Under the Bridge

by Anne Bishop

“There are people who break open and make a new, bigger, self. But some of us are … brittle.”

When stress causes an old trauma to surface, Lucy, a longtime community organizer, teacher and anti-poverty activist, loses control of her life. On probation and living on the streets of Halifax’s North End, all she has left is friends. Faithful friends like Judith, her lawyer, who is helping her take back her life.

Lucy begins to regularly sneak into Judith’s basement to take refuge from the cold, but Lucy’s presence in the house betrays their friendship, and she uncovers mysteries from Judith’s past. As events draw their lives closer, Lucy and Judith are forced to face the toll taken by their secrets. Each of them must choose between confronting past pain or remaining broken.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2019

About the author

Anne Bishop was, before her retirement, a community organizer and adult educator. She has also worked in the field of international development. For almost thirty years she has been part of, and worked with, many groups struggling to achieve social justice.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a character driven human interest story done wrong.

This story follows Lucy, a woman in her 60's, who has found herself homeless with under-controlled mental illness caused by previous trauma. Which brings me to my biggest gripe about this book.

The reader doesn't get a clear picture of the events that led Lucy into her current circumstances until near the end of the book. This made it super difficult for me to connect with her character. I think this was a fatal writing flaw on the part of the author. This isn't a suspense/thriller story, there's no need to sprinkle hints until the end where the plot behind the plot is finally revealed.

The writing is jerky with short, to the fact sentences. At times I felt like I was reading a list rather than a narrative.

The first half of the book is by far the most interesting part of the book as it deals primarily with the harsh realities of living on the streets as well as the overwhelming need of these often forgotten and ignored human beings.
Personally I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know about this segment of the population but kudos to the author for not trying to sugarcoat it.



I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF@40%

First let me just say that it isn’t necessarily the books fault I DNF’d it, I’m just an idiot sometimes. I saw this on Netgalley by Anne Bishop on who is on my autobuy list, so I requested it. But it isn’t by Anne Bishop author of The Others series, it is by Anne Bishop community organizer and social commentariat. However, I branch out from time to time so I gave it a try.

The story revolves around Lucy a homeless woman in her 60s suffering from some sort of PTSD, who on occasion lashes out at the world around her when something triggers her outrage at society for there first world way of living and the effect she has seen it have on third world countries. Lucy is not well and lives on the streets just trying to get buy day to day. It was really difficult for me to connect with Lucy, she is angry at the world but she is also sick and living on the streets. Sometimes an author can make you relate to an individual you have little in common with, but the way the story is told I just never felt a true connection to Lucy.

Not a lot is going on in the story up to this point, Lucy I sneaking into a friends basement to stay warm since some of her stuff is being stored there. Lucy has also befriended a young girl out on the streets and is trying to help her get set up in the system the same time she is trying to push her away. It was extremely sad in so many ways and a little bit gross at times as living on the street probably always is. Lucy used to be a part of the community that helped those on the streets and on welfare but at some point she became people she once tried to help.

I wanted to know what happened in Guatemala in Lucy’s past but only hints and snippets were given here and there and so when she freaks out at someone because they have bananas with a sticker from Guatemala it just feels so extreme. I never connected and I’m not big on books into social commentaries since I usually read as a form of escape.

Is this book for you? Well it might be. If you like books exploring first world/third world dynamics, poverty, social programs and bigotry then yes, I think this will fit your reading preferences. If you are like me and read to get away from thinking of such things then definitely no.

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a good premise, but far too many moving pieces to be cohesive.
There are a lot of characters and story-lines without ever developing any of them fully.
There is nothing to really ground the story, so it becomes one big convoluted mess.
Thanks to NetGalley and Fernwood Publishing for my DRC.

[Tahera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capitalism is insidious. It just finds a different costume, different words, and sneaks back in through a different door.

I will be honest. I requested this book thinking it would be a suspense/thriller. However, that is not the case with this book. This book is more a character study and human story with an an important message. The author Anne Bishop has written a novel about poverty, and the Beast called capitalism using her experiences in Guatemala and doing popular education and community development work in North End Halifax.

