Round Rock

by Michelle Huneven

In a small town among the citrus groves in the Santa Bernita Valley, so the locals claim, nothing ever goes according to plan. "It's a great place to live, they say, if you like it's just like life, only different."

Certainly a number of Rito's inhabitants--fewer than a hundred in all--are surprised to be living here. Red Ray, for instance, a wildly alcoholic lawyer who bought a dilapidated Victorian mansion in an attempt to rehabilitate his marriage and regain the affections of his wife and young son. After destroying those hopes with a spectacular final binge, Red established a drunk farm, Round Rock, on the ruins. There, one day at a time, he follows his new, unexpected calling.

Many months after her husband decamped (almost immediately) for Los Angeles, Libby Daw still lives alone in their trailer, and finds herself even more rooted to the valley she dreams of escaping.

And there's Lewis Fletcher, a sometime graduate student whose keen intelligence is sorely tested by his erratic behavior and current predicament. Without exactly knowing why, and entirely against his wishes--or by default and sheer good luck--he finds himself placed in Ray's care at Round Rock.

As these people seek out or maintain their various niches in the valley, the peculiar history of the place asserts itself. An heiress descended from the original settlers, Billie Fitzgerald still acts as though she owns it all; devoted to her father and son, she obscures her mercurial emotions from even her closest friends. The past also returns with David Ibañez, whose family had harvested the groves for generations--and whose talents and secrets (and thus, he discovers, his future) are inextricably bound to the complex, close-knit town he thought he had left behind.

With insight matched with artistry, Michelle Huneven traces the emerging destinies of these characters as each of them struggles for peace and equilibrium, even happiness and love, against hapless, all-too-human frailty and circumstance.

A vivid evocation of landscape and community, Round Rock derives great power from psychological subtlety, and from affection for and profound understanding of lives strained or broken but on the mend. Fresh, remarkably mature, and constantly surprising, this astonishing debut wins both your trust and your heart.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Self Help

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 1997

About the author

I am the author of four novels.

I was born in Altadena, California just a mile from where I live now. I college-hopped (Scripps, Grinnell, EWU) and landed at the Iowa Writer¹s Workshop where I received my MFA.

My first two books, Round Rock (Knopf 1997) and Jamesland (Knopf 2003), were both New York Times notable books and also finalists for the LA Times Book Award. My third novel, Blame, (Sarah Crichton Books, FSG, 2009), was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and also a finalist for the LA Times Book Award. My fourth novel, Off Course, (Sarah Crichton Books, FSG, 2014), is coming out April 1, 2014.
Along the way, I’ve received a GE Younger Writers Award and a Whiting Award for Fiction. For many years my “day job” was reviewing restaurants and writing about food for the Los Angeles Times, the LA Weekly and other publications. I’ve received a James Beard award (for “feature writing with recipes”) and an assortment of other awards for food journalism.

I’m presently teaching creative writing to undergraduates at UCLA and writing the occasional bit about food. I live with my husband Jim Potter, dog (Piper), cat (Mr. Pancks), and talkative African Grey parrot (Helen) in Altadena.

Reviews

[K2 ----- · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went back to this novel after reading BLAME. I am always interesting in an author's first novel. It was rocky in many places and uneven. I stuck with it but I thought it needed much more editing. There were parts of the story that simple didn't belong and some things that were just a little too pat even for a first novel. It was published by Random House after all.

The author is obviously touched by alcoholism as this theme and sobriety runs through both of her books. This the tale of a fellow who ends up in a recovery program and gets attached to the fruit treed valley it resides in. There are twists and turns involving love interests and the challenges of staying sober and keeping life on track. It is much about life not turning out as you thought it might and the forks in the road---what choices are made and how they influence the future.

I still contend it needed more editing as far as the story goes and think it will fall into the give away not pass to a friend pile... I might read another novel by this author were it off the booze theme...

