Forge Books
Publisher : Forge Books; 1st edition (January 12, 2021)
Language: : English
Hardcover : 336 Pages
ISBN: 9781250269188336 Pages
Praise for WAITING FOR THE NIGHT SONG
“Julie Carrick Dalton’s deftly constructed, urgent yet slow-burning debut novel reads like a warning from the frontlines of our rapidly deteriorating natural world.” —Omar El Akkad, American War
“Both a timely and timeless literary mystery, Waiting for the Night Song is as seductive as it is smart, blending the allure of Julie Dalton’s beloved rural New Hampshire setting with the dark undercurrents of a community’s racial divisions and betrayals. This is a story of love, of home, of friendship and family, of a childhood’s innocence and an adult’s comeuppance, all of which are in the line of fire in this beauty of a page turner.” —Michelle Hoover, award-winning author of Bottomland and The Quickening
“Human nature clashes with Mother Nature in this riveting and heartbreaking coming of age story— gorgeously written, and wonderfully told. With its combination of powerful themes and intensely immersive setting, fans of Delia Owens will swoon to find their new favorite author. A phenomenal debut!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, award-winning author of The First to Lie
“Dalton writes masterfully of human relationship and the fraught relationship humanity has with ecology…put it on your lists NOW.” —Michael Zapata, author of The Lost Book of Adana Moreau
“I marvel when I come across a book that is at once timely and timeless…It’s a novel that burns–figuratively and literally–with sharp prose and uncommon wisdom. Do yourself a favor and have a look for yourself.” —Peter Geye, award-winning author of Wintering
“Waiting for the Night Song is a beautiful book that is also a hell of a read. Complex characters, unforgettable setting, taut storyline, big ideas.” —Ashley Shelby, author of South Pole Station
“Smart and searingly passionate, Dalton’s absorbing mystery debut explores many timely issues including global warming, female friendships, childhood secrets, and the lengths we take to protect them — Waiting For The Night Song is an illuminating snapshot of nature, betrayal and sacrifices set in the evocative New Hampshire wilderness.” —Kim Michele Richardson, award-winning author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
“A killer, gorgeous debut that tackles love, racism and even climate change. Waiting for the Night Song will break your heart, leave you breathless and wanting more.” —Rachel Barenbaum, bestselling author of A Bend in the Stars
“Dalton weaves the vagaries of friendship, the wonder of the natural world, and the power of truth to create a powerful and unforgettable story.” —Erica Ferencik, bestselling author of The River at Night and Into the Jungle
“Dalton’s debut is a story of friendship, family, and the consequences of acting out of fear, especially when those actions are performed to protect those we love. The storytelling is made even more vivid by the way the novel practically breathes the woods of New Hampshire.” —Booklist
“Stirring…a taut novel that builds suspense to the very end.” —Publishers Weekly
A startling and timely debut, Julie Carrick Dalton’s Waiting for the Night Song is a moving, brilliant novel about friendships forged in childhood magic and ruptured by the high price of secrets that leave you forever changed.
Cadie Kessler has spent decades trying to cover up one truth. One moment. But deep down, didn’t she always know her secret would surface?
An urgent message from her long-estranged best friend Daniela Garcia brings Cadie, now a forestry researcher, back to her childhood home. There, Cadie and Daniela are forced to face a dark secret that ended both their idyllic childhood bond and the magical summer that takes up more space in Cadie’s memory then all her other years combined.
Now grown up, bound by long-held oaths, and faced with truths she does not wish to see, Cadie must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to protect the people and the forest she loves, as drought, foreclosures, and wildfire spark tensions between displaced migrant farm workers and locals.
Waiting for the Night Song is a love song to the natural beauty around us, a call to fight for what we believe in, and a reminder that the truth will always rise.
Waiting for the Night Song is a singular POV that follows an alternating timeline between the present and the summer that changed everything. Our main character and lead is Cadie. In the present, she prefers to be alone, wandering the woods gathering research for her hypothesis that a string forest fires are connected to a new beetle. She is a person who wants to do what is right, but has a deep dark secret. That secret is revealed very early on, but there is more to the suspense.
Our young Cadie seems to be a bit more adventurous. She still has that desire to do the right thing and the nature loving environmentalist mentality, but there is something about younger Cadie that is more carefree. Again, she is more of a loner except this is the summer she makes a real friend.
What I love about this book is that despite knowing the awful thing that happened, the reader doesn’t know everything. It feels very much like a movie when reading it, complete with quotes and passages where there is obvious direct foreshadowing (as long as you are actively looking for it). It has been a long time since I have read a book where the foreshadowing could be missed if you aren’t looking and I love it.
The writing is strong, pulling you into the narrative. It reminded me of movies where I wished I had that coming-of-age summer, but has that dark twist with the knowledge that something bad is going to happen during that summer.
If you like a coming-of-age book for a future summer read or you’re like me and want to dive into some suspense, this book has the two connected perfectly.
Casia's Corner 