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The Day the Falls Stood Still

by Cathy Marie Buchanan (Goodreads Author)

3.61 · rating details · 1,638 ratings · 452 reviews

Tom Cole, the grandson of a legendary local hero, has inherited
an uncanny knack for reading the Niagara River's whims and
performing daring feats of rescue at the mighty falls. And like the tumultuous meeting of the cataract's waters with the rocks below, a chance encounter between Tom and 17-year-old Bess Heath has an explosive effect. When they first meet on...moreTom Cole, the grandson of a legendary local hero, has inherited
an uncanny knack for reading the Niagara River's whims and
performing daring feats of rescue at the mighty falls. And like the tumultuous meeting of the cataract's waters with the rocks below, a chance encounter between Tom and 17-year-old Bess Heath has an explosive effect. When they first meet on a trolley platform, Bess immediately recognizes the chemistry between
them, and the feeling is mutual.

But the hopes of young love are constrained by the 1915 conventions of Niagara Falls, Ontario. Tom's working-class pedigree doesn't suit Bess's family, despite their recent fall from grace. Sacked from his position at a hydroelectric power company, Bess's father has taken to drink, forcing her mother to take in sewing for the society women who were once her peers. Bess pitches in as she pines for Tom, but at her young age, she's unable to fully realize how drastically her world is about to change.

Set against the resounding backdrop of the falls, Cathy Marie
Buchanan's carefully researched, capaciously imagined debut novel entwines the romantic trials of a young couple with the historical drama of the exploitation of the river's natural resources. The current of the river, like that of the human heart, is under threat: "Sometimes it seems like the river is being made into this measly thing," says Tom, bemoaning the shortsighted schemes of the power companies. "The river's been bound up with cables and concrete and steel, like a turkey at Christmastime."

Skillfully portraying individuals, families, a community, and an
environment imperiled by progress and the devastations of the
Great War, iThe Day the Falls Stood Still/i beautifully evokes the wild wonder of its setting, a wonder that always overcomes any attempt to tame it. But at the same time, Buchanan's tale never loses hold of the gripping emotions of Tom and Bess's intimate drama. The result is a transporting novel that captures both the majesty of nature and the mystery of love.(less)

Hardcover, 307 pages

Published August 25th 2009 by Voice (first published 2009)

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The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

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Sep 18, 2009

Nicole rated it

Bess Heath is just seventeen years old at the time her world irrevocably changes. She leaves the prestigious Loretto Academy at the end of her junior year knowing that she will never return, and in a manner in which she has not been accustomed in her short life. Gone is the fancy car with her proud father leaning against it in greeting, waiting to whisk her away for summer holidays. Instead there is only her mother to sit in on her last school concert, and to help her lug her heavy trunk to t...moreBess Heath is just seventeen years old at the time her world irrevocably changes. She leaves the prestigious Loretto Academy at the end of her junior year knowing that she will never return, and in a manner in which she has not been accustomed in her short life. Gone is the fancy car with her proud father leaning against it in greeting, waiting to whisk her away for summer holidays. Instead there is only her mother to sit in on her last school concert, and to help her lug her heavy trunk to the trolley which they will now have to take home.

Bess is ill prepared to face the reduced circumstances and changed personalities of her family. Though she has been warned by a friend that her father has lost his job at the Niagara Power Company, she doesn’t know that her mother has taken in sewing of the rich friends who were once their social equals, that her once elegant father now dons a rough worker’s coat and then spends the day and most of the night drinking, shunned by his former colleagues. Her once vivavacious sister, Isabel, has become a shell of her former self, haunted by secrets that Bess can’t imagine. As Bess begins the process of adjusting to her new circumstances, the one bright spot in her life is Tom Cole, a working class man whom she meets by chance on the trolley home from Loretto. Tom and Bess carefully work out a way to start seeing each other, though her family does not approve. Will she do what is right for them or what is best for her?

If I had to chose one word to describe this book it would be intricatelywovenandmultifaceted. (What do you mean that’s not a word? It’s in my dictionary just like that!) There was so much going on and so many layers. The Day The Falls Stood Still is historical fiction at it’s best- when you are just so encased within the fabric of the story, the characters and the history that you are getting an education, entertainment and a little therapy all at once. Bess, Tom, Isabel and the rest of the characters in this novel face drastic changes in their society due to their own choices, but also external forces like the ongoing war and the resulting privations which all but the wealthy must endure. Every decision that they make is also heightened by the immediacy of death,easily accessible in the raging waters of Niagara Falls, whether or not death is being actively sought. People are found floating in the river having given themselves over to the Falls, mothers accidentally drop their babies into the water, ice bridges break up and float off with people trapped on them, there are avalanches and rock slides, and adventurers trying to shoot the rapids in barrels. Tom is deeply concerned with the fact that Niagara herself is facing death at the hands of corporations bent on siphoning off the water to create electricity.

