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The Year of the Storm
In this haunting, suspenseful debut novel, John Mantooth takes readers to a town in rural Alabama where secrets are buried deep, reality is relative, and salvation requires a desperate act of faith.
When Danny was fourteen, his mother and sister disappeared during a violent storm. The police were baffled. There were no clues, and most people figured they were dead. Only Danny still holds out hope that they’ll return.
Months later, a disheveled Vietnam vet named Walter Pike shows up at Danny’s front door, claiming to know their whereabouts. The story he tells is so incredible that Danny knows he shouldn’t believe him. Others warn him about Walter Pike’s dark past, his shameful flight from town years ago, and the suspicious timing of his return.
But he’s Danny’s last hope, and Danny needs to believe…
When Danny was fourteen, his mother and sister disappeared during a violent storm. The police were baffled. There were no clues, and most people figured they were dead. Only Danny still holds out hope that they’ll return.
Months later, a disheveled Vietnam vet named Walter Pike shows up at Danny’s front door, claiming to know their whereabouts. The story he tells is so incredible that Danny knows he shouldn’t believe him. Others warn him about Walter Pike’s dark past, his shameful flight from town years ago, and the suspicious timing of his return.
But he’s Danny’s last hope, and Danny needs to believe…
309 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
31 people are currently reading
1,395 people want to read
About the author
John Mantooth
36 books104 followersJOHN MANTOOTH is the award winning author of two novels and a short story collection. His first novel, The Year of the Storm, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. He has also published three crime novels under the pseudonym Hank Early. Heaven’s Crooked Finger (written as Hank Early) was a Next Generation Indie Book award winner and 2017 Foreword Indies Award Finalist. He lives in Alabama with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 31, 2019
i can't help but feel a little tiny bubble of apprehension when short story writers make the big move to the novel, because i worry that they won't be able to sustain the narrative long-form.
but once i saw that Frank Bill, of all people, was comparing this to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, of all books...i should have known this would be pretty solid.
and it is definitely solid.
i'm not really sure how to classify it. i guess it is "slipstream," even though that is itself a slippery genre, and it depends on how you interpret the contents of this book, which blurs the line between reality, delusion, magic, and coping mechanisms.
this definitely has shades of the body in it, which frank bill also cites as a point of comparison. not in its subject matter, but in the really tender way the main character is drawn. and ordinarily, that is a word that would cause me to run far away from a book because, ew, but in this case, i think it is appropriate. it is a coming-of-age novel set in a claustrophobic smalltown alabama setting, with all of the gossip and homophobia and family-reputation-baggage inherent in these kinds of places, but with this real jewel of a main character in danny.
when danny is fourteen his mother and four-year-old autistic sister go missing in a monstrous storm. everyone believes them to be dead, or to have run away, but danny believes something else, especially after he meets a mysterious man who claims he can show danny where they are.
which comes across slightly less creepy in the book.
this novel is written when danny is thirty years old, a vietnam vet looking back on that time in his life when the world was full of awful things, but also the possibility of magic.
the rest of the story is told from the POV of the old, one-eyed man with emphysema and a shady past who tries to reunite danny with his family.
and can i just take a minute here to once again squirm at eye-injuries in fiction?? SQUIRM!! this one was also particularly good. but...so shuddery.
this is one of those books that is just a good story. which seems like faint praise, but there are novelists and there are storytellers, and sometimes they are the same thing, but not always, and i really appreciate people who can just tell a good story.
mantooth is an excellent storyteller. the atmosphere has that "right-there" quality, especially the tornado scene, the characters seem genuine, there is a perfect blend of closure and ambiguity, it's just all around great stuff.
plus: QUICKSAND!
there are a couple of things i would have maybe wanted more of, but i think that is also the sign of a good storyteller - it isn't always about having all questions answered and wrapped up in a bow as much as the keeping a little bit of the story with you, as you wonder about what happens after, or what happened during the little lapses. we never have all our questions answered in life, so i kind of like the little gaps in my fiction.
and there aren't many; i never felt unsatisfied as a reader. just...a little yearning. and i like the yearn.
definitely worth checking out for anyone looking for a literary mystery novel with a twist.
and the fact that i would like to read this one again says a bit, i think.
so you should read it once, at least.
at least.
come to my blog!
but once i saw that Frank Bill, of all people, was comparing this to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, of all books...i should have known this would be pretty solid.
and it is definitely solid.
i'm not really sure how to classify it. i guess it is "slipstream," even though that is itself a slippery genre, and it depends on how you interpret the contents of this book, which blurs the line between reality, delusion, magic, and coping mechanisms.
this definitely has shades of the body in it, which frank bill also cites as a point of comparison. not in its subject matter, but in the really tender way the main character is drawn. and ordinarily, that is a word that would cause me to run far away from a book because, ew, but in this case, i think it is appropriate. it is a coming-of-age novel set in a claustrophobic smalltown alabama setting, with all of the gossip and homophobia and family-reputation-baggage inherent in these kinds of places, but with this real jewel of a main character in danny.
when danny is fourteen his mother and four-year-old autistic sister go missing in a monstrous storm. everyone believes them to be dead, or to have run away, but danny believes something else, especially after he meets a mysterious man who claims he can show danny where they are.
which comes across slightly less creepy in the book.
this novel is written when danny is thirty years old, a vietnam vet looking back on that time in his life when the world was full of awful things, but also the possibility of magic.
the rest of the story is told from the POV of the old, one-eyed man with emphysema and a shady past who tries to reunite danny with his family.
and can i just take a minute here to once again squirm at eye-injuries in fiction?? SQUIRM!! this one was also particularly good. but...so shuddery.
this is one of those books that is just a good story. which seems like faint praise, but there are novelists and there are storytellers, and sometimes they are the same thing, but not always, and i really appreciate people who can just tell a good story.
mantooth is an excellent storyteller. the atmosphere has that "right-there" quality, especially the tornado scene, the characters seem genuine, there is a perfect blend of closure and ambiguity, it's just all around great stuff.
plus: QUICKSAND!
there are a couple of things i would have maybe wanted more of, but i think that is also the sign of a good storyteller - it isn't always about having all questions answered and wrapped up in a bow as much as the keeping a little bit of the story with you, as you wonder about what happens after, or what happened during the little lapses. we never have all our questions answered in life, so i kind of like the little gaps in my fiction.
and there aren't many; i never felt unsatisfied as a reader. just...a little yearning. and i like the yearn.
definitely worth checking out for anyone looking for a literary mystery novel with a twist.
and the fact that i would like to read this one again says a bit, i think.
so you should read it once, at least.
at least.
come to my blog!
October 8, 2018
”I remember fourteen. Best and worst year of my life. Best because I learned how to be a man. Worst because I forgot how to be a boy.”
I too remember being fourteen. It was the year of my first girlfriend, my first real girlfriend. Stephanie, the girl with the chocolate eyes, in sixth grade really doesn’t count. She did hug me once, a thrilling experience that left me dazed for the rest of the day. My mother was about to tear her hair out because Miss Stephanie was Catholic and I was forbidden to date a Catholic. As my mom got into a lather about Catholicism I wanted to say, but had the sense not to, mom did you see her eyes? I couldn’t have given a rat’s ass if she were Mormon, Baptist, Martian or descended from a Pope’s mistress in my mind’s eye she was from Venus.
Her family moved away over the summer.
