Adam White (2)

A couple of observations.
Apparently not many books take place in Maine.
The two most prominent authors associated with Maine are Stephen King whose many books take place in fictional Castle Rock Maine, and John Connolly who Charlie Parker series mostly take place in Maine.
This book has nothing in common with either author.
The Midcoast is a very well written book that is really not about anything. Or I should say not anything interesting.
It has been said that if you are going write a story write about something you know. Sadly this author who teaches English really took this idea to heart.
The story is basically his own autobiography with a fictitious crime family run enterprise woven throughout the book. Unfortunately none of the characters nor the story is interesting, illuminating, or entraining. The book is 300 plus pages of boredom. At no time did I care about anyone in the book nor anything that happens to them because the whole book is written as if it is a overly long expose of a nonfiction story.
I can’t fathom how this got so much positive press.… (más)

The Midcoast: a Novel is a brilliant debut novel written by Adam White.
The title is an ‘All Things Considered’ Book Club Pick for June of 2023 and this very successful and wonderful Book Club program is sponsored by Maine Public and Independent Book Sellers in Maine.
The book was a fantastic read - lots of tensions, insights into the ‘Maine personality’, resentments, secrets, crime. A “complicated mix of class mobility and class constraints”.
I could not put the book down, once I started reading. It was very readable, interesting and
insightful.
The characters seem to be very personal to Mr. White, as well as the crimes they commit.
A perfect book to read anytime, especially on a foggy day on the Maine Coast.
*****… (más)

Enjoyed this book, but did not love it. I loved that it took place mostly in Maine, where I live, so it was remarkably relatable in the setting, and accurately portrayed as well. The structure of the novel was disjointed....on purpose of course, but I seemed to struggle with it in that I was often unclear what time-frame we had just jumped to. The story was a first and second-hand account of the rise and eventual downfall of a midcoast lobstering family, as told by an acquaintance of the family who seemed somehow compelled to write a book about the sad result of the decline. This required interviews with family members that I find hard to believe would willingly support and participate in such a book, thus diminishing the believability some. Was uncertain of the ending until it happened and that is always good. A first novel, and a fairly quick read......no regrets.… (más)

Reasonably suspenseful take on a rural Maine family whose sudden and inexplicable trappings of wealth raise lots of eyebrows in their small town, chiefly those of the narrator that grew up with them and only recently moved back to town. This sets up the mystery of the plot, with many layers and a few flashbacks. Both parents are ambitious locals that came from modest backgrounds and make questionable choices to climb to their current positions (dad is a business owner, mom is the town manager), while the two teenagers of the family are just trying to form what will be their adult identities. The story got a little bogged down in nostalgia at some points, but still an entertaining read and I'm glad I finished it.… (más)