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The Forever Bridge
With eloquent prose and lush imagery, T. Greenwood creates a heartfelt story of reconciliation and forgiveness, and of the deep, often unexpected connections that can bring you home.
Sylvie can hardly bear to remember how normal her family was two years ago. All of that changed on the night an oncoming vehicle forced their car over the edge of a covered bridge into the river. With horrible swiftness, Sylvie’s young son was gone, her husband was permanently paralyzed, and she was left with shattering blame and grief.
Eleven-year-old Ruby misses her little brother, too. But she also misses the mother who has become a recluse in their old home while Ruby and her dad try to piece themselves back together. Amid all the uncertainty in her life, Ruby becomes obsessed with bridges, drawing inspiration from the strength and purpose that underlies their grace. During one momentous week, as Hurricane Irene bears down on their small Vermont town and a pregnant teenager with a devastating secret gradually draws Sylvie back into the world, Ruby and her mother will have a chance to span the gap between them again.
Sylvie can hardly bear to remember how normal her family was two years ago. All of that changed on the night an oncoming vehicle forced their car over the edge of a covered bridge into the river. With horrible swiftness, Sylvie’s young son was gone, her husband was permanently paralyzed, and she was left with shattering blame and grief.
Eleven-year-old Ruby misses her little brother, too. But she also misses the mother who has become a recluse in their old home while Ruby and her dad try to piece themselves back together. Amid all the uncertainty in her life, Ruby becomes obsessed with bridges, drawing inspiration from the strength and purpose that underlies their grace. During one momentous week, as Hurricane Irene bears down on their small Vermont town and a pregnant teenager with a devastating secret gradually draws Sylvie back into the world, Ruby and her mother will have a chance to span the gap between them again.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2015
About the author
T. Greenwood
17 books1,658 followersT. Greenwood is the author of fourteen novels. She has received grants from the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and, most recently, the Maryland State Arts Council. She has won four San Diego Book Awards. Five of her novels have been BookSense76/IndieBound picks. BODIES OF WATER was finalist for a Lambda Foundation award. Her next novel, SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, will be published on 10/25/22.
She teaches creative writing for San Diego Writer's Ink and online for The Writer's Center. She and her family split their time between San Diego and Vermont. She is also a photographer.
More information on T. Greenwood can be found at her websites: http://www.tgreenwood.com
She teaches creative writing for San Diego Writer's Ink and online for The Writer's Center. She and her family split their time between San Diego and Vermont. She is also a photographer.
More information on T. Greenwood can be found at her websites: http://www.tgreenwood.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
August 5, 2021
My first thought as I became immersed in this lyrical and compelling novel is - why did I wait so long to pick up another T. Greenwood novel? The novel pivots around eleven-year-old Ruby, her grief-stricken mother and a young woman who returns to their town in the days before Hurricane Irene is expected to strike. Greenwood vividly writes about her characters' pain and struggles and dreams in a way that comes alive on the page.
January 24, 2015
There's an accident on a bridge and a family is traumatized and broken and it feels irreparably so . The sadness seems is so pervasive right from the start and I couldn't help but be broken hearted for this family who has sustained a tragedy especially for eleven year old Ruby.
The novel starts out with two points of view . Ruby , precocious and at times wise for her years, she's a child who is trying to make sense of things that the adults are unable to comprehend and cope with . Ruby's mother Sylvie , panic stricken, heartbroken and most likely stricken with agoraphobia even before the accident is now a recluse . From these two narratives we learn what this accident has done to this family emotionally as well as the physical disability that Ruby's father , Robert endures .
Another point of view is introduced when we meet the young runaway Nessa who has had a childhood filled with unhappiness , an addicted mother and constant moving around . She has been on the run for two years and is pregnant and is now finding her way back home to find her to look for her mother and grandfather . That place happens to be the small Vermont town where Ruby's family lives . Their paths will cross.
Ruby is fascinated by bridges , by their beauty , by their usefulness and most of all by their potential to be everlasting. The bridge serves as an obvious metaphor for getting people from one place to another , to places of safety . Bridges are not just structures but the people who help one another get to places of safety.
In spite of the somewhat predictable ending , I loved that it offered the possibilities of hope and healing and I'm glad to have found an author , although new to me has written a number of other books that I will look into.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley .
The novel starts out with two points of view . Ruby , precocious and at times wise for her years, she's a child who is trying to make sense of things that the adults are unable to comprehend and cope with . Ruby's mother Sylvie , panic stricken, heartbroken and most likely stricken with agoraphobia even before the accident is now a recluse . From these two narratives we learn what this accident has done to this family emotionally as well as the physical disability that Ruby's father , Robert endures .
Another point of view is introduced when we meet the young runaway Nessa who has had a childhood filled with unhappiness , an addicted mother and constant moving around . She has been on the run for two years and is pregnant and is now finding her way back home to find her to look for her mother and grandfather . That place happens to be the small Vermont town where Ruby's family lives . Their paths will cross.
Ruby is fascinated by bridges , by their beauty , by their usefulness and most of all by their potential to be everlasting. The bridge serves as an obvious metaphor for getting people from one place to another , to places of safety . Bridges are not just structures but the people who help one another get to places of safety.
In spite of the somewhat predictable ending , I loved that it offered the possibilities of hope and healing and I'm glad to have found an author , although new to me has written a number of other books that I will look into.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley .
February 15, 2017
This is a book I picked up after a number of people here on Goodreads have been talking about this author. Grief affects people in different ways as this novel shows. For one family an accident and subsequent death of a young child, brings catastrophic changes. Sylvie, the mother, becomes a recluse, afraid to go out of the house and no help to anyone, not even her wheelchair bound husband, Robert, or her young daughter Ruby. Ruby has a fascination for bridges. I liked the way the image of bridges, both real and metaphorical, are used in this novel. The other character the reader meets is Nessa, a pregnant teenager who has been trying to run from her guilt and the life of homelessness and hopelessness she has been living.