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I had been meaning to read this book for a long time (since I discovered Michelle Huneven and read her novel Blame back in 2014). This is Michelle Huneven's first novel and now I have read all four of her books. I wish she would write more. All of her books evoke their settings so beautifully and are filled with characters that seem so realistic and human (they have flaws, they have strong points just like all of us). This book was no exception and I can see how this one led to more.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of Huneven’s four published novels, Round Rock sets the tone for what she does best; strong character development and a very humane portrayal of people living complicated lives - as all our lives are. I’ve read her work out of order and still need to read her fourth, but I recommend her to anyone who likes good writing and storytelling.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts off quite funny if you don't mind laughing at alcoholics (I had no problem.) then it gets more serious and eventually becomes a really good story of forgiveness, love and families.
Like the characters especially the 3 main ones and the setting near Ventura /Santa Paula.
This deserves awards, it is so well written.
Recommended by John Warner, Chicago Tribune. Thanks John

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ambitious novel set in a small town in dusty, agricultural SoCal, a town where the residents feel nothing turns out as expected. The book revolves around a halfway house for alcoholics, and Huneven has a deft hand at creating believable characters who grow and change over the course of this engaging book.

[Geoff Wooldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This round rock rolled slowly and failed to gather sufficient moss to make it truly interesting.

Set in the Santa Bernita Valley of California, not far from Los Angeles, the Round Rock of the title is a farm for recovering alcoholics, run magnanimously by Red Ray, himself a reformed drunk, whose marriage was a casualty of that condition.

Lewis Fletcher, an academic of sorts, who needs to dry out and get his life back on track comes to Round Rock and immediately forms a strong bond with Red.

Lewis meets Libby, a local woman who has recently ended a relationship, and begins a fairly non-committal relationship with her, based mainly on sexual gratification. Lewis is also attracted to Billie, a wealthy, attractive, but abrasive woman who is Libby's best friend.

The narrative follows the course of these relationships, with a few other characters thrown in for good measure, until it reaches a satisfactory, if not altogether, original or startling. conclusion.

The writing is competent and well-crafted. in fact, I find it hard to pick on any particular element of the writing, but it just didn't really connect with me in any emotional way. There is plenty of potential for emotion and engagement in the story - happiness, sadness, despair and frustration - and the plot is carefully constructed to introduce new information and a few surprises.

But maybe it was too careful, because I found it really hard to care much for any of the characters, with the possible exception of good guy Red,

So, not a disaster by any means, this may well appeal to others far more than it did to me. Its not a novel r-that contained anything tht will stay with me.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when a novel exceeds all of my expectations. I guess I should say that, having never read a review of this one, just coming across it serendipitously, I had no preconceived notions, and still it exceeded all of my expectations. It could have gone so awry this story of a bunch of alcoholics getting sober at a kind of halfway house attending AA, making mistakes that were life changing. But it stayed true. Lewis, the PhD candidate in literature, Red the reformed drunken lawyer, Libby who loved both of them, Billie who didn't, David, Phyllis, the rest of the good people of Rito and other parts of the Santa Bernita Valley, the Angelenos. Liked it a lot and took a few tidbits home to memorize for another day.

[Frances Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this author’s Bug Hollow for my book discussion group and was so impressed with the author’s characterizations and writing that I sought out another of her books right away. This one has been sitting on one of my many shelves waiting to be read. It did not disappoint. I grew to know and love these flawed characters (one of which was the setting itself) and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the flow of their lives. It is one of those books I did not want to end. It is this sort of book that is the reason I read fiction.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up after reading Search. While I didn’t love it quite as much it was another display of Huneven adding wit and humor in a crazy plot surrounding the lives of those in and running a drunk farm. I will undoubtedly read all of her works.

[Bernadette Frenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by Michelle Huneven. Her characters are her strength, how real and relatable they are, the issues they grapple with and overcome, or not, how they navigate life & deal with each other.

[Sean Kinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book and everything about it. Would now read anything by Huneven.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would give it 4.5 stars if I could. Great book

[Karen Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me interested from the very beginning!

[Marcine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters, the story, the setting of this novel. As as student of TC Boyle's, she can spin a tale well and bring our compassion to it and beyond.

[Bamboozlepig]

Eh, this wasn't that funny. It was very uneven and the characters just felt one-dimensional most of the time, despite the ongoing navel-gazing most of them did.

[Bernadette Frenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Huneven's writing, her generosity & understanding of the human condition.