I spent a lot of time thinking about the decisions that I made when I was Bess’s age, and I have to say that while I might have had the basic framework for who I would become, a lot was missing. I guess the way that we fill in that framework is to have life experiences, make mistakes, change or become more of and reinforce who we are, but it was just fascinating to look at the choices from the remove of a century, and against the back drop of a different society in a place as dramatic as Niagara Falls. I worried for Bess, and I wasn’t sure that she was making the right decisions, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted the right things for her, but loved thinking about it all while reading. The characters and their situations, and not just Bess, were so balanced and well thought out that it was a joy to read and the writing is just beautiful. Cathy Marie Buchanan seems to effortlessly render a society that is changing faster than people can keep up.

Another element that I enjoyed here were the quiet explorations of faith and nature. As the novel stats out Bess is someone who has always felt the presences of something bigger than herself, and has always been on the verge of confirming that belief when circumstances halt her burgeoning faith and cause her to question its existence and her tendency to believe. Tom has deep faith in Niagara and the gifts of the river, but also in the spirit of the grandfather that taught him all that he knows. Faith and beliefs can change over the course of a lifetime and that portrayal here is beautifully related as were the relationships between mother and daughter, husband and wife, and the bonds between friends. This was a rich and rewarding reading experience and I savored every word.(less)

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Aug 15, 2009

Pam rated it

We live in an age where nearly all of our threats are human. Nature has no recourse against man-made factories, bridges, levees, and weapons. We are safe. We are secure. In the middle-north of the country, though, nestled between the United States and Canada is a reminder that we are human but only human. When I was a little kid I fell in love with Gordon Lightfoot’s Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. There is something helplessly beautiful and tragic about the power and majesty evoked by lore surr...moreWe live in an age where nearly all of our threats are human. Nature has no recourse against man-made factories, bridges, levees, and weapons. We are safe. We are secure. In the middle-north of the country, though, nestled between the United States and Canada is a reminder that we are human but only human. When I was a little kid I fell in love with Gordon Lightfoot’s Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. There is something helplessly beautiful and tragic about the power and majesty evoked by lore surrounding the Great Lakes basin.

While not as factual as Lightfoot’s recount, Cathy Marie Buchanan’s The Day the Falls Stood Still succeeds in capturing the breathtaking spirit of the rivers and lakes that contain the unshakable spirit in the heart of the north. What begins as a typical society girl’s junior year at a local prep school on the Canadian side of the falls, becomes a heart wrenching love story between man and woman but also between mankind and the river.

Set in the early to mid twentieth century, the story is told through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Bess Heath, the second and youngest daughter of a man who, prior to the beginning of the story, has been a social and financial success in the hydro-electric efforts in town. Immediately before Bess returns home for the summer, her father runs into a bit of trouble when a prediction fails to bring success to his fellow businessmen. He is let go from the industry and sets in motion a drama that rolls forward like a stack of dominoes. Caught in the inevitable social recourse of her parents’ plummeting social stature Bess and her sister Isabel are left to wonder what their glitzy upbringing has prepared them for and where to turn.

Amidst the downfall of the industrial elite, there is a softer voice. The voice of the river slips quietly through town, in the form of Thomas Cole, grandson of a famous river man who was more river than man, metaphysically and physically. In a melding of two worlds, Bess and Tom find their lives intertwined in ways that challenge both the unstoppable progress of the hydro era and the fading grandeur of the water that is their livelihood.

To say that this is a historical fiction romance is to completely miss the point. There is history, steeped in incredible drama, which found me at my computer in the wee hours of the morning, searching for more tidbits about the period. And, of course, there is the love story, both believable and magical. However, those two things are not the elements that drive this book. It is Buchanan’s complete dedication to inviting her readers to fall in love with the falls, to imagine themselves there, wading waist deep in the stories, the tragedy and the beauty.

The story reads a good deal like Steinbeck’s more detailed works in its straightforward prose but also carries the depth and honest crafting of characters that one would expect to find in East of Eden or Grapes of Wrath. Even though it’s a small book, it carries the epic weight of something much heavier. The Day the Falls Stood Still is an absolutely stunning debut and I am waiting at the edge of my seat to read more by Buchanan.(less)

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Apr 21, 2010

Barb rated it

Shelves: read-in-2009, wwi, vine, book-club-reads, read-in-2010, anne-and-i-agree-on

I love Niagara Falls, every time I visit I am completely awestruck. It is an amazing wonder to behold, it's literally breath taking. If you have never been I would urge you to go. I have seen much of the landscape the author describes in this book and I remember some of the folk lore from my many visits. My family and I saw Jay Cochrane walk a tightrope to the Skylon Tower in 2005. Niagara Falls has a magic and wonder that is hard to describe.

I really enjoyed this novel that inc...more

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Sep 12, 2010

Heather rated it

Shelves: didn-t-finish, for-trade

I recieved this book as a review copy from the publicist. Started out very interesting, but I am putting it away halfway through. It was too depressing. A suicide, girl who's life is spiraling downward and sexual content I didn't want to read. The book has an overall sad tone though it is poetic.

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Aug 05, 2011

Danielle Lentz added it

Good book with a wonderful and fascinating setting of Niagara Falls-on the Canadian side. The author carefully intertwines this setting into the story of a young woman, Bess, her family and husband Tom Cole-the"riverman" . The story takes place at a time when there are many changes to people's lives in terms of technology. The power of the river is being harnessed to "benefit" people's lives (for electricity) yet the Falls and the river still have the power to take away pe...more

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Feb 21, 2011

Florinda rated it

Shelves: fiction, 2010review, 3-75-5

I've looked forward to reading Cathy Marie Buchanan's first novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still, ever since I started seeing reviews of it cropping up several months ago. I tend to prefer historical fiction that deals with more recent history, and the early 20th century - a time of great change in the world - is a period that particularly interests me. I'm intrigued by Canada, the only foreign country I've visited. And I love waterfalls. The abundance of waterfalls was one of the most appealing...moreI've looked forward to reading Cathy Marie Buchanan's first novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still, ever since I started seeing reviews of it cropping up several months ago. I tend to prefer historical fiction that deals with more recent history, and the early 20th century - a time of great change in the world - is a period that particularly interests me. I'm intrigued by Canada, the only foreign country I've visited. And I love waterfalls. The abundance of waterfalls was one of the most appealing things about living in the Finger Lakes region of New York, and I've never forgotten my family's one visit to Niagara Falls when I was a child; I've always wanted to see it again. However, according to the Author's Note at the end of Buchanan's book, the Falls were much more of a sight to see a hundred years ago.[return][return]This well-researched novel is set in a period of great change in the Niagara River and the area around the Falls, as hydroelectric power was becoming a greater force (no pun intended), and it views those changes through their effects on a family - because although the river plays a significant role, this is the story of a family: the family of Bess Heath Cole.[return][return]Buchanan divides the novel into two parts. Book One is a more personal, intimate story, as the Heath family is forced to adjust to a change in their financial and social standing by taking in sewing and trying to ensure an advantageous marriage for at least one of their two daughters. However, these things don't always go as planned, and the eligible young man Mrs. Heath has in mind for her older daughter Isabel has his eye on her younger sister Bess. Bess, however, is quietly developing a relationship with Tom Cole, a young fisherman whose late grandfather, Fergus, passed on his legendary knowledge of the river (and his daring rescues of those who met trouble at the Falls) to him. When these two eventually do come together, it's in the aftermath of personal tragedy and in the midst of the First World War.[return][return]Book Two is larger in scope, as it starts out with Bess as a war bride getting started as a seamstress in her own right, soon to become a mother while her husband fights on the battlegrounds of Europe. When Tom returns from the war, he needs to get to know his wife and son, and to get reacquainted with the river, which is changing as the new power plants are being built to harness his power, and where his knowledge is more needed than ever. The political and ecological effects of development are a big part of this story, and it's interesting to note that some of the same debates are still going on today.[return][return]The Day the Falls Stood Still didn't really become the novel I expected it to be until Book Two, and although it held my interest all the way through, it was the last third of the book that really grabbed me, and I found its final chapters riveting and touching. I liked the way that the issues of the day were integrated into the story, and I think that this was largely accomplished through Buchanan's development of her characters. The story is narrated from Bess' first-person perspective, and I didn't entirely warm up to her for a while. However, the character truly grows over the course of the novel, and she became someone I could believe in; I think I could say the same for the book as a whole, to be honest, as I felt that it strengthened as it went along.[return][return]I enjoyed my trip back in time to Niagara with Cathy Buchanan, and I'm wondering where she will take readers next.(less)

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Feb 05, 2012

Geetha rated it

At first glance “The Day the Falls Stood Still”, seems like a beautiful love story, which it is, but it is much more than that. The story incorporates within its pages, the lore and legend of the beautiful Niagara Falls and Niagara River. Several of the incidents retold in the story are historical facts. Most interesting to me were the environmental questions already rising in the early 1900s, the conflict between the Falls and it use for hydroelectricity. A good story, strong prose, well drawn ...moreAt first glance “The Day the Falls Stood Still”, seems like a beautiful love story, which it is, but it is much more than that. The story incorporates within its pages, the lore and legend of the beautiful Niagara Falls and Niagara River. Several of the incidents retold in the story are historical facts. Most interesting to me were the environmental questions already rising in the early 1900s, the conflict between the Falls and it use for hydroelectricity. A good story, strong prose, well drawn likeable characters, fact woven into fiction and social history – all make this an extremely readable book.

