Review: Long Bright River by Liz Moore

 Dear Lit Loves,

Greetings!  I chose the book Long Bright River by Liz Moore as the book selection of the month for the book club I belong to locally.  This is a quite riveting story revolving around two sisters who once were very close and now no longer speak to one another.  Both sisters have also taken very different paths in life. Mickey, the older sister, is a police detective and Kacey, her younger sister, is a heroin, opioid addict.  Mickey has always felt that she can at least keep an eye on Kacey since Kacey is a prostitute working the streets that Mickey patrols.  The neighborhood more specifically is an area in suburban Philadelphia called Kensington.  When a string of female addicts/prostitutes begin being found murdered in Kensington, Mickey and her police department are looking for the killer.

The setting for this book is an area I personally as a southerner am not familiar with, but the author did such an outstanding job describing Kensington that I felt like the city itself is/was a character in the story. I think there are many areas like Kensington all over the country; we just don't hear about them in the news as much as a place like Kensington which appears to be an East coast hub for heroin and opioid sales.  The author, upon moving to Philadelphia, willingly admits that there is generational addiction in her own family.  She was initially asked by a photojournalist to accompany him to Kensington to write the stories that go along with his portraits of various people who are often "stuck" in Kensington.  The author also conducted free writing workshop classes at a women's shelter in Kensington.  

I admire authors who have the courage to tackle real-life issues whether through contemporary fiction like this book or through memoir which is a genre in which I write.   I think authors like Liz Moore and especially myself often have a personal connection to the subject we are addressing in our books which to me adds authenticity to even a work of fiction.  

I think this book addresses how our childhoods and life experiences often reflect or give rise to the person we are in the present day.   There is always the philosophical debate of nature vs. nurture; are you who you are because of genetics or  due to the experiences that have thus far defined your life or perhaps both?  Clearly, we have two sisters who were raised by an often abrasive grandmother after their mother dies of an overdose at age eighteen.  Their father left them soon after their mother died and it is implied in the book that he is/was an addict as well.  So while Kacey would most likely argue that her addiction could be genetic since both parents were addicts, I think Mickey would argue that she was raised in the same household and became a functional, productive adult even with the same set of parents.  Personally, I think addiction whether it is alcohol, illegal substances, opioids, etc. has some element of genetics linked to it.    And I think also that our life experiences shape our character, values, and views.  I often wonder if the grandmother who raised Mickey and Kacey would have been a completely different person if she had not lost her husband so early in their marriage and then also lost her daughter to opioid addiction.    One of the most dramatic moments in the book is when the grandmother, Gee, discovers Kacey is in the hospital due to an overdoes.  Gee walks into the hospital, firmly looks Kacey in the eyes, and says she is not going through this process again.  She then drags Kacey from the hospital bed and takes her home.  Once they get home, Gee smacks Kacey.  At that point, Gee is of the opinion that Kacey can get her life together or get out of Gee's home.  Talk about an authoritarian parenting style.  

Also, I think this book demonstrates how the family, friends, acquaintances, and community are affected by having a family member who is also an addict.  Some families take Gee's approach to a family member who is an addict while other families may live in denial that anything is wrong with the family member.  And an addicts' friends are usually other addicts.  I got the feeling that many addicts watch or hear about their friends' overdose deaths and in some cases even witness an overdose death.  The community of Kensington as a whole has become a seedy, dangerous place to reside because of the heroin and opioid trade.  Through some of the pictures I found of the Kensington population, of which many were taken from the photojournalist who documented the people of Kensington, many appear shell-shocked, broken, and physically/emotionally ravaged.  On the other hand, you have the dealers, street drug sellers who appear to be making a fine living off the drug trade.  Families who have homes around the Kensington community appear to remain in their homes or only let their children play on their porches.  The police seem resigned that the drug culture in Kensington is here to stay.  One police officer said that as soon as he arrests one drug seller another one will take his/her place by the time he can book the one he has at the police station.

Through one newspaper article I read after reading this book, it appears the city even eliminated the subway or train stop for Kensington during the pandemic.  People still kept coming.  And then you have the children of addicts who are born addicted to a drug and go through withdrawal in a neonatal intensive care unit.  Most addicts can't take care of themselves much less be responsible for a child so the child either is taken in by a family member, is placed up for adoption, or is deposited in the foster care system.  One drug dealer who was interviewed by a reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper says, "One day America is going to regret allowing this to happen.  I can't believe I am getting away with making a living this way in the United States!"  