The writing echoes the feelings of despair and loss. The reader is put right inside the situation and can feel the loneliness that surrounds each of these characters. I particular felt for Ruby when her best friend Izzy turned against her. It seemed just one more a sad aspect in her sad life. It’s hard to say much about the plot without giving two much away. Enough to say, that at some point Ruby connects with Nessa and it brings unexpected complications and changes. On the whole this is beautifully written with a poet’s feel for words. Setting, in the fictional town of Quimby, Vermont and characters are well defined. A couple of things I thought were unnecessary to the story, but overall an atmospheric and interesting read. I am keen to read others by this author.
The writing echoes the feelings of despair and loss. The reader is put right inside the situation and can feel the loneliness that surrounds each of these characters. I particular felt for Ruby when her best friend Izzy turned against her. It seemed just one more a sad aspect in her sad life. It’s hard to say much about the plot without giving two much away. Enough to say, that at some point Ruby connects with Nessa and it brings unexpected complications and changes. On the whole this is beautifully written with a poet’s feel for words. Setting, in the fictional town of Quimby, Vermont and characters are well defined. A couple of things I thought were unnecessary to the story, but overall an atmospheric and interesting read. I am keen to read others by this author.
July 24, 2018
T. Greenwood, at the "Top of Her Game!"
Top 50 Books of 2015. "2015 Best Literary Suspense Fiction."
A long-time fan of talented T. Greenwood, "master storyteller," deftly combines lyrical prose, beautiful metaphors, and heartrending human emotions of the heart, with precision, insight, and depth—once again, delivers an extraordinary story.
THE FOREVER BRIDGE, a complex, wrenching, yet uplifting novel of loss, forgiveness, and healing. Two broken and imperfect families, three broken women torn apart by tragedy— desperately struggle to bridge the gap between past and present, evil and kindness, grief and survival, loss and love.
Set in quaint fictional town of New England’s Quimby, Vermont, two years after the imploding of a family, left dealing with the aftermath. The night when certainties were shattered; a one-way bridge, rain, snow, water, another car forcing them off the road, one winter night, a family of four. The night the world changed, when all those safe, soft places became terrifying and dangerous.
In an instant, a tragedy, an accident; taking the life of Jess, a beloved son, a brother; Robert, a former EMT father and husband, left in a wheelchair with no legs. Sylvie, the mother, now a recluse, suffering from agoraphobia, living alone, a broken marriage; Ruby, a daughter, a sister--a gifted, eleven-year-old living with her dad and uncle; with only one friend, Izzy, and a town feeling sorry for this sad and weird family, leaving her embarrassed to go to school.
Sylvie, a former midwife, wife, and mother of one, instead of two. She is panic-stricken, a recluse, PTSD, she barely can get out of bed, has no phone or tv, and has allowed her yard to grow up with raccoons living on her porch. She does not have the strength to be a mother to her own daughter. OCD when it comes to cleaning the interior of the house scrubbing to perfection. Insomnia, living off pills to get her through the day. Her only pastime is taxidermy, specifically birds another strong metaphor. One way opens to the world and the other shuts it away—she chooses shut.
Ruby misses her little brother, she misses the way her mom was before the bridge, the night; she feels sorry for her dad in a wheel chair. She is alone, scared, and just wants normal. She wants to go home. Her mom is sick and will not leave the house, her dad wants them to move away, and her best friend is now mean. However, she is going to build a bridge; sketching, researching, planning...
As the book opens, her father has to go on a trip with her uncle Bunk to the NC coast for a family emergency, and she is left with her mom out in the rural country, and the only way to town, is her bike. Ruby has only one friend Izzy and now she is about to lose her to another girl from school, Marcy and she is the third wheel.
A gifted student, Ruby is obsessed with bridges, drawing inspiration from the strength and purpose and working on a special bridge state championship, sketching and creating. She longs to build a bridge which will last, one which will not crumble, like the people in her life. Presently, she has a secret, Nessa. She has to help. She has a purpose.
Nessa A poor, mute, lonely pregnant teen of seventeen, has no one, living off the streets, and decides to return home. She has been on the run for two years. She leaves Oregon on a bus to return to Vermont. However, when she arrives, her family is no longer here. Her mother and grandfather were gone.
Alone, she has spent years with the wrong man, abused, drugs, regrets - with only a backpack, no money, she has a piece of paper with a man’s name and phone number. A baby will be coming. Silence. She has a past she is not proud of and has to make things right. She finds a cabin near the river and hides out. Someone at the diner told her about a midwife. Then she meets Ruby.
As impending Hurricane Irene approaches the east coast, the tension and suspense builds as we see the powerful strength and determination of three damaged and flawed women caught up in their own emotional storms of life – for a shocking and powerful conclusion as the three lives intersect. Finding their own road home.
Powerfully written, an emotional account of the inner strength of women, friendships and mother/daughter dynamics and intimate relationships -- Leaving the past behind, burning bridges; something lost has been found. Something stolen has been returned.
T GREENWOOD BOOKS: If you have read any of T. Greenwood books, you know she is unique (no author can write like her), the "queen" of eloquent prose and lush imagery, tackling complex stories of humanity —breathing hope, joy, and life into the pages, offering extraordinary insights and depth.
This is my seventh book by Greenwood and find many of her books are centered around water and elements of the earth and sky, set in Vermont; each with profound meanings and metaphors.
In this mesmerizing novel, the theme of bridges and the building of bridges is apparent throughout THE FOREVER BRIDGE as well as fate, loss, silence, and home; how the storm threatens all the characters and force them into action in their search for healing.