Nicki was a butcher’s daughter, yeah I know cool huh?, and a Junior. Now I don’t know how things worked at the schools that you all went to, but a Freshman boy dating a Junior girl with long blond hair, blue-eyes, and mega-attractiveness, did not set well with the Junior and Senior boys. I was poaching on what they considered to be their flock. They waited for me after school. I’d grown some, but not enough to contend with a bunch of dumbass rednecks with rocks in their skulls. I stayed after school and shot hoops in the gym. Once in awhile I would wander over to the door and peer out the crack and see if they were still out there surrounding my car. Usually they didn’t have the patience to wait too long. For about two weeks I had to watch my ass everywhere I went. I carried my tire iron under my front seat. It made dating difficult.
Still what a year that was.
Now this story is about Danny and Walter Pike in two different timelines at age fourteen. Walter is friends with some puppy torturing guys that remind me of some of the dumbasses that wanted to rearrange my features. Everything goes sideways when Walter stands between them and a boy named Seth who is a suspected queer. Seth isn’t the best boy to be friends with. He has trust issues (understandable), his Dad is an asshole, and he has weird ideas about a storm shelter that can take people to an alternative universe. Now it is hard enough being fourteen on the cusp of adulthood with more expectations; and yet, still treated like a kid without the added burden of trying to fathom an alternative universe. Seth takes Walter to this other dimension and makes a believer out of him. Seth disappears and Walter tries to get on with his life. The year is 1959 and Walter is the perfect age, a few years later, to be drafted for Vietnam. He shows up in Danny’s timeline a broken down old man hauling around an oxygen tank. He has a little problem with a county sheriff.
”They told you some shit about me, Pike said, and his voice was ragged, full of sharp edges and menace. But they must have left out the most important parts. I’m a crazy motherfucker. I spent nearly three years in the Hanoi Hilton letting Charlie pour sand down my throat. I’ve killed before, and it ain’t nothing for me to kill again.”
The older Walter Pike is by far the coolest guy in the book. Now Danny has lost his mother and sister in a super storm, but no sign of them is ever found. As Danny stumbles across more and more weirdness he starts to believe that they are in that other dimension. Walter is the perfect guy to convince him it is possible.
Much happens.
Kudzu takes over Alabama.
Not really, well I haven’t checked with my buddy Mike Sullivan, but I’m pretty sure other foliage grows in Alabama. Kudzu was first brought to the South in the mid-19th century to help with erosion issues. The vine went out of control.
If you leave your house for a week in Alabama you come back to this.
John Mantooth mentions it about a million times. Okay that is hyperbole and frankly I’m not willing to put this all on Mantooth. I mean there are still editors out there right? Get the man a foliage of Alabama book.
The problem is the word kudzu is so unusual that a reader can’t help, but notice it being overused.
If you stop your car to go take a leak in Alabama you come back to THIS.
I’d show you some more kudzu pictures, but they are just too damn scary.
For most of the book I thought I was reading a Young Adult book. I felt at times like the novel had been put through a word strainer and any of those, as my Dad would call them, fifty cent words were thrown in the recycling bin. I know that they teach writers not to use fifty cent words when a normal one will do, but my “normal” vocabulary is higher than the eighth grade level and I appreciate seeing a few fifty cent words. They make me all tingly. Mantooth does have a good plot and if I hadn’t been distracted by the creeping kudzu I might have appreciated it more. Mantooth missed the real horror of this novel...it is the KUDZU. Before he comes to his senses and writes the novel that he should have I’m pounding out the book KUDZU MADNESS, does anyone remember REEFER MADNESS? I wonder if one can get high smoking kudzu. *Sigh*
Okay one more.
Kudzu takes human shape and takes over the world!!!
I too remember being fourteen. It was the year of my first girlfriend, my first real girlfriend. Stephanie, the girl with the chocolate eyes, in sixth grade really doesn’t count. She did hug me once, a thrilling experience that left me dazed for the rest of the day. My mother was about to tear her hair out because Miss Stephanie was Catholic and I was forbidden to date a Catholic. As my mom got into a lather about Catholicism I wanted to say, but had the sense not to, mom did you see her eyes? I couldn’t have given a rat’s ass if she were Mormon, Baptist, Martian or descended from a Pope’s mistress in my mind’s eye she was from Venus.
Her family moved away over the summer.
Nicki was a butcher’s daughter, yeah I know cool huh?, and a Junior. Now I don’t know how things worked at the schools that you all went to, but a Freshman boy dating a Junior girl with long blond hair, blue-eyes, and mega-attractiveness, did not set well with the Junior and Senior boys. I was poaching on what they considered to be their flock. They waited for me after school. I’d grown some, but not enough to contend with a bunch of dumbass rednecks with rocks in their skulls. I stayed after school and shot hoops in the gym. Once in awhile I would wander over to the door and peer out the crack and see if they were still out there surrounding my car. Usually they didn’t have the patience to wait too long. For about two weeks I had to watch my ass everywhere I went. I carried my tire iron under my front seat. It made dating difficult.
Still what a year that was.
Now this story is about Danny and Walter Pike in two different timelines at age fourteen. Walter is friends with some puppy torturing guys that remind me of some of the dumbasses that wanted to rearrange my features. Everything goes sideways when Walter stands between them and a boy named Seth who is a suspected queer. Seth isn’t the best boy to be friends with. He has trust issues (understandable), his Dad is an asshole, and he has weird ideas about a storm shelter that can take people to an alternative universe. Now it is hard enough being fourteen on the cusp of adulthood with more expectations; and yet, still treated like a kid without the added burden of trying to fathom an alternative universe. Seth takes Walter to this other dimension and makes a believer out of him. Seth disappears and Walter tries to get on with his life. The year is 1959 and Walter is the perfect age, a few years later, to be drafted for Vietnam. He shows up in Danny’s timeline a broken down old man hauling around an oxygen tank. He has a little problem with a county sheriff.
”They told you some shit about me, Pike said, and his voice was ragged, full of sharp edges and menace. But they must have left out the most important parts. I’m a crazy motherfucker. I spent nearly three years in the Hanoi Hilton letting Charlie pour sand down my throat. I’ve killed before, and it ain’t nothing for me to kill again.”
The older Walter Pike is by far the coolest guy in the book. Now Danny has lost his mother and sister in a super storm, but no sign of them is ever found. As Danny stumbles across more and more weirdness he starts to believe that they are in that other dimension. Walter is the perfect guy to convince him it is possible.
Much happens.
Kudzu takes over Alabama.
Not really, well I haven’t checked with my buddy Mike Sullivan, but I’m pretty sure other foliage grows in Alabama. Kudzu was first brought to the South in the mid-19th century to help with erosion issues. The vine went out of control.
If you leave your house for a week in Alabama you come back to this.
John Mantooth mentions it about a million times. Okay that is hyperbole and frankly I’m not willing to put this all on Mantooth. I mean there are still editors out there right? Get the man a foliage of Alabama book.
The problem is the word kudzu is so unusual that a reader can’t help, but notice it being overused.
If you stop your car to go take a leak in Alabama you come back to THIS.
I’d show you some more kudzu pictures, but they are just too damn scary.
