Sounding Line

by Anne Degrace

On an evening in early October 1967, in the tiny fishing village of Perryís Harbour in Nova Scotia, an unidentified flying object crash lands in the harbour, sending local fisherman scrambling for survivors in the assumed plane crash. This invasion propagates another, as media and military interest concentrates on the fishing village. Young Pocket Snow has a lot to contend with even before the unidentified flying object crashes in the harbour. Just like the vortex created by the UFO incident, another one is happening in the Snow household, as Pocketís mother approaches death and his father tries to cope. At Crosbeyís General Store, where Shirley presides as information clearing-house and coffee-pourer, the locals gather to discuss how the Coast Guard, RCMP, Canadian Navy and U.S. Militaryóa knot of vessels squatting mysteriously out on the Soundóarenít talking to the people of Perryís Harbour. Meanwhile, the Snow family holds its breath, and yet, with the arrival of strangers, the spark of possibility briefly alights them with hopeóeven Merle Snow. In a subtle way, the incident touches and transforms everyone in Perryís Harbour.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Canada

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had previously stopped reading this book, as it wouldn't hold my attention. I went back to it when I ran out of books to read and I'm glad I did.
It's a story of life, love, loss, (fictional) and the (true) crashing of an UFO in Shag Habour, a small fishing village on the east coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Good read!
It led me to google the many many unprecedented UFO sightings around the world that same year. The USA, South America, Russia, Australia, the UK, Canada and many more countries in 1967, that reported hundreds of occurrences.
It's amazing what you don't pay attention to when you're 16.
Below is the 1967 UFO Chronology
http://www.nicap.org/waves/1967fullre...

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my full review here.
Just perfect! Tender, melancholic, slow and thoughtful.DeGrace draws on her own memories and experience of East Coast as a child, as well as research of the 1967 UFO incident that occurred in Nova Scotia to create a fascinating and lyrical story of family, love, and loss. The Snow family is in crisis - mum Merle is dying of cancer, young Pocket is trying to figure out his place in the world as he starts his final year of high school, Dad can't face life without his great love and starts building kitchen cupboards for her. In the midst of it all, strange lights over the harbour bring the Coast Guard, the Navy, and the CBC, and the government closes the dock, putting the fishermen out of work. You can hear the wind and the accents, smell the sea and coffee, feel the wood floors, and see the fog and the grandeur of a clear night sky. Thanks to the Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library for including this title in its adult fiction collection.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a love story with a UFO story thrown in as pretext. Set in Nova Scotia, the story follows the lives of several residents and two visitors as their lives are guided and interrupted by a mysterious event. It is a tale drawn with a deft, loving hand and is, in the end, very sweet and sentimental. It would make a good movie.

[Glenda Anthony]

Shag Harbour should be proud of this one! Excellent read.

[Kay McCracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a bit of Canadian history that I had no knowledge of. Anne has based her novel around a real incident, the sighting of a UFO off the coast of Nova Scotia. Her novel is set in a small fishing village in Nova Scotia. Two of the main characters watch as mysterious lights appear out in the Sound one night. When the lights vanish, its assumed that whatever it was crashed and sank into the blackness of the ocean. People all up and down the coast saw something that evening.

The characters are well drawn and we experience the village from many different points of view. The drama of the dying mother in the Snow residence is shared with strangers who are drawn to the village with news of an unexplained object that may be in those waters. There's enough tension in the story to move it along at a good pace and the writing is wonderful.

[Jess Van Dyne-Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. 'Sounding Line' by Anne DeGrace - is about the relationships in Perry's Cove after the Shag Harbour incident. It's very real and even tempered and just a little bit plodding, but it describes small-town fisherfolk very well and I'm really enjoying the characters. There are grab-you bits like this:
The fog squats above the water. Tongues of light form the Irish Moss Plant send beacons over the ink-black sea. You step onto the wharf, the sound of your boots accompanied by the soft roll of wave after wave on pebble beach.

At the end of the wharf you stand and watch as the fog retreats, as if it is being pulled by some hand you can't see. It surprises you, in its abruptness and in the sudden, startling clarity of stars on the dark plane of the sea.