The main protagonists are Tom Cole and his wife Bess. The character of Tom is loosely based on the best known of Niagara “rivermen” Red Hill. Red Hill grew up on the shores of the Niagara and from a very early age he was obsessed with the river and the Falls. He was supposed to have been able to forecast weather simply by listening to the Falls, he could predict disaster , at night he knew that the next morning he would find a body in the river he would need to salvage. Several daring rescues, some retold in the story are credited to him.

Even today 50% of the waters of the Niagara river are redirected for purposes of hydroelectricity before they reach the Falls. Tom faces the serious ethical choice of whether to work for the Hydroelectric plant and earn a decent living for his family when he knows well that he is employed primarily for purposes of public relations. If the riverman can work for the power plant, it cannot be a bad thing. There are those who would have drained the Falls dry and if you have ever seen the wondrous Niagara Falls you would be so thankful they did not succeed. The story raises so many questions, conservation of nature versus its exploitation, duty versus principle, duty to society versus to one’s family.

Tom’s deep and abiding love for the river is moving. Tom does not believe in stunts on the river or Falls, he has no desire to go over the Falls in a barrel. The river and Falls are to be worshipped and loved, not conquered. The book includes newspaper articles and photographs from the early 1900s which add value to the book. An excellent book for a book club, it will prompt plenty of conversation and discussion.
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May 31, 2011

Shauna rated it

Please! Come talk to me about the ending after you've read the book!!
Favorite Quotes: 'In those clouds I have seen aberrations-flecks of shimmering silver, orbs of color a shade more intense than their surroundings. I have seen them more than once, and I haves decided they are prayers, mine and everyone else's, too.'

'“There’s something more, too. There are moments, usually on the river. It’s nothing I know how to explain.”
I watch him, filling with wonder. ..I am not so...more

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Apr 21, 2011

Karen rated it

I would really give this book 3 1/2 stars. I think if I hadn't read this book right after The Lacuna and Unbroken I would have scored it higher. Both of those books were soooo good that standing up to them was hard.
It was a very interesting book about people living in Niagara Fall, Canada during World War I. The story follows Bess Heath who is 17 as the book opens. She is the youngest daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Compayn and she attends a private girls' school. Bess ...more

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Mar 22, 2011

Lynn rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 20, 2011

Reading Lark rated it

I struggled with how to write this review because there are so many things I want to discuss, but they would ruin the book for others. I chose to just give a brief overview and discuss some of the main themes as a result of this thinking. I also want to mention that I have never been to Niagara Falls, but after reading this book I want to go!

The Day The Falls Stood Still is the story of Bess Heath who at the age of seventeen realizes that her life is changing in ways she never imagined...more

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Sep 27, 2010

Teresa rated it

It s 1915, and Bess Heath is a happy, well-to-do student at Loretto Academy, a Catholic school on a bluff in Niagara Falls, Canada. Her window looks out toward the falls, and she imagines that the flecks of silver she sees in the mist are prayers. When her father loses his job at the Niagara Power Company, her family begins a descent that seems to lead only to tragedy. Bess s newfound love for Tom Cole, a riverman, raises Bess spirits, but her family was hoping for her to find a connection t...moreIt s 1915, and Bess Heath is a happy, well-to-do student at Loretto Academy, a Catholic school on a bluff in Niagara Falls, Canada. Her window looks out toward the falls, and she imagines that the flecks of silver she sees in the mist are prayers. When her father loses his job at the Niagara Power Company, her family begins a descent that seems to lead only to tragedy. Bess s newfound love for Tom Cole, a riverman, raises Bess spirits, but her family was hoping for her to find a connection that would raise their fortunes.[return][return]At first glance, The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan looked like nothing more than a story of young lovers against the world. Buchanan s book, however, is something more. The predictable romance I was expecting turned into a story of grown-up love. It s a love that faces conflict from outside, but also from within, as Bess must weigh her own pragmatic desire for food on the table and a roof over her head with her unexplainable attraction to Tom. At heart, this is a book about faith in ourselves, in our loved ones, in our ancestors, in nature, in God.[return][return]I liked the characters Buchanan created. They felt authentic and well-rounded. The heroes aren t perfect, and the villains aren t evil. They re mostly just people doing the best they can to navigate the world. Some of them have preconceptions or biases that lead them to make poor choices, but they re generally not mean-spirited.[return][return]The setting is even more of a treat than the characters. Buchanan sets her book in an interesting place and at an interesting time. In the early 20th century, power companies were using so much water from the river that the river itself was sinking, and the rock wall behind the falls was becoming visible at times. Tom, with his connection to the river, is deeply troubled by this, and he observes the river closely for changes. Bess, on the other hand, sees the potential benefits of electricity and wonders if the falls are really that important. Today, the answer to the dilemma seems obvious; of course, something as magnificent as Niagara Falls must be preserved. But if I put myself in Bess s place and consider choosing between having an electric stove and having a dangerously powerful river right outside my door, it looks a little different.[return][return]The Day the Falls Stood Still is Buchanan s first novel, and I m pleased to say that it doesn t have the problems that I ve found in so many first novels. She doesn t try to pack in too much plot or play around too much with language. The story and the story-telling are direct and clear. The prose may not achieve great heights of beauty, but it s never overwrought or awkward. The story doesn t take any huge risks, but it was interesting and layered enough to hold my attention and keep me wondering what was going to happen. It s a good, solid read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A fine debut.[return][return]See my complete review at my blog.(less)

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Sep 25, 2010

Rachelle rated it

Have you ever been enjoying a treat, a cookie or a piece of pie, when the phone rang or someone knocked at the door? And while you are taking care of your interruption, your mind wanders back to that unfinished decadence and you pine to finish?

That’s how I felt while reading the debut novel "The Day the Falls Stood Still" by Cathy Marie Buchanan. My days have been filled with thoughts of this story and I longed to get back to it each night. I know a story is truly great whe...moreHave you ever been enjoying a treat, a cookie or a piece of pie, when the phone rang or someone knocked at the door? And while you are taking care of your interruption, your mind wanders back to that unfinished decadence and you pine to finish?

That’s how I felt while reading the debut novel "The Day the Falls Stood Still" by Cathy Marie Buchanan. My days have been filled with thoughts of this story and I longed to get back to it each night. I know a story is truly great when my life is made up of reading and the little details in between.

"The Day the Falls Stood Still" is a story of life – a life filled with hardships, happiness, hard work and sacrifices. Set mostly on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls in the years surrounding WWI, this was an informative book as well as a wonderful love story. Bess, the daughter of a recently financially ruined businessman is forced to deal with the changes this brings upon each member of her family. On the trolley coming home from her beloved boarding school Bess meets a young working-class man who is enthralled with the Niagara River. His name is Tom Cole, of Cole family fame. Tom’s grandfather was a local hero who rescued countless people from the river and seemed to have a feeling when things were going to happen. Tom inherited this special sense of the river. His soul is tied to the river and its health.

The story of Bess, Tom and the river is an amazing endeavor; a delightful mixture of a Victorian love story, a coming-of-age novel and an important environmental history. This would be a great read for a book club or would make a wonderful present. Oh, and what a beautiful movie could be made! I learned so much from all of the details in this book. Bess becomes a dressmaker and the descriptions of the materials, colors and forms she uses was amazing. I would love to travel back in time to see firsthand the gorgeous dresses she made. I have never been to Niagara Falls but after reading Buchanan’s story I know in my mind the colors of the mist at the bottom of the falls, the roar of the water as it tumbles over and the strength of the whirlpool farther below. Um…wow.

Make sure to check out Cathy’s website – one of the most beautiful author sites I have ever seen. There is an interactive map of the Niagara River Gorge that is amazing even if you haven’t read the book – and an invaluable resource if you have (especially if you haven’t visited Niagara Falls).

The Day the Falls Stood Still is just pure lovely. A true decadence only an eclair could rival. I wish I could go back and experience it again.
Accolades:
Barnes and Noble Best Book of 2009
New York Times Bestseller
American Booksellers Association IndieNext Pick
Salt Lake County Library Reader’s Choice for July through October (less)

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May 30, 2010

Dorothy rated it

The Day the Falls Stood Still is less a story about the freezing of the ice bridge across the Niagara Falls, but more a love story which takes place during the turbulent times preceding and following WW I. Set in the early 1900's, the reader meets seventeen year old Beth Heath, the daughter of the Director of the Niagara Power Commission. She and her sister are living in the lap of luxury, attending private school, and sharing in the glamour of those who share in their good fortunes.
All t...moreThe Day the Falls Stood Still is less a story about the freezing of the ice bridge across the Niagara Falls, but more a love story which takes place during the turbulent times preceding and following WW I. Set in the early 1900's, the reader meets seventeen year old Beth Heath, the daughter of the Director of the Niagara Power Commission. She and her sister are living in the lap of luxury, attending private school, and sharing in the glamour of those who share in their good fortunes.
All this comes to an end when their father loses his job and his fortune. Beth cannot return for her senior year at Loretto Academy. Her mother makes the decision to support the family by sewing for the wealthy women of the area. Her sister's fiance breaks their engagement.
Just when all seems to be lost, Beth meets Tom Cole, a rough and ready riverman who makes his living from fetching "floaters" and daredevils our of the swirling waters of the turbulent Niagara River.
The Day ... is a book for romantics like me who satisfy their thirst for historical events and their passion for tenderness between lovers through the medium of the written word.
How rare it is in today's world when you can find characters who can cope with a father's loss of income, a mother's courage to pull herself by her bootstraps when diversity falls on her doorstep, a sister's fidelity to one another while maintaining a belief that true love cannot be relegated to a choice based on class or money.
To my way of thinking, Bess and Tom portray a love and lifestyle that is simple and pure. Note: I didn't say it was easy! Together, they face rejection, separation, moments of true tenderness and joy, and, yes, sorrow.
The book portrays a view of life as it truly is for some of us. There are no givens. In the end, we find that this book leaves the reader with what we must all keep hidden in our hearts; that element called, "Hope." Needless to say, I didn't want this book to end. Perhaps, Cathie Marie Buchanan will find it in her heart to write a sequel.(less)

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May 09, 2010

Kelly Hager rated it

I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction but this was really good. I think most of us can relate to "not having enough money" and "making choices we don't want to make," both of which feature pretty prominently in this.

It's set in the early 1900s (well, 1915-1923) in Niagara Falls (Canada side, not New York side). The river and falls play a huge part in the novel, but it's--at its core--a love story and one about family and responsibility.

Bess gre...more

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Mar 12, 2010

theduckthief rated it

"The landscape below is otherworldly - a massive clot of white-blue ice extending from shore to shore, frozen mounds of accumulated spray nearly sixty feet in height, sections of cliff face transformed by stalactities of ice as thick as the trunk of any tree. Yet there are children sledding on thehillocks, adults milling about, a path crossing the ice from shore to shore, also shanties with hand-painted signs advertising beef tea and sandwiches, coffee and cake."

Bess Heath ...more"The landscape below is otherworldly - a massive clot of white-blue ice extending from shore to shore, frozen mounds of accumulated spray nearly sixty feet in height, sections of cliff face transformed by stalactities of ice as thick as the trunk of any tree. Yet there are children sledding on thehillocks, adults milling about, a path crossing the ice from shore to shore, also shanties with hand-painted signs advertising beef tea and sandwiches, coffee and cake."

Bess Heath lives near the mighty Niagara Falls where her father works as director of the Nigara Power Company. But when she returns home from boarding school for the summer she realizes all is not well. Her father has lost his job and her sister has taken to hiding in her room. Bess' only consolation in a world turned upside down is an encounter with a handsome green-eyed man who helps her load her baggage onto the trolley home. She's intrigued and later comes to know him as Tom Cole but society and her family seem set against their relationship. Cathy Marie Buchanan uses Niagara Falls as a backdrop to introduce a story of love and family, demonstrating how place can affect every aspect of a person's life.

It's obvious that Buchanan has put a lot of time and effort into the story. The amount of research and the level of detail when it comes to describing the setting and historical background of the area is staggering. There is so much packed into this book, especially when it comes to the setting that the reader really needs to pay attention to keep from missing anything.

Bess is forced to grow up too early when her family loses their status and position in society. Her struggle with the added responsibilities of adulthood make her a believable character. She has hopes and fears like anyone else but here they are front and center as she tries to hold her family together while developing a relationship with Tom. She makes mistakes, shows jealousy and loses her temper, all aspects that serve to make her more relatable to readers.

Peppered throughout the book are newspaper articles, photos and drawings that add depth to the story and really bring the history of the falls to life. The articles were especially entertaining as they were a great format for delivering backstory without the need for exposition.

I felt a bit mislead by the title though as I assumed the story would take place during the time the falls froze. Instead the story is set more than half a century later, only referencing the event in an article. I also thought the ending tied up too quickly. I wanted Bess' life expanded in order to create more of a contrast to the tense scene just before.(less)

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Mar 12, 2010

Meg rated it

Shelves: read-in-2010, historical-fiction

Cathy Marie Buchanan's The Day The Falls Stood Still is an atmospheric, heart-breaking look at family, love and industrialization -- weighty topics that rarely come across as dense in this novel. Told from the perspective of Bess in the middle of World War I, the lives of so many on the Canadian side of the falls are touched by the battles happening thousands of miles away; the war mentality hangs heavy over our narrator and her acquaintances. The novel felt thick, like soup, and once I'd fallen...more

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Jan 22, 2010

Mary Reinert rated it

I must admit I purchased this book based on the cover which I thought looked fascinating. I was only a little bit disappointed. The "historical" part of the Falls was interesting and I enjoyed Bess' relationship with her sister, parents and Tom. However, I had a hard time following the more "technical" parts of the river: the eddys, currents, and the general setting of the river. I'm not familiar with the area (or big rivers in general), and some of that was just confusing to...more

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Dec 16, 2009

Deirdre rated it

Set in Canadian Niagra between 1915 and 1923, Buchanan's debut novel is a historical, naturalist love story. With some characters and events loosely based on true historic figures and a looming and powerful Falls dominating nearly every page, this novel was certainly interesting but fell a little short on plot strength towards the end. I liked Bess and Tom, and was certainly rooting for them to succeed in life and love. I thought Tom especially was very well drawn - I found his deep and abiding ...more

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Oct 03, 2009

Nicola rated it

Shelves: arc, own

Reason for Reading: The book takes place in Niagara Falls, Canada and that is where I live plus the historical time 1915-1923 is a favourite period I like to read about. I was excited to read a book set in my city and the cover is beautiful and actually blew me away when I saw it in real life.

