A melodic story about finding one’s voice when all has seemingly been lost.
Memories can be a double-edged sword, a wonderful tool for recalling our most treasured moments but also a terrible weapon reminding us of things we wish we could forget. For Simon Richter, the ability to wield his sword of memories is waning and certain truths might be lost once his eighty-year-old mind can no longer contain them. He needs lists to complete basic daily tasks, he can’t recall his current son-in-law, and the fading memories of his mother are shrouded in protective secrets. Yet, he can’t lose sight of the burden he’s become for his steadfast wife of some five decades. Simon takes as much joy as he can in his daily routine of reminders from his wife, cautious walks along a familiar route, and private clarinet recitals for his cat. For Simon and his closely monitored life, however, a storm is coming, both literal and figurative. Frustrated by his mental confinement and eager to truly understand himself, he abandons the safety of home and sets off on what becomes a cathartic journey. Simon’s buried secrets aren’t the only things hidden within the boughs of his complicated family tree and this nor’easter promises to shake things loose that have been tucked away for decades. With the weather bearing down and the clock ticking, self-discovery might be the last thing Simon ever does.
A melodic story about finding one’s voice when all has seemingly been lost, The Singing Stick is a sorrowful tale of generations singularly bound by music. With an impending storm, the haze surrounding Simon’s mother’s death, and a murky lineage that has long been obscured, an aura of suspense helps weave the plot into a colorful tapestry of many shades. Spanning multiple timeframes and viewpoints, this expansive novel confronts emotionally challenging issues such as rape, manslaughter, kidnapping, and abuse with unreserved honesty. Though many situations are painful, the story isn’t all roiling emotions and inevitable heartache. The sincerity of a down-to-earth cast adds balance, light, and warmth in unguarded moments. Even auxiliary characters such as a local postal worker who thoughtfully bundles mail and humors the old man’s recurrent joke add authenticity to the story. Instrumentalists will adore the author’s nearly sensual descriptions of clarinet playing, while less musically inclined readers might develop a passion for the artistry of this melancholic instrument as felt through time and kinship. An exploration of the inner workings of a fading mind, the toll of a broken heart, and the battle to maintain an unbreakable spirit will plunge readers into the deeply thoughtful novel, The Singing Stick.
