Book Review: Lake Stories: The 60’s
Lake Stories: The 60’s. Michael Ripley. Pen It! Publications LLC, November 1, 2020, Paperback and E-book, 98 pages.
Review by Lisa Sherman.
Lake Stories: The 60’s is the first book in a series of short novels by Michael Ripley. In Lake Stories: The 60’s, Ripley describes with insight and wit what life was like for a young boy in a small lake town during a period of dramatic changes in his life as well as in the country overall.
Lake Stories: The 60’s tells the story of a young boy living in a quiet community near Crow Lake. Initially, the town appears to be a safe place, but as he grows, he becomes aware of strange and frightful happenings taking place in the town. As he navigates his journey from childhood to early adulthood, he is forced to accept the realities of the world as it changes around him.
The novel touches upon key events taking place during the 1960s including the assassination of President Kennedy and the resulting fear and anger felt in its wake, as well as the Vietnam War and its impact. Through the viewpoint of a boy growing up during the era, Lake Stories: The 60’s explores events taking place close to home and puts them in context with those taking place in the country and the world at large.
I really enjoyed reading Michael Ripley’s novel, Lake Stories: The 60’s. Throughout the novel, Ripley paints a picture of what life was like growing up in a tight-knit lake community. He does a great job describing the relationships of the people who live near Crow Lake as well as the secrets they keep. The characters within the novel come to life and I could feel the closeness of the young boy’s friend group. Each member has their own personality and role they play within the group. I think many readers will relate to these individual characters, perhaps recognizing them from their own childhoods, and will recall the specialness of those childhood bonds.
In addition, I enjoyed the undercurrent of danger that runs through the novel. From the beginning of the story, Ripley describes a mysterious character lurking near the lake community. He couples that with the inherent risks of living near a body of water. The suspense of this threat ramps up as each year another drowning takes place in Crow Lake. As such, Crow Lake itself plays a central and intriguing role in the novel. The town, the adventures of the young boy and his friends, as well as the feeling of impending danger, all revolve around the lake and its grasp. Furthermore, Ripley’s descriptions of the lake are both vivid and ominous which highlights this hidden danger. Throughout the novel, Ripley shines a light on the risks taking place close to the community and parallels them with the menacing changes taking place in the world at large. The novel ends in a satisfying way by tying up the various narratives in a touching and thought-provoking manner.
Overall, I think Lake Stories: The 60’s is a wonderful novel. It provides a swift and enjoyable reading experience that explores elements of the decade and will leave readers feeling as if they took a road trip back in time. I am looking forward to reading future books in this series.