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A review by saltygalreads
Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
3.0
This was a different kind of read for me. Interestingly, it was categorized as a supernatural thriller, but I would describe it more as a blend of Sci-Fi and Mystery. Beck and Riley are two sisters who have lost their mother to cancer. She was a vibrant, driven journalist that became immersed in her research and writing, and in so doing, was a distant and enigmatic figure to her daughters. After her death, Beck receives a note in her handwriting to "come and find me" in a little town called Backravel AZ. The town and its mysterious leader was the subject of her mother's obsession for years prior to her death, so Beck cannot resist the temptation to try and learn more about her mother's time there. Beck and Riley go there to stay in a trailer for two weeks prior to moving to Texas with their father and step-mother.
Backravel has a strange and otherworldly aspect, with a mix of shiny new construction alongside the ruins of old military buildings. The town residents seem to have no memory of their lives prior to moving to Backravel, and there are no churches, vehicles or cemeteries. Beck feels a bizarre pulsating energy in the town that seems to emanate from underground, and the only ones who seem to know the town history are the town leader Ricky and his daughter Avery. Riley must get to the bottom of this mystery before she has to leave and move to Texas.
The author did a masterful job of describing Backravel - ominous, strangely empty and stuck in a time warp with its vague inhabitants. Beck must decide whether to stay in Backravel and continue to live in her past life or to move forward with whatever unknowns life has in store. What will she do and what impact will her decision have on her sister?
Backravel is a metaphor for the state of grief, where one can stay immersed in their memories of the person they lost and times past, or consciously choose to keep moving forward and rejoin the world of the living. It is well-imagined and well-written, with a perfect desert setting and memorable characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan.
Backravel has a strange and otherworldly aspect, with a mix of shiny new construction alongside the ruins of old military buildings. The town residents seem to have no memory of their lives prior to moving to Backravel, and there are no churches, vehicles or cemeteries. Beck feels a bizarre pulsating energy in the town that seems to emanate from underground, and the only ones who seem to know the town history are the town leader Ricky and his daughter Avery. Riley must get to the bottom of this mystery before she has to leave and move to Texas.
The author did a masterful job of describing Backravel - ominous, strangely empty and stuck in a time warp with its vague inhabitants. Beck must decide whether to stay in Backravel and continue to live in her past life or to move forward with whatever unknowns life has in store. What will she do and what impact will her decision have on her sister?
Backravel is a metaphor for the state of grief, where one can stay immersed in their memories of the person they lost and times past, or consciously choose to keep moving forward and rejoin the world of the living. It is well-imagined and well-written, with a perfect desert setting and memorable characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan.