The Road to Dalton
The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring is a novel published by Europa Editions in 2023, featuring 250 pages in English. Set in the small town of Dalton, Maine, the story unfolds in 1990, where the community grapples with the aftermath of a local’s unthinkable decision. This event exposes the complexities of life in Dalton, revealing the hidden struggles and deeper connections among its residents, reminding us that everyone carries untold stories.
Readers will encounter a diverse cast of characters, including Rose, who conceals her bruises while raising her two young boys, and Dr. Richard Haskell, who reflects on choices that have shaped his life. The narrative also explores the long-standing friendship between Trudy and Bev, which transcends conventional boundaries, and Bridget, a new mother facing postpartum challenges. Additionally, teenager Greg navigates his identity amidst the dynamics of friendship. The Road to Dalton delves into themes of family life, marriage, and the intricate nature of human relationships, offering insights into the endurance required to navigate both pain and joy.
Official synopsis Publisher
A NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
From debut author Shannon Bowring comes a novel of small town America that Pulitzer-winner Richard Russo calls, “measured, wise, and beautiful.”
In most small towns, the private is also public. In the town of Dalton, one local makes an unthinkable decision that leaves the community reeling. In the aftermath, their problems, both small and large, reveal a deeper understanding of the lives of their neighbors, and remind us all that no one is exactly who we think they are.
It’s 1990. In Dalton, Maine, life goes on. Rose goes to work at the diner every day, her bruises hidden from both the customers and her two young boys. At a table she waits, Dr. Richard Haskell looks back on the one choice that’s charted his entire life, before his thoughts wander back to his wife, Trudy, and her best friend.
Trudy and Bev have been friends for longer than they can count, and something more than lovers to each other for some time now–a fact both accepted and ignored by their husbands. Across town, new mother Bridget lives with her high school sweetheart Nate, and is struggling with postpartum after a traumatic birth. And nearer still is teenager Greg, trying to define the complicated feelings he has about himself and his two close friends.
The Road to Dalton offers valuable understandings of what it means to be alive in the world–of pain and joy, conflict and love, and the endurance that comes from living.
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