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The Day the Falls Stood Still

by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Day the Falls Stood Still Cover

ISBN13: 9781401340971
ISBN10: 1401340970
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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 the Niagara Power Company. After graduation day at her boarding school, she is impatient to return to her picturesque family home near the falls. But when she arrives, nothing is as she left it. Her father has lost his job at the power company, her mother is reduced to taking in sewing from the society ladies she once entertained, and Isabel, Bess’s vivacious older sister, is a shadow of her former self. She has shut herself in her bedroom, barely eating and harboring a secret.

The night of her return, Bess meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him against her family’s strong objections. He is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies that seek to harness the falls for themselves. As the couple’s lives become more fully entwined, Bess is forced to make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls, at a time when daredevils shot the river rapids in barrels and great industrial fortunes were made and lost as quickly as lives disappeared, The Day the Falls Stood Still is an intoxicating debut novel.

Review:

"Set against the backdrop of WWI and Niagara Falls, this debut tells the story of young Bess Heath and her struggle to navigate a quickly modernizing world. A child of privilege, Bess sees her fortunes change when her father loses his job. Cast into poverty, her family disgraced, Bess tries to hold things together while her sister slips into depression, her father drinks and her mother withdraws. After another tragedy strikes, Bess finds comfort in the love of Tom Cole, a river man with a mysterious connection to the falls. Overcoming the deep privation of the war and their own limited means, the two begin building a life together and renew their commitment to each other and their family. Based loosely on the history of Niagara river man William 'Red' Hill, the book incorporates mock newspaper articles with limited success, but does integrate some detailed depictions of domestic life and fascinating natural history into an otherwise uneventful romance. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

In the tradition of City of Light and Fortune's Rocks comes a stunning debut novel of one family's struggle, set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls.

About the Author

Cathy Marie Buchanan’s stories have appeared in several of Canada’s most respected literary journals: The Antigonish Review, The Dalhousie Review, Descant, The New Quarterly and Quarry. She holds a BSC (Honors Biochemistry) and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario, she grew up amid the awe-inspiring scenery of the Niagara River and awash in the local lore. She now resides in Toronto.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 5 comments:

FleurDeMar, February 21, 2011 (view all comments by FleurDeMar)
The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan is set against the backdrop of Eastern Canada and more specifically, Niagara Falls and is centered around 17 year old Bess Heath and river man, Tom. The two are in different social classes, but fall in love. I found the beginning of their relationship to be very sweet and it was a thrill to see their love blossom and grow.

This historical novel, the author’s first, was hard for me to put down. I loved all the characters, admired their strength, cried and laughed with them and didn’t want any of it to end. I appreciated the amount of research that must have gone into it and loved the real, black and white clippings at the beginning of chapters and how an actual historical figure was incorporated into the story. I felt invested in the lives of Bess and Tom and their families and that, to me, is the mark of a great book.
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mparke, January 12, 2011 (view all comments by mparke)
I absolutely adored this book. It's hard to believe it's Buchanan's first novel. The story was emotional, intelligent, stunning and beautifully written. I didn't feel like I was just reading about the past; I felt like I was actually there. The words and phrases, the characters actions, the descriptions of the surroundings, the fashions at the time; everything about the book pulled me back in time. Highly recommended.

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lindsey b , March 16, 2010 (view all comments by lindsey b )
A beautiful love story and a story of families and war and of the Niagara set in late 1800's-early 1900's. So many details of the River Niagara in the book. Makes you want to go see it for yourself. Fantastic read, beautifully written.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781401340971
Author:
Buchanan, Cathy Marie
Publisher:
Voice
Subject:
General
Subject:
Domestic fiction
Subject:
Historical fiction
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Edition Description:
Hardcover
Publication Date:
20090831
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
320
Dimensions:
9.25 x 6.125 in 19.28 oz
Age Level:
Adult

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Related Subjects


Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Languages » Foreign Languages » Spanish » Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Languages » Foreign Languages » Spanish » Fiction and Poetry » Romance » Historical

The Day the Falls Stood Still Used Hardcover
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$9.95 In Stock
Product details 320 pages Hyperion Books - English 9781401340971 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Set against the backdrop of WWI and Niagara Falls, this debut tells the story of young Bess Heath and her struggle to navigate a quickly modernizing world. A child of privilege, Bess sees her fortunes change when her father loses his job. Cast into poverty, her family disgraced, Bess tries to hold things together while her sister slips into depression, her father drinks and her mother withdraws. After another tragedy strikes, Bess finds comfort in the love of Tom Cole, a river man with a mysterious connection to the falls. Overcoming the deep privation of the war and their own limited means, the two begin building a life together and renew their commitment to each other and their family. Based loosely on the history of Niagara river man William 'Red' Hill, the book incorporates mock newspaper articles with limited success, but does integrate some detailed depictions of domestic life and fascinating natural history into an otherwise uneventful romance. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Synopsis" by , In the tradition of City of Light and Fortune's Rocks comes a stunning debut novel of one family's struggle, set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls.
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