
—F. Rutledge Hammes, 2019 South Carolina Arts Commission Prose Fellow, and author of A Curious Matter of Men with Wings
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2019
10 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Evan Williams
30 books12 followers Stepping off the front porch I'm greeted by the same forty acres of orchard that has been home to multiple generations of my family. I'm no less rooted to the land than the hundreds of apple trees that populate my tiny kingdom. I can't help but feel that I grew up in a Grant Wood painting—rural Americana at its finest.
Turns out after decades of unrelated career pursuits, I'm an author, a novelist, a poet. Words swirl in my head in cyclonic fashion, latching onto others, igniting ideas, formulating phrases that evolve into paragraphs, combining and combining, tempestuously giving birth to stories that will not relent until they are incorporated into print. I am merely the conduit between the original thought and the keyboard, exploring the creative magic of words.
My books, Serealized, a twisted thriller novel, and, Angst, a collection of my poetry, are both available as eBooks for both Kindle and Nook, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble sites. Follow my web page at: www.evanwilliamsauthor.com
Follow me on Facebook at: Evan Williams Author
Follow me on Instagram at: evanwilliamsauthor
Turns out after decades of unrelated career pursuits, I'm an author, a novelist, a poet. Words swirl in my head in cyclonic fashion, latching onto others, igniting ideas, formulating phrases that evolve into paragraphs, combining and combining, tempestuously giving birth to stories that will not relent until they are incorporated into print. I am merely the conduit between the original thought and the keyboard, exploring the creative magic of words.
My books, Serealized, a twisted thriller novel, and, Angst, a collection of my poetry, are both available as eBooks for both Kindle and Nook, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble sites. Follow my web page at: www.evanwilliamsauthor.com
Follow me on Facebook at: Evan Williams Author
Follow me on Instagram at: evanwilliamsauthor
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 24, 2020
An intriguing and engrossing book that explores the age-old question, nature or nurture? Being gently drawn into the slow and steady rhythm of the plot, I found myself asking questions all the time. Why had Ben Bramley left his hometown? Why had he estranged himself from grandparents he quite clearly loved very much? What had caused his intense dislike of his own father? What would happen now that events had conspired to force him to come home?
This is a book about family and about memories. About trying to come to terms with childhood trauma that shaped the person you have become, sometimes forcing you to grow crooked, bowed down under the weight of secrets and consequences.
Extremely well-written, it took me a chapter or so to get used to the Southern terminology – being a true Brit I did struggle with some of the words and phrases – but soon the way the characters spoke and thought clicked in my mind and became familiar.
The story is almost spartan in its simplicity, but that is the beauty of it, and this lack of frills in the plot allows the reader to reach the pared-down bones of the characters, getting to know and understand them intimately. They become like family, with all the flaws, traits and annoying habits that all families have. As well as the love and loyalty that all families aspire to.
I took my time with this book, some things are better for not being rushed and enjoyed the slow and gentle peeling away of all the layers to reveal the sad and shocking truths at the root of Ben’s mental angst and instabilities. I particularly enjoyed his complicated relationship with religion and his internal diatribes against the firm hold it had on the people in his hometown.
All in all, a beautiful and thoughtful book that is enjoyable not just for its well-executed plot, but for the deliberate pacing that gives the reader time to relax into the story, only to be uncomfortably jostled by long-buried skeletons rattling their bones of disclosure.
This is a book about family and about memories. About trying to come to terms with childhood trauma that shaped the person you have become, sometimes forcing you to grow crooked, bowed down under the weight of secrets and consequences.
Extremely well-written, it took me a chapter or so to get used to the Southern terminology – being a true Brit I did struggle with some of the words and phrases – but soon the way the characters spoke and thought clicked in my mind and became familiar.
The story is almost spartan in its simplicity, but that is the beauty of it, and this lack of frills in the plot allows the reader to reach the pared-down bones of the characters, getting to know and understand them intimately. They become like family, with all the flaws, traits and annoying habits that all families have. As well as the love and loyalty that all families aspire to.
I took my time with this book, some things are better for not being rushed and enjoyed the slow and gentle peeling away of all the layers to reveal the sad and shocking truths at the root of Ben’s mental angst and instabilities. I particularly enjoyed his complicated relationship with religion and his internal diatribes against the firm hold it had on the people in his hometown.
All in all, a beautiful and thoughtful book that is enjoyable not just for its well-executed plot, but for the deliberate pacing that gives the reader time to relax into the story, only to be uncomfortably jostled by long-buried skeletons rattling their bones of disclosure.