I loved all the passages and metaphors of surrounding bridges. "A bridge can be mysterious, intriguing, yet beautiful. People fear bridges. They are meant to connect people. Bridges fail. Something supposed to create a safe passage becomes a death trap. Sometimes people fail. No matter how safe you are, there is always, always the possibility of someone else’s carelessness." There is so much beauty in this novel—a book to treasure.
Ruby, my favorite character; a courageous and tenacious young girl, facing one obstacle after another; however, she never gives up, fearless --sometimes acting as the parent in a time when they could not be what she needed. Loved her dreams, inspirations, and creativity and her strength caring for Nessa and her mom. Even when it seemed Izzy turned her back on her for a short time, she did not give up on her bridge project, her friend, and persevered.
Hooked from page one to the end, bookmarking countless pages with stunning poetic prose--a complex tapestry of strong women, and lives entwined for a compassionate exploration of the power of love.
Fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde, Charles Martin, Wiley Cash, Amy Hatvany, Jodi Picoult, and Diane Chamberlain, are assured to fall hard for this one.
If you read only one book in 2015, THE FOREVER BRIDGE , one you will not want to miss!
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. "Stunning front cover."
JDCMustReadBooks
Top 50 Books of 2015. "2015 Best Literary Suspense Fiction."
A long-time fan of talented T. Greenwood, "master storyteller," deftly combines lyrical prose, beautiful metaphors, and heartrending human emotions of the heart, with precision, insight, and depth—once again, delivers an extraordinary story.
THE FOREVER BRIDGE, a complex, wrenching, yet uplifting novel of loss, forgiveness, and healing. Two broken and imperfect families, three broken women torn apart by tragedy— desperately struggle to bridge the gap between past and present, evil and kindness, grief and survival, loss and love.
Set in quaint fictional town of New England’s Quimby, Vermont, two years after the imploding of a family, left dealing with the aftermath. The night when certainties were shattered; a one-way bridge, rain, snow, water, another car forcing them off the road, one winter night, a family of four. The night the world changed, when all those safe, soft places became terrifying and dangerous.
In an instant, a tragedy, an accident; taking the life of Jess, a beloved son, a brother; Robert, a former EMT father and husband, left in a wheelchair with no legs. Sylvie, the mother, now a recluse, suffering from agoraphobia, living alone, a broken marriage; Ruby, a daughter, a sister--a gifted, eleven-year-old living with her dad and uncle; with only one friend, Izzy, and a town feeling sorry for this sad and weird family, leaving her embarrassed to go to school.
Sylvie, a former midwife, wife, and mother of one, instead of two. She is panic-stricken, a recluse, PTSD, she barely can get out of bed, has no phone or tv, and has allowed her yard to grow up with raccoons living on her porch. She does not have the strength to be a mother to her own daughter. OCD when it comes to cleaning the interior of the house scrubbing to perfection. Insomnia, living off pills to get her through the day. Her only pastime is taxidermy, specifically birds another strong metaphor. One way opens to the world and the other shuts it away—she chooses shut.
Ruby misses her little brother, she misses the way her mom was before the bridge, the night; she feels sorry for her dad in a wheel chair. She is alone, scared, and just wants normal. She wants to go home. Her mom is sick and will not leave the house, her dad wants them to move away, and her best friend is now mean. However, she is going to build a bridge; sketching, researching, planning...
As the book opens, her father has to go on a trip with her uncle Bunk to the NC coast for a family emergency, and she is left with her mom out in the rural country, and the only way to town, is her bike. Ruby has only one friend Izzy and now she is about to lose her to another girl from school, Marcy and she is the third wheel.
A gifted student, Ruby is obsessed with bridges, drawing inspiration from the strength and purpose and working on a special bridge state championship, sketching and creating. She longs to build a bridge which will last, one which will not crumble, like the people in her life. Presently, she has a secret, Nessa. She has to help. She has a purpose.
Nessa A poor, mute, lonely pregnant teen of seventeen, has no one, living off the streets, and decides to return home. She has been on the run for two years. She leaves Oregon on a bus to return to Vermont. However, when she arrives, her family is no longer here. Her mother and grandfather were gone.
Alone, she has spent years with the wrong man, abused, drugs, regrets - with only a backpack, no money, she has a piece of paper with a man’s name and phone number. A baby will be coming. Silence. She has a past she is not proud of and has to make things right. She finds a cabin near the river and hides out. Someone at the diner told her about a midwife. Then she meets Ruby.
As impending Hurricane Irene approaches the east coast, the tension and suspense builds as we see the powerful strength and determination of three damaged and flawed women caught up in their own emotional storms of life – for a shocking and powerful conclusion as the three lives intersect. Finding their own road home.
Powerfully written, an emotional account of the inner strength of women, friendships and mother/daughter dynamics and intimate relationships -- Leaving the past behind, burning bridges; something lost has been found. Something stolen has been returned.
T GREENWOOD BOOKS: If you have read any of T. Greenwood books, you know she is unique (no author can write like her), the "queen" of eloquent prose and lush imagery, tackling complex stories of humanity —breathing hope, joy, and life into the pages, offering extraordinary insights and depth.
This is my seventh book by Greenwood and find many of her books are centered around water and elements of the earth and sky, set in Vermont; each with profound meanings and metaphors.
In this mesmerizing novel, the theme of bridges and the building of bridges is apparent throughout THE FOREVER BRIDGE as well as fate, loss, silence, and home; how the storm threatens all the characters and force them into action in their search for healing.
I loved all the passages and metaphors of surrounding bridges. "A bridge can be mysterious, intriguing, yet beautiful. People fear bridges. They are meant to connect people. Bridges fail. Something supposed to create a safe passage becomes a death trap. Sometimes people fail. No matter how safe you are, there is always, always the possibility of someone else’s carelessness." There is so much beauty in this novel—a book to treasure.