Comments: I'll start off by admitting I may be a little biased. There is something captivating about reading a book when you recognize the street names, know the buildings mentioned, have been ...moreReason for Reading: The book takes place in Niagara Falls, Canada and that is where I live plus the historical time 1915-1923 is a favourite period I like to read about. I was excited to read a book set in my city and the cover is beautiful and actually blew me away when I saw it in real life.

Comments: I'll start off by admitting I may be a little biased. There is something captivating about reading a book when you recognize the street names, know the buildings mentioned, have been to the natural landmarks and live a block away from the church the family attended. But when I also find myself reading a brilliant epic love story I think my insider knowledge is more of a bonus than a bias.

Bess and Tom come from different classes. Bess is the 17yo daughter of an influential man at Niagara Power and lives in Glenview Mansion. She attends a Catholic Girls Academy (even though the family isn't Catholic) and leads a sheltered life. Tom is about 22 and is the local riverman. He catches fish for pay, pulls dead bodies out of the river, works a few nights in the saloon he has a room over and is always on hand when help is needed down at the river. When these two meet each other it is love at first sight but many things stand in their way including themselves.

While the beautiful love story is the main plot there are many other themes running through the book. The plight of women during this period is masterfully woven into the story with unwed pregnancy, suicide, women working during the war, and women being given the vote during WWI if they had a husband or son overseas. The effect the war had on the women as they stayed home and wondered if their husbands would ever come home and the plight of the men who did come home who were wounded beyond repair and others who had unseen wounds, those of the mind that don't heal so easily.

It is also a story of the environment as the whole history of the harnessing of the power of the Falls for electricity takes place during this time period. Sir Adam Beck, the government, the big business and everyone else it seems is so excited about more and more electricity at less cost that nobody seems to know what it is doing to the river itself, nobody but Tom that is, who knows the river like the back of his hand, and what he sees scares and saddens him. The characters all stand out wonderfully but it is Tom, a true hero, who captures your heart.

A riveting book. I could hardly put it down and read it very quickly. It is emotional; there is sadness. I almost cried at the end, with a lump in my throat, mad, for a moment, at this tragedy we call life. An astounding first novel! Ms. Buchanan is a talented writer with a future ahead of her. I will be interested to see where she goes with her next novel. Highly Recommended! This one is certainly going to make my top ten list this year.(less)

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Sep 25, 2009

Dana rated it

The year is 1915. Beth Heath is brought home from private school for the summer to learn of her father's dismissal from the Niagara Power Company. Her mother now takes in sewing in order to feed the family. Beth's sister Isabel is a former shell of her vivacious self, having been dumped by her fiancee.

On the way home from boarding school Beth meets Tom Cole who helps her and her mother with her trunk. Beth is drawn to Tom but he is not of their social strata and therefore unsuitable....more

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Sep 16, 2009

Barbara rated it

Shelves: fiction

I was really drawn to this book based on the brief cover description, the setting and era and the beautiful design. However, I had a really hard time with it the whole way through. For a historical novel, I felt the author could have been a little more careful about using dialogue consistent with the time frame, particularly for the two sisters who would have been well-educated.

This was a book I felt like I had to slog through. The plot was sloppy, the character development poor and t...more

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Sep 06, 2009

Maura rated it

If you've every visited Niagara Falls, you'll probably like this book for the history. Set in Niagara Falls, Ontario in the early part of the 20th century, it relies heavily on factual places and events, and even some characters of the time. The central theme of the story is faith, whether that means believing in others or in God. We meet Bess, the main character, as a 17-year-old with a starry-eyed sense of faith - she sees silvery "souls" rising in the mist from the falls. But a ...more

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Aug 28, 2009

Tara Chevrestt rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, canada

This is a magical, well told tale about a young woman named Bess, a riverman named Tom, and the history of the Niagara Falls. Bess meets Tom at the beginning of World War One when her family has fallen on hard times. They both reside on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls in a town being overcome by hydroelectric power plants. Bess comes from a family that made its riches from the power plants, whereas Tom strongly believes in the beauty of the river and leaving nature untouched. This differe...more

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Aug 27, 2009

Bridget rated it

Recommends it for: Lovers of historical fiction

Shelves: 2009-reads

This book was a great read! It tells the story of Bess Heath, who is a 17-year-old at the beginning, as she leaves her junior year at Loretto Academy, in Ontario to head home for the summer. She learns once she is home that her father has lost his job, and her sister's engagement is called off. Her mother has started taking orders for dressmaking, in order for the family to survive. The family is falling apart, and Bess learns she will not return to school.

