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A review by literarypenguin
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t expect such a powerful, emotional and at times heartwarming read. It was safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised and by the end of it I was left with a understanding of how damaging and truly terrible addiction is.
Long Bright River is a story about two sisters, Mickey and Kacey, whose upbringing and childhood molded them and changed how they both saw the world and the people in it. The author crafts a beautifully written story through flashbacks of pivotal moments in the girl's lives alongside flash forwards of the lives they live today. The author really shows us just how devastating of a illness addiction really is, how it can also tear apart even the closest of families. As a resident of Pennsylvania, just like the sisters in this book, I can say for certain that the places she describes is a sad but often normal reality.
Mickey is one of the most interesting, at the same time flawed, characters I have ever read. Her urge to protect people at the cost of her own sanity and health is very understandable after all that she has seen and been through. Her love for her sister is very admirable, at the same time you can see her anger and rage for Kacey at her actions and the many terrible things she has done. Mickey herself has her own demons she has yet to do battle with, she struggles everyday with trusting people, crippling panic attacks, and being a loving, attentive mother to Thomas. She takes her job as a officer very seriously and puts up a wall around herself everyday that she enters the station.
The writing is beautifully done and the author’s attention to detail is excellent. By reading this book you can tell a lot of research went into this book, but also a lot of sensitivity and care. The city itself is almost a character, her descriptions of buildings and the people who live on them is superb.
I can’t recommend this book enough, if you want a book that will make you feel, make you take a long hard look at addiction and its horrifying side effects not only on the addicts but the people around them. Pick up and read this book, trust me you won’t regret it.
Long Bright River is a story about two sisters, Mickey and Kacey, whose upbringing and childhood molded them and changed how they both saw the world and the people in it. The author crafts a beautifully written story through flashbacks of pivotal moments in the girl's lives alongside flash forwards of the lives they live today. The author really shows us just how devastating of a illness addiction really is, how it can also tear apart even the closest of families. As a resident of Pennsylvania, just like the sisters in this book, I can say for certain that the places she describes is a sad but often normal reality.
Mickey is one of the most interesting, at the same time flawed, characters I have ever read. Her urge to protect people at the cost of her own sanity and health is very understandable after all that she has seen and been through. Her love for her sister is very admirable, at the same time you can see her anger and rage for Kacey at her actions and the many terrible things she has done. Mickey herself has her own demons she has yet to do battle with, she struggles everyday with trusting people, crippling panic attacks, and being a loving, attentive mother to Thomas. She takes her job as a officer very seriously and puts up a wall around herself everyday that she enters the station.
The writing is beautifully done and the author’s attention to detail is excellent. By reading this book you can tell a lot of research went into this book, but also a lot of sensitivity and care. The city itself is almost a character, her descriptions of buildings and the people who live on them is superb.
I can’t recommend this book enough, if you want a book that will make you feel, make you take a long hard look at addiction and its horrifying side effects not only on the addicts but the people around them. Pick up and read this book, trust me you won’t regret it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Death
Minor: Gun violence and Infidelity