Ruby, my favorite character; a courageous and tenacious young girl, facing one obstacle after another; however, she never gives up, fearless --sometimes acting as the parent in a time when they could not be what she needed. Loved her dreams, inspirations, and creativity and her strength caring for Nessa and her mom. Even when it seemed Izzy turned her back on her for a short time, she did not give up on her bridge project, her friend, and persevered.
Hooked from page one to the end, bookmarking countless pages with stunning poetic prose--a complex tapestry of strong women, and lives entwined for a compassionate exploration of the power of love.
Fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde, Charles Martin, Wiley Cash, Amy Hatvany, Jodi Picoult, and Diane Chamberlain, are assured to fall hard for this one.
If you read only one book in 2015, THE FOREVER BRIDGE , one you will not want to miss!
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. "Stunning front cover."
JDCMustReadBooks
January 15, 2015
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
T. Greenwood. An author completely new to me. An author whose ability to explain emotion using the most vivid, poetic, and at times gritty and raw metaphors and analogies literally made me yell out “YES!” Yes, that is EXACTLY how that / feels!” I highlighted and noted on my kindle like nobody’s business!
I am not a reviewer who likes to explain the whole book away, so I will leave that to the others and to the jacket covers.
I will tell you that The Forever Bridge is a story told from the perspective of 11 year Ruby and her mother Sylvia. The beginning of the story shows us the terrible tragedy this family has to endure then jumps to two years later. I loved how the author gave us a little more insight into the aftermath of the accident a little at a time. I absolutely adored Ruby and my heart ached for Sylvia as they tried to understand each other. Then we meet Nessa, and she brings a whole new set of complications that are both harrowing and healing.
The ending? Perfection.
T. Greenword is a master of words. I am in awe of her ability to make me see and feel everything she wanted me to see and feel. I cannot wait to read more.
If you like Joyce Carol Oates I believe you will really like T. Greenwood. They are very different authors but both are genius and painting emotion, both beautiful and dark.
Well played T. Greenwood.
T. Greenwood. An author completely new to me. An author whose ability to explain emotion using the most vivid, poetic, and at times gritty and raw metaphors and analogies literally made me yell out “YES!” Yes, that is EXACTLY how that / feels!” I highlighted and noted on my kindle like nobody’s business!
I am not a reviewer who likes to explain the whole book away, so I will leave that to the others and to the jacket covers.
I will tell you that The Forever Bridge is a story told from the perspective of 11 year Ruby and her mother Sylvia. The beginning of the story shows us the terrible tragedy this family has to endure then jumps to two years later. I loved how the author gave us a little more insight into the aftermath of the accident a little at a time. I absolutely adored Ruby and my heart ached for Sylvia as they tried to understand each other. Then we meet Nessa, and she brings a whole new set of complications that are both harrowing and healing.
The ending? Perfection.
T. Greenword is a master of words. I am in awe of her ability to make me see and feel everything she wanted me to see and feel. I cannot wait to read more.
If you like Joyce Carol Oates I believe you will really like T. Greenwood. They are very different authors but both are genius and painting emotion, both beautiful and dark.
Well played T. Greenwood.
January 19, 2017
*ducks* I know I'm in the minority of reviewers... I can't give it 5 stars.
My Reactions:
-The writing is GORGEOUS. I do absolutely love how Greenwood crafts sentences and tries to incorporate deeper themes into her story.
-I just felt she got too involved in her theme building and attempt to tackle incredibly difficult hardships for characters. She seems to lose her way towards the end and finishes with the ever tidy hasty ending.
-I can't get over how easily the mother seems to handle her demons and begin return to normalcy after the events the hurricane brought. It just didn't jive with the severity of the trauma and Sylvie's aftermath that Greenwood had eloquently told throughout most of the book.
-I did like the deeper theme of bridges and their meanings for each of the characters.
-Nessa's character... sigh. I personally thought she wasn't needed. Her tie in at the end heralded something out of a soap opera. Too melodramatic for my taste. The real story for me, lay with Sylvie and Ruby.
-Ruby's character is a complex one that is simply told about. I loved that dichotomy. I thought Greenwood did an outstanding job at crafting such a complex character yet kept with some of the simple nuances that childhood is and should be.
-Alas, the only reason for 3 stars was how the story went. It just didn't carry much weight for me. I will though be reading some other Greenwood books. Her writing is excellent and I'm curious how I will enjoy her others.
Premise:
One rainy night a family has been changed forever. The loss of a son, the loss of movement, the loss of peace of mind, the loss of an active parent, and the loss what their normal is strikes. Sylvie shuts herself away from the world and her family. She can't bear it, though she has made efforts to rejoin those she loves, the demons in her mind won't allow her. Circumstances allow for her daughter to stay with her and this is another chance. Ruby, dreamer of bridges and swim practice avoider, tries to cope with understanding her mother and also the theft of her best friend. It has been a difficult time for her thus far and then she stumbles on Nessa. A child of abuse and neglect, Nessa is pregnant and mute. Her understanding of the world darkened and altered because of her tragic past. Homeless and pregnant, she hides in an abandoned sugar shack waiting for the inevitable because her strength has run out. An imminent hurricane threatens them all and during the storm each woman finds what it is she needs.
My Reactions:
-The writing is GORGEOUS. I do absolutely love how Greenwood crafts sentences and tries to incorporate deeper themes into her story.
-I just felt she got too involved in her theme building and attempt to tackle incredibly difficult hardships for characters. She seems to lose her way towards the end and finishes with the ever tidy hasty ending.
-I can't get over how easily the mother seems to handle her demons and begin return to normalcy after the events the hurricane brought. It just didn't jive with the severity of the trauma and Sylvie's aftermath that Greenwood had eloquently told throughout most of the book.
