A Mile of River
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Author Description
DUSTJACKET BLURB. "It is 1976 and England is suffocating. The long, dry spring has given away to a summer of severe drought, with standpipes in the street and a rallying cry to 'save water, share a bath!' For the farmers, life has become a daily struggle to make ends meet. The fields are tinder dry, the earth is dusty and scorched and the air crackes with heat. "Jess and Tom live on a remote farm in the English countryside with their increasingly difficult father, Henry. Their mother, Sylvie, walked out years before and Jess is struggling with the role of mother figure to Tom, as well as skivvy and labourer for her father. Jess just wants to be a normal teenager, to go to dances and kiss boys, to take her exams and dream of a future far away from milking cows and ploughing fields. Daydreaming about her mother's return, Jess discovers Sylvie's old diary and begins to unravel hidden secrets. "As the drought grips ever tighter, as the water level of the river begins to drop, the menace in the air builds until it reaches boiling point, with a confrontation between Jess and her father that has devastating consequences...." £14.99 Hardback.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
A severe drought in 1976 England exacerbates the simmering tensions on a remote farm, forcing a teenage girl to confront family secrets and her father's harsh authority. Jess, burdened with domestic responsibilities and yearning for a life beyond the farm, struggles to navigate her adolescence while her father, Henry, grapples with the economic hardship and the absence of her mother, Sylvie. As the drought intensifies and the river recedes, hidden truths emerge from Sylvie's diary, culminating in a volatile confrontation that shatters their fragile existence.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- The narrative is set against the backdrop of the 1976 UK drought, impacting daily life and agricultural work.
- Jess grapples with the dual role of a teenager desiring a normal social life and a surrogate mother figure to her younger brother, Tom.
- The discovery of her mother Sylvie's diary reveals long-held family secrets.
- Henry, the father, is portrayed as increasingly difficult, struggling with financial pressures and the emotional void left by his wife's departure.
- The receding river serves as a potent symbol of the escalating tension and the unearthing of buried truths.
- The story builds towards a climactic confrontation between Jess and her father.
- Themes of adolescence, family duty, secrets, and the impact of environmental hardship are explored.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
The premise sets up a compelling narrative of familial strife amplified by environmental crisis. The focus on Jess's internal desires for a typical teenage life juxtaposed with her responsibilities suggests a character-driven story. The unfolding secrets from the mother's diary indicate a plot that will delve into past events and their repercussions. The escalating drought and the impending confrontation point towards a dramatic and emotionally charged resolution, characteristic of literary fiction exploring complex relationships under pressure.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2008-01-01
ISBN-10:
0552774359
ISBN-13:
9780385613064
Literary Fiction
Historical Fiction
Fiction
Coming of Age