The story begins in 191...more

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Aug 18, 2009

Bridget rated it

Shelves: enjoyable-but-thought-provoking

I am somewhat biased because I grew up near Niagara Falls, NY, but I would have loved this book even if I was from Atlanta. The book is set on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls from 1915 to 1925. The main character, Bess, endures many successes and tragedies from the age of 17 until she is 26, when the book ends. Her privileged life is abruptly taken away from her, and everyone, including Bess, is pleasantly surprised by her perseverance. While there are frequent references to sacrificing becau...more

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Aug 16, 2009

Laura rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, adult-fiction, family, geographical-setting-importance, romance, secrets, siblings, suicide

When Beth Heath and Tom Cole fall deeply in love, outsiders don't understand. Bess and Tom's love flourishes despite all of the class barriers in place in their day. Beth is the daughter of privilege, more specifically of a former director of the Niagara Power Company. Tom Cole is a simple river man, albeit the grandson of legendary river mystic Fergus Cole.

Like his grandfather, Tom has an intimate connection with the Niagara Falls and can predict their mercurial shifts before anyone...more

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Aug 13, 2009

Jemima rated it

The Day The Falls Stood Still is a beautiful love story set at Niagara Falls in the year 1915-1923. Cathy Marie Buchanan's debut novel is written in first person from the perspective of Bess Heath, a young woman who's life becomes tragically altered with the death of her beloved older sister. At the tender age of seventeen she is also forced to deal with the disgrace and financial ruin of her family. In amongst these tribulations she develops a deep love for a local riverman Tom Cole and f...more
The Day The Falls Stood Still is a beautiful love story set at Niagara Falls in the year 1915-1923. Cathy Marie Buchanan's debut novel is written in first person from the perspective of Bess Heath, a young woman who's life becomes tragically altered with the death of her beloved older sister. At the tender age of seventeen she is also forced to deal with the disgrace and financial ruin of her family. In amongst these tribulations she develops a deep love for a local riverman Tom Cole and finds the courage to marry him against her family's wishes. When Tom goes to war Bess supports herself and their young son by dressmaking. When Tom returns psychologically damaged it is his connection to the river that sustains and heals him.

The Day The Falls Stood Still is a novel that explores the era when hydroelectric plants were being built at Niagara Falls. The character Tom knows the river intimately and is concerned about the damage caused by the power plants. Contrary to Tom's concern for the natural environment, Bess finds herself in conflict about the benefits of progress versus her loyalty to Tom. These issues are further intensified by Tom's periodic rescues of victims of the river at serious danger to his own safety. Will Bess's worst fears concerning Tom's safety be realized? While Tom assures her that his mystical ability to read the river and its dangers will protect him, Bess remains skeptical.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Cathy Marie Buchanan has an accomplished writing style. She has put together just the right mixture of historical detail, psychological character portrayals, family drama and social conscience dilemmas. My personal favorite element of this story was the thread of Bess's faith. She begins the book with strongly held religious beliefs that do not seem to survive the tragic loss of her sister. As she kept revisiting the issue throughout the years it became apparent that her faith was not completely dead but more like a seed buried underground awaiting the right conditions to sprout. Cathy Marie Buchanan has created in Bess a complex character who learns from her mistakes and courageously deals with loss, poverty and loneliness.(less)

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Aug 11, 2009

Jane Maritz rated it

This is a brilliant read! Well written; lots of fun historical information; and plenty of human drama. I was engaged from the get-go.

The story-line: A young woman experiences tragedy and falls in love and survives change, all against the backdrop of the Niagara Falls in the early 1900s.

I loved the historical tidbits and anecdotes related to the falls – the daredevils and all. I’ve been there twice and have heard about the fact that the flow is much reduced from what ...more

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Jun 10, 2009

Cathy Buchanan added it · (Review from the author)

This is my debut novel. Hope you love it. On the shelves September 2009 in Canda and the US and February 2010 in the UK and Italy.

What's is about? Read on.

Steeped in the intriguing history of Niagara Falls, this is an epic love story as rich, spellbinding and majestic as the falls themselves.

1915. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era in Niagara Falls. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath has led a sheltered existence as the youngest daughter of the director of ...more

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About Cathy Marie Buchanan

CATHY MARIE BUCHANAN’s debut novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still, is a Barnes & Noble Recommends Selection, a Barnes & Noble Best of 2009 book, an American Booksellers Association IndieNext pick, and a New York Times bestseller. Her stories have appeared in many of Canada’s most respected literary journals. She holds a BSc (Honours Biochemistry) and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario a...more

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“In those clouds I have seen aberrations-flecks of shimmering silver, orbs of color a shade more intense than their surroundings. I have seen them more than once, and I haves decided they are prayers, mine and everyone else's, too.” — 3 people liked it

“Tom said, "You should go. You could use a friend." It was not anything I had not thought myself. Still, hearing it aloud made me feel pitiable, and I had no wish to be, and so I...set off for a luncheon I did not much want to attend." p 233” — 1 person liked it

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