Book Summary and Reviews of The Northern Reach by W.S. Winslow

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Cathryn Conroy

A Fierce, Intelligent Novel That Grabbed Me from the First Page. Literary Fiction at Its Fines
This book grabbed me right from the first page and wouldn't let go. And that's quite a statement because even though this is a novel, it reads more like interconnected short stories. Each new chapter begins a tale about new characters in a different time period, so the fact that I was riveted to the book—even with all the sudden starts and stops inherent in short stories—says so much about the extraordinary writing of author W.S. Winslow.

This is the story of several families living in Wellbridge, a very small town on the wild coast of Maine, that takes place over a 100-year period. Each chapter begins with a genealogical chart of the characters who are about to be portrayed. On top of that chart is the year in which that chapter takes place. These clues are really important for threading all the pieces together. The book begins in 1977, but then jumps back to 1904 and continues chronologically from there to 2017. Life is hard. The weather is hard. The people are hard. There are devastating secrets. There are reprisals and betrayals. Each chapter is a thin slice of life—a deep dive into the microcosm with the end result being an overview of the macrocosm: one night of a mother's hallucinatory grief over her son, a dinner party, a phone conversation between two sisters, a funeral (which is really quite funny), a death that is told from the point of view of the one who is dying, two days in the life of a woman trying to heal after divorce ended her 30-year marriage. All of these stories ring true and real, and each one is imminently engrossing to read.

This novel is fierce, intelligent and emotionally resonant with vivid characters that are so real they seemingly pop off the page. "The Northern Reach" is serious literary fiction at its finest.

Maggie R. (Canoga Park, CA)

Definitely 5 stars
It has been challenging to find books to read avidly as 2020 passed by. I have never started and put down so many promising titles. So The Northern Reach is a particular pleasure. It is both expansive and compact with generations of interlocked families clearly identified in a complete family tree at the beginning with smaller trees at the beginning of each time shift. The cast is large, but this technique is actually more useful than the x ray feature of some Kindle books. The setting and plot - such as it is - has been well described by others. My goal is to encourage those readers who are reluctant to dive into a multi-generational tome.

Alison F. (Clearwater, FL)

Sweeping Family Saga
I thoroughly enjoyed this family saga set in coastal Maine. It reminded me of Louise Erdrich's Live Medicine in its scope and the interweaving of various families over many years. It also beautifully written and evokes a sense of place that makes this book even more exceptional. The chapters move about in time and they are tied together but it is better to consider them as short stories than to figure who is who. Finally, the stories lean toward dark and bleak but beautiful at the same time.

Rose N. (Saginaw, MI)

A Town and Family in Maine
What a joy it is to look in on this Maine town, near the Northern Reach, and be introduced to one of its extended families. One can easily relate to the ups and downs, the happy times and the sad times, that each family member experiences. Winslow expertly creates a portrait of ordinary people in a way that reflects the foibles of life many of us know, sometimes endure, and often love.

Linda J. (Urbana, OH)

Everybody's Family is a little bit...
This is the story of family interactions in a small town in Maine. Some are Catholic. Some are not. Some were born on the "right" side of the tracks. Some were not. Some are faithful to their spouse. Some are not. Some are liked by others in the town. Others...

At first, I had a little trouble, despite family trees posted at the beginning of each chapter, following where I was reading on the tree. Eventually, I stopped worrying about it and just went along for the ride. It was a pleasant journey.

This cradle Catholic, long time church organist has NEVER heard the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in a Catholic Church. Too popular/secular?

cece j

the northern reach
I am not a fan of long family sagas that can drone on for hundreds of pages, but this new author has given us a novel of vignettes about four families in upper Maine over most of the last century, who are far from dull or mundane. She has chosen her words well to tell their stories of grief, heart break, lost love and secrets in a completely compelling way. You might find many of the characters unlikable, and they often do not like each other, but they are always connected and drawn back to each other by strong family bonds that force them to reveal their love and guilt and dependence on each other -- so much like my own large family. While their foibles can bring smiles and laughs to you, they might also bring tears. I will be watching for Ms. Winslow's next novel and hope it appears soon.

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