"This is a story of loss, yes, but more than that; it's a story of love, a story carefully and beautifully told. Jon Chopan is a writer with moxie and heart. He may tell us not to believe everything we read, but, thanks to his veracity and precision, we do. We most certainly do."—Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever
Vividly weaving memory, urban legend, and stark reality, Pulled from the River explores the distance between a city's greatness and its failures, between place and identity, between who we are and who we hope to be.
Mouse8
Posted May 3, 2012
can't remember the last time I've finished an entire book in under 24 hours. Once I began, I could not stop.
Chopan is an author with the skill of storytelling. Not only are the words beautiful, but they are cleverly crafted to make the reader feel every ounce of emotion.
The intertwining of the character's personal stories with the backdrop of the City are blended together perfectly, and greatly play off the theme. The dying City, the River, the layoffs...the ebb and tide of the great cities of this country as they crumble under changing times and economy. The snapshot of Rochester portrayed in this book is even more relevant with the recent announcement of the bankruptcy of Kodak, and all it entails.
The characters are of a generation that wavers in the purgatory between youth and adulthood, a period that is elongated and painful at times. The thoughts and feelings portrayed in the stories resonate very humanistic fears. The author writes, "My greatest fear is that I will let slip away that which I love most." This passage is the book at its most beautiful.
Overall a brilliant debut for Chopan. His keen eye for detail and observation, as well as the portrayal of human emotion, will easily continue to propel him with his craft. I can see a bright future for this author.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 11, 2012
.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 9, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
"This is a story of loss, yes, but more than that; it's a story of love, a story carefully and beautifully told. Jon Chopan is a writer with moxie and heart. He may tell us not to believe everything we read, but, thanks to his veracity and precision, we do. We most certainly do."—Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever
Vividly weaving memory, urban legend, and stark reality, Pulled from the River explores the distance between a city's greatness and its failures, between place ...