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JenniferB (Canada) (2012/06/19):
I hadn’t read any of Athol Dickson’s work before, but I was curious about the acclaim his novels have received. It was with some uncertainty that I opened the pages of his atmospheric, moody Winter Haven. Set on a remote Maine island, filled with fog, superstition, and the appearances of dead bodies on the beach – including that of Vera Gamble’s long missing autistic brother. Gone some 13 years, his body appears the same as the day he left home – one of the many mysteries she finds on this spooky island.While variously appearing to be mystery, suspense, and possibly even paranormal at times – the novel’s heart instead lies in the relationships between the characters, and perhaps most importantly – Vera’s struggle coming to terms with her tortured relationship to the past and a newly forming tenuous hope that ties her to the future. Without giving away too much, I will say that this novel kept me rapidly reading in order to uncover the mystery at the heart of Winter Haven. I think I finished in two days, which is pretty fast for me considering I have a house full of children (4 at last count). I’m not afraid to admit that the last few chapters wrung a few tears out of me as well. Winter Haven is a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride, surging between fear, suspicion, trust, and even the tentative buds of romance. Dickson is a confident writer who takes you through the trip with a sure hand at the rudder. Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com
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