Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This extraordinary novel had a powerful effect on me, delving deep into the psyches of four flawed humans confronting a desperate and awful situation. Compassionate, profound and beautifully written, if you can do stream of consciousness.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this prior to publication.
Mountain Road, Late at Night tells the story of a young couple who have been in an accident on their way home from a party. Their car was found the morning after. Alice was dead at the scene and Nicholas died in hospital. We focus on those left behind.
Our key narrators are varied. First is the brother who had moved into the family home to care for the orphaned son, Jack. He reflects on the experience since the accident and what it means for the various family members left behind. Then we have the mother who has taken a vow of silence since the accident but who is also living with the guilt of an affair. Next is the mother-in-law driving across America to atone for her failures as a mother to take her grandchild. All three are inherently selfish and pay no thought to what is best for Jack. There was little to like about any of them.
The last section is from the viewpoint of Nicholas, the driver of the car that crashed. We see him come to consciousness and examine the reality of his situation. We learn what lead to the crash and we see his fight to survive, though this is ultimately futile.
While the idea was interesting I found this a hard one to like. I felt little empathy with the characters and the one I wanted to know more about, Jack, was given no voice.