The Boy and the Lake
(By Adam Pelzman) Read EbookSize | 24 MB (24,083 KB) |
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Downloaded | 626 times |
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Author | Adam Pelzman |
“Pelzman excels at creating an intensely atmospheric setting and revealing how it shapes his characters’ identities and worldviews … The narrative is full of rich, descriptive language … a well-developed vintage setting and classic but thought-provoking coming-of-age theme.” —Kirkus Reviews
Set against the backdrop of the Newark riots in 1967, a teenage Benjamin Baum leaves the city to spend the summer at an idyllic lake in northern New Jersey. While fishing from his grandparents’ dock, the dead body of a beloved neighbor floats to the water’s surface—a loss that shakes this Jewish community and reveals cracks in what appeared to be a perfect middle-class existence. Haunted by the sight of the woman’s corpse, Ben stubbornly searches for clues to her death, infuriating friends and family who view his unwelcome investigation as a threat to the comfortable lives they’ve built. As Ben’s suspicions mount, he’s forced to confront the terrifying possibility that his close-knit community is not what it seems to be—that, beneath a façade of prosperity and contentment, darker forces may be at work.
In The Boy and the Lake, Adam Pelzman has crafted a riveting coming-of-age story and a mystery rich in historical detail, exploring an insular world where the desperate quest for the American dream threatens to destroy both a family and a way of life.
Praise for Adam Pelzman’s Troika“Riveting drama and sensuous prose make for an unforgettable love story … [a] beautifully rendered debut.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Pelzman’s talent and vision are formidable …” —Publishers Weekly“… transcendent, magnetic, intoxicating …” —Bookreporter
Praise for Adam Pelzman’s The Papaya King“Devilishly smart social commentary … acutely observant, timely writing … another entrancing, deeply memorable offering from Pelzman.” —Kirkus Reviews”