For most of the book I thought I was reading a Young Adult book. I felt at times like the novel had been put through a word strainer and any of those, as my Dad would call them, fifty cent words were thrown in the recycling bin. I know that they teach writers not to use fifty cent words when a normal one will do, but my “normal” vocabulary is higher than the eighth grade level and I appreciate seeing a few fifty cent words. They make me all tingly. Mantooth does have a good plot and if I hadn’t been distracted by the creeping kudzu I might have appreciated it more. Mantooth missed the real horror of this novel...it is the KUDZU. Before he comes to his senses and writes the novel that he should have I’m pounding out the book KUDZU MADNESS, does anyone remember REEFER MADNESS? I wonder if one can get high smoking kudzu. *Sigh*
Okay one more.
Kudzu takes human shape and takes over the world!!!
September 13, 2013
(I received a free copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
This is one that’s tough to review because the official summary doesn’t tell you about a major part of the plot, and that element is such a big part of the story that it’s nearly impossible to talk about the book without discussing it. Looking through the other reviews, it seems like everyone has tried to be cagey about what they’re revealing. I thought about going in that direction, but if you hide all that behind a spoiler warning, then you’re not really telling a potential reader what the book is about.
ARRGGHHHH!!! I can’t take the pressure.
Screw it. Here’s the short version that doesn’t tell you much more than the back cover does.
Fourteen year old Danny and his father are trying to deal with the disappearance of his mother and young autistic sister. They vanished in the nearby woods following a massive storm and not a trace has been found. Months later, a mysterious old man named Walter begins hanging around Danny’s house, and he has a wild story to tell that Danny thinks may hold the key to finding them. However, others in town, including Danny’s father, think that Walter is dangerous and was involved with the disappearance of two teenage girls years earlier.
I liked the set-up for this quite a bit, and Mantooth has that knack of keeping you turning the pages to see what comes next. The story that Walter tells of his own youth was particularly compelling as he details his encounters with another young boy who is the victim of vicious bullies. It’s also great to see the rural Alabama setting with violent thunderstorms, thick woods and small town secrets used well to build an atmosphere of tension and mystery.
However, I gotta get into the other element to detail why it went from 4 to a strong 3 star rating for me so while I’m not giving up the ending, that’s what’s behind the
It’s very possible that the aspect that dragged it down a bit for me would be the kind of thing that another reader would love. It’s still an entertaining and intriguing story that makes the most out of its rural setting.
This is one that’s tough to review because the official summary doesn’t tell you about a major part of the plot, and that element is such a big part of the story that it’s nearly impossible to talk about the book without discussing it. Looking through the other reviews, it seems like everyone has tried to be cagey about what they’re revealing. I thought about going in that direction, but if you hide all that behind a spoiler warning, then you’re not really telling a potential reader what the book is about.
ARRGGHHHH!!! I can’t take the pressure.
Screw it. Here’s the short version that doesn’t tell you much more than the back cover does.
Fourteen year old Danny and his father are trying to deal with the disappearance of his mother and young autistic sister. They vanished in the nearby woods following a massive storm and not a trace has been found. Months later, a mysterious old man named Walter begins hanging around Danny’s house, and he has a wild story to tell that Danny thinks may hold the key to finding them. However, others in town, including Danny’s father, think that Walter is dangerous and was involved with the disappearance of two teenage girls years earlier.
I liked the set-up for this quite a bit, and Mantooth has that knack of keeping you turning the pages to see what comes next. The story that Walter tells of his own youth was particularly compelling as he details his encounters with another young boy who is the victim of vicious bullies. It’s also great to see the rural Alabama setting with violent thunderstorms, thick woods and small town secrets used well to build an atmosphere of tension and mystery.
However, I gotta get into the other element to detail why it went from 4 to a strong 3 star rating for me so while I’m not giving up the ending, that’s what’s behind the
It’s very possible that the aspect that dragged it down a bit for me would be the kind of thing that another reader would love. It’s still an entertaining and intriguing story that makes the most out of its rural setting.
June 29, 2013
...I've come to think of fourteen as not only the longest year of my life, but also the most important because it was the last year of childhood and the first year of the rest of my life, a life that would be forever marked as different in subtle and insidious ways from the people around me.
Fourteen was the year my mother and sister disappeared, the year I lost my mind. The year I learned secrets that will stay with me until I am no longer able to think of them.
Well...the book starts out beautifully. There is no question that Mantooth can write.
We meet Danny, whose mother and sister have vanished during a storm. Most people assume that they are dead, but Danny hopes against hope that they will be found alive. A short time later, a mysterious man appears, telling Danny about two other girls who once disappeared, and hinting that he might know the whereabouts of the latest missing females. Danny soon learns that there is more than one way to disappear.
There I was, pleasantly lulled along, intrigued by the dual mysteries set decades apart...and then...well, we take a dive into magic, madness and the supernatural. It would be fine if I knew this at the onset, but I was expecting the book to be a straightforward mystery/crime novel. I always feel duped and cheated when this occurs, because once we enter the realm of the fantastical...anything can happen. Things no longer HAVE to make sense.
Argh!
The lyrical writing saves this book, but all the same, I hope the author's characters stay firmly rooted in reality next time around.
Fourteen was the year my mother and sister disappeared, the year I lost my mind. The year I learned secrets that will stay with me until I am no longer able to think of them.
Well...the book starts out beautifully. There is no question that Mantooth can write.
We meet Danny, whose mother and sister have vanished during a storm. Most people assume that they are dead, but Danny hopes against hope that they will be found alive. A short time later, a mysterious man appears, telling Danny about two other girls who once disappeared, and hinting that he might know the whereabouts of the latest missing females. Danny soon learns that there is more than one way to disappear.
There I was, pleasantly lulled along, intrigued by the dual mysteries set decades apart...and then...well, we take a dive into magic, madness and the supernatural. It would be fine if I knew this at the onset, but I was expecting the book to be a straightforward mystery/crime novel. I always feel duped and cheated when this occurs, because once we enter the realm of the fantastical...anything can happen. Things no longer HAVE to make sense.
Argh!
The lyrical writing saves this book, but all the same, I hope the author's characters stay firmly rooted in reality next time around.
October 29, 2023
Wow. All I can say is what a awesome coming of age story. The writing is so damn good it just grips you. The characters, the going back and forth in time to tell the story its all just really well done. Its emotional and "magical" in the way that when you're a kid you have the power to "believe" in thing and circumstances that we either can't believe as adults or maybe we just can't remember how. If you like coming of age stories I highly recommend this one
June 15, 2013
As well as loving crime fiction, I am also a fan of contemporary American fiction, so very much in the vein of Michael Koryta, Wiley Cash and Tom Franklin, The Year of the Storm, not only conforms to the tenets of contemporary American fiction, but also manifests itself as a seamless fusion of crime inflected with a tinge of the supernatural.
This is a beautifully controlled piece of prose which struck me as a very powerful examination of the validity of memory, as adult Danny looks back on the distressing and ultimately life forming events of his early teens through therapy. There is almost a gauze-like effect to the prose, as the text is imbibed with references to how reliable memory is, not only on the part of Danny, but also of grizzled Vietnam vet Walter, whose interaction and relationship with Danny form the heart of the book. Walter acts as a kind of shadow puppet to Danny, as both have experienced traumatic events in their formative years, and the sanity of both seems to rely on the symbiotic nature of their relationship as their insecurities and fears come to light. The role of memory and reality looms large throughout, cleverly playing tricks on the characters and our perception as readers, as to the inherent truth of these men's lives, and the events that have shaped them.
