Thursday, June 12, 2014

Among the Missing; Morag Joss

Among the Missing; Morag Joss
Blackstone Audio - 2011
 
It seems like I’ve been reading many less than happy novels lately and, Among the Missing, is a book that falls into that same class.  The story takes place in the Highlands of Scotland and focuses on three unrelated individuals whose lives collide after a bridge collapse in the area.  The incident is caught on film with cars plunging into the waters below.  Some people are dead, some missing, and one of the cars in particular is key to the story.
There is Anna who married her husband Colin after meeting him in the internet. When Anna finds out she is pregnant, Colin wants nothing to do with fatherhood. He tells her to get an abortion or he will leave her. She is heartbroken, but can’t imagine ending her pregnancy either.
Ron has spent some time in prison after being charged with causing an incident which killed several people. His family wants nothing to do with him. Newly released from prison, his sister gives him some money so that he can purchase a car. He works day jobs and has a habit of picking up hitchhikers, longing for human connection.
Silva is an illegal immigrant woman who has had a tough life. She lives by the river in an abandoned trailer. She works and earns a meager wage in a clerical job while her husband, Stefan stays at home with their very young daughter.
Without saying too much more about the story, I’ll just say it’s very well written and I liked the way it came together. The characters are desperate people, each seeking peace and salvation. They are characters I came to care about. The audio book is somber in tone, which was appropriate for a story like this. The use of multiple narrators:  Robin Sachs, Kate Reading  and Cassandra Campbell worked extremely well. Again, not a happy story, but one I was happy that I read.
4/5 stars (library audio)

9 comments:

  1. the writers coming out of that entire region are in a caliber all to themselves; beginning with Stieg Larsson. I will have to pick this one up! thanks for sharing

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  2. Thanks for the review. A new one for me. Will be looking out for this one.

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  3. Great review Diane! Each individual's story sounds interesting. I am curious to know how they came together. This sounds like a very well put together story.

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  4. It sounds like a very interesting character trifecta.

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  5. I'm also wondering how the characters come together. Intriguing premise!

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  6. This is the kind of book I wish I read more of, but don't for some reason. I love the cover by the way.

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  7. This sounds very compelling, although perhaps a bit depressing. Hopefully, it's also tinged with hope.

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  8. The more stress in my life, the more I need light books to read. You must be in a really good place in your life if you can handle sad books.

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  9. I love the cover, and the premise sound quite interesting. I feel like I've been reading too many sad books lately too. I'm in the mood now for something light and funny, I think.

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