Heartbreak Abounds in this Fascinating Novel
By Peter Geye
Unbridled Books, $24.95, 280 pages, 4 stars
Peter Geye’s The Lighthouse Road is full of heart-breaking characters. Hosea Grimm is a respected founding member of Deluth, Minnesota, but unsavory things are happening on the second floor of his home. Thea leaves Norway for a better life in America. She lands in Deluth, where life is tough and hardship abounds. Her sponsoring family is nowhere to be found and she must quickly find work and learn English. She lands in Grimm’s home temporarily and finds herself there, once again, when her circumstances become grim after an attack. Hosea Grimm mysteriously adopts Rebekah and another orphan, Odd. Odd forms a relationship with the wrong woman and the results of that relationship lead to more heartbreak.
The chapters flip between the characters and the years between 1890 and 1920. It took a while to get immersed in this story, mainly because Geye disclosed details slowly and carefully, which caused the reader to piece the story small bits at a time. As more was revealed, this reader grew more connected to the characters and the outcome. This is a book you will not want to put down as it paints a fascinating portrait of how difficult life was for the early settlers of America.
Reviewed by Seniye Groff
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