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A review by theoverflowingbookshelf
The Valley and the Flood by Rebecca Mahoney
4.0
In her debut YA novel, The Valley and the Flood, Rebecca Mahoney takes readers to a strange town in the middle of Nevada and shows readers how powerful memories and emotions can be.
This book is not a love story. It’s not about different worlds. It’s not even about friendship. It’s about memories and our pasts and how we grapple with it.
The way Mahoney handles writing about PTSD is profound and enlightening. Let it be said that I have no experience with PTSD and the before or aftereffects of that diagnosis. However, this book helped raise awareness of it and gave it validity. It doesn’t matter how or what you suffered through or experienced: your thoughts and pain are valid. And I think that’s the main point to the story.
The plot was interesting and Rose’s alternating POV between the past and present was enlightening since with every flashback, more and more information about Rose’s past gets revealed. The characters were also interesting to learn about, especially the ones for Lotus Valley, and further showcases Mahoney’s emphasis on human emotions and feelings.
Reminiscent of Nina LaCour’s Watch Over Me, this book transcends genres and makes the reader focus on the metaphoric aspects of the story. For readers looking for a unique book, this one is a must-read.
*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book is not a love story. It’s not about different worlds. It’s not even about friendship. It’s about memories and our pasts and how we grapple with it.
The way Mahoney handles writing about PTSD is profound and enlightening. Let it be said that I have no experience with PTSD and the before or aftereffects of that diagnosis. However, this book helped raise awareness of it and gave it validity. It doesn’t matter how or what you suffered through or experienced: your thoughts and pain are valid. And I think that’s the main point to the story.
The plot was interesting and Rose’s alternating POV between the past and present was enlightening since with every flashback, more and more information about Rose’s past gets revealed. The characters were also interesting to learn about, especially the ones for Lotus Valley, and further showcases Mahoney’s emphasis on human emotions and feelings.
Reminiscent of Nina LaCour’s Watch Over Me, this book transcends genres and makes the reader focus on the metaphoric aspects of the story. For readers looking for a unique book, this one is a must-read.
*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.