For fans of authors like Barbara Kingsolver and Leif Enger, a stunning new voice in contemporary literary fiction.“Tragedy and blessing. Leave them alone long enough, and it gets real hard to tell them apart.” Elena Alvarez is living a cursed life. From the deadly fire she accidentally set as a child, to her mother’s abandonment, and now to an unwanted pregnancy, she knows better than most that … she knows better than most that small actions can have terrible consequences. Driven to the high mountains surrounding Leadville, Colorado by her latest bad decision, she’s intent on putting off the future. Perhaps there she can just hide in her grandmother’s isolated cabin and wait for something–anything–to make her next choice for her.
But instead of escape, she finds reminders of her own troubles reflected from every side–the recent widower and his two children adrift in a changed world, Elena’s own mysterious family history, and the interwoven lives within the town itself. Bit by bit, Elena begins to reconsider her role in the tragedies she’s held on to and the wounds she’s refused to let heal.
But then, in a single afternoon, when threads of cause and effect tangle, Elena’s fragile new peace is torn apart. It’s only at the prospect of fresh loss and blame that she will discover the truth of the terrible burdens we take upon ourselves, the way tragedy and redemption are inevitably bound together–and how curses can sometimes lead to blessings, however disguised.
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Beautiful, messy story about a woman returning home to the mountains of Colorado while figuring out what she’s going to do post-college. Helping virtual strangers deal with a loss helps her work through trauma from her own childhood and the end leaves you satisfied but not over saccharinated.
I was surprised at the power this book had over me – I read several books at a time but put the others on hold because I always wanted to pick this one up. It’s hard to pull out one reason why I was so caught up in the plot, but all of the elements were on target. I heartily recommend this book.
Amazing that this is a first book. Hoping for more from this author. Great story about characters you care about.
I really enjoyed this book. The exploration of the main character and how she relates to all the others was very well told. Many will like the twist at the end, but I was not fond of it. However, its good to not be predictable!
I loved this book. Such a special story of forgiving yourself, hope and learning to accept love.