A review by inquisitrix
Where I Can't Follow by Ashley Blooms

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 Where I Can’t Follow is such a lovely book. Its blend of literary realism with magical touches creates a vivid, engrossing world that pulls readers in and holds them close while the narrative plays out. 

Blooms writes frankly and evocatively about the struggles inherent to contemporary Appalachian life without pandering to the gaze of readers who expect to wallow in the trauma and poverty of people other than themselves. Her descriptions of characters and settings resist objectification, insisting that readers view Maren, Julie, Carver, Iris, and everyone else around them (with, perhaps, the exceptions of Julie’s disastrous girlfriend, Rachel, and the truly horrid local police) as complex individuals rather than tired archetypes. This is one of only books I’ve ever read about Appalachia that I’d feel comfortable sharing with someone who grew up there. 

I’d recommend this novel to anyone who has ever struggled with the tensions between home and growth, between acting responsibly toward others and saving some care for oneself, between protecting one’s heart and learning to let love take root. 

I received a free e-ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.