Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Other Side of the Bridge
The Other Side of the Bridge | Mary Lawson
14 posts | 11 read | 12 to read
From the author of the beloved #1 national bestseller Crow Lake comes an exceptional new novel of jealously, rivalry and the dangerous power of obsession. Two brothers, Arthur and Jake Dunn, are the sons of a farmer in the mid-1930s, when life is tough and another world war is looming. Arthur is reticent, solid, dutiful and set to inherit the farm and his fathers character; Jake is younger, attractive, mercurial and dangerous to know the family misfit. When a beautiful young woman comes into the community, the fragile balance of sibling rivalry tips over the edge. Then there is Ian, the familys next generation, and far too sure he knows the difference between right and wrong. By now it is the fifties, and the world has changed a little, but not enough. These two generations in the small town of Struan, Ontario, are tragically interlocked, linked by fate and community but separated by a war which devours its young men its unimaginable horror reaching right into the heart of this remote corner of an empire. With her astonishing ability to turn the ratchet of tension slowly and delicately, Lawson builds their story to a shocking climax. Taut with apprehension, surprising us with moments of tenderness and humour, The Other Side of the Bridge is a compelling, humane and vividly evoked novel with an irresistible emotional undertow. Arthur found himself staring down at the knife embedded in his foot. There was a surreal split second before the blood started to well up and then up it came, dark and thick as syrup. Arthur looked at Jake and saw that he was staring at the knife. His expression was one of surprise, and this was something that Arthur wondered about later too. Was Jake surprised because he had never considered the possibility that he might be a less than perfect shot? Did he have that much confidence in himself, that little self-doubt? Or was he merely surprised at how easy it was to give in to an impulse, and carry through the thought which lay in your mind? Simply to do whatever you wanted to do, and damn the consequences. from The Other Side of the Bridge From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
sisilia
post image
Pickpick

5⭐️ Wow! I‘m glad that I decided to give this book a try. What a captivating story! I love how she uses dual-timeline and that she brings in another individual as a close observer of an intense sibling rivalry. Mary Lawson is a wonderful story-teller I want to read her other books now

Tamra Lots of Lawson love here! ❤️ 2mo
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
sisilia
post image

Spending 1 hour on a treadmill is a chore so I have been listening to podcasts while struggling with my run/walk. And I came across this episode discussing Mary Lawson. Never heard of her, never read her books… but the interview intrigued me and Libby has the tagged book. Hurrah! I started it and kinda like her writing… it‘s engaging, too!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zIVqLotaPk38aDqpKaPg6?si=te1orrVXSRy-CdZbTsRv4...

Ruthiella I love that podcast and their interview with Lawson was wonderful. 2mo
sisilia @Ruthiella Indeed! It‘s my go-to podcast, together with Backlisted and Unburried Books 2mo
46 likes2 comments
quote
charl08
post image

At dinner time and again in the evening he'd walk back to the house along the track and for the first couple of weeks the prints of his father's boots were still there, like his signature written on the land. Then it rained and they were gone. That had seemed a treachery, that his footsteps could be erased so easily. How many thousands of times had he walked along that track?

46 likes1 stack add
review
AnneCecilie
post image
Pickpick

A small northern Canadian town. Two timelines - the late 30s/early 40s and some 15 yrs later.

In the late 30s, brothers Arthur and Jake grow up on a farm. Arthur is the reliable one and when they overhear their father tell their mother that Arthur is a good worker everything seems to change.

15 yrs later, young Ian starts working on Arthur‘s farm. Ian has a crush on Arthur‘s wife and hope this will make it possible to spend time with her.

AnneCecilie Lawson really knows how to write a story. This book had me both laughing and crying. There‘s a scene where Ian is learning how to plow with the horses. He thinks his done well until he turns and see that the line isn‘t straight. Then one of the horses sees it too, jumping back and giving him a look. 1y
TrishB She‘s a wonderful writer. 1y
Tamra Lawson is wonderful 😊 1y
sarahbarnes I want to read more by her! 1y
54 likes4 comments
review
TrishB
post image
Pickpick

First #gladstones book finished 😁
What a wonderful writer Lawson is. Her prose and pacing of the inevitable domestic drama is amazing.

