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Title details for Swift River by Essie Chambers - Wait list

Swift River

by Essie Chambers
Shayna Small
Audiobook
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A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK | A National Bestseller | Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | One of The Washington Post's Best Books of 2024 | An NPR Best Book of 2024 | An Elle Best Book of 2024 | A Boston Globe Best Book of 2024 | An NAACP Image Award Nominee

"A book we all need to revive our souls" (Nicole Dennis-Benn): A "powerful novel...[that] broke my heart, and then offered me hope" (Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful) about a complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the disappearance of a father, and the long-hidden history of a declining New England mill town.
It's the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that's not the only reason Diamond stands out: she's teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop's been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on.

But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she's never met, key elements of Pop's life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the 20th century and reveal a much larger picture of prejudice and abandonment, of love and devotion. As pieces of their shared past become clearer, Diamond gains a sense of her place in the world and in her family. But how will what she's learned of the past change her future?

A "sparkling" (The Washington Post), "poetic, and propulsive" (NPR) debut of first friendships, family secrets, and finding the courage to let go, Swift River heralds the arrival of a major new literary talent.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    June 4, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797174563
      • File size: 296399 KB
      • Duration: 10:17:29

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      April 8, 2024
      Chambers debuts with a poignant coming-of-age story about a Black girl growing up in a predominantly white New England town north of Boston in 1987. It’s the summer before Diamond Newberry’s junior year of high school, and she and her Irish American mother, Annabelle, have been struggling to make ends meet since her father, Robert, disappeared seven years ago, when only his shoes and wallet were found on the side of the river. Knowing Annabelle would disapprove, Diamond secretly works at a motel to save money for driver’s ed lessons. After she befriends fellow student Shelly Ostrowski, the two begin making plans to move to Florida together following graduation. Diamond’s impulse to start a new life is driven partly by her mother’s continued struggle to obtain a death certificate for Robert, which they need for the life insurance benefit, and by Annabelle’s hurtful scrutiny. While plotting to leave, Diamond also exchanges letters with her father’s cousin Clara, who raised him. From Clara, Diamond learns more about the Black side of her family, and why they left town for Canada. Tension mounts as Diamond struggles to find a way forward and her bond with Annabelle stretches to its breaking point. Adding to the story’s depth are complex characterizations and intriguing epistolary interjections from Clara. Chambers’s assured first novel sings. Agent: Julie Barer, Book Group.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Shayna Small infuses teen angst throughout Chambers's novel. Diamond, a biracial teen, is still reeling from her father's death eight years ago. Narrating largely from Diamond's point of view, Small skillfully uses nuanced voicings for the many conversations Diamond has with other characters. Small captures the teen's pain when Ma has Pop declared dead in order to collect his insurance money. Rebelling, Diamond plans to run away from Swift River, with its racial slurs and body shaming. Small makes Diamond's pain and confusion palpable when she discovers letters from her Auntie-Cousin Lena, delivered with Southern grace by Janina Edwards, and from Aunt Clara, performed with warmth by Robin Miles. The letters detail the family's Swift River history and heritage. S.D.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      December 13, 2024

      In the summer of 1987, 16-year-old Diamond Newberry plans her escape from her small New England hometown. After her father's disappearance years earlier, Diamond and her white mother, Annabelle, struggle to make ends meet; Annabelle is biding her time until Diamond's father, a Black man, is declared dead so she can collect his life insurance payout. Diamond never fit into their small community, not only because she is the only Black person in town but also because of her weight and her precarious living situation. This summer is different, however, as she gets a job, secretly learns to drive, and receives an unexpected letter from a relative who shares information about her father's side of the family. The story alternates between the near past and 1915, a pivotal time in Diamond's family history. Primary narrator Shayna Small skillfully communicates Diamond's confusion as she struggles to find her place in the world and contends with her mother's eccentricities. Supporting narrators Janina Edwards and Robin Miles provide a gentle counterpoint, imbuing their performances of Diamond's aunties with serenity and warmth. VERDICT Chambers's poignant debut captivates. Listeners will be invested in Diamond's situation, cheering her on as she becomes herself.--Joanna M. Burkhardt

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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