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A review by turrean
The Riverman by Aaron Starmer
2.0
I can't give this a useful "number of stars" rating, because the book was not my cuppa tea at all. At all. It reminded me very strongly of some of Stephen King's best stuff: the terror of the mundane gone twisty, and a feeling of distance from the horrific events from one's childhood. Another reviewer on Goodreads compared it to Stephen King's It, which I thought was very apt.
The writing is sophisticated and atmospheric. The very first chapter was spine tingling--the image of those dead eyes opening under the water! The otherworldly Aquavania sequences, in particular, are wonderful: bizarre and dreamlike and increasingly terrifying. This is an author who has high expectations of the literary savvy of his YA audience. For example, when Alistair describes Fiona as "not the girl next door," Starmer obviously expects the reader to know that this is a literary trope, and what that cliche might imply for the relationship between Fiona and Alistair.
But as the story progressed, it just felt so dark and hopeless to me. There are some moments of, for lack of a better word, humanity: Alistair's parents are obviously concerned for their son's well-being. There's a sympathetically portrayed principal at the school. And the main character himself obviously tries to do the right thing. But among the YA characters, there is practically zero authentic kindness. Mostly there's name-calling and mockery, including at the school assembly after a student is involved in a horrific accident.
This is one of those books where cruelty in the pre-teen and teen set is a stand-in for "realism." I remember the callousness and the mockery, yes. What person ever really forgets how kids can be toward one another? But I also remember friendship and good humor and hope for the future, of which there is very little among the 13 to 18 year-olds in The Riverman. I see it's the beginning of a trilogy, making the cliffhanger ending more understandable. But I doubt I'll be back for further installments.
And wow, the cover art was a dreadful choice. Not that it's bad in and of itself, but it makes the book appear to be for a much younger audience. I wouldn't hand this to anybody under the age of 14. Though the main characters are supposed to be around 12, their self-reflection and their conversation belong to much older kids. In fact, this strikes me as a book mismatched to its audience. I know plenty of adult horror fans who would be thrilled by the fantastic storytelling. But the marketing and the cover art will keep it out of their hands.
The writing is sophisticated and atmospheric. The very first chapter was spine tingling--the image of those dead eyes opening under the water! The otherworldly Aquavania sequences, in particular, are wonderful: bizarre and dreamlike and increasingly terrifying. This is an author who has high expectations of the literary savvy of his YA audience. For example, when Alistair describes Fiona as "not the girl next door," Starmer obviously expects the reader to know that this is a literary trope, and what that cliche might imply for the relationship between Fiona and Alistair.
But as the story progressed, it just felt so dark and hopeless to me. There are some moments of, for lack of a better word, humanity: Alistair's parents are obviously concerned for their son's well-being. There's a sympathetically portrayed principal at the school. And the main character himself obviously tries to do the right thing. But among the YA characters, there is practically zero authentic kindness. Mostly there's name-calling and mockery, including at the school assembly after a student is involved in a horrific accident.
This is one of those books where cruelty in the pre-teen and teen set is a stand-in for "realism." I remember the callousness and the mockery, yes. What person ever really forgets how kids can be toward one another? But I also remember friendship and good humor and hope for the future, of which there is very little among the 13 to 18 year-olds in The Riverman. I see it's the beginning of a trilogy, making the cliffhanger ending more understandable. But I doubt I'll be back for further installments.
And wow, the cover art was a dreadful choice. Not that it's bad in and of itself, but it makes the book appear to be for a much younger audience. I wouldn't hand this to anybody under the age of 14. Though the main characters are supposed to be around 12, their self-reflection and their conversation belong to much older kids. In fact, this strikes me as a book mismatched to its audience. I know plenty of adult horror fans who would be thrilled by the fantastic storytelling. But the marketing and the cover art will keep it out of their hands.