Title: An Adrionack Life
Author: Brian M. Freed
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781587210662
Pages: 356
Genre: Thriller
Reviewed By: Tiffany Ezuma, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
A stunning debut novel from Brian M. Freed, “An Adirondack Life” makes for compelling and suspenseful reading. Set in the New York Adirondack Mountains, the story weaves the lives of three teens into a love triangle gone wrong. The two boys in the triangle, John David and Jack, are polar opposites but share the love of athletics and status as major athletes in their fictionalized town Henoga Valley. When they meet and fall for Emily, their lives are turned upside down after Jack is found stabbed to death in their senior year. His death catapults the town into grief, especially when John David is accused of being Jack’s murderer. Not knowing what else to do, John David flees town and runs deep into the neighboring mountains.From that point on, the novel turns into a thriller that spans the course of fifteen years. As a reader, it can be worrying to read that a book will cover such a large span of time since character motivations and needs can often be lost that way. This is not the case with Freed’s work. Overtime, the protagonists become more complex as the plot develops, which is not always the case in thriller novels. In fact, their voices are sharpened over the years and their thoughts are articulated better as they go from being teenagers to adults. But his work is just as character driven, as it is an accelerating story. As the stakes get higher, everyone becomes more real.
The mountains begin to feel personified as well. The setting is just as much a part of the story and plot development as the people are. The way Freed describes the mountains makes readers feel like they are actually there in the thick of it. You can feel how much the setting influences characters and their actions. This is an area that Freed knows well and it shows in his writing ability. It always makes for a better reading experience when the location breathes life into the story.
Each chapter of “An Adrionack Life” could make for great standalone stories, but the way they are weaved together, makes for a memorable novel. Freed has a distinct style that would appeal to an audience that wants mystery and suspense with heart.
