Kingdomtide
by Rye Curtis
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Pub Date 14 Jan 2020 | Archive Date 6 May 2021
4th Estate | Fourth Estate
Description
The lives of two women—the sole elderly survivor of an aeroplane crash and the troubled park ranger who leads the rescue mission to find her —intersect in a gripping debut novel.
I no longer pass judgment on any man nor woman. People are people, and I do not believe there is much more to be said on the matter. Twenty years ago I might have been of a different mind about that, but I was a different Cloris Waldrip back then. I might have gone on being that same Cloris Waldrip, the one I had been for seventy-two years, had I not fallen out of the sky in that little airplane on Sunday, August 31, 1986. It does amaze that a woman can reach the tail end of her life and find that she hardly knows herself at all.
When seventy-two-year-old Cloris Waldrip finds herself lost and alone in the unforgiving wilderness of the Montana mountains, with only a Bible, a sturdy pair of boots and a couple of candies to keep her alive, it seems her chances of ever getting home to Texas are slim.
Debra Lewis, a park ranger, who is drinking her way through the aftermath of a messy divorce is the only one who believes the old lady may still be alive. Galvanized by her newfound mission to find her, Lewis leads a motley group of rescuers to follow the trail of clues that Cloris has left behind.
But as days stretch into weeks, and Cloris’s situation grows ever more precarious, help arrives from the unlikeliest of places, causing her to question all the certainties on which she has built her life.
Suspenseful, wry and gorgeously written, Kingdomtide is a story of hope and resilience, second thoughts and second chances, introducing two unforgettable women, whose heroism reminds us that survival is only the beginning.
‘I read a lot of very good fiction but this novel - so startling and thrilling, so packed with such wonderful characters - is the best novel I’ve read in a long time'
Roddy Doyle
'A truly spectacular first novel: weird, tender, funny, grotesque—above all, deeply, achingly human. It tugged at my thoughts during the days I spent reading it, and has made for itself a permanent place in my memory' Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan
Advance Praise
‘Suspenseful from start to finish … First novels are often praised for an author’s potential, but Kingdomtide displays an exceptional talent fully realised’
Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author of Serena
‘Rye Curtis’s debut novel is an astonishing work. His powerful and convincing characters are at risk in a harsh and beautiful landscape in which the best and worst are revealed, and nothing is as it initially seems. Kingdomtide is at once a page-turner and a meditation on the complexity of the human experience and spirit’ Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter’s Bone and The Maid’s Version
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9780008317713 |
| PRICE | £4.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 336 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
G H, Reviewer
This I must admit was not quite the book that I was expecting. It was far more profound and explored some dark and disturbing themes. For a debut novel Rye Curtis has shown he is able to produce a work that is somewhat hard to define being outside the parameters of some of the normally defined genres. Yes as I expected we do have an out in the wild story of survival which in itself is gripping and suspenseful but there is much more as the focus is on two very different women reassessing their lives as they both go through life changing experiences.
The story consists of two corresponding narratives, one is in the first person and is told by Cloris Waldrip who is looking back 20 years to 1986 when she was 72 years old and found herself lost in a deserted mountain wilderness after a plane crash which killed her husband and the pilot. Her struggle for survival will take some unexpected turns and events will certainly take a strange course.
The other narrative is in the third person and focuses on local park ranger Debra Lewis who is an alcoholic trying to come to terms with her past. Debra despite the evidence to the contrary believes Cloris is still alive and is determined to find her. The two narratives are very different in style but both contain humour that is at times ironic, droll and mordant. If you are looking for something a bit different that is nevertheless thoughtful and well written then this may be worth a try.
Pam S, Reviewer
This book was really different, and I'm sure it won't be everybody's cup of tea. But, although I didn't find it flawless, I appreciated the author's talent and ability.
The start was great. It has a lyrical prose and strong characters. It's about the strength of humans to survive the hard landscape. It makes you think, and admire the spirit some people have against difficulties.
The biggest flaw of this book was inconsistent structure and pace. Had it been better paced, and edited evenly, it would have been a really strong book.
Nevertheless, I'd recommend people to try it out as I'm sure the writer is promising to deliver future work.
Thanks a lot to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
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