September 22, 2017

Happy first day of fall everyone!

Every now and then do you enjoy an escapist read? Are you looking for a vacation read? Do you need to get away from tragic histfic, need a break from heavy nonfiction topics, a relief from diverse literature where we work hard to climb into the perspectives of others, or a time out from text books if you’re a student? Then this may be your next read! Sometimes you find a book at just the right time, and this is when this book found me!

Castle of Water
by Dane Hucklebridge

Genre/categories; fiction, survival, action & adventure, romance

Summary:

“And so it came to pass that two utterly disparate lives happened to overlap … bound together on an uninhabited island some 2,359 miles from Hawaii, 4,622 miles from Chile, and 533 miles from the nearest living soul.
Crap, as Barry liked to say.
Putain de merde, as Sophie was known to exclaim.”
― Dane Huckelbridge, Castle of Water

Sophie, an architect and honeymooner, and Barry, disillusioned with his career in finance and seeking inspiration for his love of art end up on one very small island when their plane is hit by lightning and crashes in the middle of the South Pacific. Strangers and sole survivors and as different as night and day, Sophie and Barry wash up on a small uninhabited island and survival becomes their primary objective. Sophie and Barry draw from each other’s strengths and skills and through harrowing experiences keep the hope of rescue alive. Eventually, Sophie and Barry resign themselves to beginning a new life and creating a home on the isolated island. Amazon Rating (September): 4.5 Stars

My Thoughts:

This book found me at exactly the right time as I needed a break from reading tragic and heavy histfic. It is truly an escapist and/or vacation read! At first glance, this might seem like a classic castaway survival story, and it is….yet it’s so much more….. it’s a charming, witty, poignant, engaging, and beautifully told story that explores themes of home, love, loss, sadness, perseverance, heartbreak, hope, resiliency, and desperation. Furthermore, the history and geography that the author weaves into the narrative is informative and interesting.  The story is easy to get into with memorable characters, unexpected humor, and it’s full of heart. The story alternates between present and past timelines, and I devoured it in one day. Unputdownable. Even though Mr. Hucklebridge has a unique style of writing that was refreshing and at times exquisite, the story has a slightly impersonal feel to it and at times I wished that I could know what Sophie and Barry were thinking and feeling from a first person point of view. The author’s decision to write from an impersonal viewpoint is at its most effective when he speaks directly to the reader because it allows us to become true cohorts in the adventure and we can appreciate all their joy and sorrow. The impersonal viewpoint is a minor concern because overall I enjoyed his masterful writing and simple telling of a complicated situation and relationship. I could easily reread this book and that is rare for me.

“He smiles and shakes his head, a smile that’s bewildered and content and still pursed by that same tender sadness that visited him by the arch, that trails him as doggedly as his gratitude and his guilt … the wonder of it all, the unknowable mystery, to serve as fleshy custodian to such a fragile flame.”
― Dane Huckelbridge, Castle of Water

Recommended for all adult readers who are looking for a masterfully written tale of adventure, escapism, or a vacation read. Rating: 5 Stars (rounded up from 4.5).

Buy Here

 

Meet the Author, Dane Hucklebridge

Dane Hucklebridge

Dane Huckelbridge was born and raised in the American Middle West. He holds a degree from Princeton University, and his fiction and essays have appeared in a variety of journals, including Tin House, The New Delta Review, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Republic. Castle of Water is his first novel, although he has also authored two historical works on American whiskey and beer, respectively. He lives with his wife in Paris, France, and New York City.

Extra:

Read an interview with Dane Hucklebridge here.

(Thank you to Top Shelf Text.)

Happy Reading Everyone!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J. Hughes

Looking Forward:

Next week, I’m eager to review The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas (a YA diverse literature pick dealing with racial issues currently in the news) if you’d like to “buddy read.” Lots to discuss here. *Language alert

Get more info and/or buy here.

 

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Discussion:

What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear your thoughts in comments on Castle of Water if or when you read it!