-I did like the deeper theme of bridges and their meanings for each of the characters.
-Nessa's character... sigh. I personally thought she wasn't needed. Her tie in at the end heralded something out of a soap opera. Too melodramatic for my taste. The real story for me, lay with Sylvie and Ruby.
-Ruby's character is a complex one that is simply told about. I loved that dichotomy. I thought Greenwood did an outstanding job at crafting such a complex character yet kept with some of the simple nuances that childhood is and should be.
-Alas, the only reason for 3 stars was how the story went. It just didn't carry much weight for me. I will though be reading some other Greenwood books. Her writing is excellent and I'm curious how I will enjoy her others.
Premise:
One rainy night a family has been changed forever. The loss of a son, the loss of movement, the loss of peace of mind, the loss of an active parent, and the loss what their normal is strikes. Sylvie shuts herself away from the world and her family. She can't bear it, though she has made efforts to rejoin those she loves, the demons in her mind won't allow her. Circumstances allow for her daughter to stay with her and this is another chance. Ruby, dreamer of bridges and swim practice avoider, tries to cope with understanding her mother and also the theft of her best friend. It has been a difficult time for her thus far and then she stumbles on Nessa. A child of abuse and neglect, Nessa is pregnant and mute. Her understanding of the world darkened and altered because of her tragic past. Homeless and pregnant, she hides in an abandoned sugar shack waiting for the inevitable because her strength has run out. An imminent hurricane threatens them all and during the storm each woman finds what it is she needs.
February 23, 2015
She was only a marionette, she realized, and Fear her puppeteer.
I was totally, completely, utterly and absolutely captivated with this book. The power of words is beautifully displayed in the descriptive portrayal of each of the protagonist. In a poetic prose of grief, fear, and a family struggling to come back together, I felt like I became one with the story and characters.
Have you ever had your life take a complete turn, that anything and everything changes? On the way to a school function, Sylvie and her husband along with their two children lives are drastically changed on a bridge. Their youngest son dead and her husband paralyzed. Leaving her family totally broken in fear, mistrust and each alone in their struggle.
It has been several years since that fateful night and Syvlie has been isolated from her family, unable to care for anyone much less herself. Sylvie’s daughter Ruby must stay with her while her estranged husband attends to a family emergency. The relationship between mother and daughter is strained. Neither know how relate to each other in all the while needing each other tremendously.
Ruby is going thru her own struggles with her best friend that has completely changed overnight. However, Ruby has an obsession, and it is bridges. Her and her best friend Izzy were to enter a contest in building a bridge for school, but with the change in Izzy, Ruby is contemplates doing the contest on her own. Izzy’s abandonment of Ruby and with much time on her hands, she comes across a pregnant runaway that is staying in abandoned shack near her mother’s property. She cannot speak. Who is she? What has brought this stranger to Ruby?
All things seem isolated from each other but all very connected in this engaging lovely story of fighting the battles that reign in the mind and hearts of Ruby, Sylvie and the runaway that was lost but found.
A special thank you, Kensington Books
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was totally, completely, utterly and absolutely captivated with this book. The power of words is beautifully displayed in the descriptive portrayal of each of the protagonist. In a poetic prose of grief, fear, and a family struggling to come back together, I felt like I became one with the story and characters.
Have you ever had your life take a complete turn, that anything and everything changes? On the way to a school function, Sylvie and her husband along with their two children lives are drastically changed on a bridge. Their youngest son dead and her husband paralyzed. Leaving her family totally broken in fear, mistrust and each alone in their struggle.
It has been several years since that fateful night and Syvlie has been isolated from her family, unable to care for anyone much less herself. Sylvie’s daughter Ruby must stay with her while her estranged husband attends to a family emergency. The relationship between mother and daughter is strained. Neither know how relate to each other in all the while needing each other tremendously.
Ruby is going thru her own struggles with her best friend that has completely changed overnight. However, Ruby has an obsession, and it is bridges. Her and her best friend Izzy were to enter a contest in building a bridge for school, but with the change in Izzy, Ruby is contemplates doing the contest on her own. Izzy’s abandonment of Ruby and with much time on her hands, she comes across a pregnant runaway that is staying in abandoned shack near her mother’s property. She cannot speak. Who is she? What has brought this stranger to Ruby?
All things seem isolated from each other but all very connected in this engaging lovely story of fighting the battles that reign in the mind and hearts of Ruby, Sylvie and the runaway that was lost but found.
A special thank you, Kensington Books
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
SUCH a good book. OH my I stayed up waaay too late last night to finish it.
We learn of this family's tragedy pretty early on, and oh it's a biggie.
Ruby - what a tough little cookie. I just wanted to hug that kid and give her a "you go girl" all at the same time.
Robert - dealing with all he did, and still being strong for Ruby.
Sylvie - no mother should have to endure what she did. She struggles to deal with it and in many ways I can understand how she just shuts down and doesn't deal. Except for Ruby. Ruby needs her.
Nessa - at first I couldn't figure out what the heck her role/place was, but she was also strong and endured so much.
I did love the use of bridge literally and figuratively in this story. The way this author writes is beautiful and just keeps you hanging on.
So glad book club decided to read this author!
We learn of this family's tragedy pretty early on, and oh it's a biggie.
Ruby - what a tough little cookie. I just wanted to hug that kid and give her a "you go girl" all at the same time.
Robert - dealing with all he did, and still being strong for Ruby.
Sylvie - no mother should have to endure what she did. She struggles to deal with it and in many ways I can understand how she just shuts down and doesn't deal. Except for Ruby. Ruby needs her.
Nessa - at first I couldn't figure out what the heck her role/place was, but she was also strong and endured so much.
I did love the use of bridge literally and figuratively in this story. The way this author writes is beautiful and just keeps you hanging on.