Lucy Chambers who is in her 60s and who once worked to help people out of poverty finds herself homeless and in a dire state of help. She suffers from a controlled mental illness which was brought on by a trauma that she faced during her time working as a missionary teacher in Guatemala as a young woman. The violence and the injustice she saw meted out on the local tribes there by greedy corporations is a trigger for her even after so many years. Through different characters and their interactions, the author paints a realistic picture about poverty and the continuous struggle of a large number of people for their basic needs, wants and human rights against the powerful and wealthy people/corporations, government and laws that are made to support these capitalistic minority.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Fernwood Publishing/Roseway Publishing and the author for the e-Arc of the book. I apologise for putting up my review late.

The book was published on April 1, 2019.

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under The Bridge is eye opening and sad. It's the story of the homeless and poverty stricken. These people are living on the streets and under bridges in Halifax. It's a gritty raw look at the hunger, dirt, and horrible living conditions. Even shelters aren't much help because they're too overcrowded. Honestly, there are characters and a story here, but it's the topic of poverty that interests me. I think this is a well written realistic portrayal of life in extreme poverty and life homeless. It's such a relevant topic. I recommend for anyone who is interested in the subject matter. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this story based around Lucy the author attempts to get readers to question their thoughts on poverty. I live in England and see news reports of far away countries with starving children and like most want to give something to help but does my contribution really bring aid ? Like many western counties we have a welfare system that offers financial help to many but does that mean poverty is eradicated in my country ? Perhaps those who have to choose between heat or food would disagree and then there's the question of just why the third world is poor. Are we greedy consumers contributing to the suffering? This book approaches questions such as these in a fictional manner to make the reader stop, think and question.
So what actually happens ? Lucy is an older woman who when we meet her is homeless and struggling with reality and some would say she's broken. Having been a missionary, an educator and a radical thinker she's tried to make a real difference but now is alone and yet still has more to give. Her history isn't immediately apparent and her background is very slowly dragged out but as we read she makes new connections that start to take over her life. New friends help her but old friends still exist and Lucy journeys into herself to confront her past and incite a new future.
As this ended I remembered seeing Gone With The Wind a long time ago with the final scene reminding us that there's always tomorrow and I am left with that very same feeling of hope. At times slower than I prefer but I didn't want to put it down so I think that's a recommendation in itself. A book to encourage everyone to question what is right for our planet and its inhabitants.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Fernwood Publishing for this compelling book in return for an honest review.

It depicts the disenfranchised people living on the Halifax Streets, and provides the reader with the gritty reality of homelessness, being wet, tired, and cold on the city streets, searching for food in dumpsters behind restaurants and the accompanying stress of extreme poverty. We also learn about the poverty activists, drop-in centers providing meals, crowded shelters where beds are provided if one is lucky to be on the waiting list, and civil rights lawyers. Among the homeless are mentally ill, prostitutes, and people out of work and out of hope.

The main character is Lucy, a woman in her 60s who was once an anti-poverty activist and a teacher. She is now unstable, has a nasty temper, and rants publicly against capitalism destroying the economic livelihood of the poor at home and abroad. She worked amongst the poor in Guatemala and what happened there haunts her memory. Lucy is on probation and on medication for her mood swings. We first meet Lucy while she is trying to sleep under the bridge and is cold and wet. She is overweight, has arthritis accompanied by mobility issues. In one scene she hides in a filthy, reeking dumpster.

One day she is befriended by a young woman and meets her friends who are searching dumpsters for discarded food. Lucy has been sneaking into the basement of a lawyer, Judith, whom she regards as a friend because she has been an advocate for the troubled woman. She has a key to Judith’s home as she was permitted to store her few belongings there. She realizes she is breaking Judith’s trust, but the temptation of a warm dry place to sleep is too great. Soon the young people invade the basement as squatters.

I thought the book was well written and a learning experience. Her description of daily life on the streets, the hunger and dirt, and the will to survive was very well done, and the memorable characters were well developed in situations which seemed real. I found the first half of the book most compelling, and the later part where Lucy and others were squatters in Judith’s basement was not as strong as their situation on the streets. I wished the backstory of what happened in Guatemala had been revealed earlier in the story and felt Judith’s story was too drawn out.

Recommended for poverty advocates and anyone wanting an informative story about what it means to be down and out in Halifax and elsewhere. An enlightening and grim portrait of extreme poverty and the daily struggle to survive.

[James Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book that examines issues such as poverty, land privatization, homelessness and more. There's a fine cast of characters, both young and old. The transformation of Lucy from a crazed homeless woman sleeping under a bridge to a vital "house mother" to a group of young activists is remarkable. A novel that will make you think and, perhaps, alter your outlook on injustices going on around us and throughout the world.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was a family read with my mother and sister. We liked the book. Anne Bishop's writing brought the story alive with situations and characters that seemed to walk off the page.

