"Swift River" is a coming-of-age tale by Essie Chambers that takes us into the life of Diamond, a biracial teenager grappling with questions of identity, belonging, and heritage. Once her father suddenly disappears, Diamond must figure out how to make it through life without his presence (both the good and the bad), especially in the face of tending to her mother. As she is now the only Black resident of her town, she has to deal with growing up as an outsider as well as contending with rampant, salacious gossip involving her father.

Then, a relative from her father's side reaches out to her, and Diamond must continue to put the pieces of her family together, mostly behind her mother's back. The book alternates between several narrative windows: 1980 (right when Diamond's father disappears), 1987 (present-day, right before her father will be legally declared dead), and letters written from both present-day family members and her ancestors.

First off, I absolutely cherished Diamond's voice. I really got to know her character and felt the writing was strongest when she was in charge of her own story, telling me about her feelings and what she sees happening all around her. Chambers captured her moods, the uncertainty of that liminal space not only as a teenager but in the midst of familial and demographic upheaval, quite well. Without giving too many details away, there is a flashback scene involving an amusement park that was profound and poignant, a glimpse into the uncertainty of a young child amid tense family dynamics. That will stay with me for a long while.

I did, however, feel the story meandered in parts, especially in the second half. I would have loved to have more centralized focus being about Diamond and her coming to terms with what happened with her father: Did he leave? Did he disappear? Did something happen to him? That was the most propulsive part of the narrative, and I felt the resolution for that could have been stronger. I also didn't feel two side characters, Shelly and Mr. Jimmy, added much to the story and really felt they kind of got the strongest part of the story (Diamond's visceral voice) off the beaten path.

With that being said, I am glad I read this and will absolutely read more by this author. This story felt raw and compelling, and Chambers did do a great job getting us to explore Diamond's identity, especially on the cusp of the uncertainties of adulthood.

Swift River centers on teenage Diamond Newberry in the Summer of 1987 as she navigates the next steps in her life. She is the only black person in her New England town and is working through her relationship with her mom in the context of her father's disappearance 7 years prior. This is a deeply tender story that follows the women in Diamond's family through both letters and flashbacks, but always centering on Diamond. The writing is so personal to Diamond deftly illustrating all of her emotions and is all around an incredible debut novel from Essie Chambers. Swift River also illustrates the not so hidden histories of racism in New England and the challenges that Black folks faced despite being in the North.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of this gorgeous novel.

Swift River is an exceptionally potent and remarkable first novel. Diamond, a biracial adolescent, embarks on a journey to navigate her path in society and, in the process, unravels profound insights about existence, destitution, discrimination, and the significance of kinship. Imbued with the revelations conveyed through ancestral correspondences, she delves deep into her family's historical and cultural heritage. This poignant narrative encapsulates the essence of a transformative rite of passage, deserving of four shining stars.
Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for ARC to read and review.

Coming of age tale about Diamond, a 16 year old biracial girl, the only person of color in the small town of Swift River. Unmoored from society, with no support system, Diamonds life is at a standstill. Her father disappeared and her mother an addict she finds herself friendless and subject of local gossip.
With all responsibilities on her shoulders she decides to get a drivers license and in the process makes a surprising friend. Additionally letters start arriving from a long lost relative giving her a lifeline to culture and family. There are secrets and sometimes life is unsavory and yet with courage she can find someplace to belong.
Although this could be a difficult read, thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster.

I did enjoy this novel even though it was slow for me to get through. This was a beautiful coming of age novel while also heartbreaking at times.

I felt so bad for Diamond because she was feeling so lonely. She is overweight and also the only black person in the town of Swift River after her father disappeared years ago.

I really enjoyed the letters from her aunts because I felt like it really added to the story and allowed Diamond to know her dad through those letters.

I thought this book was a great literary fiction novel and I look forward to more from this author.

This book is a contender for my favorite novel of the year!! Chambers has created a character, Diamond, who is unforgettable!! Diamond’s voice, heart, hurdles, grief, and growth were poignantly written moving me through a range of emotions from heartbreak, rage, and joy.

Told mainly through Diamond’s POV between the present and 10 years ago when her father went missing, readers get to know Diamond’s struggles growing up as a biracial fat girl living in a small, rural mill town in Maine. Her father disappeared 10 years ago, and Diamond and her mothers are finally hoping to move past this by having his declared legally dead (insurance required the 10 year waiting period). Their search leads Diamond’s distant family member to reach out via letters. She offers to send Diamond a few of her father’s remaining childhood items and the two strike up a correspondence that teaches Diamond about her family’s past in the early 1900’s and what forced them to leave the mill town and move down south to Georgia. The story unfolds over the summer of Diamond’s 16th birthday year while she is taking drivers’ education classes in the hopes to one day escape the town and her poverty. The book centers on themes of identify, belonging, family roots, friendship, and is a coming-of-age story I will remember for a long time!