March 9, 2019
From the first chapter I knew I'd found a book I'd like because the language flows beautifully, engaging the reader completely. This is important for me, someone who reads for escapism.
I think anyone who reads this book will see a bit of themselves in the main character, Ben because while he does on the outset seem to be a closed off individual, we soon learn that like all of us, he is just trying to find some happiness in the world, even if he isn't quite aware of it himself.
I especially liked how each chapter began with a quote from the Bible,making it clear that even though Ben had tried to escape his childhood town of Abundance, his origins will always be there and he would ultimately have to come to accept that. I wasn't however so keen on the relationship between Ben and his childhood friend, Silk. While it was good for an escape and show that Ben has some kind of heart, it also seemed a little too easy.
All in all, I highly recommend this book because it is beautifully written and the story will probably make an impact on those who read it.
I think anyone who reads this book will see a bit of themselves in the main character, Ben because while he does on the outset seem to be a closed off individual, we soon learn that like all of us, he is just trying to find some happiness in the world, even if he isn't quite aware of it himself.
I especially liked how each chapter began with a quote from the Bible,making it clear that even though Ben had tried to escape his childhood town of Abundance, his origins will always be there and he would ultimately have to come to accept that. I wasn't however so keen on the relationship between Ben and his childhood friend, Silk. While it was good for an escape and show that Ben has some kind of heart, it also seemed a little too easy.
All in all, I highly recommend this book because it is beautifully written and the story will probably make an impact on those who read it.
June 3, 2019
Purchased my copy of Ripples at Evan Williams' reading and signing event in NC.
Ben Bramley, the protagonist of Williams' Ripples, is a runner; he runs for catharsis, for a reprieve from the haunting memories of his childhood, and from the family he has abandoned so he can save himself. His father's hospitalization forces him to return to the Southern Baptist people and town that sacrificed him for drink and religion, and his readers witness the psychological and emotional journey that overwhelms him when he faces the father who abandoned and abused him, the church that failed him, and the grandparents who raised him with ignorant love. Written with a skillful hand, Williams provides us a window into the human psyche of a young man trying to reconcile his past so he can move forward to find healthy love and peace despite the entrenched hypocrisy of his community. It also serves to remind us of the vulnerability of children neglected and abused by those sworn to love and protect them and how empowered and liberated they feel when they finally confront their abuse and abusers. Highly recommend the writing and the storyline.
Ben Bramley, the protagonist of Williams' Ripples, is a runner; he runs for catharsis, for a reprieve from the haunting memories of his childhood, and from the family he has abandoned so he can save himself. His father's hospitalization forces him to return to the Southern Baptist people and town that sacrificed him for drink and religion, and his readers witness the psychological and emotional journey that overwhelms him when he faces the father who abandoned and abused him, the church that failed him, and the grandparents who raised him with ignorant love. Written with a skillful hand, Williams provides us a window into the human psyche of a young man trying to reconcile his past so he can move forward to find healthy love and peace despite the entrenched hypocrisy of his community. It also serves to remind us of the vulnerability of children neglected and abused by those sworn to love and protect them and how empowered and liberated they feel when they finally confront their abuse and abusers. Highly recommend the writing and the storyline.
May 8, 2019
I love a novel with a deep sense of place. Reminiscent of Ron Rash and Lee Smith, Williams takes you to Abundance, NC and immediately you know in your bones the scent of the air, and how the red dirt feels beneath your toes. Williams’ family history as apple growers gives this narrative an authenticity rarely seen – I was enthralled. However, it’s not just Williams pretty and apt descriptions that had me tearing through pages, but rather his deft handling of the question of forgiveness. The idea is close to my heart (I have the word tattooed on my body), and yet this story has given me new angles to ponder. There are many hurts and secrets in this story, and Williams handles each of them with care, and sensitivity. You will flip pages to find out what happens to Ben, but you will be left thinking about the consequences for a long time. Highly recommend.
September 1, 2019
Ripples shows us how religious dogmata prey on souls meant to be protected and lifted. The story is weaved around one family's tragic past, a past that has marked each character with textures the author vividly described. I was moved by Ripples' main character, Ben Bramley. Through Williams' exquisite writing, I felt Bramley's dilemmas, his struggles and pain while confronted with the source of his traumas. Williams exposes with great finesse and obvious understanding of the human spirit, how beliefs, the rigid kind, keep us from growing, how they can haunt us even when escaped. The quest to belong, the capacity to surrender and the willingness to forgive, however imperfectly, are themes central to the story. And yes, I cried.
