Rate this book

Lake Overturn (2009)

by Vestal McIntyre(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0061671169 (ISBN13: 9780061671166)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Harper

review 1: I first stumbled across this book in San Francisco at A Different Light, shortly before the author was set to come discuss it. It looked interesting, but I never picked it up, figuring I could get it when I arrived home. Well, two years later I finally managed to find a copy and read it.Lake overturn is a phenomena where carbon dioxide collects at the bottom of a lake and finally bubbles up to the surface, where it escapes and can kill anybody in its path. This, essentially, is what the story is about. It focuses on the residents of a small Idaho town in 1989, who are allowing everything to grow and fester beneath the surface, and when things finally come to a head, things aren't going to be the same and the (emotional) landscapes for all of the characters are going to... more be different.It was an engaging book, but for a time I didn't know if I'd be able to finish it. Towards the end, I knew that it wasn't going to necessarily have a happy ending, and it was difficult watching some of these characters move towards the inevitable unhappiness that would eventually envelop them. But I forced myself to continue, and while it wasn't necessarily a happy ending, it wasn't as sad as I assumed that it might be.Laid out like a science experiment, the characters are essentially following the scientific method (even those who don't believe in science and are fighting against the Big Bang Theory). Every character encounters some sort of problem, they reflect on what's going on, they make a guess as to what it means, and then they carry out research and adjust the course of their lives, as need be. Those who are able to follow through end up emotionally happy and willing to go on with their lives, while those that don't fall back into the same patterns as before.This book made me deeply uncomfortable, and that's why I think I ended up liking it so much. That's what fiction does. I liked this book, it made me uncomfortable, and finishing it made me feel like I had passed a sort of test, that I had done something that I didn't know I could do. I realize that that probably sounds hokey, but it's still true.
review 2: Lake Overturn by Vestal McIntyre is one of the best books I have read in a very long while. It is a rare author who can introduce us to a cast of enchanting characters, while creating an intriguing story has well. McIntyre has succeeded on both counts.Set in a typical Small Town, USA (Eula, Idaho), the reader is introduced to myriad personalities, each of whom the author gently breaths life into until you feel like you've known them your whole life. The story itself evokes themes of striving for excellence, as well as being mired in mediocrity. There are triumphs and failures. There are half truths and overwhelming dishonesty. We are brought along for the incredible ride as the characters search for their own personal joy.McIntyre's writing style is evocative of Jeffrey Eugenides and Julia Glass. Hopefully he will be lauded as such or, at the very least, continue writing so we can enjoy his artistry. less

Download links for: Lake Overturn

Advertising