The book also addresses the rampant corruption within many police forces.  While this brought to mind the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, it also made me wonder if some police officers are also customers/drug users as well.  Are any of the officers offering to not arrest someone in return for a sexual favor?  In the book, finding a person or woman dead along train tracks often appeared like an everyday, routine occurrence for the officers and paramedics.   I could see this being the case for a medical examiner, but when the police become immune to discovering a dead body, is it a way of coping with that part of the job or is it because he/she no longer cares?  Or worse, could a police officer have committed the murder and covered his/her tracks especially well?  The book definitely makes you wonder if the police are often complicit in the drug culture within Kensington or elsewhere for that matter.

I love books that bring to light an important issue like the opioid crisis.  My own extended family has vividly witnessed the effects of a family member's opioid addiction.  And I have a cousin who works as a nurse in the Emergency Room of a hospital and he often tells me about how paramedics completely run out of Nar-Con (I think that is the name of the drug used to revive an overdose victim).  And he has even said the hospital where he works has come dangerously close to not having enough Nar-Con to revive the mounting number of overdose victims that are brought to the Emergency Room,

Many folks were intimidated by this book just for its sheer length, but I would rather have a well-developed novel that keeps me turning the pages and wondering what happens to the main characters than one that has little character development or a novel that is formulaic.

Liz Moore handled the opioid issue respectfully throughout the book.  And she made me really truly think about how our country could handle the opioid crisis and what or if anything could have been done to save all the lost souls who died because of opioid addiction.   It's a stunning reality and it's not going away on its own or because people choose to look away.  I highly recommend this book.  It is gritty and not for the faint of heart, but it brings the opioid crisis up close and personal.  Sometimes that is what it takes to shed light on a problem that is manifesting all over America today.

Best,

Grace

(Amy)

I Did Right By Me And You. Did You Do Right By Yourself And Me, NC Residents?

 Dear Fellow Residents of North Carolina,

Greetings!  Yes, this is usually the place where I review books or complete a written examination of my most recent experience with a medical professional that went totally askew.  I have been known to write poetry here and call out someone or something in publishing that has completely gone off the rails.  Today, I looked at the percentage of our state population that has completed full vaccination against Covid-19 and I was aghast that only 39.16% of North Carolinians are fully vaccinated.  I'm sorry, but that is HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING! (That does not apply to all of you who are fully vaccinated-  you are the folks with whom I have no beef.  Nor does this apply to the people of North Carolina who are age twelve or younger because there is not a form of the vaccine that is designed for you yet).

As a native North Carolinian, I am fuming.  For heaven's sake people, Florida has a higher number of its population vaccinated than North Carolina!  So what's the problem?  You have time or you can make time or should.  The vaccine is free.  For most folks, it is easy to find a place in which to roll up your sleeve and receive your shot or shots.  Personally, I chose to go with the Pfizer vaccine and had absolutely zero side effects.  I have more pre-existing medical conditions than side effects from both the flu, shingles, and Covid-19 vaccines combined.  And I don't buy excuses.  Don't send hateful comments because honey, I never read any comments here nor on social media.  Don't waste your time.  I am a Generation Xer, I am allergic to people's opinions and all social media.

Here Are 10 Reasons The Population Of North Carolina Should Get The Vaccine Unless You Have A Medical Reason Preventing You From Obtaining It (If you do, I would like to speak with your doctor's head because I really like going toe to toe with those in the medical field).  

1)  It's The Right Thing To Do.    In my opinion, getting the vaccine is the most ethical action you can take as a resident of North Carolina.  You protect yourself, your loved ones, acquaintances, and people you do not even know.

2)  If You Do Not Get The Vaccine, It Could Very Well Cost You Your Life.  Over 600,000 people in the United States have died from Covid-19 or complications arising from it.  Don't become a casualty of the virus.  And yes, people I have known have died from Covid-19 unfortunately.

3) If You Do Not Get The Vaccine, It Could Very Well Cost You A Relative's Life.  I am serious, peeps.  Let's say you opted to NOT get the Covid-19 vaccine.  Then let's say, you get the Covid-19 virus or a variant of it, and pass it to your mom, who also did not obtain the Covid-19 vaccine.  And then mom, dad, grandparent, etc. dies.  That death is tied to you.  I don't want that on my conscience, do you?

