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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
A murder mystery which unfolds through the tales of tragedy and often unbearable constant of life continuing
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An unexpected ending tied together all the loose ends of the story. Huge twists in the middle of the story combined with multiple viewpoints made for an absorbing read.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Although this book is written palatably and I found it easy to step into the story, it pushes a narrative of racism and erasure that is incredibly problematic. Speaking of Indigenous people as if they have been long gone from their land without discussing how or why that has taken place is irresponsible and lazy.
It isn’t until more than halfway through the book that the local tribe is even named, and even then it appears the author made no other effort to educate themselves or their readers about that group. Allowing the white characters in the book to regale us with their perceptions of the “legends” of their gods, while also treating them as a creature to be studied by a anthropologist is erasure of the fact that Indigenous people are alive and thriving today. Not to mention the singular native character in the book being represented by a violent drug dealer, is a racist trope.
To top it all off pushing the Bering straight theory is the cherry on top of the settler colonial racism that runs throughout this story. As far as I could tell there was not even a single mention of black people or a person of colour in this entire book. (save for allusions to the main boy Sal having a vaguely tan skin colour?)It’s interesting to me that the entire premise of this book can be about the presence of people of colour having created the world around them and yet the author couldn’t conjure up a single positive depiction of current living bipoc in all of its pages.
It isn’t until more than halfway through the book that the local tribe is even named, and even then it appears the author made no other effort to educate themselves or their readers about that group. Allowing the white characters in the book to regale us with their perceptions of the “legends” of their gods, while also treating them as a creature to be studied by a anthropologist is erasure of the fact that Indigenous people are alive and thriving today. Not to mention the singular native character in the book being represented by a violent drug dealer, is a racist trope.
To top it all off pushing the Bering straight theory is the cherry on top of the settler colonial racism that runs throughout this story. As far as I could tell there was not even a single mention of black people or a person of colour in this entire book. (save for allusions to the main boy Sal having a vaguely tan skin colour?)It’s interesting to me that the entire premise of this book can be about the presence of people of colour having created the world around them and yet the author couldn’t conjure up a single positive depiction of current living bipoc in all of its pages.
I really enjoyed this book. It was very well-written with mostly believable characters. I did find some of the back and forth between the days leading up to the central mystery to the days afterwards tedious and confusing at times, but overall I think that structure was necessary to maintaining the suspense of the the story. There were many parallels between the main characters, as a lot of parents and children (and siblings) had died tragically, and the survivors continued to struggle with the aftermath. Would welcome a sequel, although I'd think it wouldn't have to involve another murder mystery. I guess that means I found the characters as interesting as the story, and to me, that's the mark of a good book.
The new math teacher has been murdered.
A small town in Nevada, where nothing really happens, is the unfortunate scene of a shocking murder. A local math teacher who had only recently moved to town has been found burned to death. And it was one of his own students who discovered the body.
Adam Merkel was quiet, but he'd managed to form a few strong bonds in the short time he'd been in Lovelock. No one has any idea why he'd be killed. It's a fellow teacher who makes it her goal to find out who would want him dead.
The Distant Dead is a sneaky kind of book. It wasn't at all what I'd expected—but in such a good way!
This is the kind of book you want to savor. The narrative shifts between Sal, a quiet boy with a big imagination who'd been befriended by Merkel, and Nora, a fellow teacher in Lovelock.
Both Sal and Nora shine through Young's prose! And Merkel, even though he's dead, is so vividly painted through their eyes and their stories.
Both Sal and Nora know loss. They both know loneliness, too. And though Merkel is clearly a damaged person, which the reader can glean from the very first interactions between him and the other characters, he brings something wonderful out in both Sal and Nora. Which is why Nora in particular is determined to find out who killed him.
The Distant Dead is that wonderful blend of captivating storytelling under the guise of suspense that turns into something much different. To tell what that is would be spoiler-y but I will tell you that this is a bit of a sad story that will stick with you long after you turn the final pages.
A small town in Nevada, where nothing really happens, is the unfortunate scene of a shocking murder. A local math teacher who had only recently moved to town has been found burned to death. And it was one of his own students who discovered the body.
Adam Merkel was quiet, but he'd managed to form a few strong bonds in the short time he'd been in Lovelock. No one has any idea why he'd be killed. It's a fellow teacher who makes it her goal to find out who would want him dead.
The Distant Dead is a sneaky kind of book. It wasn't at all what I'd expected—but in such a good way!
This is the kind of book you want to savor. The narrative shifts between Sal, a quiet boy with a big imagination who'd been befriended by Merkel, and Nora, a fellow teacher in Lovelock.
Both Sal and Nora shine through Young's prose! And Merkel, even though he's dead, is so vividly painted through their eyes and their stories.
Both Sal and Nora know loss. They both know loneliness, too. And though Merkel is clearly a damaged person, which the reader can glean from the very first interactions between him and the other characters, he brings something wonderful out in both Sal and Nora. Which is why Nora in particular is determined to find out who killed him.
The Distant Dead is that wonderful blend of captivating storytelling under the guise of suspense that turns into something much different. To tell what that is would be spoiler-y but I will tell you that this is a bit of a sad story that will stick with you long after you turn the final pages.
As soon as I picked up this book and started reading, from the first page I felt the mystery and horror surrounding every sentence written by Heather Young. Her writing is brilliant and her characters leap off the page. Sal is not written as a young cliche character that goes through a journey and comes out different at the end. Young writes him with care but also incorporates truth into some very dark ideas that push him to make certain choices in the story. The ending is satisfying and brings the whole story full-circle. I really enjoyed reading this story and I didn't want it to end. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is interested in murder mysteries or a coming-of-age story with well-written characters and a riveting plot.