Review of The Rock at the Bottom
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[Following is a volunteer review of "The Rock at the Bottom" by Cynthia Hilston.]
Cleveland, Ohio is the setting of Cynthia Hilston’s The Rock at the Bottom. The anuthor’s intricate descriptions of the city frame the plotlines of this captivating novel about Stephen Richardson, an oppressed and abused child whose one thread of hope for survival is to become a writer.
Stephen was born in Kansas in 1908, but the family moved to Cleveland when the father found work at the Ford automobile plant. Stephen’s earliest memories harbor shame and pain. Because his mother died in childbirth, his father and older siblings hold him responsible for her death. His alcoholic father has drunken rampages during which he savagely beats Stephen. The only attention he gets from his father and siblings is shaming and abuse. School kids bully young Stephen because he is neglected, raggedy, and dirty. Until he is old enough to leave home, Stephen’s only escape from his loveless environment is writing.
The family struggled financially during Stephen’s childhood, and they lived in the poorest neighborhoods in Cleveland. The three older siblings moved out, leaving Stephen and his father on their own. The father eventually got a better position in his company and moved to a nicer house with Stephen. He couldn’t beat on him anymore because Stephen was too big. High school graduation marked Stephen’s first attainable goal. Getting an apartment with his best friend immediately followed.
Young and inexperienced, the two teenagers set out to face adulthood on their own. One wants to party. One wants to write. Finding work as general laborers at a construction site, the boys barely eke out a precarious lifestyle. Girls, alcohol, sparse furnishings, and a second-hand typewriter summarize their early priorities. How will Stephen manage his freedom? Can he maintain the discipline he needs to focus on his writing? What impact will Stephen’s early choices have on the trajectory of his life? Read this compelling story that you will be happy to add to your personal library.
I did not like this book; I loved it. Hilston’s narrative is so alive and poignant that it ignited my senses, touched my emotions, and held my attention from start to finish. The most compelling imagery in the book is Stephen’s yard full of rocks. While the rock imagery throughout the book is quite strong, this author’s other strength lies in creating character arcs that propel the plotlines through surprising channels. There is no real character change in any of Stephen’s family members, but their presence sets the background for his emotional issues.
Hilston’s talent shines as she takes Stephen through several stages of change. In each of his stages, the writer manages to place Stephen in apartments or houses that reflect his state of mind. When Stephen is doing well emotionally and professionally, he changes his looks by dressing well and wearing neatly cut hairstyles. His physical environment looks clean and neat as well when he moves from one part of Cleveland to another. The reverse is true when Stephen hits an emotional slump. The writer aptly describes his emotions and shows the decline in his grooming and his environment as well.
I find nothing adverse in Hilston’s writing. The book is exceptionally well-edited, well-written, and refreshingly free of hardcore profanity. For these reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to adults and mature teens who enjoy coming-of-age and romance novels.
******
The Rock at the Bottom
View: on Bookshelves |
Cleveland, Ohio is the setting of Cynthia Hilston’s The Rock at the Bottom. The anuthor’s intricate descriptions of the city frame the plotlines of this captivating novel about Stephen Richardson, an oppressed and abused child whose one thread of hope for survival is to become a writer.
Stephen was born in Kansas in 1908, but the family moved to Cleveland when the father found work at the Ford automobile plant. Stephen’s earliest memories harbor shame and pain. Because his mother died in childbirth, his father and older siblings hold him responsible for her death. His alcoholic father has drunken rampages during which he savagely beats Stephen. The only attention he gets from his father and siblings is shaming and abuse. School kids bully young Stephen because he is neglected, raggedy, and dirty. Until he is old enough to leave home, Stephen’s only escape from his loveless environment is writing.
The family struggled financially during Stephen’s childhood, and they lived in the poorest neighborhoods in Cleveland. The three older siblings moved out, leaving Stephen and his father on their own. The father eventually got a better position in his company and moved to a nicer house with Stephen. He couldn’t beat on him anymore because Stephen was too big. High school graduation marked Stephen’s first attainable goal. Getting an apartment with his best friend immediately followed.
Young and inexperienced, the two teenagers set out to face adulthood on their own. One wants to party. One wants to write. Finding work as general laborers at a construction site, the boys barely eke out a precarious lifestyle. Girls, alcohol, sparse furnishings, and a second-hand typewriter summarize their early priorities. How will Stephen manage his freedom? Can he maintain the discipline he needs to focus on his writing? What impact will Stephen’s early choices have on the trajectory of his life? Read this compelling story that you will be happy to add to your personal library.
I did not like this book; I loved it. Hilston’s narrative is so alive and poignant that it ignited my senses, touched my emotions, and held my attention from start to finish. The most compelling imagery in the book is Stephen’s yard full of rocks. While the rock imagery throughout the book is quite strong, this author’s other strength lies in creating character arcs that propel the plotlines through surprising channels. There is no real character change in any of Stephen’s family members, but their presence sets the background for his emotional issues.
Hilston’s talent shines as she takes Stephen through several stages of change. In each of his stages, the writer manages to place Stephen in apartments or houses that reflect his state of mind. When Stephen is doing well emotionally and professionally, he changes his looks by dressing well and wearing neatly cut hairstyles. His physical environment looks clean and neat as well when he moves from one part of Cleveland to another. The reverse is true when Stephen hits an emotional slump. The writer aptly describes his emotions and shows the decline in his grooming and his environment as well.
I find nothing adverse in Hilston’s writing. The book is exceptionally well-edited, well-written, and refreshingly free of hardcore profanity. For these reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to adults and mature teens who enjoy coming-of-age and romance novels.
******
The Rock at the Bottom
View: on Bookshelves |
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