When the Finch Rises: A Novel

by Jack Riggs

“[A] deeply satisfying portrait of a troubled family [that] conjures up the mysteries of a mill town summer, vividly depicting the lights and shadows of ordinary events and horrors.”— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
It is the late 1960s in the small North Carolina mill town of Ellenton. Twelve-year-old Raybert Williams and his best friend Palmer Conroy live in cramped homes in a working-class neighborhood, but they use the vast outdoors as their personal playground. Yet hardships are never far away. Raybert’s father disappears for days at a time, only to come home broken and battered. Raybert’s mother is a loving woman who battles her own demons while struggling to keep it all together. Palmer’s family life offers no better refuge for the adventure-seeking boys.

But Raybert and Palmer have each other. And in that glorious friendship, they are significantly blessed. They dream together of space flight and moonwalks. They construct a bike jump to rival Evel Knievel’s–and they’ll run it once they work up the courage. Knievel tempted fate and won, taking a leap over twenty buses on faith alone, soaring high and landing safely, even after many crashes and broken bones. Palmer and Raybert have their own plan that, once executed, will take them all the way to the ocean, landing them intact and together on the other side of freedom.

Through the scrim of adolescence and poverty, Jack Riggs offers a glimpse of universal human foibles and singular moments of transcendence. Fiercely honest and beautifully narrated, When the Finch Rises flashes like the sharp rim of the eclipsed moon on the night when Raybert and Palmer’s fate is finally revealed.
 
Praise for When the Finch Rises

“A perfect evocation of time and place . . . Jack Riggs has crafted a gem of a novel here–hard and brilliant, it cuts to the bone.” —Lee Smith, author of  The Last Girls

“Jack Riggs has brought to life two of the most memorable characters I’ve met in a long while. . . . Like a contemporary Tom and Huck, this pair is graced with a keen wit and eye for humor, keeping the reader in that precarious position of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Riggs’s ability to find and hold that balance is remarkable.  When the Finch Rise s is compelling and moving–a stunning debut.” —Jill McCorkle

Genres: Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2003

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whew! This book was a mess! Way too much craziness going on and really bleak. I didn't enjoy the writing style, especially at the beginning. Not for me.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whenever I see a blurb that says something like "When the Finch Rises is the debut novel of an author whose work will be read as classic literature for a long time to come." (direct quote from the back jacket) I know that the book is going to fall far from the mark. Why publishers try to overblurb, overhype books is beyond me, but they seem to feel that the booksellers will be more eager to buy if that's what's being said about the book. In this case, my intuition was correct: Riggs tries too hard, and ultimately it's a poor version of Prayer for Owen Meany mixed with the usual coming-of-age/poor parents/crazy mom stuff. Yawn. The fact that it was published five years ago and I've not heard of it just proves my point. Now, if only publishers and booksellers would listen to me...

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raybert tells of his friendship with Palmer Conroy from when they first meet at the age of six years. His first encounter with his friend being Palmer's appearance on his first day at Raybert's School, the day President Kennedy is assassinated, latter the same day Palmer just walks into Raybert's trailer home and sits himself down, and so their friendship begins. The two boys quickly become best friends, getting up to the typical antics boys will.

But all is not well for the two boys living in North Carolina. While Raybert is no doubt loved by his parents, there are problems. His mother has health issues, and his father can't stay around for too long, he is always disappearing and getting himself in fights. Palmer also has family problems, his mother has little time for him, especially since his father died and there is now a new man in her life.

Palmer has a plan to run away, and Raybert promises to go with him. By the time the two boys are twelve years old things are getting so bad that Palmer intends to make their escape earlier than planned, but can they pull it off?

When the Finch Rises is a beautiful story of friendship, but is also a heartbreaking story of the troubled childhood of two very different but very likeable boys. The writing is excellent, with a strong sense of place, well drawn characters, touches of humour even in the face of the heartbreak, making this a most compelling read.