When stress causes an old trauma to surface, Lucy, a longtime community organizer, teacher and anti-poverty activist, loses control of her life. On probation and living on the streets of Halifax's North End, all she has left is friends. Faithful friends like Judith, her lawyer, who is helping her take back her life.

I agree with the following quote by Charlotte Mendel, author of Turn Us Again and A Hero:

"Full of moral complexity...Under the Bridge makes us think about how the world works and our role in it. The story shakes us out of our complacency, even as we laugh and cry over the unique relationships that are formed in unique circumstances."

Anne Bishop has been an activist for four decades in organizations dedicated to local, international, environmental, food and fibre justice.
3.75 rounded up to 4 stars

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good first novel from the woman who wrote "Becoming an Ally" in the mid 90's. This book was a bit of a slow start for me but then as the characters developed more and I started to hear the back story of the main character I was hooked. Not an easy read. It's about homelessness, poverty and how some folks land where they do - but thoughtful, compassionate, and paints another picture of the diversity of homeless people than what folks might assume if not connected with that community.

[Bonnye Reed]

Netgalley
pub date April 1, 2019
Roseway Publishing

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I cannot believe someone read this book and thought, “this would make a great miniseries!”
It felt very disjointed and difficult to follow. I wanted to care more about the social injustice that was brought up, but I could not get invested enough in the plot or characters.

[Andrea Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Bridge by Anne Bishop is the exploration of an under-represented group in popular fiction, the poverty striken and homeless in Canada. This is the story of Lucy, a former activist for anti-poverty groups, who has herself fallen on hard times and is living under a bridge. Lawyer Judith becomes an essential support to Lucy, and her home becomes a sanctuary of sorts until Judith's own circumstances take a dramatic turn for the worse.

I found this to be an enlightening read, educational but never preachy. I came away with, if not an understanding, a heightened awareness of the plight of Canada's most destitute population.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Fernwood Publishing for this ARC.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fingers crossed I don't ever slip far enough to experience what this character is going through. The line between the having enough and having very little is really a very thin line. The way this is written/narrated makes the situation very realistic! (I've still many pages to go but wanted to post a partial review). The low rating is only for the topic, not the writing.

[Carol Custer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not every book is for everyone and this one wasn't for me. It's sad and depressing. I couldn't identify with the characters at all - not just because I've never been in that position, but because - to me - the writing seemed strange and stilted.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Bridge is Anne Bishop's latest novel, not to be confused with Anne Bishop, the famous fantasy author! This is a contemporary fiction novel, and for that reason alone, it'll probably stand out a bit from my usual reading regimen.

Lucy has long been working hard for her community. She's a teacher and anti-poverty activist. And yet, it's a personal trauma that forces her to step back and fight to maintain control over her life. The fight ends up being harder than she could have ever expected.

Her life flips head over shoulders, leaving her forced to take refuge where she can – both physically and emotionally. That is until she comes across a series of secrets that change everything.

"There are people who break open and make a new, bigger, self. But some of us are ... brittle."

Under the Bridge is a thought-provoking novel, one that forces readers to confront the meaning and effects of poverty and homelessness. Naturally, it hits quite hard – just like Anne Bishop intended, I'm sure.

Bishop's novel takes a cold look at poverty and what our society is doing (or not doing) to try and get a handle on it. More than that, it tackles the very real consequences and pain that come with working through personal trauma.

It's a difficult read if only for all of the emotional notes this book hits upon. However, I think that just makes Under the Bridge all the more important to read.

Thanks to Roseway Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Bridge is a whimsical story uncovering the past of Lucy, a 60-something year old socialist homeless woman who was once a well-known and well-respected poverty activist. Bishop does not sugar coat anything; she reveals the grit and grime of the uncivilized fashion the disadvantaged have to live in to survive in capitalistic Canada.

Although Lucy is an extreme leftist, her friends balance out her ideals to create an interesting narrative for the civil rights of the poor. One such voice is Bara, one of Lucy's younger friends. The voice Bishop gave Bara may seem unrealistic and stereotypical of someone in high school, but it is simply how Lucy (from an older generation) perceives people her age.

A simple read meant for those who may be interested in politics and poverty advocacy.