As is my usual habit, I will not refer too much to the plot as the multi-layered feel to this book and some pretty startling reveals are yours to discover with as much pleasure as I did. What I will say though, is that as the events of both protagonists past and present come to light, Mantooth addresses some incredibly powerful issues throughout the book that are brought to light by the characters' closest personal relationships- grief, family, isolation, addiction, abuse, homophobia, Asperger's and the ties that bind humans together under pressure and in unlikely circumstances. However, due to the skilful control of Mantooth's prose, these seem somehow understated making them resonate more powerfully in the lyrical intensity of the prose- you are not assailed by them and the gradual introduction of them in certain contexts make them all the more affecting. The story is compelling and thought-provoking in the truest form of the Southern Gothic genre, with a feel of impending violence threatening to consume those in its shadow at any moment, and the tension is palpable throughout but with the overarching confusion of what is real and what is imagined. This is not only beautifully written and engaging, but having finished reading it a few days ago, I find I keep thinking about certain scenes from time to time, which in my book is evidence of a thoroughly good read to remain in my consciousness. The Year of the Storm is a rare find indeed.
This is a beautifully controlled piece of prose which struck me as a very powerful examination of the validity of memory, as adult Danny looks back on the distressing and ultimately life forming events of his early teens through therapy. There is almost a gauze-like effect to the prose, as the text is imbibed with references to how reliable memory is, not only on the part of Danny, but also of grizzled Vietnam vet Walter, whose interaction and relationship with Danny form the heart of the book. Walter acts as a kind of shadow puppet to Danny, as both have experienced traumatic events in their formative years, and the sanity of both seems to rely on the symbiotic nature of their relationship as their insecurities and fears come to light. The role of memory and reality looms large throughout, cleverly playing tricks on the characters and our perception as readers, as to the inherent truth of these men's lives, and the events that have shaped them.
As is my usual habit, I will not refer too much to the plot as the multi-layered feel to this book and some pretty startling reveals are yours to discover with as much pleasure as I did. What I will say though, is that as the events of both protagonists past and present come to light, Mantooth addresses some incredibly powerful issues throughout the book that are brought to light by the characters' closest personal relationships- grief, family, isolation, addiction, abuse, homophobia, Asperger's and the ties that bind humans together under pressure and in unlikely circumstances. However, due to the skilful control of Mantooth's prose, these seem somehow understated making them resonate more powerfully in the lyrical intensity of the prose- you are not assailed by them and the gradual introduction of them in certain contexts make them all the more affecting. The story is compelling and thought-provoking in the truest form of the Southern Gothic genre, with a feel of impending violence threatening to consume those in its shadow at any moment, and the tension is palpable throughout but with the overarching confusion of what is real and what is imagined. This is not only beautifully written and engaging, but having finished reading it a few days ago, I find I keep thinking about certain scenes from time to time, which in my book is evidence of a thoroughly good read to remain in my consciousness. The Year of the Storm is a rare find indeed.
April 30, 2013
I am a huge fan of John Mantooth’s collection of short stories entitled "Shoebox Train Wreck." I can’t see a school bus without thinking of "A Long Fall Into Nothing, and Chicken." John set the bar really high for himself with that group of compelling stories. It was with trepidation that I opened the cover of "The Year of the Storm." I have been disappointed before when a second book falls far short of the first. It was almost painful.
“A storm is a kind of magic.” It’s a simple opening sentence but I knew I could quit worrying because this was going to be more literary magic from John Mantooth.
For me, a good book not only has a well-told story but it must have characters that I care about. I have to be invested enough to want to know what happens next. I can be as involved in the bad guys as I am in the good ones. Danny, Walter and Seth are still important to me outside of the 309 pages we shared because I came to know them as if they were real people not just characters in a book. I know what it feels like to have your mother walk away without so much as a glance back at you. I know the pain of realizing that some people aren’t kidnapped or held hostage by people like Sykes, they just don’t care enough about you to stay. I know how hard it is to quit caring—if you ever do.
“You put those things in a box somewhere, bury them deep. Try not to think about them. It’s easier than you might imagine. It’s the remembering that’s the hard part.”
Those four sentences hurt me so much I cried. I know this was never meant to be a self-help book. It is a Southern Gothic story but sometimes the things we create far transcend their original intent. I can’t slip away to Virginia to look for my missing mother, but I can put all that pain and anger in a box and bury it. I often tell my art students that it doesn’t matter if their work is a public triumph, if it speaks to one individual then it is a success. This book didn’t just speak to me, it took me to Seth’s swamp and I was happy. It may not be nearly as important to someone else as it is to me, but at the very least, it is a compelling story of friendship, family, love, healing and magic.
“A storm is a kind of magic.” It’s a simple opening sentence but I knew I could quit worrying because this was going to be more literary magic from John Mantooth.
For me, a good book not only has a well-told story but it must have characters that I care about. I have to be invested enough to want to know what happens next. I can be as involved in the bad guys as I am in the good ones. Danny, Walter and Seth are still important to me outside of the 309 pages we shared because I came to know them as if they were real people not just characters in a book. I know what it feels like to have your mother walk away without so much as a glance back at you. I know the pain of realizing that some people aren’t kidnapped or held hostage by people like Sykes, they just don’t care enough about you to stay. I know how hard it is to quit caring—if you ever do.
“You put those things in a box somewhere, bury them deep. Try not to think about them. It’s easier than you might imagine. It’s the remembering that’s the hard part.”
Those four sentences hurt me so much I cried. I know this was never meant to be a self-help book. It is a Southern Gothic story but sometimes the things we create far transcend their original intent. I can’t slip away to Virginia to look for my missing mother, but I can put all that pain and anger in a box and bury it. I often tell my art students that it doesn’t matter if their work is a public triumph, if it speaks to one individual then it is a success. This book didn’t just speak to me, it took me to Seth’s swamp and I was happy. It may not be nearly as important to someone else as it is to me, but at the very least, it is a compelling story of friendship, family, love, healing and magic.
November 30, 2018
I went in to this novel trying to manage my exceedingly high expectations (almost always certain doom for my opinion of any book) given how much I loved Shoebox Train Wreck. My fear was that I might somehow be setting myself up for disappointment by comparing it unfairly to a short story collection I considered one of the best books of 2012 (and one of my favorite books, period). My fears were unfounded. While it is early in the year, I feel confident that The Year of the Storm will still be in my top five favorite books of 2013 come December.
While I wouldn't say that this book is as dark as Shoebox, it certainly carries on his trademark tone while strongly conveying a sense of youthful optimism at the same time. He tackles loyalty, loss, loneliness, and hope each with an emotional sincerity that other good writers couldn't match if they focused on only one of those themes at a time. The natural comparisons to be made here are with other dark coming of age tales like Stephen King's The Body (a.k.a. Stand By Me) and McCammon's Boy's Life. In my opinion, Mantooth has matched Boy's Life and handily bested The Body.
This one really should be on your Must Read List for 2013.
* Note: I read an uncorrected proof of this novel from the publisher prior to its official release.
While I wouldn't say that this book is as dark as Shoebox, it certainly carries on his trademark tone while strongly conveying a sense of youthful optimism at the same time. He tackles loyalty, loss, loneliness, and hope each with an emotional sincerity that other good writers couldn't match if they focused on only one of those themes at a time. The natural comparisons to be made here are with other dark coming of age tales like Stephen King's The Body (a.k.a. Stand By Me) and McCammon's Boy's Life. In my opinion, Mantooth has matched Boy's Life and handily bested The Body.
