Down Here in the Warmth

by Euel Arden

Militia on the streets of New York City? A police shooting of a young black couple (the Martins) leads to protests that escalate into riots. The riots culminate with the deaths of a white renowned civil rights attorney's, Stanley and Theresa Milgram. The murder was broadcast live by a local news helicopter. The media plays the clip incessantly; unaware of the trauma it's causing the nation. A small militia group feels this is their calling and drive down to New York. A bloodbath ensues. The world watches as NYC spins out of control. The National Guard has been called in. And the mayor seems to think that the only way the violence can be quelled, is for the Milgrams' two sons to come out and call for calm….but they won't.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2020

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to know where to begin. "Down Here in the Warmth" is traumatic, it's heartbreaking, it's perhaps even a little hopeful (if you squint). It's a very timely story, dealing with issues of systemic racism and the consequences of this to society. This is obviously a subject to which it is always difficult to do any kind of justice, but I do wonder whether the murder of an elderly white couple was necessarily the best focal point for the novel - the original violence against a young black couple is made peripheral. It offers an interesting perspective, but loses a little of the novel’s relevance, I feel.

The book definitely needs a trigger warning for slurs and racial violence. Part of the message of the novel is an exploration of the damage caused by images like these being repeated and presented by the media - like the perpetual loop of 9/11 footage, or footage of violent attacks/murders like those depicted here - and I think it's worth discussing whether fictional events are necessarily less harmful. The way these moments are written in the novel feels in many ways necessary for what Arden is trying to do, but I can't understate the potential trauma of the scenes.

Aside from all of this, I thought the writing style is great, and the structure of the novel, jumping from character to character, is very well executed. The novel offers a thoughtful insight into some of the moral issues faced by society today, and although it is a heartrending read, the vision it offers is not without hope for the future.

[Willow Moon Greymoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty realism with a powerful message.

Down There in the Warmth by Euel Arden is more than a reading experience; it is a catalyst for a transformation in perception that could change the reader's soul. A birds-eye view of the deplorable damage caused by police violence portrayed through the eyes of several characters determined to survive tumultuously crime-ridden streets of gritty urban New York City.

Many events in this book mirror the race riots and police brutality issues currently plaguing America. One could easily forget that this is a fictional book when it reflects the times in an unapologetic light and divulges the litany of social problems that resulted from decades of systemic racism in America.

Arden brilliantly penned each chapter from a different character's viewpoint--that allowed the reader to connect with each on an emotional level. The light and shadow side of each of the characters are divulged with space for the reader to ascertain his/her own opinions without influence from the author.

The structure, wording, and overall readability was nothing short of stellar. Hopefully, author Euel Arden will continue to write novels comparable to this book in the future. The world needs books like these-especially during these arduously difficult times.

[Clara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Instead of this book, pick up any school essay Written by a forth grader, and not only will the writing be better, you’ll get less racial slurs.

[Susan Alpert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The police kill a young black couple. In retaliation, an older white couple, both civil right lawyers, is killed by an angry mob. Seeking revenge, the couple’s adopted son kills a bystander to that crime, and sets fire to a Brooklyn block of homes. In retaliation, the militia drives up to NYC to shoot at peaceful protesters.

Tragically, police shootings are all too common. While DOWN HERE IN THE WARMTH is an earnest novel, audiences may justifiably be turned off by the both sides-ism regarding the white couple that is killed, especially because that episode doesn’t sound like it is based on a case in recent memory and it is the central focus of the novel.

Still there are many poignant character descriptions and the author Euel Arden describes very realistic locations. In this novel the sum of the parts may be greater than the book as a whole. Also, it is a surprisingly well thought out novel. It doesn’t seem like it was just written based on events of the last few months.

[Timea Tokes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong, controversial and elaborate...

I am normally a huge fan of controversial literature, but a few things almost made me turn away from this book - and yet I'm glad I followed through, as none of those things did it justice.

People judge books by their cover and description, and I do believe those are things that should be worked on. The story is so much deeper and more meaningful than a few sentences thrown together or a drawing-like cover.

Having said that, the third thing (the one that almost made me lose interest) was the beginning of the story. I understand that the story needs to start with a bang and that it's meant to be authentic, but I would have preferred a bit of background info first in order to feel for the characters.

[Sally Flint · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book where the writing style somehow leaves you breathless as it gasps its way from character to character and event to event. Reading the blurb it is easy to see how it is topical in current times. I was expecting something like the Hate you Give, especially after the quite violent opening with the deaths of both the Martins and the Miligrams but it is of a different style completely. It is looking at morality and choices but tends to spell out too much for my personal preferred choice of reading.

[Corrine Cassels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story grips you from the first page. It sucks you in with it's realism, and makes you uncomfortable, probably because much of the storyline reflects actual headlines in today's messed up world. The grittiness is both endearing and off-putting, in exactly the right way. I think there's part of the narrative that may be a bit bristling for some readers, I won't give any spoilers, but I think in a way, it's just another way the author is commenting on the state of our society. It's not an easy read, by any means, but a poignant one.

[Mark Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Euel Arden does a fantastic job displaying the racial injustice facing the United States. Tensions have never been higher and the nation never more divided. This account of police shootings, rioting, and the death of prominent civil rights attorneys holds the perfect recipe for a true suspense. The language and plot is reminiscent of John Gresham, but it does not copy the famous author’s work in anyway. Rather, it borrows from his style and trajectory. Hopefully, Arden will continue to provide readers with suspenseful writing for years to come.

[Viga Boland · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the minute you start into this novel, the author’s got you...and he won’t let you go even long after you’ve set the book aside. This is very much a book about right here and now on America’s streets: racial tensions, gun violence, revenge, justice, protests, police, vigilantes and death. Already have enough of those stories courtesy of the media so why read more? Because of what the author is really interested in: the reactions and thoughts of the people in The middle of it all: the victims, both black and white; the avengers, both black and white; the surviving relatives, former and current friends; the politicians and businessmen. This is about how badly out of control violence affects all involved on a psychological level.

Down Here in the Warmth looks deeply into the minds of all those mentioned above...and that is exactly what good literary fiction should do. Plot is always secondary to character in literary fiction, but under the skilled pen of Euel Arden, plot and character compliment each other perfectly. An unforgettable look at how people really think and feel when caught up in events they never saw coming. And the best part? It all ends on a positive note. Amazing writing!

[Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story is almost completely unedited. The grammar is atrocious and from "Book 2" onwards the author has left their plot outline notes on the page. The perspective character switches mid-paragraph with no indicators and the story is impossible to follow. It also sometimes switches from past tense to present tense for no clear reason, then switches back to past tense again. I was so lost as to what was happening or why. Nothing made sense. On top of that, the author kept throwing in irrelevant backstories that added nothing to the narrative.

On top of the poor writing, it's just not good. The Black characters are all stereotypes. While a fictionalised version of the Black Lives Matter movement, the book does everything in it's power to demonise Black people. The inclusion of white supremacists treats them as a cartoon villain as opposed to real people that exist in the world.

This book exists as an echo chamber for people who desperately want to believe both sides are wrong. It avoids taking into account the real reasons behind the Black Lives Matter movement and the author clearly refuses to listen to Black people.