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A review by nickartrip102
When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris
4.0
I requested and received an eARC ofWhen the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris via NetGalley. On the eve of Davis' wedding all he can think about his how beautiful he wants to look for his wedding to Everett. He won't have any family there — his mother died years ago, and his father's anger and intolerance have driven a wedge between them — but all Davis needs to be happy is Everett and the prospect of the life ahead of him. During the reception, however, Davis discovers his father has died in an accident, long buried emotions begin to resurface and must be confronted before it affects his present happiness.
The prose has an urgency that works very well with this particular story. It invites the reader to experience the feelings of each character throughout the novel and creates an intimacy that I think elevates the story. The story is presented in alternating POVs, which I was initially thrown by, but came to appreciate. It provides the story with a roundness that prods in every direction, making sense of the tension between Davis and his father, the Reverend, as well as exploring how the tumult of this relationship has affected others in their orbit.
The ensemble cast of characters and point-of-views serves When the Harvest Comes very well, but for me Davis remains the shining center piece. Although the other characters are certainly given nuanced existences on the page, the real beauty and complexity of this novel emerges in Davis’ character. He exists in this delicately balanced space of grief and bliss and I think this is very well represented in the story. There so many wonderful elements to this novel, but I also found that Norris does an incredible job of capturing a very particular family dynamic with Everett’s family. Each relationship, every reaction, seems to contain a hidden depth. There’s so much going on beneath the surface of this story and the ending was absolutely exquisite making When the Harvest Comes a very rewarding reading experience.
The prose has an urgency that works very well with this particular story. It invites the reader to experience the feelings of each character throughout the novel and creates an intimacy that I think elevates the story. The story is presented in alternating POVs, which I was initially thrown by, but came to appreciate. It provides the story with a roundness that prods in every direction, making sense of the tension between Davis and his father, the Reverend, as well as exploring how the tumult of this relationship has affected others in their orbit.
The ensemble cast of characters and point-of-views serves When the Harvest Comes very well, but for me Davis remains the shining center piece. Although the other characters are certainly given nuanced existences on the page, the real beauty and complexity of this novel emerges in Davis’ character. He exists in this delicately balanced space of grief and bliss and I think this is very well represented in the story. There so many wonderful elements to this novel, but I also found that Norris does an incredible job of capturing a very particular family dynamic with Everett’s family. Each relationship, every reaction, seems to contain a hidden depth. There’s so much going on beneath the surface of this story and the ending was absolutely exquisite making When the Harvest Comes a very rewarding reading experience.