This one really should be on your Must Read List for 2013.
* Note: I read an uncorrected proof of this novel from the publisher prior to its official release.
April 21, 2022
This started out strong, but not even half way finished; I lost interest in the story.
It was a chore to pick it up; getting it finished and read was a top priority for me, in the end.
The book dragged and is long-winded. 309 pages. Maybe 225 - 250 seems better.
The story took off in a direction I wasn't expecting, which wasn't a good thing.
The ending was somewhat confusing and all over the place.
I wouldn't recommend a read to anyone.
December 15, 2013
Amazing! A story about hatred, about close-mindedness, about life in 1961 in Alabama, about a boy from a broken home, about believing in what the world tells you is not possible, about reconciliation, about murder, about abuse, about letting go of the past to make room for the future, about surviving, about the links that are not coincidences but are miracles.
A gripping ethereal read.
A gripping ethereal read.
November 9, 2017
You know those random book lists you stumble across in strange places? The ones that are somebody's favorite reads but seldom have anything that you haven't already read or have no interest in?
Two weeks ago, I had never heard of this book or its author, John Mantooth. It was on a list I clicked titled something like "Favorite Reads Similar to the TV show Stranger Things" or something like that. My son had recently sung the praises of the show, so I clicked through the list. Some of the books I'd read and liked, so the others might be worth a look-see.
Immediately, this book caught my attention. One of my biggest fears are tornados, so a horror book with that premise is a guarantee creep factor. That witch in Wizard of Oz was nothing compared to that tornado when I was little.
First thing I do is check Amazon for the price. WTF??!! It's not available for Kindle! WHY???
So that means I have to do the library thing. Now, I am a member of 3 library systems. The only one that had a copy is 30-40 minutes away in downtown Houston. Said library was damaged in our own recent storm, Harvey, and I wasn't sure if I could even get the book.
Luckily, I got a hold notice in a few days. A week ago, I got it in my hands (and two other books, of course to make the trip worthwhile).
And this book was so good, I immediately bought the prequel, a book of short stories John Mantooth contributed to, and put his own book of short stories, Shoebox Train Wreck on my WishList.
Yes, it's that good. The ambiance is awesome, the characters relatable and the plot intriguing. So why on earth is it not available for Kindle? More people should read it. YOU should read it.
Actual rating 4.5 stars, rounded up due to compulsive readability
Two weeks ago, I had never heard of this book or its author, John Mantooth. It was on a list I clicked titled something like "Favorite Reads Similar to the TV show Stranger Things" or something like that. My son had recently sung the praises of the show, so I clicked through the list. Some of the books I'd read and liked, so the others might be worth a look-see.
Immediately, this book caught my attention. One of my biggest fears are tornados, so a horror book with that premise is a guarantee creep factor. That witch in Wizard of Oz was nothing compared to that tornado when I was little.
First thing I do is check Amazon for the price. WTF??!! It's not available for Kindle! WHY???
So that means I have to do the library thing. Now, I am a member of 3 library systems. The only one that had a copy is 30-40 minutes away in downtown Houston. Said library was damaged in our own recent storm, Harvey, and I wasn't sure if I could even get the book.
Luckily, I got a hold notice in a few days. A week ago, I got it in my hands (and two other books, of course to make the trip worthwhile).
And this book was so good, I immediately bought the prequel, a book of short stories John Mantooth contributed to, and put his own book of short stories, Shoebox Train Wreck on my WishList.
Yes, it's that good. The ambiance is awesome, the characters relatable and the plot intriguing. So why on earth is it not available for Kindle? More people should read it. YOU should read it.
Actual rating 4.5 stars, rounded up due to compulsive readability
August 26, 2013
Too often "dark fiction" is a cipher for stories about the meaningless of life - that it's empty and devoid of purpose, and it's a rare author who can take readers through a dark and sometimes disturbing journey, nudge them close enough to the edge so they can look into the abyss below...but pull them back and offer them hope at the end.
John Mantooth is one of those authors, and as he did in his short story collection Shoebox Train Wreck, he walks this line in The Year of the Storm, showing us BOTH the worst and best in people, and showing us the magic and power of belief.
When Danny's mother and autistic sister disappear in the middle of a storm, life tilts into a dark, off-kilter world in which he's always waiting for them to return while his father grows ever more distant, bottling up his grief. After the police searches are long called off and everyone - including his father - has given up hope, Danny persists in his belief alone, convinced, somehow, that his mother and sister are still out there, somewhere, stabbed also by guilt that it's his fault they disappeared to begin with.
When a mysterious man named Walter Pike - a man with secrets and a tainted past - returns to his hometown, Danny's belief that his mother and sister can be found grows, because Walter hints at mysterious, nebulous things: that we understand so little about the world around us, that there are other worlds only just a step - or a slip - away. And despite the fact that his father and the Sheriff maintain Pike is a crazy, dangerous old man, despite his best friend's doubts, Danny follows Pike on a journey into the past, into a world that exists just next to our own...one he'll need every ounce of courage and belief he has to survive.
The Year of the Storm is a meta-physical "coming of age" tale that hits all the right notes, both light and dark. With ease, Mantooth flips back and forth between two first person narratives - Danny's in the present and Walter Pike's in the past, when he's Danny's age - and the novel's back cover description simply doesn't do it justice. The story is far more layered, smoothly revealing secrets about Pike and Danny's mother and others along the way. Also, the prose is smooth and a delight to read, making The Year of the Storm a novel not to be missed.
John Mantooth is one of those authors, and as he did in his short story collection Shoebox Train Wreck, he walks this line in The Year of the Storm, showing us BOTH the worst and best in people, and showing us the magic and power of belief.
When Danny's mother and autistic sister disappear in the middle of a storm, life tilts into a dark, off-kilter world in which he's always waiting for them to return while his father grows ever more distant, bottling up his grief. After the police searches are long called off and everyone - including his father - has given up hope, Danny persists in his belief alone, convinced, somehow, that his mother and sister are still out there, somewhere, stabbed also by guilt that it's his fault they disappeared to begin with.
When a mysterious man named Walter Pike - a man with secrets and a tainted past - returns to his hometown, Danny's belief that his mother and sister can be found grows, because Walter hints at mysterious, nebulous things: that we understand so little about the world around us, that there are other worlds only just a step - or a slip - away. And despite the fact that his father and the Sheriff maintain Pike is a crazy, dangerous old man, despite his best friend's doubts, Danny follows Pike on a journey into the past, into a world that exists just next to our own...one he'll need every ounce of courage and belief he has to survive.
The Year of the Storm is a meta-physical "coming of age" tale that hits all the right notes, both light and dark. With ease, Mantooth flips back and forth between two first person narratives - Danny's in the present and Walter Pike's in the past, when he's Danny's age - and the novel's back cover description simply doesn't do it justice. The story is far more layered, smoothly revealing secrets about Pike and Danny's mother and others along the way. Also, the prose is smooth and a delight to read, making The Year of the Storm a novel not to be missed.
April 2, 2013
John Mantooth’s debut novel, THE YEAR OF THE STORM, is a must read for 2013. Seriously, pre-order it here. You’ll be surprised that the novel is his debut – I was when I read his short story collection, SHOEBOX TRAIN WRECK, last year and found that it was his first major publication. The wonderfully dark collection held a strong aura of an established author, one whose work I couldn’t wait to dive back into. Alas, when I searched for another book by Mantooth, all I could find was ‘coming in 2013.’ Needless to say, given that SBTW was my favorite book of 2012, I had high hopes for THE YEAR OF THE STORM.
