By Erica Wiggins
Content warning: disappearance of a child, suicide
Trembling River is the latest novel from Canadian author and playwright Andrée A. Michaud, a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Award for French-language fiction. Trembling River begins in August 1979 when twelve-year-old Michael Saint Pierre disappears from the woods after he and his friend Marnie encounter a storm. In the aftermath, only a muddy sneaker is found. Fast forward thirty years and almost-nine-year-old Billie Richard disappears from a nearby town. Marnie and Billie’s father, Bill, are trying to come to terms with their losses and neither is anticipating that there may be more to come.
“Once upon a time there were two children and a river, is how the story begins.”
In Part One, we begin with “The Stories.” We meet Marnie and Bill at the worst moments in their lives, thirty years apart, experiencing the grief and loss of a friend and daughter. These chapters grab you and draw you into the grief. The author provides descriptions that are both atmospheric and haunting. Then comes “The Names,” where the author expertly weaves the origin story of these families, further connecting you to these characters. Part One leaves you feeling their sadness and grief and uneasily anticipating what terrible thing will happen next.
In Part Two we live in the present, switching between Bill and Marnie as they try to move on with their lives and struggle to deal with their grief. This author truly excels at creating the world of the novel and helping you visualize it. All the feelings are palpable and as Part Two concludes, tragedy strikes again and threatens any stability they have tried to build.
In Part Three the pace picks up and we continue alternating the perspectives. I honestly cannot say enough about the writing style of this author. It is lyrical and engaging. I felt the rawness of their sadness and grief. I felt frustration for these two, who never get to move on, who will forever have their worst moments tossed in their faces. For me the ending was perfect. It wraps up the story, but also leaves you wishing you could stay immersed in this place and follow these two in their next steps.
I wrote this review a little differently than most. The book is divided into three parts, with two parts in each. After each one, I stopped to write my thoughts. I knew there was a mystery and I wanted to see how my thoughts changed throughout the story. I have to say—I loved everything about this book. It is perfectly divided into sections and expertly constructed alternating chapters. It is fast paced and engaging. I was quickly endeared to both Marnie and Bill. My heart ached for their losses, and I was rooting for them to be happy. This is a translated story, which can sometimes be a challenge, however with this book you would never know it. This author is new to me but this not her first story. I will be seeking out Back Roads, one of the author’s previous novels which has also been translated. If you love a mystery that grabs you, makes you feel all the things and then kicks you out the other side, this book is for you. Highly Recommend.
Thank you to House of Anansi for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.