[Fred Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Did not want it end

[Cynthia Ruzicka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming Romance, small town, Recovery Farm for Alcoholics, interesting characters

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third Huneven novel I've read--I started with Blame, then read Jamesland a little while later--and I understand this was her first, though it would've been hard to tell, her writing is so mature and elegant. It's set in the Santa Bernita Valley region of California, and her descriptions of the area and the little town of Rito are so eloquent that I could form a perfect picture of the citrus and avocado groves, the river, and the mountains in the distance; perhaps I was helped along by the four years I spent driving around beautiful inland San Diego county when I worked there as a home health nurse in the mid-late 90s.(I really miss SoCal!) The theme of alcoholism and recovery, with its aspects of forgiveness and redemption, was very powerful. I know several people in recovery and felt that her portrayal was authentic, if a trifle rosy. Her characters were multidimensional and interesting. The tale is told from several different viewpoints, a technique that sometimes fails in the hands of a less-skilled writer, but in this case blended into a lush portrait of individuals struggling to love themsleves and eachother.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After enjoying "Blame" I wanted to read this one, too -- Huneven's first, and an award-winner. As with "Blame" the setting is almost its own character: California's Santa Bernita Valley and small town of Rito in this case. Clearly Huneven knows her way around alcoholism and recovery, since they are central to the plots of both books. In this one, it was a bit harder to get through the early chapters because it was hard to keep track of all the characters introduced. But it was worth the effort, because the story was compelling, the plot never predictable, and the conclusion was beautifully satisfying. In addition to the engaging way the story explored themes of redemption and forgiveness, what made this a real reading pleasure was the author's descriptive skills. She has a knack for a beautiful turn of phrase that is unselfconsciously elegant.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huneven has an amazing knack in this novel for turning alcoholic, addictive, jerk face, assholes into Shakespearean-ly lovable characters. My favorite is the support character of Sally Morrot, who never actually appears physically in the novel's action. I enjoyed the writer's sense of humor about human foibles as well as her intelligent and eloquent use of language. A wonderful, compassionate look at the human condition in all its messiness. A favorite quote:

" ' Grief seems to be a form of obsession,' she [Barbara] said when he apologized for going on so. 'You have to go over and over everything, if only to fully discover what you've lost.' "

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's the last 50 pages made easier than it took to try to get through them before I gave up:

"It's the Circle of Liiiiiife
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Liiiiife."

Before that, this was a great novel, with characters worth getting to know and follow, and a fictional Southern California valley that feels like it could have been real, until it ran out of steam at that point and just drifted. However, I still want to read what Michelle Huneven came up with after this fairly decent attempt at a first novel, starting with Jamesland.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I was lucky enough to be in a writing workshop with Michelle Huneven this summer, and she is awesome.

I'm always happy when a book actually surprises me, when there's a twist I don't see coming. That happened in this book and was great. I actually gasped! Michelle creates strong, believable characters and pulls you into their world so easily. Also, the vivid setting descriptions make me miss California terribly (what doesn't these days?). Enjoyable read, although I think I liked Blame a little better.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled through the first 75-100 pages. Normally, I wouldn't keep reading if I had so much trouble to begin with, but something kept me reading. I think most of it, however, was bias as I live in SoCal and am fascinated by the valleys. None of the characters felt relatable at first, then 1/3 of the way through suddenly felt flushed out. Especially Lewis, who took a sudden turn and felt human.

I'm glad I stuck it out, but all in all, it left a lot to be desired.

[Hanje Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I have decided that in this stress-filled period of my life and at this stage of my life, what I am really looking for in a book is characters that I care about and someone to tell me a good story.

I felt like this book did both.

Looking for more fiction with addiction and recovery themes and more fiction set in California (this one also covered both of these criteria as well).

[Sara Van Dyck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book might have more meaning for someone concerned with recovery from alcoholism, but I found the characters pat and their struggles with relationships not leading to much understanding on anyone’s part. They do a lot of feeling and talking, but not enough reflecting . I felt as though I was in a very small universe, where the characters all mean well, everything somehow works out comfortably, and nothing outside matters.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as well written as Blame but another good one by Michelle Huneven. Set in California, it is about the lives of people entwined around a sober living facilty and how their lives intersect and affect each other and the community.

[Joel Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

i would have liked this much more if i did not have to struggle through the first 100 pages, which were incredibly slow and boring. fortunately, the characters were fairly well developed, and the plot had a few interesting twists.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it... Susan read it so I got it... really a 3 1/2 ... tough story, however, kept at it... interesting to read how tough it is to quit! and how hard it is to get going afterwards! would recommend even tho gave a 3

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really liked this book. Second Huneven book I've read in a row. It has a small town setting, people trying to change everything in their lives, healers, a rambling rehab center in an old victorian, fruit trees, and a nutty dog. Go forth.