enjoy this fast-paced debut thriller. Fans of Ron Rash s novels will appreciate the intricate plot and Joy s establishment of a strong sense of place in his depiction of rural Appalachia.
Library Journal (starred review)
Bound to draw comparisons to Daniel Woodrell's
Winter's Bone...[Joy's] moments of poetic cognizance are the stuff of fine fiction, lyrical sweets that will keep readers turning pages...
Where All Light Tends To Go is a book that discloses itself gradually, like a sunrise peeking over a distant mountain range...If [Joy's next] novel is anything like his first, it'll be worth the wait.
Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionJoy s first novel is an uncompromising noir, its downward thrust pulling like quicksand on both the characters and the reader. And, yet, there is poetry here, too, as there is in Daniel Woodrell s novels, the kind of poetry that draws its power from a doomed character s grit in the face of disaster. . . This is the start of a very promising fiction-writing career.
BooklistGripping . . . Engaging characters, a well-realized setting, and poetic prose establish Joy as a novelist worth watching.
Publishers WeeklyJoy s debut is about hope as much as it is fate . . . [it] is harrowing. Joy s voice is authentic, his prose sparse, his eye for detail minute. Everything works in this novel to push the reader closer and closer to the cliff s edge, hoping against hope that what won t be required is to jump off.
Mountain TimesJoy works with the materials many call the stuff of country noir. The result calls to mind the work of powerful writers such as Ron Rash, Daniel Woodrell, Mark Powell, and Cormac McCarthy . . . Joy has crafted a piece of masterful fiction. His sense of pace, his ability to catch the reader off guard with explosive and often upsetting incidents, his way with the shape of a chapter all herald a major young writer.
Still:
The JournalWhere All Light Tends to Go is lyrical, propulsive, dark and compelling. In this debut novel, David Joy makes it clear that he knows well the grit and gravel of his world, the soul and blemishes of the place. He uses details that put us inside the picture, and lets his narrative move at a graceful but restless pace. Daniel Woodrell, author of
Winter s Bone and
The Maid s VersionDavid Joy has written a savage and moving account of a young man s attempt to transcend his family s legacy of violence.
Where All Light Tends to Go is an outstanding debut and a fine addition to the country noir vein of Southern Literature. Ron Rash, PEN/Faulkner Finalist and
New York Times bestselling author of
Serena Where All Light Tends to Go is deeply rooted in place, written in an assured, authentic voice. David Joy manages to be both lyrical and gritty, loving and horrifyingly violent, funny and grim. His picture of modern Appalachia is rich and evocative, with bold storytelling not often seen in a first novel. This book is an amazing start to a career that could make Joy the Larry Brown of the Appalachians. Ace Atkins,
New York Times-bestselling author of
The ForsakenCompelling and authentic . . . a harsh tale of young love s tender hopes set against the brutal realities of ruined Appalachia. Jacob McNeely s story is one worth reading. Tawni O Dell,
New York Times-bestselling author of
Back RoadsDavid Joy writes under the auspices of community, heartbreak, and love, and makes use of the warmest color in fiction - gray. What is right and what is wrong and who is to decide? In the North Carolina mountains, these answers don't come easy. Big decisions come with big consequences, and if you second guess, you lose. Michael Farris Smith, author of
Rivers and
The Hands of StrangersRunning with the dopers, drunks and less fortunate in my youth, those who were doomed by their surroundings, the story that David Joy tells is one of truth, power and circumstance and quite possibly a tour de force in American letters. Frank Bill, author of
Crimes in Southern Indiana and
DonnybrookWhere All Light Tends to Go reads like the whiskey-breath of Harry Crews word-drunk on the lyricism of Daniel Woodrell. It's as brutally beautiful as it is heartbreaking. Mark Powell, author of
The Dark CornerDavid Joy gives us a world that is equal parts graceful beauty and true grit in this poetic and heart-pounding novel.
Where All Light Tends to Go contains those essential elements for a novel that sticks to the ribs : complex and memorable characters, a palpable sense of place, and a plot that is driven as much by suspense as lyricism. You won't be able to put down this profoundly moving and illuminating look into a mysterious and intricate world where the smell of the southern pines mingles with the scent of cooking meth. Silas House, author of
Clay's Quilt and
Eli the GoodDavid Joy's
Where All Light Tends to Go will be compared to a handful of grit lit masterpieces, but Joy's his own writer. It's a
double page turner--I couldn't stop reading, but I relished each page twice, mesmerized by the language and plot twists. For every scene of evil personified, there's goodness. For every horrific act of lawless characters, there's the sublime. I'll remember and be haunted by this novel for a long, long time. George Singleton, author of
Between Wrecks