I recently had the great pleasure of reading an uncorrected proof from the publisher and it was a rare book to exceed my high expectations. I think it can be difficult for a reader to transition to a novel after reading an author’s short fiction (especially authors like Mantooth, whose stories pack an emotional wallop that the page can barely contain.) But Mantooth successfully expands upon his realm of dark fiction in the novel, maintaining the level of detail and prose throughout. It feels like you’re sitting down with an old raconteur and listening to him weave his favorite yarn. You have to slow down when you read this book, soak it all in. The prose is rich and atmosphere will linger on your mind.
Other reviews, including a blurb from author Frank Bill, have compared THE YEAR OF THE STORM to Stephen King’s THE BODY and Tom Franklin’s CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER. To me, THE YEAR OF THE STORM is the essential dark coming-of-age journey that you should have on your shelf. It wades into the mystical nature of childhood memories and adult reflection, touching on bullying, abuse, homophobia, hope, loss, loyalty, family, loneliness – details and themes handled with rare beauty that will leave readers reflecting on their own childhood.
Give it a pre-order and help create some buzz for the novel. And while you’re at it, pick up SHOEBOX TRAIN WRECK – it will hold you over until June.
I recently had the great pleasure of reading an uncorrected proof from the publisher and it was a rare book to exceed my high expectations. I think it can be difficult for a reader to transition to a novel after reading an author’s short fiction (especially authors like Mantooth, whose stories pack an emotional wallop that the page can barely contain.) But Mantooth successfully expands upon his realm of dark fiction in the novel, maintaining the level of detail and prose throughout. It feels like you’re sitting down with an old raconteur and listening to him weave his favorite yarn. You have to slow down when you read this book, soak it all in. The prose is rich and atmosphere will linger on your mind.
Other reviews, including a blurb from author Frank Bill, have compared THE YEAR OF THE STORM to Stephen King’s THE BODY and Tom Franklin’s CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER. To me, THE YEAR OF THE STORM is the essential dark coming-of-age journey that you should have on your shelf. It wades into the mystical nature of childhood memories and adult reflection, touching on bullying, abuse, homophobia, hope, loss, loyalty, family, loneliness – details and themes handled with rare beauty that will leave readers reflecting on their own childhood.
Give it a pre-order and help create some buzz for the novel. And while you’re at it, pick up SHOEBOX TRAIN WRECK – it will hold you over until June.
June 5, 2013
I won this in a first reads giveaway.
It makes me feel strange looking at all of the five and four star reviews.. I'd like to know what they saw in this book that I didn't. If I hadn't won this book, I honestly wouldn't have had it in me to even finish it. But I felt obligated to get to the end so I could leave a proper review.
I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. None of them were very well defined.. The personalities didn't differ enough to leave a remarkable impression on you. I found myself confusing the main characters, not recalling who was who or what had happened to which person.
I feel like the plot was lacking as well. It wasn't gripping or entertaining. This story did not hold my interest. I didn't care about the people
Enough to want to continue.
There were so many aspects of this book that just simply don't make sense. I know this may be the point of the story, not knowing for sure if what happened was real or just a sick mind trying to cope with a terrible lot in life.. But I'd still have liked a little more explanation on some things, such as why Sykes was there in the swamp. How did that happen? Especially in a different form than the girls, who were also dead.
I just find myself wishing I had the time I spent on this book back. It honestly did nothing for me.
It makes me feel strange looking at all of the five and four star reviews.. I'd like to know what they saw in this book that I didn't. If I hadn't won this book, I honestly wouldn't have had it in me to even finish it. But I felt obligated to get to the end so I could leave a proper review.
I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. None of them were very well defined.. The personalities didn't differ enough to leave a remarkable impression on you. I found myself confusing the main characters, not recalling who was who or what had happened to which person.
I feel like the plot was lacking as well. It wasn't gripping or entertaining. This story did not hold my interest. I didn't care about the people
Enough to want to continue.
There were so many aspects of this book that just simply don't make sense. I know this may be the point of the story, not knowing for sure if what happened was real or just a sick mind trying to cope with a terrible lot in life.. But I'd still have liked a little more explanation on some things, such as why Sykes was there in the swamp. How did that happen? Especially in a different form than the girls, who were also dead.
I just find myself wishing I had the time I spent on this book back. It honestly did nothing for me.
May 15, 2013
Mantooth's debut novel shows a sure and steady hand in creating a fully believable, literary coming-of-age story peppered with hints of the supernatural. He writes compelling characters with authentic motivations and emotions, all in an evocative, confident voice. Don't miss this one. It's a strong contender for best novel of the year.
June 11, 2013
Loved this book. Read it in less than a day. I didn't know what to expect and was blown away. I wish I could slip some days.
December 6, 2014
Wow, was this a tense and intrepid read. Not since "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" have I enjoyed a book in this genre so thoroughly. Not just the beginning, or the anxious middle or the tumbling endings- but the mood and motion of the entire whole; it was like one long but bottom lung, jarring gasp- fighting to do the next exhale. I could not put this book down- except once to sleep. Despite it being out of any chronology and nebulous to follow, it was mood bewitching enough to negate the out of time transitions Mantooth uses. His tale of "the slip" approaches a story of immersion into deep memory, rather like a "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. But this locale has worse nasties at either end.
Every boy in this story has a spirit that John Mantooth captures and does so without a touch of verbosity, and a minimum of vulgarity. All the boys, and some of them are unpleasant to miserable, but all are 14 year old authentic. The group in 1961, and the ones of decades later. Both groups. Seth seems a character carved into such deep identity that I have a prophetic inkling that he will appear in further Mantooth work. In some form, or in some other context. I hope I'm not wrong.
So why is it not a 5 star? The evil is evil, the kids are real! It's neither too long or too short. Alabama locale feel tornado electric!
It's me, or the problem I have sometimes, not always, with works of magic realism mode, as well. Suspending belief in most reality is possible. But when one thing after another doesn't jive with actual USA history? Or the transitions get so abrupt that you need to focus on who is narrating to make sense? Well, it seems to be the current fashion to do this flipping narrator or flipping time periods with very few clues. Most books can't bridge the mood doing that though. Not like this one does.
But there are facts that glared at me as off here. No spoilers, but how is Walter going to Viet Nam some years after this with only one eye? Apart from any draft deferment, I don't think he would be eligible for induction. But that's just a minor point. Also some of the adults were stone stereotypes, like the Sherriff and his second.
What a awesome first novel! I hope he writes more. No spoilers, but I hope the next has gone from Alabama to Oregon. And that the parents in the next one have some inklings about how to nurture, or at least speak with, their own children.
4.5 star, and I'll read whatever he writes. Oh yes, not as foul in language either as other Southern Grit. Lit. That's a huge plus, because those foul refrains get so tedious.
Every boy in this story has a spirit that John Mantooth captures and does so without a touch of verbosity, and a minimum of vulgarity. All the boys, and some of them are unpleasant to miserable, but all are 14 year old authentic. The group in 1961, and the ones of decades later. Both groups. Seth seems a character carved into such deep identity that I have a prophetic inkling that he will appear in further Mantooth work. In some form, or in some other context. I hope I'm not wrong.