Beautiful, beautiful writing. Not sure the book grabbed me as much as I thought it would, though.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. It starts with a crash of unindentified flying object. Then, draws you into the lives of people in this village.
Pocket and his family face the impending death of his Merle snow. Pocket is also the town geek of sorts. He shows courage, curiosity and compassion in the inevitable encounter that we all must face.
Then, there's Rodney. He is reporter who seems to be at the end of his career. Can an UFO save it?
Wanda, an American, hitches a ride in this small town adverture. Will she get an encounter with real life aliens?
The author weaves together the lives of these characters and more. It was hard to put down because its rich characters. I didn't care about the UFO story but fell in love with all the characters affected by it.

Its a must read!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had previously stopped reading this book, as it wouldn't hold my attention. I went back to it when I ran out of books to read and I'm glad I did.
It's a story of life, love, loss, (fictional) and the (true) crashing of an UFO in Shag Habour, a small fishing village on the east coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Good read!
It led me to google the many many unprecedented UFO sightings around the world that same year. The USA, South America, Russia, Australia, the UK, Canada and many more countries in 1967, that reported hundreds of occurrences.
It's amazing what you don't pay attention to when you're 16.
Below is the 1967 UFO Chronology
http://www.nicap.org/waves/1967fullre...

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that takes place in Nova Scotia. Several locals see a UFO land in the water. A news reporter from Ottawa and a psychic woman from California travelling to Nova SCotia meet on the train. One of the locals, Pocket, a high school student is one of the witnesses. Pocket's mother is dying. The story covers the tragedy of the family's experience with a dying member and the unusual situation of the UFO. Although fiction, a true UFO citing incident, know as 'Canada's Roswell' occured in 1967.

[Shar Wallis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is loosely based around a real event (UFO sighting) that took place in Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia in 1967. This event has been called "Canada's Roswell."

The novel is more about the people in the small fictional town of Perry's Cove. It gave me a real feel for a small town, and it's inhabitants, on the east coast. I felt sympathy for the main character, Pocket Snow, as he deals with his Mother's illness. By the end of the book I felt like I knew the characters. DeGrace's prose are lovely.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked this book. The story isn't about aliens and space like you think of, rather, it's just rotated around the fact of the unknown, when mysterious lights are seen crashing into the harbour of fictional Nova Scotia town Perry's Habour. It's also quite sad in parts, because you really connect with the protagonist, Pocket Snow, and the turmoil he goes through with his sick mother.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing novel based on a real life incident that took place in Sag Harbour Nova Scotia. Anne's characters come alive in her writing and you can almost smell the salt air as she guides you through a small town on the East coast of Canada.
Touching funny and a real pager turner of a mystery rolled into one, this book was universally loved by our bookclub and is a book I would recommend to anyone.

[Kathleen McRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is loosely based on the !967 sightings of UFO's in Shag Harbour Nova scotia Canada.the story is about people in the community and focuses on one family the Snows. Merle Snow is fighting a losing battle with cancer and the community is suddenly in the spotlight because of the unusual sightings.I thought it was a good story.

[Marmot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the writing style. The story was a bit slow, but enjoyable. My favourite parts were the interludes between days, written in the first person. I bought this for $2 on the book sale shelf at the library where this author works, which I thought was pretty cool. Probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

[Muriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A close knit community, a dying mother, and a UFO incident all linked. Well wrote.

[ℱℓεüя · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wasn't too impressed with this book....
I mean, it was wonderful writing that entrances you, and the author draws from her Nova Scotian roots (I'm Canadian so that appeals to me)... but I just didn't find the hooking point for me.

[Alexis]

Read as review for Quill and Quire. Liked the book.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly loved it! Excellent writing - hated for the story to end.

[Amy]

I am in the middle of reading it. My 17 yo daughter and I watched the movie but I am enjoying the book and will continue with it.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I was surprised how much I liked this book.
There were some parts that got a little too 'deep' for me. But I loved the small town East Coast Canada setting.

[Kate Baggott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book about working through grief in a very human way when aliens visit earth (maybe).

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the story I thought it was going to be but was an amazing way to tell a difficult story about life and death and all it means.