|
Loading... Among the Dead and Dreaming14 | 1 | 1,451,721 |
(4.67) | None | ""A masterful exhibition in storytelling; a breathless page-turner. Ligon drives his narrative like a formula one racer. Buckle your seat belts and get ready for a thrilling ride."--Jonathan Evison, West of Here"Part meditation on modern love's dark and often unexamined underbelly; part can't-put-it-down-even-for-a-dinner-break-thriller, this novel contains one of the most convincingly and complicatedly terrifying fictional characters I have run into."--Pam Houston, Contents May Have Shifted "A wildly original love story, a ghost story, a tense and suspenseful story in which the wickedly talented Ligon channels voices--of the lost, the longing, and the damned."--Jess Walter, We Live in WaterPraise for Safe in Heaven Dead:"A superbly convincing first novel....An expertly motivated debut."--Kirkus, starred review"This debut novel instantly seizes and holds the imagination."--Publishers Weekly, starred review" Ligon is firmly in control, laying out the elements of the story like the pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle."--New York Times Book Review -- Nikki has spent her life running from her abusive mother and the violent boyfriend she killed years ago, and now from his brother, Burke, just released from prison. Burke doesn't know yet how his brother died, but he's obsessed with finding Nikki and claiming her--and her daughter--as his own. Now she's run out of room to run. Samuel Ligon is the author of Safe in Heaven Dead (HarperCollins, 2003) and Drift and Swerve. His stories have appeared in more than twenty literary journals. He teaches at Eastern Washington University's Inland Northwest Center for Writers, and is the editor of Willow Springs. "--… (more) |
▾Will you like it?
Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. ▾Conversations (About links) No current Talk conversations about this book. ▾Series and work relationships
|
Canonical title |
|
Original title |
|
Alternative titles |
|
Original publication date |
|
People/Characters |
|
Important places |
|
Important events |
|
Related movies |
|
Epigraph |
Fish die belly upward and rise to the surface. It's their way of falling - Andre Gide What falls away is always. And is near. - Theodore Roethke | |
|
Dedication |
For my mother and father. | |
|
First words |
Cynthia. The rain was more like mist, soft against your skin the way the air is down by the ocean, so beautiful and calm, even from the back of Kyle's motorcycle. | |
|
Quotations |
|
Last words |
|
Disambiguation notice |
|
Publisher's editors |
|
Blurbers |
|
Original language |
|
Canonical DDC/MDS |
|
Canonical LCC |
|
▾References References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in EnglishNone ▾Book descriptions ""A masterful exhibition in storytelling; a breathless page-turner. Ligon drives his narrative like a formula one racer. Buckle your seat belts and get ready for a thrilling ride."--Jonathan Evison, West of Here"Part meditation on modern love's dark and often unexamined underbelly; part can't-put-it-down-even-for-a-dinner-break-thriller, this novel contains one of the most convincingly and complicatedly terrifying fictional characters I have run into."--Pam Houston, Contents May Have Shifted "A wildly original love story, a ghost story, a tense and suspenseful story in which the wickedly talented Ligon channels voices--of the lost, the longing, and the damned."--Jess Walter, We Live in WaterPraise for Safe in Heaven Dead:"A superbly convincing first novel....An expertly motivated debut."--Kirkus, starred review"This debut novel instantly seizes and holds the imagination."--Publishers Weekly, starred review" Ligon is firmly in control, laying out the elements of the story like the pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle."--New York Times Book Review -- Nikki has spent her life running from her abusive mother and the violent boyfriend she killed years ago, and now from his brother, Burke, just released from prison. Burke doesn't know yet how his brother died, but he's obsessed with finding Nikki and claiming her--and her daughter--as his own. Now she's run out of room to run. Samuel Ligon is the author of Safe in Heaven Dead (HarperCollins, 2003) and Drift and Swerve. His stories have appeared in more than twenty literary journals. He teaches at Eastern Washington University's Inland Northwest Center for Writers, and is the editor of Willow Springs. "-- ▾Library descriptions No library descriptions found. ▾LibraryThing members' description
Book description |
Nikki has spent her life running from her abusive mother and the violent boyfriend who died years ago, and now from his brother, Burke, just released from prison. Burke doesn't know yet how his brother died, but he's obsessed with finding Nicki and claiming her - and her daughter - as his own. Now she's run out of room to run. | |
|
|
Current DiscussionsNoneGoogle Books — Loading...
|
Nikki has been running since she left her home at seventeen. She has ran from one relationship to another and across the country. When she meets Cash in Austin, it may have been the best and worst mistake she ever made. The worst mistake because Cash was domineering and controlling. He became dangerous and a stalker when Nikki tried to leave him. She kills him and escapes. Only she knows that the best thing that happened to her, her beloved daughter Alina, is Cash's child, something she will never tell Alina about.
Now Cash's brother, Burke, is out of prison. He has found Nikki's phone number, photos of her and Cash, and he's fantasized about her to extraordinary creepy levels. He is losing control over reality, but it looks like he is going to be stalking Nikki with dangerous intent, seeking revenge.
Mark is full of regret over the loss of Cynthia and suspects that something was going on between her and Kyle. He's mired in reflecting upon his relationship with her and speculating over what might have been. He ponders his past political career. He thinks he sees some of his own distress reflected in Nikki and thinks he should talk to her about his suspicions, which opens them up to an uneasy relationship.
Alina, thirteen, knows that Kyle loved Nikki, but Nikki didn't reciprocate the same level of love and devotion. Nikki always holds some part of her back. Alina, however, adored Kyle and can't believe he is gone. She's angry at her mother's choices and her clinging to Alina.
Ligon has these characters and others who were involved during various parts of their stories chime in with their side of things and what they think. This is not confusing because each chapter opens with the name of the character speaking. It makes for an interesting story since it is told through the perspective of the individuals involved. While one person may assign a specific motive to another person's actions, that isn't always the case. Sometimes the truth lies somewhere in-between.
All of these characters are searching for love: the love of a mother for a child (even if it becomes clinging and overbearing); the love between men and women; the love between friends; the love lost; the love sought. Many of them are scared of love even while they seek it. They don't really know what it is they want. They all seek a place of acceptance and safety, however unlikely it seems.
There is a real tension that builds as Burke becomes increasingly obsessed with Nikki - and unhinged from reality. This is another novel that isn't necessarily an easy novel to read. There are adult situations and violent scenes. The fear in these characters becomes palatable; they fear for their futures, over their past, and what will happen next. Nikki, Alina, and Mark are so lost and searching for some stability that you can't help but feel for them and hope they survive the coming encounter.
The fact that Ligon manages to give all these characters a different voice and point of view in the narrative is a good indication of his skill and artistry. The story flows smoothly and deftly, even when the scene is grim, somber, or disturbing.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Leapfrog Press for review purposes. ( )