So why is it not a 5 star? The evil is evil, the kids are real! It's neither too long or too short. Alabama locale feel tornado electric!
It's me, or the problem I have sometimes, not always, with works of magic realism mode, as well. Suspending belief in most reality is possible. But when one thing after another doesn't jive with actual USA history? Or the transitions get so abrupt that you need to focus on who is narrating to make sense? Well, it seems to be the current fashion to do this flipping narrator or flipping time periods with very few clues. Most books can't bridge the mood doing that though. Not like this one does.
But there are facts that glared at me as off here. No spoilers, but how is Walter going to Viet Nam some years after this with only one eye? Apart from any draft deferment, I don't think he would be eligible for induction. But that's just a minor point. Also some of the adults were stone stereotypes, like the Sherriff and his second.
What a awesome first novel! I hope he writes more. No spoilers, but I hope the next has gone from Alabama to Oregon. And that the parents in the next one have some inklings about how to nurture, or at least speak with, their own children.
4.5 star, and I'll read whatever he writes. Oh yes, not as foul in language either as other Southern Grit. Lit. That's a huge plus, because those foul refrains get so tedious.
July 6, 2013
Rarely am I so on the fence about a book that I enjoyed reading. John Mantooth's debut novel, The Year of the Storm, is definitely a gripping coming-of-age story, one that works on many levels. So much mystery and suspense takes place in those Alabama woods, that it was hard to put down, and I often grew upset when real life interrupted my reading.
However, the ending...I just don't know. It simply didn't work for me as well as I'd hoped. I've thought about the book many times since I finished it, and I realize that the ending couldn't have been satisfying in any other way, yet I still wanted more out of it...something that would have carried the darkness that envelopes the story right up to that final page.
The mystery behind the missing girls, the potential killers in the woods, and the possibilities behind slipping into another world are the elements that will make this a memorable book for many people, but it's Mantooth's handling of the more real moments of growing up that will put the author on my must-read list. Seeing Walter and Danny dealing with their parents or the schoolyard bullies ground the characters in the real world for me, and those were the moments that fully pulled me into the story and gave me the connection I needed to make the other events so suspenseful.
While I felt the book was a compelling read, I must mention that Mantooth sometimes telegraphs his suspense. Several times he has a character say something that indicates he's hiding something, but the story quickly cuts to another scene or another POV before he can share that knowledge. Authors can get away with this from time to time, but Mantooh went there a few times too many, which called attention to itself. Its unfortunate, though, because he didn't need to resort to such tricks to keep the suspense going. He's a talented enough writer to let that flow naturally.
I almost gave The Year of the Storm five stars, something I don't do that often. But the ending, which worked on some levels, simply didn't work for me as well as the rest of the book. Still, Mantooth has shown me enough to want to follow his writing career closely.
However, the ending...I just don't know. It simply didn't work for me as well as I'd hoped. I've thought about the book many times since I finished it, and I realize that the ending couldn't have been satisfying in any other way, yet I still wanted more out of it...something that would have carried the darkness that envelopes the story right up to that final page.
The mystery behind the missing girls, the potential killers in the woods, and the possibilities behind slipping into another world are the elements that will make this a memorable book for many people, but it's Mantooth's handling of the more real moments of growing up that will put the author on my must-read list. Seeing Walter and Danny dealing with their parents or the schoolyard bullies ground the characters in the real world for me, and those were the moments that fully pulled me into the story and gave me the connection I needed to make the other events so suspenseful.
While I felt the book was a compelling read, I must mention that Mantooth sometimes telegraphs his suspense. Several times he has a character say something that indicates he's hiding something, but the story quickly cuts to another scene or another POV before he can share that knowledge. Authors can get away with this from time to time, but Mantooh went there a few times too many, which called attention to itself. Its unfortunate, though, because he didn't need to resort to such tricks to keep the suspense going. He's a talented enough writer to let that flow naturally.
I almost gave The Year of the Storm five stars, something I don't do that often. But the ending, which worked on some levels, simply didn't work for me as well as the rest of the book. Still, Mantooth has shown me enough to want to follow his writing career closely.
June 24, 2014
So, this is interesting because it's a story that's been told before. Not only there has been Southern Gothic coming-of-age novels before, but it's one of the most popular subgenres of Southern writing there is, period. THE YEAR OF THE STORM is such an interesting coming-of-age novel to me, because it's a thoroughly rebellious one, that hates the idea that adults can even fathom the idea of having some kind of wisdom to share. If there is such a thing as an anti-coming-of-age, THE YEAR OF THE STORM is that.
Another interesting wrinkle of this novel is that its themes are super-duper close to another novel that's about beliefs and who sold a gazillion copies in several languages and yet THE YEAR OF THE STORM seem to be mocking it and calling its lack of courage. I'm aware I'm discussing the themes more than I'm discussing the actual novel here. It's beautiful and dark and lyrical like a Southern Gothic novel only can be. It does what it should do to belong to one of the last great literary traditions. THE YEAR OF THE STORM truly shines through what it doesn't do like anybody else though. It's a novel with a mind of its own.
Another interesting wrinkle of this novel is that its themes are super-duper close to another novel that's about beliefs and who sold a gazillion copies in several languages and yet THE YEAR OF THE STORM seem to be mocking it and calling its lack of courage. I'm aware I'm discussing the themes more than I'm discussing the actual novel here. It's beautiful and dark and lyrical like a Southern Gothic novel only can be. It does what it should do to belong to one of the last great literary traditions. THE YEAR OF THE STORM truly shines through what it doesn't do like anybody else though. It's a novel with a mind of its own.
June 26, 2013
Great book. To be honest, I may have set the bar prejudicially high. I saw the cover, read "Coming-of-age story...in Alabama..." and it's not fair, but the first novel that came into my mind was Robert R. McCammon's _Boy's Life_. I cut my teeth on King and McCammon in the 80s, so I jumped into the book with absurdly high hopes.
_The Year of the Storm_ lived up to the expectations. The characterization was honest, the word choice was downright lyrical, and I loved the central image of the storm as an agent of change. Being a Georgia boy myself, the attitudes and outlooks of the characters resonated with me. I could have grown up with some of those guys. I felt like I knew them.
_The Year of the Storm_ lived up to the expectations. The characterization was honest, the word choice was downright lyrical, and I loved the central image of the storm as an agent of change. Being a Georgia boy myself, the attitudes and outlooks of the characters resonated with me. I could have grown up with some of those guys. I felt like I knew them.
March 25, 2013
There's something incredibly satisfying about reading a debut novel and knowing - KNOWING - that the author is destined to be one of the greats. John Mantooth's The Year of the Storm clearly puts him in that category. The novel has it all: a gripping story, beautiful writing, and that undefinable perspective that makes a work only one person could ever write. TYotS is one of those books that left me jealous of Mantooth's accomplishment in the best ways possible. I can't wait to see where he goes next in what will surely be a long career.
July 24, 2013
A lovely coming-of-age story set in rural Alabama, alternating between the sixties and the present day. There are murdered girls, mysterious disappearances and vicious bullying, as well as subtle supernatural elements that never weigh down the narrative. It reminded me a little of Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. The characterization is terrific, and the story of Walter, Danny and Seth is sad and gripping. An exciting debut.