So glad book club decided to read this author!
October 27, 2014
So lucky to get an early copy of this. T. Greenwood writes with such humanity the depth of her characters is almost palpable. Set against the violent backdrop of Hurricane Irene, this is a story of three incredibly damaged women all fighting to find a road home. Of course, as with anything Greenwood writes, it's about so much more. Brilliant from its heart-wrenching start to its emotional, redemptive end. Or, in her words: “That something stolen has been returned to her. That something lost has been found.”
June 27, 2015
Well, after reading and really enjoying "The Truth According to Us", I thought I would have one of those "let down" moments finding another book - NOT SO!
This book came across the circulation desk at the library a week or so ago, the cover intrigued me, so I checked it out. Not being familiar with T. Greenwood, I had no idea of what I was in for - story or writing wise. Her writing blew me away.
If you are not familiar with her - she has quite a few others, which I plan on reading - since I read this one, I urge you to consider this one. The story is HARD, the writing is incredible - her writing reminds me of Marilynne Robinson's!
Set in fictional Quimby, Vermont, with a major storm approaching.
Three main characters 11 year old Ruth, her mom Sylvie, and 17 going on 18 (and VERY pregnant) Nessa, common thread (unbeknownst to them) is bridges.
Ruth and her friend, Izzy, are supposed to be working on a bridge building project for a science project, Sylvie has lost her son Jess when the family car is driven off the old covered one lane bridge, and Nessa (who is voiceless) is returning home (from a couple years wandering the country) to discover her mother is no longer in town, her grandfather is deceased, carrying a dreadful secret.
Ruth has stumbled upon Nessa in the "sugar shack" and attempts to bring her food with the promise of bringing her mother (midwife) to help when it is time for the baby to arrive. Sylvie has become reclusive since the death of Jess - she and her husband are separated due to her inability to cope with the loss. Nessa is trying to find her voice and a name on a piece of paper with a phone number.
When the storm hits Quimby, all "hell" breaks loose for the three.
Although this is a "tragic" story, I just couldn't put this down - in my own life, I suffered the loss of my very best friend's 8 year old son in a traffic accident, so this was doubly hard to read. As I stated at the beginning, T. Greenwood's writing is incredible, and I am really grateful that this book came across the counter when it did.
This book came across the circulation desk at the library a week or so ago, the cover intrigued me, so I checked it out. Not being familiar with T. Greenwood, I had no idea of what I was in for - story or writing wise. Her writing blew me away.
If you are not familiar with her - she has quite a few others, which I plan on reading - since I read this one, I urge you to consider this one. The story is HARD, the writing is incredible - her writing reminds me of Marilynne Robinson's!
Set in fictional Quimby, Vermont, with a major storm approaching.
Three main characters 11 year old Ruth, her mom Sylvie, and 17 going on 18 (and VERY pregnant) Nessa, common thread (unbeknownst to them) is bridges.
Ruth and her friend, Izzy, are supposed to be working on a bridge building project for a science project, Sylvie has lost her son Jess when the family car is driven off the old covered one lane bridge, and Nessa (who is voiceless) is returning home (from a couple years wandering the country) to discover her mother is no longer in town, her grandfather is deceased, carrying a dreadful secret.
Ruth has stumbled upon Nessa in the "sugar shack" and attempts to bring her food with the promise of bringing her mother (midwife) to help when it is time for the baby to arrive. Sylvie has become reclusive since the death of Jess - she and her husband are separated due to her inability to cope with the loss. Nessa is trying to find her voice and a name on a piece of paper with a phone number.
When the storm hits Quimby, all "hell" breaks loose for the three.
Although this is a "tragic" story, I just couldn't put this down - in my own life, I suffered the loss of my very best friend's 8 year old son in a traffic accident, so this was doubly hard to read. As I stated at the beginning, T. Greenwood's writing is incredible, and I am really grateful that this book came across the counter when it did.
February 24, 2015
Beautifully written, "The Forever Bridge" tells the story of a family whose very foundation has been nearly destroyed by loss. It tells of the rebuilding of that foundation, that family.
Sylvie, mother and wife, is paralyzed by fear and grief after an accident that claims the life of her young son. For two years she has locked herself away from the world and it's danger. Away from living.
Ruby, daughter of Sylvie, is eleven years old. She is struggling to understand all the loss in her life. Her brother, her father's legs, her parent's marriage, but mostly the mother that Sylvie used to be. She is struggling to find a way to bring them all together again. To finally start healing.
Nessa, alone, mute, and pregnant. At seventeen she has been used, abused, and discarded by everyone in her life. By her mother, by men. With only a backpack and a scrap of paper with a name and number written on it; Nessa rolls into Quimby, Vermont on the edge of a hurricane. Right into the lives of Ruby and Sylvie.
"The Forever Bridge" is full of depth and emotion. With characters the are flawed, and broken, and so very real. It is a wonderful book that pulls you in and won't let you go.
*I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Firstreads.
Sylvie, mother and wife, is paralyzed by fear and grief after an accident that claims the life of her young son. For two years she has locked herself away from the world and it's danger. Away from living.
Ruby, daughter of Sylvie, is eleven years old. She is struggling to understand all the loss in her life. Her brother, her father's legs, her parent's marriage, but mostly the mother that Sylvie used to be. She is struggling to find a way to bring them all together again. To finally start healing.
Nessa, alone, mute, and pregnant. At seventeen she has been used, abused, and discarded by everyone in her life. By her mother, by men. With only a backpack and a scrap of paper with a name and number written on it; Nessa rolls into Quimby, Vermont on the edge of a hurricane. Right into the lives of Ruby and Sylvie.
"The Forever Bridge" is full of depth and emotion. With characters the are flawed, and broken, and so very real. It is a wonderful book that pulls you in and won't let you go.