Cathythoughts She‘s so good. I must get back to her. And you are on a roll … 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1y
BarbaraBB First Gladstone finished. I envy all of you there! ❤️❤️ 1y
TrishB @Cathythoughts 😘 such a lovely writer! 1y
See All 8 Comments
TrishB @BarbaraBB 😘 next year! 1y
BarbaraBB That would be something 😍 1y
Caroline2 Oh I have this book too. Good to know you liked it. 👍 1y
charl08 Just finished this one. Wonderful book. 4mo
TrishB @charl08 it definitely is 😁 4mo
82 likes8 comments
blurb
TrishB
post image

Hair done, relaxing lunchtime read and then pack for #Gladstonesretreat

Cinfhen Ohhhhh!!! Fun!!!!!!! Saw your message - thank you 😘😘it‘s a lot, especially when some family members don‘t behave 🙄 1y
Jari-chan That looks delish! 😍 1y
TrishB @Cinfhen it wouldn‘t be family if someone wasn‘t misbehaving. Take care 😘❤️ 1y
See All 6 Comments
TrishB @Jari-chan it was - in my fave veggie cafe. 1y
Caroline2 Yum 😋 I hope you have a fab trip. 🧳 📚 1y
TrishB @Caroline2 thank you 😘 1y
86 likes6 comments
review
violabrain
post image
Pickpick

Another fantastic read by Mary Lawson. I‘m so happy I discovered her work over the summer and I can‘t believe I had never heard of her before!

review
Amiable
post image
Pickpick

I just finished this book, and now I‘m sad. It‘s the last book in Mary Lawson‘s backlist and now I have to wait (years? Decades?) for her to write another one. Each book has been a tremendous reading experience and I urge everyone I know to read them all. (But do it slowly, to delay the inevitable sadness that you‘ll feel when you too get to the end.)

Tamra I know! ❤️ 2y
CoverToCoverGirl Such a great review! I haven‘t read anything by her yet but I have this one on my shelf 2y
Amiable @CoverToCoverGirl That was the first one of hers that I read, too! Then I immediately went to the library to find her previous 3 novels. 2y
See All 8 Comments
Amiable @Tamra This one might be my favorite! I can‘t decide. But what an emotional gut punch—wow. 🥺 2y
jlhammar I can't wait to read more Lawson. A Town Called Solace was so good! I just wasn't sure which one I should try next. I know I want to read them all eventually so maybe I should just order all three. 2y
Amiable @jlhammar “Crow Lake” was her first book —that‘s what I picked up after reading “Solace.” 2y
charl08 I've got one left (I think) so will take your advice and pace it! 4mo
Amiable @charl08 They are so wonderful, aren‘t they? All of them! 4mo
69 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
Tamra
post image
Pickpick

Lawson is a master at pacing domestic tension! Another 5⭐️

I‘m disappointed this one is the last of her backlist for me. She doesn‘t seem to write quickly so I‘m left waiting for the next new novel.

Cathythoughts Sounds so good .. I have it stacked already 👍🏻❤️ 3y
Tamra @Cathythoughts it‘s been a fun run through her work. I hope you like them too! 3y
72 likes2 stack adds2 comments
blurb
Tamra
post image

I cannot impress how well Lawson builds tension. The prologue sets it up with children playing a knife game and then wham, chapter 4 drops a bombshell that you know is only the beginning of a fraught future. 😬

Cathythoughts Sounds good .. stacked 👍🏻❤️ 3y
mcctrish I just got my hands on a copy of Crow Lake, preparing to embrace Mary Lawson 3y
Tamra @mcctrish there is something about her writing that fires on all cylinders for me! I hope you like Crow Lake too. 😃 3y
JamieArc I am enjoying my first Lawson, A Town Called Solace. 3y
Tamra @JamieArc that one sent me on the quest to read all of her novels, which aren‘t many numbered. 😕 Enjoy! 3y
49 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
Tamra
post image

Up next - the last Lawson novel I haven‘t read. I have raced through them.

Thanks @TrishB for the reminder! 😉

TrishB I‘m looking forward to reading! 3y
59 likes1 comment
blurb
Tamra
post image

Mail call! 😁

I fell in love with The Country of Pointed Firs when I listened to it on Libravox a couple of years ago. If you love writing that is imbued with place, you‘ll appreciate it. This edition also includes four of Jewett‘s short stories that I haven‘t read yet.

Cathythoughts Another Mary Lawson ❤️ stacked 3y
Tamra @Cathythoughts I‘m loving Crow Lake! 👍🏾 3y
62 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Book_in_hands
post image

My local used bookstore house is closing soon, this was the fist of many trips😭 A few of these titles are #blamelitsy and I thank you!!

LMJenkins Is awesome 6y
Zelma The Patron Saint of Liars is a good one! 6y
62 likes3 comments