"The Other Side of the Bridge"

by Mary Lawson

Description

From the author of the beloved #1 national bestseller Crow Lake comes an exceptional new novel of jealously, rivalry and the dangerous power of obsession.

Two brothers, Arthur and Jake Dunn, are the sons of a farmer in the mid-1930s, when life is tough and another world war is looming. Arthur is reticent, solid, dutiful and set to inherit the farm and his father’s character; Jake is younger, attractive, mercurial and dangerous to know – the family misfit. When a beautiful young woman comes into the community, the fragile balance of sibling rivalry tips over the edge.

Then there is Ian, the family’s next generation, and far too sure he knows the difference between right and wrong. By now it is the fifties, and the world has changed – a little, but not enough.

These two generations in the small town of Struan, Ontario, are tragically interlocked, linked by fate and community but separated by a war which devours its young men – its unimaginable horror reaching right into the heart of this remote corner of an empire. With her astonishing ability to turn the ratchet of tension slowly and delicately, Lawson builds their story to a shocking climax. Taut with apprehension, surprising us with moments of tenderness and humour, The Other Side of the Bridge is a compelling, humane and vividly evoked novel with an irresistible emotional undertow.

Biography

Mary Lawson (born 1946) is a Canadian novelist.

Born in southwestern Ontario, she spent her childhood in Blackwell, Ontario (located between Sarnia and Brights Grove) and is a distant relative of L. M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables.

Lawson moved to England after graduating from McGill University with a psychology degree in 1968. She also married in Ontario, has two grown up sons and now lives in Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey. Her three novels to date, both published by Knopf Canada were set in Northern Ontario.

My thoughts ~

Having recently read Crow Lake by Mary Lawson, I immediately purchased two more of her books. I'm impressed with the honesty and integrity with which this author weaves another earthy, gritty and realistic look at family relationships and friendship. Having grown up in a rural area, I could relate to the plights of farmers and the challenges they endured. This author has done her research and shared the hardships and family dynamics of rural life with credibility. Generations build upon one another in this haunting tale of the human condition.

There is incredible depth throughout this compelling story of dysfunctional families, sibling rivalry, friendships, jealousy and so much more. The description of the Canadian countryside is pictorial and vivid through Lawson's imagery. The characters portrayed are convincing and plausible.

I highly recommend The Other Side of the Bridge! It's a book that you won't want to put down. It will tug at your heartstrings and open your mind to a time in history that was oppressive for many.