[Annemaria Duran · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish it. Not the kind of book that leaves you feeling happier or better. Would not recommend. Mostly dysfunctional smutty families. Author doesn’t have enough language vocabulary to avoid using the Fbomn and other language constantly. No tact. I looked up the ending to see if there was any redeeming quality about the book and nope. The manic mom gets committed, the drunk dad dies alone, the bestie gets caught running away and send to Juvie jail never to be heard of again, and the kid gets no answers he’s struggled with. Glad I decided to throw my copy away (something reserved for only the worst books as a means of respect to other book lovers so they don’t accidentally buy it second hand.)

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raybert and Palmer are both 12 the summer of 1968. They come from dysfunctional families and depend on each other for everything. Raybert's mother suffers from mental illness and his father comes in and out of his life leaving the tending to Raybert's Aunt Iris.
Sad tale, but so engrossing and I came to really like Raybert and the strength he portrayed trying to just be a young boy!

[Ken Titt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why not 6 stars or even 7? One of the best reads ever!

[Nomanisan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh.
That's about it--it was neither great nor really bad. I read this book because the author taught my daughter writing during a summer camp for the gifted at Brenau University years ago. She was given the book as a Christmas present and just happened to recognize the name; she thought it was pretty good and gave it to me to read. I guess it is (reasonably good), but there are some clear first-book things going on: some events and character behavior that seem disconnected or illogical or stretched, given the general flow of the book; some unresolved ideas or threads--you get my drift. I have yet to quite figure out exactly what the author was trying to convey, but I guess it is worth the read.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a coming of age novel set in the late 1960's in North Carolina. The author has created a great friendship between two unforgettable boys, Raybert Williams and Palmer Conroy but my admiration for the novel stops there. The background and supporting characters appear overwritten. There's poverty, mental illness, racial violence, physical abuse, sexual abuse, guns and more violence. It's just too much. A quieter novel that explores the family and the friendship would have worked much better for me.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough rating because I work with Jack--the prose is excellent. The story is gripping and raw, but sad. It's not one to pick up for a cozy afternoon of escapist reading. Knowing what most of my friends go for, I probably wouldn't recommend it. But then there are plenty of books I've loved that none of my friends did.

[Julie Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel from Jack Riggs. It certainly doesn't read like a first! If you are a fan of John Irving - especially "A Prayer for Owen Meany" you will really appreciate this book's characters and storyline. It is written in such a familiar way, you feel as if you are right there with them. Very real and honest look into these lives portrayed here. You'll applaude!

[Empress5150 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another one I listened to and, subsequently, another one that I probably would not have read per se. It is about two poor white boys growing up in a rural town in North Carolina in the mid to late sixties. The story is full of mental illness, hate crimes and other disturbing events. Not something for the faint of heart; it is dark. Very, very dark.

[Alan Marchant · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the Finch Rises is a coming-of-age novel in the tradition of Stephen King's The Body (Stand By Me). We follow two quirky pre-teens as they come to terms with the ugliness of dysfunctional/mentally ill parents. Jack Riggs' prose is servicable, but not as lyrical as he intends. And unfortunately the story is more pathos than tragedy. Not quite worth a recommendation on any level.

[JR Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Such a simple, yet sad coming-of-age tale -- a tale I believe each of us has. This book reminds me of my life growing up. It's hopeful, painful, scary and exciting.

This book has me reflecting on my childhood, and the time I kind of knew nothing would ever again be the same.

Definitely keeping this book at the top of my bookshelf.

[Amna Arman]

I met Jack Riggs, soo that made the novel even better...

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book oddly enough. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be but it had its moments where I thought 'why?'

Very different - I'll give it that much.

[Kacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a hard book for me. I didn't like the language used and the subject matter (manic mother, racist/abusive father) was hard for me. Not my kind of fiction.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic coming of age story. Jack Riggs closes the story tying up lose ends in the relationships of the main character. I would like to see a book about Parker.

[Mark Holmberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of the skeletons in closets of the South.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Look forward to more by this author

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

GOOD read, enjoyed the people, the setting!

[Kate]

Ready to read another novel by this author!

[Meryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Characters become real. At one point in the book I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know how it all turns out.