4)  You Get The Vaccine Because You Really Do Not Want To Be Sued.  I am as serious as a heart attack folks.  If a person's death can be tied to you, a person who did not get the vaccine and transmitted the virus or its particles to another person who then dies.....Can you say, potential lawsuit?

5)  You Are Holding Back Yourself, Others, And This State From Ridding This Country Of A Known Deadly Virus.  

6)  Get The Vaccine If You Wish To Go To College Or Not.  At least the people who are your compatriots on campus or at work can breathe more easily about residing in a safe environment.  

7)  For Heaven's Sake, Get The Vaccine So People Can Travel Again Without Being Muffled By Masks. When I see people on the national news who have thrown a hissy fit or worse, punched a flight attendant, because the rule is to wear a mask and they choose not to participate, I can also guess that the same person is most likely not vaccinated either.  And then the person winds up being banned from traveling on a particular airline and most likely goes to jail.  You really don't want to be THAT person.

8)  Get The Vaccine So People Who Are Immunocompromised Due To Cancer Or Other Autoimmune Disorders Don't Have To Worry If You Should Be Wearing A Sign That Reads, "Health Hazard", "Toxic", or "Stay Away".  

9)  Get The Vaccine And Stop Participating In Russian Roulette.  If you think you are someone who will not get the virus; therefore, you are not getting the vaccine then you are living a lie.  Because people who have thought that have also found themselves in a hospital for four months and needing a double lung transplant.  Reality Can Bite.

10)  Get The Vaccine So You Can Participate In All Of Life, Not Just Some Of It.  Honestly, this one comes to mind when I think about those folks who will not get to sit inside a restaurant due to not being vaccinated, be restricted on cruises due to not being vaccinated, and lose out on a whole assortment of opportunities because they did not get the vaccine.  N.C. State men's baseball team, I Am Talking To You.  You Could Have Played For The NCAA College World Series And Won It All.  Now,  you and your teammates will be watching the 2021 College World Series instead of winning it.  Damn man, that just blooowwwsss.

Just Get The Vaccine Already.

Grace (Amy)

Review: This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

Dear Lit Loves,

Greetings!  Last month I read several books, but the one I will review is This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger.  This was a book selected by a member of the book club I attend.  At 444 pages in the paperback edition, this was not a book I read from start to finish in one day.  The book is about four orphans and has a setting in the Midwest around 1932.  Odie, Moses, Emmy, and Albert are the four orphans who originally meet at an orphanage called the Lincoln School.  The school is for children of Native American descent who have lost their parents.  The school is owned and managed by a couple named The Brickmans.  Mrs. Brickman is the founder/principal of the school.  No one likes Mrs. Brickman and Odie calls her a witch because she is constantly reprimanding him and sending him to sleep in a basement cell.  

Albert is initially revealed to be Odie's brother who is generally never in trouble with Mrs. Brickman; however, he is a wiz at mechanics as he is called upon numerous times to fix any appliance, boat, fence, or distillery.  Emmy is the daughter of one of the teachers at the school named Cora Frost.  Moses is an oprhan of Sioux descent who uses a form of sign language to communicate as when his parents were killed, someone cut out a portion of his tongue so he could never tell anyone who committed the crime.  

Emmy's mom is killed in a tornado right before she had planned to adopt the three boys from Lincoln School so they could help her tend her land and garden as she lost her husband.  Once the tornado passes, the three boys go look for Emmy and her mom.  They find Emmy in an underground cellar, but there is no sign of her mother until one boy discovers her body under mounds of debris.  That is when Odie, Albert, and Moses decide to run away from Lincoln School and take Emmy with them since she has lost both parents and the Brickmans want to adopt Emmy.  The kids utilize a canoe that belonged to Emmy's father to make their way to the Mississippi river.  Albert and Odie want to make it to St. Louis where they have an aunt named Julia who they believe will allow them to live with her.

