Access Landslide: A Novel Written By Susan Conley Formatted As Hardcover

title for a novel set on the coast of Maine which involves a lot of writing about fishing and being on the water.
I admit that I found the characters irritating after a while, Having grown up with five brothers, I know how difficult teenage boys can be but this mother felt so intrusive and overbearing to me that I ended up siding with the boys.
I wanted to love this one, But I think this story is tough, You will either love it because you connect and feel the strife and the struggle, I just didn't. The first few parts of the story, with her "wolves" and her insights in her family were good and I enjoyed it it slowly gave shape to the family.
But about half way, the 'wolves' and the cute parts of the family fade away, I didn't mind the anger or the struggle they made the story interesting but the writing didn't hold the magic or the edge that the first part did.


And I found Jilly's conversations with her friend Lara about her marriage disheartening, She had no one in her corner to support her, no money and no where to go, Absolutely no one allowed her to be upset or mad, They just told her to live with it, That's an awful stance to take and not a great overall message, Initially, I thought the story of a mother dealing with her adolescent sons would be fun and entertaining, The “wolves” displayed familiar teenage behaviors and their mom, Jill, became a victim of her choices, . . the man, their island, her kids and her friends, By the time Jill decided these men “were her people”, I wanted to tell her to make better choices or be quiet.
I did enjoy the description of the Maine fishing village, as well as the writing style wolves, sex positive household, but the story did not hold my interest.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Pub, Date: Feb.,

Mini

This is a characterdriven story about a family living on an island in Maine who are trying to survive the constant rough waters life throws at them.
The husband is one of the few remaining fishermen in their declining coastal town, The wife is a documentarian, Nevertheless, her husband is the true breadwinner between them and money is always tight, While in Canada, a boat the husband is working on explodes, He is severely hurt and must remain in a Canadian hospital for weeks, Also, he may not be able to continue working once released, This worry and their lengthy separation threaten his already shaky marriage, The author does a good job showing the difficulty in a marriage when one of them is often away for days at a time.
In essence, the novel is about a fishermans wife, alone with her two teenage sonswhom she calls the wolvestrying to cope in a home that is falling apart while her sons are acting out.
The author nails the complexities of modernday parenting, for a single mom, since she practically is one, However, the storys true strength is that the reader gets an inside view of the current lives of coastal Mainers and the hardships that they endure as a local and not a tourist.
The novel sometimes can read uneven bouncing back and forth from global warming, to living with a fatherinlaw who thinks that his daughterinlaw is too easy on his grandsons, to a marriage in crisis.
Still, in limited prose, Cloney writes a compelling read,

I received this Advance Copy ARC novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.


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Take this review with a grain of salt, This was a book club selection that I read under duress, I would normally not pick a novel that primarily deals with teenagers and the trials and tribulations that come with parenting them.
I have the “real life” version, why would I want to read a fictionalized account! But, Im a team player and I like that my book club exposes me to books I would otherwise be reluctant to read.

However, the book just did not speak to me, I didnt feel a connection to the story even though I have two teenagers myself, . . perhaps thats why I found the story arc predictable, the main characters unsympathetic: two selfcentered, bratty teens did I say predictable, and a fretful,selfdoubting, mother that serves as the story narrator.
I quickly grew weary of the nonstop mamadrama which often seemed over the top, . . or perhaps, my two teenagers arent so bad after all, Beautifully written novel about a wife and motherteenage boys who is struggling to

keep her ties to them all strong and healthy.
The setting, a small fishing village in Maine is also somewhat of a character, The book is short but very thought provoking and engaging, The writing reminds me of Elizabeth Strout sitelinkOlive Kitteridge, spare, concise, no wasted words, and still it manages to be so descriptive.
“Being a mother isnt anything like I thought it would be, Its harder, better, more confusing, shorter, longer, ”

Well if that doesnt hit the nail on the head, frankly, I dont what does, LANDSLIDE is a compelling and beautiful novel that explores motherhood, marriage, and the ways in which we carry grief, On a remote island off the coast of Maine, Jill is left to care for her teenage sons who she lovingly refers to as “wolves” as her husband recovers from a serious fishing accident.


I have a lot to learn in life, but one of the things I know to be true is the importance of seeking out people who are just a step ahead of me.
As a mother of two young boys, this book was a glimpse into my future, Easy No way. Worth it Most certainly.

Landslide felt like an encouraging hug shared from one boy mom to another, susanconley writes in a way that feels so raw and relatable, The prose was sparse but so insightful, Its a quiet novel, but so beautifully done, I was reminded of the joys of raising little boys, and the difficult but incredibly precious memories to come as they grow.


Simply put, this is a must read for all the moms of “wolves” out there,
.