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I saw this book a little over a year ago on my recommendations list at Amazon.Com. Out of interest it made it to my wish list. Eventually as my mood changed of what I wanted to read, I deleted it. But a month ago I found myself trying to remember the name of the book and soon found it for a bargain price.
The synopsis from Publishers Weekly via Amazon.Com:
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A miner’s son is immersed in the dark spirituality of an insular, mostly Welsh Northern California mining town in the mid-19th century in this gritty coming-of-age debut. When Asher Witherow is eight, he witnesses the burning of his best friend, Thomas Motion, in a horrific accident as the boys explore the caverns of nearby Mt. Diablo. Witherow hides his knowledge of the accident even as a search is mounted, a situation that intrigues Josiah Lyte, the boy’s bizarre schoolteacher and local preacher who eventually gets cast out by the populace for integrating Hindu elements from his upbringing in India into his work.
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The story mostly takes place during the 1870’s, but is narrated by Asher in 1950, looking back at that life changing time of his youth. It plays well, and then it doesn’t. But given how well the story is told, I didn’t really notice this until the end. As with any story written like this, how can someone have such great recall of events that happened almost 80 years ago? Not thinking about that, the story is one to enjoy.
As for the story being well told, some of this has to do with Cunningham’s prose. The man can write. There are couple of times, given Josiah Lyte’s characteristics, that he goes too far in explaining the spiritual side of the story, of what Asher is feeling or seeing during these excursions. These sections left me a bit lost. However, I can see how some would thoroughly enjoy these passages (as well as the book as a whole). When needed, Cunningham’s style does very well in telling the story of a 19th century mining town and the doldrums and hazards of that work.
All the characters, even if not big on page time, are well done. They have traits that they keep, or are just believable. Asher and Josiah are rather well drawn out. I got a real good feeling of what and who they were. Though Josiah is a more interesting character then our narrator. Not that Asher is boring, but Josiah’s mixed bag of spirituality and how the townsfolk affect him was really engaging.
The only real downfall was near the end of the book. The last parts are gone through quickly. An argument can be made that at this point of the story the events and their affects are deep rooted and not on the mind everyday. Plus we are talking about “the green age” of Asher’s life, and he has seen more by the age of fourteen then most see in a lifetime. It is a coming-of-age story about him, after all. But with how interesting the story and characters are, I wanted to read more of their lives being played out, instead of wrapped up in neat little chapters at the end.
I am glad that I remembered this book and tried to find it again. I am particularly glad that I didn’t pay full price for it though. I wasn’t clamoring to read it every day, however still enjoyed the story as a whole, and for most part enjoyed Cunningham’s writing style.
7/10