Along the way, they meet a whole host of entertaining characters who present challenges to them and some who try to help them along their way to St. Louis.    They come upon Jack, a man who has a farm and has lost his wife and child as they left him due to his drinking and volatile behavior.  He uses the boys to work on his farm and has Emmy help make food.  When Odie discovers Jack has stolen their money sack and could potentially hurt Emmy, the boys turn on Jack and are able to escape a bad situation.  They next meet a man named Forrest who is descended from the Sioux tribe and is traveling while looking for work.  The boys think Forrest is there to turn them in to the authorities and collect the reward money that is being offered for capture of both Emmy and all three boys.  They get away from him easily.

The next folks they meet are a part of a traveling religious crusade.  This is where they meet Sister Evie, who leads the evening worship services and performs miraculous acts of healing.  Sister Evie takes in Odie and Emmy and Moses works and resides with the kitchen folks while Albert works and resides with the carpentry/maintenance crew that travels with the crusade.  Odie observes Sid, Sister Evie's publicity manager, pay off folks who were healed at many of the evening services and Odie also finds evidence he believes points to Sid being a bootlegger and drug dealer.  When Albert gets bit by a venomous snake used in the religious crusade evening services, he is taken to a local doctor.  Sid goes to retrieve his anti-venom vials and that is when the kids learn Sid was not into drugs.  The vials Odie found were anti-venom medications which Odie had already destroyed as he thought they were dope.  Albert struggles to overcome the snake bite until someone can get the proper meds to help him recover.

When Odie decides the group should leave the traveling religious crusade, Sister Evie entrusts him with $50 and a sack full of food as the kids continue on their trip.  The boys then keep traveling via the canoe.  They notice that when Emmy sleeps, she has seizures or fits.  Emmy never remembers anything from the fits, but she generally will awake for a moment and tell them something that foretells a future event the group will encounter.  Interestingly, they run into the Sioux Indian named Forrest once again who helps Moses learn about his Sioux heritage while the group takes a break along their trip in a place Odie refers to as Hopersville.  Odie meets another family called The Schofields living in a tent city and develops his first love with the couple's daughter, Maybeth.   When the Schofields leave tent city, Odie opts to give the family all the remaining money his group has.  This does not go over well with Odie's compatriots, especially Albert.  

Finally, the group makes it to St. Paul where the kids look for a person named Gertie who Forrest said could help them for a few days along their trip.   Gertie lives in a shantytown and runs a restaurant with a woman named Flo.  The kids stay with Gertie and Odie, Emmy, and Moses help run the restaurant while Albert tries to help Flo's brother fix the engine of his broken boat.  Odie makes friends with a local kid who teaches him how to jump onto and ride the train cars.  And eventually, Odie realizes he must leave the group since they appear to want to stay with Gertie.  Odie journeys on a rail car until he finally reaches St. Louis and finds Aunt Julia.  I will stop with the summary here because I do not want to give away the multitude of surprises at the end of this well-written book.

In my opinion, this book brought to mind two themes:  family and friendships.  In terms of family, it made me think of who do I define as family?  What is my own heritage?  When I think of home I think of my parents' home and my immediate family, but for the orphans in this book, they essentially made their own family by choosing to be friends and look out for one another.  And in terms of friendship, I think friends are like the family members you choose to have.  People who are not necessarily related via blood, but sometimes you have just as strong a tie with a friend as you would an immediate family member.  In many respects, sometimes a person has a stronger bond with a friend than they may have with any single blood-related family member.    And of course, family and friends are the people who know you best.  They can be the ones who are there for you in tough times and they can be the exact people who also know how to push your buttons.  

Additionally, I saw glimpses of the theme of good vs. evil in this book many times.  And I felt this book demonstrated how people who have been helped by someone they least expected to help them sometimes "pay it forward" and help someone they barely know.  And in the character Odie, I saw myself in that in a perilous situation, Odie often assumes the worst about a person and then later learns the person or their habits were not as bad as he originally assumed them to be.  And in the character Moses, I thought a lot about the Native American population and the horrors they experienced throughout history and today.  And in one couple in this book, I was surprised to read the author's  inference that they were LGBTQ and yet, the whole community surrounding them accepted them and treated them just like family.  This was a truly good book and the character development by the author was just stellar.  Some folks from the book club felt this book reminded them of The Wizard of Oz and Huckleberry Finn.  I would advise you to read the book and determine for yourself what themes or lessons you glean from the book.

Until my next review,

Grace

(Amy)