*I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Firstreads.
February 6, 2017
What a beautiful story of loss, searching for home, and having the courage to cross that bridge to a new life's journey. T. Greenwood is a new author to me and I was blown away by her writing style which is pure poetry!
November 20, 2015
One night on a bridge in Vermont, a tragic car accident tears a family apart and leaves the mother, Sylvia, alone and trapped in her house by agoraphobia. Her illness and strange ways divides mother and daughter, Ruby, with little hope to mend their relationship. Sylvia becomes obsessed by doing taxidermy on birds and Ruby turns her focus to building small model bridges.
In another storyline there is a 17 yr old pregnant girl, Nessa, who flees from a drug addict boyfriend in California and returns to her hometown in Vermont to find her mother. When she arrives she learns that her mother has moved which leaves Nessa homeless and out of money. She takes to the streets stealing what food she can to stay alive. She also carries with her destroying secrets. When Ruby befriends Nessa little do they know that both of their lives will be changed.
There was a lot to like about this novel. It had a good storyline but it was very slow reading. I enjoyed Nessa and Ruby’s friendship and I think they were the saving grace of the book. I really got aggravated with Sylvia and was completely disgusted by the detail of her taxidermy projects. I was bored with the endless discussions of Ruby's bridge fascination even though I realized it was a metaphor for reuniting her family. A little of it was poignant but again, there was more information than I cared for. I wasn’t too happy with the father and brother-in-law. Thankfully their characters were in the background. I thought there was a lot of unnecessary detail about how tragic everyone’s lives were. It was as if the author didn’t think you “got it” the first time and had to tell it to you again and again. This book should have been a novella. It would have not been such slow reading, would have had more impact and would have been much more interesting!
In another storyline there is a 17 yr old pregnant girl, Nessa, who flees from a drug addict boyfriend in California and returns to her hometown in Vermont to find her mother. When she arrives she learns that her mother has moved which leaves Nessa homeless and out of money. She takes to the streets stealing what food she can to stay alive. She also carries with her destroying secrets. When Ruby befriends Nessa little do they know that both of their lives will be changed.
There was a lot to like about this novel. It had a good storyline but it was very slow reading. I enjoyed Nessa and Ruby’s friendship and I think they were the saving grace of the book. I really got aggravated with Sylvia and was completely disgusted by the detail of her taxidermy projects. I was bored with the endless discussions of Ruby's bridge fascination even though I realized it was a metaphor for reuniting her family. A little of it was poignant but again, there was more information than I cared for. I wasn’t too happy with the father and brother-in-law. Thankfully their characters were in the background. I thought there was a lot of unnecessary detail about how tragic everyone’s lives were. It was as if the author didn’t think you “got it” the first time and had to tell it to you again and again. This book should have been a novella. It would have not been such slow reading, would have had more impact and would have been much more interesting!
March 29, 2016
A good read. While I was not blown away by either the story or Greenwood's writing, the book is effective and I was drawn into the lives of these broken women, rooting for them to find a way to heal. I related to and enjoyed reading passages devoted to Ruby the most, and the way that she pours herself into the bridge designing project serves as not only an outlet for her pain, but is also cleverly symbolic. I was least invested in Nessa's journey and would have been fine with much less of her point of view, as I found her to be a collection of clichés rather than a fully formed character. I didn't care for the handful of chapters that are written in the second-person point of view, which completely took me out of the story; it felt like Greenwood was getting unnecessarily artsy. Although the story successfully builds toward the hurricane, it briefly stalls and gets a little repetitive when that point finally arrives. Thankfully, the ending ties everything and everyone together nicely yet opts for realism by leaving some ambiguity and not giving everyone a perfect ending.
June 2, 2015
Wow! This was a book I could not put down & I felt so wrapped up in these people & their lives & this story.
I received an advance copy of this book from net galley for a fair & honest review.
I have never read a book by T. Greenwood, but after reading The Forever Bridge, I plan to read more.
This book starts with a family tragedy which we piece together as the story unfolds. It is told from the point of view of 11 year Ruby & of her mom, Sylvia. It is a coming of age story, a story of sorrow & sadness, of finding a way to deal with tragedy , it is about the love of a mother & bridges-metaphorically & literally.
The writing was beautiful, I felt every pain, & it was so visual & I gasped at the unexpected.
Just a wonderful book, a page turner & such a full thought out story that did not leave me wanting.
Loved it!
I received an advance copy of this book from net galley for a fair & honest review.
I have never read a book by T. Greenwood, but after reading The Forever Bridge, I plan to read more.
This book starts with a family tragedy which we piece together as the story unfolds. It is told from the point of view of 11 year Ruby & of her mom, Sylvia. It is a coming of age story, a story of sorrow & sadness, of finding a way to deal with tragedy , it is about the love of a mother & bridges-metaphorically & literally.
The writing was beautiful, I felt every pain, & it was so visual & I gasped at the unexpected.
Just a wonderful book, a page turner & such a full thought out story that did not leave me wanting.
Loved it!
February 25, 2015
I received an ARC of The Forever Bridge from the Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The Forever Bridge is a poignant story of a tragic accident that has torn apart a family and the family's subsequent struggle to forgive and re-connect with one another. The emotional story is told from the perspective of the mother Sylvia, the young daughter Ruby and a homeless teenager Nessa and is set against the backdrop of an impending hurricane. Beautifully poetic and eloquently written, this powerful novel pulls you in from the start and doesn't let go. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Forever Bridge and would highly recommend it to others. I look forward to reading other books Greenwood has written.
April 7, 2016
This a beautiful story that's a bit difficult to read. The characters are well-formed. While your initial reaction may be to get extremely frustrated with Sylvie for seemingly abandoning her family, the writer does an extremely good job making her fear and mental instability understandable. I loved Ruby, and I felt for her as she navigated her own struggles, pouring all of herself into bridge building, something extremely symbolic for this particular story, and in her assistance of the mysterious pregnant girl who doesn't communicate with spoken words. The language of this book is beautiful. I have a feeling our book group will have a lot to discuss when we talk over this one in April!
June 30, 2015
The Forever Bridge? More like The Forever Book. This book went on and on about nothing, really. Here is one story: Sylvie and her family, what happened that night on the bridge that would change their lives forever. Here is another story: Nessa, a young tramp who teaches Sylvie how to live again.
This is my first T. Greenwood book. I didn't care for it at all.
This is my first T. Greenwood book. I didn't care for it at all.
February 11, 2016
You really can't go wrong with T Greenwood. I always feel such a strong sense of place with her, like I have such a vivid image of her characters and setting. Her younger characters are especially well written; every scene with Ruby and Izzy are just gold. I wasn't totally invested in Nessa's storyline here, but this is still a really solid read and I'm so excited for her next one.
March 6, 2015
With all the great reviews, I tried to get into it, but after almost 200 pages I gave up. Too wordy, too many details about nothing.
March 2, 2015
This novel is captivating and the author has a true talent for showing emotion through her excellent choice of words.
This is the first book I have had the pleasure of reading by this author, and I have nothing but good things to say about the writing.
When we meet the characters at the beginning of this story, their family is complete and the life changing events have not yet taken place. Soon after, we come to realise that just like real life, everything you used to know can be gone in an instant.
This book is about many things, love, hope, forgiveness and the power of a mother's heart to heal for her children. I thought the author did a beautiful job of displaying the grieving process in detail and showing the reader the internal workings of a damaged life.
The characters are realistic and vibrant and the setting described so well that you feel as if you know the place, even if you have not been there.
Overall, I was nothing but impressed with this novel and would definitely recommend it to those who expect to leave without a dry eye.
Five well deserved stars.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book I have had the pleasure of reading by this author, and I have nothing but good things to say about the writing.
When we meet the characters at the beginning of this story, their family is complete and the life changing events have not yet taken place. Soon after, we come to realise that just like real life, everything you used to know can be gone in an instant.
This book is about many things, love, hope, forgiveness and the power of a mother's heart to heal for her children. I thought the author did a beautiful job of displaying the grieving process in detail and showing the reader the internal workings of a damaged life.
The characters are realistic and vibrant and the setting described so well that you feel as if you know the place, even if you have not been there.
Overall, I was nothing but impressed with this novel and would definitely recommend it to those who expect to leave without a dry eye.
Five well deserved stars.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
May 13, 2015
Bridge a gap. Bridge over troubled water. Bridges connect you to the other side, both literally and figuratively. You have to go over 42 bridges to get from Key Largo to Key West...I know, I have traveled them extensively lately! there is something about going over that expanse that (if you are not the driver) gives you pause...T. Greenwood's The Forever Bride captured the beauty, the meanings both literally and figuratively of the many bridges we have to cross almost every day of our lives. This novel is about loss, bridging the gap between what was and what is. It is about carrying on after a devastating loss; it is about being a mother, a child, a friend. It is about making amends, coming Home...I Loved It!!!
February 10, 2015
I have just finished my first book for NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book! I read it over the course of the weekend, and was so often surprised that I could literally not put this book down. I was mesmerized by the story, by the unknown, by the imagery, and finally the beautiful prose. T. Greenwood writes so eloquently, it was so easy to get caught up in her descriptions. There was so much symbolism throughout~ life, death, and piecing a life back together, in more ways then one. And her characters~ so real~ you feel that you can understand what it is they are going through. The only thing that I was hoping for was more interaction, even from the past, between Sylvie and Robert. All in all, an excellent book and one I would highly recommend.
April 11, 2015
This story started out good but then it was just middle of the road but I did see a little glimmer of hope, so I decided to read a little longer and see if it would get better. Luckily the story did. The reason I had my reserves is because in the beginning I was not feeling the vibe with the characters or the story. Also, it moved along slowly with no real direction. Yet as I got about ten chapters in, I began to see the characters as real people and enjoy the story.
Ruby and Nessa were my favorites. They were both vulnerable but had so much charisma. The way that Ruby craved for her mother was sad. Yet I thought the way she acted in this book she was very grownup. Than there is Nessa. The fact that she is a mute did not keep her from still "talking" volumes. I enjoyed this book.
Ruby and Nessa were my favorites. They were both vulnerable but had so much charisma. The way that Ruby craved for her mother was sad. Yet I thought the way she acted in this book she was very grownup. Than there is Nessa. The fact that she is a mute did not keep her from still "talking" volumes. I enjoyed this book.
June 7, 2015
I love this author for her metaphorical prose and have read all of her books because of her vivid characterization of emotionally fragile individuals. The 10 year old narrator is a little too eloquent for her age but I am able to forgive that flaw to appreciate the first person narration from her viewpoint. The child is obsessed with building bridges both metaphorically and in a school contest and her unstable mother hides behind a wall of fears since the accident that killed her other child. If you have not read the work of this author be sure to try.
February 5, 2017
Very emotional read! For the most part I did not like Sylvia. I get that she lost a child, and I cannot even image how devestating that would be, but she opted to completely isolate and ignore the child she did still have. She did seem to redeem herself at the end but I am a grudge holder so there is that...
January 22, 2015
Another 5 plus! T. Greenwood's The Forever Bridge!
March 20, 2015
Beautiful writing, great story and memorable characters.
March 24, 2015
I would give this book 6 stars. So beautifully written.
April 14, 2015
This is another really good book. The Mother was part of me a whole lot of the time. Her feelings were mine and I kept some of them to my self. Not good. You can't heal if you keep hiding.
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