A Sudden Light: A Novel

Marc Notes: When a boy tries to save his parents' marriage, he uncovers a legacy of family secrets in a coming-of-age ghost story by the author of the internationally bestselling phenomenon, The Art of Racing in the Rain. In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant, whole trees, and is set on a huge estate overlooking Puget Sound. Trevor's bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch Grandpa Samuel--who is flickering in and out of dementia--to a graduated living facility, sell off the house and property for development into tract housing for millionaires, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after. But Trevor soon discovers there's someone else living in Riddell House: a ghost with an agenda of his own. For while the land holds tremendous value, it is also burdened by the final wishes of the family patriarch, Elijah, who mandated it be allowed to return to untamed forestland as a penance for the millions of trees harvested over the decades by the Riddell Timber company. The ghost will not rest until Elijah's wish is fulfilled, and Trevor's willingness to face the past holds the key to his family's future. A Sudden Light is a rich, atmospheric work that is at once a multigenerational family saga, a historical novel, a ghost story, and the story of a contemporary family's struggle to connect with each other. A tribute to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, it reflects Garth Stein's outsized capacity for empathy and keen understanding of human motivation, and his rare ability to see the unseen: the universal threads that connect us all--; Provided by publisher.; In the summer of 1990, 14-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant, whole trees, and is set on a huge estate overlooking Puget Sound. Trevor's bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House for the summer with a goal: he will join forces with his sister, Serena, to dispatch Grandpa Samuel--who is flickering in and out of dementia--to a graduated living facility, sell off the house and property for development into tract housing for millionaires, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after. But Trevor soon discovers there's someone else living in Riddell House: a ghost with an agenda of his own. For while the land holds tremendous value, it is also burdened by the final wishes of the family patriarch, Elijah, that it be allowed to return to untamed forestland as a penance for the millions of trees harvested over the decades by Riddell Timber. As he uncovers secrets of his family's past that are hidden deep within the house, guided by the whisperings of the ghost, Trevor discovers a legacy of family trauma and terrible guilt. The ghost will not rest until Elijah's wish is fulfilled, and Trevor's willingness to face the past holds the key to his family's future--; Provided by publisher. Review Quotes: "Wow! I devoured "A Sudden Light," a grand, gorgeous, multi-generational epic of the Pacific Northwest. Garth Stein has given us another singular, soulful, and wise narrator for the ages, who tells us a story full of mystery and yearning. I adored this book."--Maria Semple, New York Times bestselling author of Where d You Go, Bernadette"Publisher Marketing: The "New York Times "bestselling "witty, atmospheric" ("People") story of a once powerful American family, and the price that must be paid by the heirs as they struggle for redemption: "A captivating page-turner" ("Star Tribune," Minneapolis). Twenty-three years after the fateful summer of 1990, Trevor Riddell recalls the events surrounding his fourteenth birthday, when he gets his first glimpse of the infamous Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle's Puget Sound. Trevor's bankrupt parents have separated, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with Aunt Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, and divide up the profits. But as young Trevor explores the house's hidden stairways and forgotten rooms, he discovers secrets that convince him that the family plan may be at odds with the land's true destiny. Only Trevor's willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family's future. Spellbinding and atmospheric, "A Sudden Light" is rich with vivid characters, poetic scenes of natural beauty, and powerful moments of spiritual transcendence. "Garth Stein is resourceful, cleverly piecing together the family history with dreams, overheard conversations, and reminiscences...a tale well told," ("The Seattle Times")--a triumphant work of a master storyteller at the height of his power. Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 07/07/2014 pg. 42 (EAN 9781476791104, Paperback) Audio File Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy 12/01/2014 pg. 26 (EAN 9781442353237, Compact Disc) Audio File 12/01/2014 pg. 58 (EAN 9781442353237, Compact Disc) Library Journal 03/01/2015 pg. 59 (EAN 9781442353237, Compact Disc) Library Journal Prepub Alert 05/01/2014 pg. 56 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Publishers Weekly 07/07/2014 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2014 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Library Journal 09/15/2014 pg. 71 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Booklist 09/01/2014 pg. 47 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) - *Starred Review People Weekly 10/13/2014 pg. 47 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Shelf Awareness 10/03/2014 (EAN 9781439187036, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Stein, Garth Garth Stein is the author of three novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Art of Racing in the Rain and How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, and a play, Brother Jones. He has worked as a documentary filmmaker, and he lives in Seattle with his family.