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https://thegiantpencil.blogspot.com/p...

[Margaret Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont know where I found this book to request a hold at the libnrary -- but it came and I read it and I cannot say enough good about it. It takes place in Halifax where I live... nad it hasn;t changed much in terms ofthe lives of the people in the novel.

The book combines trauma effects, living on the street, being unhoused, recovery, canadian mining companies doing despicable things in central america... and the life of LUCY who is struggling to put her life back together.

All covered in a fictional tale of street people and people in social justice (and services) and community activists and their lives. Written in 2019 I am shockled that I never heard anything about it. It is well writen it captures the difficulties trauma and emtions of living unhoused, in poverty etc.

Persoanlly I think this should have been a Canada Reads entry/winner! Still could be I guess... Who do I lobby??

[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Anne Bishop presents an intriguing story about an older homeless woman trying to deal with mental illness and its ramifications. Lucy, in her 60s, is bounced from shelter to shelter as she frequently forgets her meds. This puts her in direct conflict with society's expectations.

Lucy used to be a part of the community that helped those on the streets and on welfare, but at some point she became people she once tried to help. Bishop does an excellent job with her depiction of loneliness, homelessness and desperation. There's no sugar coating what life can be like for someone on the fringes. When the last page is turned, the reader will view real-life socially compromised situations with different eyes.

ARC provided by NetGalley for my opinion.

[Sandy Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

When stress causes an old trauma to surface, Lucy, a longtime community organizer, teacher and anti-poverty activist, loses control of her life. On probation and living on the streets of Halifax's North End, all she has left is friends. Faithful friends like Judith, her lawyer, who is helping her take back her life.

Lucy begins to regularly sneak into Judith's basement to take refuge from the cold. But Lucy's presence in the house betrays their friendship, and she uncovers mysteries from Judith's past. As events draw their lives closer, Lucy and Judith are forced to face the toll taken by their secrets. Each of them must choose between confronting past pain or remaining broken. (less)

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about poverty and activists and the tricks they use to snare the attention and understanding of the public. It starts out extremely dark and depressing as Lucy is existing under the MacDonald Bridge in Halifax at nights.

Gradually it grips your conscience and you are unable to put it down, captivated by the threads that bind Judith the lawyer, Lucy and Althea and Bara and Robin together. You will read right to the last page to learn what happened to Lucy in Guatemala that turned her from a missionary into a community worker and activist.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under the bridge is a whimsical story in which we learn of Lucy who is in her 60s and homeless. She was once on top of her game as a longtime community organizer and anti-poverty activist.

We learn that all Lucy has are her friends, especially Judith her lawyer. Now, seeking shelter she sneaks into Judith's basement only to learn mysteries she never knew existed. This is one of those novels that grabs you from the beginning and does not let go until the very end.

Very well-crafted with characters you can't help but fall in love with and hope to see again in the future.

[Ciara Sheerin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like the author was trying to write a novel while also raising awareness of a number of social issues but it fell flat. Writing and dialogue wasn't great, so the characters weren't all that compelling, and the storyline wasn't very interesting. The most interesting part was the main character's backstory in Guatemala and that was barely addressed.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up by mistake thinking it was by Anne Bishop author of the Others series, however decided to see it out.

Whilst a bit slow going there is enough to make you see it through and make it worth the effort.

It wouldn't change my lifesytle but does give you some food for thought

[Sue Mosher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this look at life for those struggling with poverty in Halifax. Although it’s a fictional story, it’s based on fact and includes historical information that led me to look up and learn more. We’ll written and engaging.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started painfully slowly. Stick it out. I am glad I did because the story got really good and interesting after about the halfway point.

[Linda Thorsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A poignant read -

[Sarah Stimm · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. The first 1/3 of the book was very interesting. Then it became anxiety provoking to me. Finally checked the reviews and I agreed with the negative ones.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 50 % Life’s too short for boring and depressing books.

[Laureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. Felt the descriptions of the homeless were empty of real experiences. Too many threads in the plot, not enough about why she is homeless, what her actual age is, if she is delusional about going back to Guatemala, why she lost her job etc. Too many didactic moments of too many issues. Young homeless girl not realistic. I wanted to like this because I volunteer for a homeless shelter and after 10 years, I want to know this story is told. I live in the same community as Anne Bishop and her portrayal was a lot shallower than the stories I know of. Did not star it because I did not finish it.