April 8, 2019
I read an advanced copy - the book releases on April 9th.
The book grabbed me, and took me into the writer's world. I read the entire book in a couple days - usually takes me weeks to devour a good book.
Evan's character struggles with old fashioned southern religion. He is haunted by the contradictions and by family whom he works to reconcile with.
A worthy read.
The book grabbed me, and took me into the writer's world. I read the entire book in a couple days - usually takes me weeks to devour a good book.
Evan's character struggles with old fashioned southern religion. He is haunted by the contradictions and by family whom he works to reconcile with.
A worthy read.
April 25, 2022
There was a strong core idea to this book but I felt that the execution fell flat. It was thematically heavy-handed and the dialogue read awkwardly. I also really didn't care for the way the protagonist's love interest was an endlessly supportive and understanding blank slate - she was a prop for Ben's journey rather than a real person.
June 27, 2019
I got drawn out of the story by some of the overly convoluted language, but I still loved the book. The story is hard to leave once you are invested in the characters. I definitely recommend.
April 21, 2020
Ripples is an excellent read, well defined and accurately described characters and enough twists to keep it interesting.
September 27, 2021
This is the second time I’ve read ‘Ripples’ and I liked it even more. A modern prodigal son story set in the rural south. The setting and characters ring true and evolve. Loved Granny character.
April 20, 2019
Software developer Ben Bramley is a loner with a compulsion for distance running, a psychiatrist on-call and a painful childhood he can’t seem to outrun. When an accident leaves the father he swore he’d never see again in a coma, Ben returns to the tiny Southern Baptist community where he grew up, putting him on a collision course with people and memories that threaten his sanity.
As a reader, it is often painful to experience through Ben’s eyes his enmeshment with his dysfunctional family and the religious small town. Bright spots emerge in the form of loving grandparents who raised him on their apple farm and the childhood sweetheart who befriends him in a moment of crisis. The sense of place is strong as Williams vividly creates the sacred ground of Ben’s youth, the apple farm, and a family torn asunder by the death of a child. Little by little, present day events open the door to Ben’s painful past, which when confronted, leads ultimately to his salvation. The satisfying ending leaves us hopeful for him and the surviving Bramleys.
As a reader, it is often painful to experience through Ben’s eyes his enmeshment with his dysfunctional family and the religious small town. Bright spots emerge in the form of loving grandparents who raised him on their apple farm and the childhood sweetheart who befriends him in a moment of crisis. The sense of place is strong as Williams vividly creates the sacred ground of Ben’s youth, the apple farm, and a family torn asunder by the death of a child. Little by little, present day events open the door to Ben’s painful past, which when confronted, leads ultimately to his salvation. The satisfying ending leaves us hopeful for him and the surviving Bramleys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2019
I loved this book!
Ripples is the story of Ben Bramley, who is forced to return to Abundance, the rural North Carolina mountain town of his childhood when his estranged father has a life threatening accident.
Ben comes face to face with the memories he has tried to suppress in an attempt to grow into his future through love, forgiveness and redemption, even somewhat embracing some of the tenets of Buddhism when he realizes “regret is the biggest part of my identity.”
David Payne compares this work to Look Homeward Angel and I concur. Excellent. I couldn’t stop reading it and I was left wanting more from this author when I finished.
Ripples is the story of Ben Bramley, who is forced to return to Abundance, the rural North Carolina mountain town of his childhood when his estranged father has a life threatening accident.
Ben comes face to face with the memories he has tried to suppress in an attempt to grow into his future through love, forgiveness and redemption, even somewhat embracing some of the tenets of Buddhism when he realizes “regret is the biggest part of my identity.”
David Payne compares this work to Look Homeward Angel and I concur. Excellent. I couldn’t stop reading it and I was left wanting more from this author when I finished.
June 5, 2019
It’s hard to go home. For Ben Bramley, the protagonist in Evan Williams’ RIPPLES, this is particularly true. Long held secrets and resentments have kept him away from his heritage: his family’s apple farm in western North Carolina. But even his therapist and his penchant for long-distance running do him no good when his father is gravely injured in a farm accident. Ben has no choice but to return to his past and to a place where loss haunts him. Once there, Ben is forced to confront the family secrets and ultimately finds that it is only by confronting the past that he can finally move forward. Williams gives the reader a deftly rendered portrait of rural life and all that comes with it.
October 9, 2019
An overall compelling story that is a best confusing to read. It feels as though the story jumps from one main character point to another and needs come finesse to smoothly connect them. Overall a great story about family and vengeance.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews