Michelle Richmond is the bestselling author of The Year of Fog, No One You Know, Dream of the Blue Room, and the award-winning The Girl in the Fall-Away Dress. A native of Alabama’s Gulf Coast, she makes her home in Northern California.
Golden State: A Novel
eBook
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ISBN-13:
9780345532404
- Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
- Publication date: 02/04/2014
- Sold by: Random House
- Format: eBook
- Pages: 304
- File size: 2 MB
Available on NOOK devices and apps
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Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Jacquelyn Mitchard, and Anna Quindlen, Golden State is a powerful, mesmerizing new novel that explores the intricacies of marriage, family, and the profound moments that shape our lives.
Doctor Julie Walker has just signed her divorce papers when she receives news that her younger sister, Heather, has gone into labor. Though theirs is a strained relationship, Julie sets out for the hospital to be at her sister’s side—no easy task since the streets of San Francisco are filled with tension and strife. Today is also the day that Julie will find herself at the epicenter of a violent standoff in which she is forced to examine both the promising and the painful parts of her past—her Southern childhood; her romance with her husband, Tom; her estrangement from Heather; and the shattering incident that led to her greatest heartbreak.
Infused with emotional depth and poignancy, Golden State takes readers on a journey over the course of a single, unforgettable day—through an extraordinary landscape of love, loss, and hope.
Praise for Golden State
“A stirring look at the ties that bind husband-wife, mother-child and even sisters, and what happens when they’re torn asunder. Set in a San Francisco chafing with unrest both political and personal, the world Richmond creates is exquisitely charged with regret and hope.”—Family Circle
“[A] riveting read that can be recommended to fans of Jodi Picoult and Jacquelyn Mitchard . . . Mesmerizing and intricate, Richmond’s dissection of a California on the violent brink of secession from the nation provides the backdrop to her deeper inspection of the uneasy, fragile relationship between siblings.”—Booklist (starred review)
“[An] amazing, turbulent novel woven of disparate threads . . . Nearly every feature of this mesmerizing novel is provocative, as Richmond explores the fragmented, hopeful lives of complex characters. This is gripping, multilayered must-read fiction.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“An exciting premise . . . skillfully written . . . Julie’s past and her relationship with the other characters are scrutinized as the clock ticks. It’s an interesting and sometimes-disturbing study.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Richmond takes readers through a bittersweet, heartwarming tale of a woman on the cusp of life-changing events in both her personal and professional lives. . . . Once invested, the reader is carried away by this action-packed, poignant story, making this a tale that will live in the heart of the reader once the last page is read.”—RT Book Reviews
“This is a thoughtful book about how past circumstances change us into the people we are today, for the good or bad. Julie is a sympathetic and relatable character, and readers will definitely feel for her as she goes through her life-changing day.”—The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
“Richmond . . . delivers a page-turner.”—San Jose Mercury News
“A breathtaking read and one I’ll not soon forget.”—Melanie Benjamin, author of The Aviator’s Wife
Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Remembering a quote from Richmond's protagonist is probably the best way to approach her intricate, unusual story. Julie Merrill must focus and "recalibrate her world." And so must the reader of this amazing, turbulent novel woven of disparate threads. The narrative unfolds with Julie, a doctor at the VA hospital in San Francisco. Her marriage has recently dissolved; her erratic younger sister appears, demanding Julie deliver the sister's baby; and a hostage situation develops, involving those close to Julie. While these issues form a rich domestic drama, there is an additional wrinkle: Californians are voting on this particular day to determine whether the state will secede from the United States. Because of the demonstrations and chaos in the streets, Julie must navigate with difficulty her way to the hospital. As she attempts her journey, she recalls her earlier life during which she managed to escape the narrow confines of her youth in rural Mississippi. VERDICT Nearly every feature of this mesmerizing novel is provocative, as Richmond explores the fragmented, hopeful lives of complex characters. This is gripping, multilayered must-read fiction from the best-selling author of The Year of Fog (which was an LJ Best Book of 2007).—Andrea Tarr, Corona P.L., CA
“[A] riveting read that can be recommended to fans of Jodi Picoult and Jacquelyn Mitchard . . . Mesmerizing and intricate, Richmond’s dissection of a California on the violent brink of secession from the nation provides the backdrop to her deeper inspection of the uneasy, fragile relationship between siblings.”—Booklist (starred review)
“[An] amazing, turbulent novel woven of disparate threads . . . Nearly every feature of this mesmerizing novel is provocative, as Richmond explores the fragmented, hopeful lives of complex characters. This is gripping, multilayered must-read fiction.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“An exciting premise . . . skillfully written . . . Julie’s past and her relationship with the other characters are scrutinized as the clock ticks. It’s an interesting and sometimes-disturbing study.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Richmond takes readers through a bittersweet, heartwarming tale of a woman on the cusp of life-changing events in both her personal and professional lives. . . . Once invested, the reader is carried away by this action-packed, poignant story, making this a tale that will live in the heart of the reader once the last page is read.”—RT Book Reviews
“This is a thoughtful book about how past circumstances change us into the people we are today, for the good or bad. Julie is a sympathetic and relatable character, and readers will definitely feel for her as she goes through her life-changing day.”—The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
“Richmond . . . delivers a page-turner.”—San Jose Mercury News
“A breathtaking read and one I’ll not soon forget.”—Melanie Benjamin, author of The Aviator’s Wife
“I haven’t read such a gripping, bittersweet, moving novel in ages. Golden State sweeps you up, whisks you away, and doesn’t let you go till the very end. Michelle Richmond, author of the unforgettable The Year of Fog, does it again.”—Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah’s Key
“This is the kind of book you want to read slowly, but instead you read it in a mad rush to find out where this incredibly talented writer is taking you.”—Ann Packer, author of Swim Back to Me
“So imaginative, so heartfelt—a masterly braid of memory and urgency. Richmond is in top form, and has made a book of exquisite grace.”—Andrew Sean Greer, author of The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
“Dazzlingly smart and moving, Golden State doesn’t just shine, it blazes.”—Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You
On the day Californians cast a groundbreaking vote, a doctor is confronted with situations that compel her to contemplate her past, present and future in Richmond's (The Year of Fog, 2007, etc.) contemporary novel. Dr. Julie Merrill's having a bad day, and it's a real doozy. The document officially ending her marriage to husband Tom has just been signed, her pregnant sister, Heather, has gone into labor across town, her Jeep's been vandalized while Californians swarm to the polls to vote on secession, and she's injured her foot. To top it off, a veteran suffering from PTSD—whom she once considered a friend and confidant but who then turned into a frightening stalker—has resurfaced, and he's now holding some of her fellow workers hostage at the VA hospital. The story takes place during the course of one day and teeters back and forth between past and present as Julie hobbles to Heather's side at the VA hotel, tries to maintain a phone conversation with the gunman to keep him from harming people, and reflects upon her humble beginnings and broken marriage. At the core of Julie's life is an event that's caused years of estrangement between the sisters, destroying Julie's solid marriage and triggering Heather's enlistment in the Army and deployment to Afghanistan. But when Heather shows up pregnant and asks for help, Julie can't deny the bond that exists between them. Richmond creates an exciting premise and uses an unusual approach to develop the plot. Rather than a narrative that reflects a sense of urgency and tension produced by the hostage-taking and secession scenarios, Julie's past and her relationship with the other characters are scrutinized as the clock ticks. It's an interesting and sometimes-disturbing study exploring how a person's anticipated path can change and examining the choices people must make in order to move forward. Skillfully written.