June 28, 2013
This book took off like gangbusters--great premise, moody, poetic prose--but then it just sort of fizzled out. Descriptive scenes felt forced & over-extended, as if the author was trying to "flesh out" the page count. The beauty of the woodsy Alabama setting & the author's creative plot & poetic style kept me occupied, though.
January 4, 2014
This is the first time I’ve read Mantooth’s work. This book is written extremely well with believable characters and dialogue that allow you to further slip into the magic of the story. I’ll be looking forward to more from this author in the future.
May 21, 2013
Review forthcoming. Join "On the Southern Literary Trail" for a chance to win John Mantooth's debut novel. You're in for one very dark ride. John's. novel goes public June 4, 2013.
June 9, 2013
Loved it; not expecting a supernatural thriller but very good. Combine Leif Enger (Peace Like a River)
with Joe Hill (Heart Shaped Box)--interesting combination.
with Joe Hill (Heart Shaped Box)--interesting combination.
March 11, 2023
In The Year of the Storm, the reader is whisked off to a small town in Alabama. It has some strange history with deeply buried secrets. Danny’s mom and sister disappeared during a storm. They headed off into the woods and were never seen again. No clues, no nothing about their disappearance. Everyone else has pretty much given up on ever finding them, but not Danny. We follow along as Danny searches for and uncovers anything he can that might help him bring them back. When Walter enters the picture, things take a wild turn and with some risk Danny might just find his answers.
I enjoyed reading this and felt it was beautifully, yet hauntingly written. The suspense sticks around from beginning to end, leaving you wondering what is around the next corner. As the many layers are stripped away, we start to get glimpses of what is really going on and not all of it is good. The story bounces between two timelines, which I think was so important for this story to play out the way it did. You get some of the history and how certain things came to be and you also get the current situation. All of this worked so well together and delivered a tight story.
The characters were well done and believable. My favorites being Danny and Walter. It was great watching their relationship form. I had doubts about Walter at first but was surprised at how everything played out with him. There were also some characters that were evil. I won’t go into much detail on them, so I don’t spoil anything. I felt their vileness brought another layer to the story showing just how insensitive people can be and how they can also be dealt with.
Overall, I felt this was a great read. Lots of suspense and mystery surrounding the modest town with small bits of supernatural elements. The determination shown by Danny was amazing; there is some heartbreak but also some warmer moments too. Definitely worth a read! Mantooth’s writing grips you from the start and carries you to the very end.
I enjoyed reading this and felt it was beautifully, yet hauntingly written. The suspense sticks around from beginning to end, leaving you wondering what is around the next corner. As the many layers are stripped away, we start to get glimpses of what is really going on and not all of it is good. The story bounces between two timelines, which I think was so important for this story to play out the way it did. You get some of the history and how certain things came to be and you also get the current situation. All of this worked so well together and delivered a tight story.
The characters were well done and believable. My favorites being Danny and Walter. It was great watching their relationship form. I had doubts about Walter at first but was surprised at how everything played out with him. There were also some characters that were evil. I won’t go into much detail on them, so I don’t spoil anything. I felt their vileness brought another layer to the story showing just how insensitive people can be and how they can also be dealt with.
Overall, I felt this was a great read. Lots of suspense and mystery surrounding the modest town with small bits of supernatural elements. The determination shown by Danny was amazing; there is some heartbreak but also some warmer moments too. Definitely worth a read! Mantooth’s writing grips you from the start and carries you to the very end.
November 24, 2023
Living in rural Alabama myself, I’m always looking for horror stories set in my neck of the woods. We have bayous, alligators, giant roaches and more venomous critters than you can shake a stick at. The most violent thunder storms, some water spouts and, of course, hurricanes too.
Right from the get go, I was welcomed by some great descriptive writing. And as the story progressed, I just new I was going to enjoy this book.
Danny’s mother and sister disappeared during one of Alabama’s violent storms. A scruffy looking man shows up on his doorstep claiming he knows where they are. Some readers will be thinking, been there, read that. I say, no you haven’t. The premise might be familiar. But, wait for it. Things aren’t what they seem.
I loved the inclusion of the invasive Kudzu. That vine was really brought into Alabama to help with erosion because of our tropical climate and all that rain. Right down the road, they’re putting in a new subdivision. They tore out the Kudzu, but when I drive by I see it creeping back. You can’t get rid of it. Always thought it would something cool to use in a horror story.
Told in more than one time line, I want to reassure you, it’s easy to tell which time the characters are in. It made me pause and think. What if it was true. Maybe that explains the deja vu I feel sometimes.
There’s so much I want to tell you about the characters and what all is going on in these pages. Not going to be one of those that spoils it for you. Grab the book. Give it a go. It lingers a while after you finish it. Scary good stuff.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
Right from the get go, I was welcomed by some great descriptive writing. And as the story progressed, I just new I was going to enjoy this book.
Danny’s mother and sister disappeared during one of Alabama’s violent storms. A scruffy looking man shows up on his doorstep claiming he knows where they are. Some readers will be thinking, been there, read that. I say, no you haven’t. The premise might be familiar. But, wait for it. Things aren’t what they seem.
I loved the inclusion of the invasive Kudzu. That vine was really brought into Alabama to help with erosion because of our tropical climate and all that rain. Right down the road, they’re putting in a new subdivision. They tore out the Kudzu, but when I drive by I see it creeping back. You can’t get rid of it. Always thought it would something cool to use in a horror story.
Told in more than one time line, I want to reassure you, it’s easy to tell which time the characters are in. It made me pause and think. What if it was true. Maybe that explains the deja vu I feel sometimes.
There’s so much I want to tell you about the characters and what all is going on in these pages. Not going to be one of those that spoils it for you. Grab the book. Give it a go. It lingers a while after you finish it. Scary good stuff.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
November 28, 2017
I really enjoyed this novel!!! A must read for children of addicts. Mantooth's prose is very nice. He sets a very eerie tone that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I agree with some of the reviewers that Pike and Danny are almost the same character. They are very similar, but I think that's intentional. By the end of the novel, you begin to understand Danny has suffered some serious trauma. Was he kidnapped by Pike and developed stockholm syndrome? Did Danny create a fantasy to escape abuse he suffered at the hands of Pike? Or, did Danny suffer a severe head injury and incorporate Pike's delusional tale into some sort of fantasy where he confronts his mommy issues? Or, did Danny slip? The ending eludes there just might be a Seth Sykes out there. I love how this novel is open ended and works on multiple levels. I'm of the mind that "slipping" became a metaphor for the his mother's substance abuse issues. Children of substance abusers spend a great deal of time trying to save their parents. It's hard to learn that addicts must save themselves. Danny learns this lesson at a tender age. No wonder he created a narrative where he was the hero, instead of a helpless bystander.
Mantooth captures those youthful feelings of potential magic beautifully. Those times when we entertained the bizarre, the strange, the unexplainable fade away as we grow older. When you are young, the world seems filled with possible magic, filled with unknowns. As we grow older, we realize there is no magic, only the now. Pike and Danny are both battling the disillusionment of adulthood, recognizing there is no magic, only memory.
Mantooth captures those youthful feelings of potential magic beautifully. Those times when we entertained the bizarre, the strange, the unexplainable fade away as we grow older. When you are young, the world seems filled with possible magic, filled with unknowns. As we grow older, we realize there is no magic, only the now. Pike and Danny are both battling the disillusionment of adulthood, recognizing there is no magic, only memory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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