Coming of age in a place where secrets have too much power

In the summer of 1987, in the small Massachusetts former mill town of Swift River, Diamond Newberry is secretly working on getting her driver’s license. In a life where she has little control over things, it feels like a powerful way to earn some independence. Since her father disappeared one day seven years earlier, a small pile of his belongings left behind on the river bank, she has lived alone with her mother in a dilapidated house and little in the way of financial security. Further complicating her life, her father was black and her mother white, and Swift River has never been a shining example of racial harmony. In fact, years earlier on a night known as The Leaving, the entire black population packed up and left the town forever. Diamond is the only person in town who is not white, and that fact is made clear to her on a regular basis in ways large and small. When she was younger she would scream when her emotions became too hard to handle….lately she just stuffs them deep inside and eats to make herself feel better. She’s the smartest kid in her grade, but she is ridiculed regularly both because of her obesity and her color. Being poor and having an unstable mother doesn’t help either. When she receives a package out of the blue from a woman who says she is her Aunt Lena, her father’s cousin down in Georgia, she begins to learn about her family background and the checkered history of Swift RIver. When you’ve always felt “different”, it can be amazing to know that others have felt the same before you.
What a story, and what a voice. Diamond is in many ways a typical teenager, desperate to fit in yet feeling hopelessly set apart. In her case, though, its not all in her head….she IS different, and others do look down at her. When she forms a connection to a classmate through their driving classes, it is transformative. Shelly is an outcast for different reasons, but they both share a desire to put Swift River and the disparaging judgement which it has passed on them far behind. Racism, subtle and overt, permeates the town now as it has in the past, and the faltering economy of the town has further rendered it an unhappy place. Diamond has had to parent herself, with an absent father and a mother who can no longer cope with reality. Hearing from Aunt Lena and reading letters from the one member of the Newberry family who remained in Swift RIver after The Leaving introduces to Diamond a sense of family, and helps her to better understand why Swift RIver is the way it is. Sunset laws, a white population who simultaneously dislikes but relies upon different ethnic groups (first the black families, later the French Canadians who too over their roles), and people leaving and being left all have led to Diamond being who she is and where she is. It is rewarding to watch her begin to overcome the mistakes of the past and set a course of her own making. With complex characters, a strong sense of place, and a story of quiet desperation, Swift River is a fascinating novel in which readers of Zadie Smith, Taylor Jenkins Reid and James McBride should invest some time. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me the privilege of early access to this beautiful book.

As Diamond comes of age, she is torn between her past and her uncertain future. Her father disappeared seven years ago, and this has obviously left quite the impression on Diamond. She has never really found her place in this world, and grappling with her mixed-race identity, her weight, and the mysteries of her heritage only compound to leave Diamond a confused and lonely girl.

When her dad's long lost cousin sends her a letter, it feels to Diamond like she's finally getting some answers to the questions she's had for so long. She learns about her towns complicated and racist ways. She learns about her dad, and she learns about herself through these stories.

In addition to it being a debut and a Read With Jenna pick, I was set to find a new book to gush over. It started off very strong. I liked Diamond, and I liked her voice. But when the letters started getting introduced, I quickly lost any enthusiasm for the book. They defintely gave Diamond context about herself and furthered the story in that respect, but I found them very long and drug out and boring.

Also, the ending was...weird?! Diamond and her friend, Shelly, end up in a very weird, unnecessary situation that I didn't feel added to the story. It felt odd to me. Maybe by this time I was so checked out of the story that I didn't really care to understand its inclusion, but I basically ended up hating the entire last 15% of the book.

Swift river is one of the buzzy debuts of the summer. Diamond is an overweight mixed-race teenager growing up in the 1980s in a white small-town. Diamonds father has been missing for seven years and her mother is insistent on declaring legally dead so they can claim his money. While this is going on, diamond receives a letter from a relative she never met and begins to understand pieces of her history she never knew before and her place in the world. The story takes places over multiple timelines and through multiple voices, but it is diamond who grounds the story. Diamond is all too human and messy, but a memorable voice and lovable in her mess. While this may be a story that has been told before in some capacity, it is chamber’s use of time (the 1980s) and diamonds voice that sets this apart from others in this genre!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is about a 3.75 for me. I really liked the 1980 and 1987 chapters and was invested in “modern Diamond’s” story the most…the modern letters from her aunt were also interesting but I really didn’t care much about the 1915 chapters. I know that they were there to show the story of the town but honestly, I think I’d have given this 5 stars if it was just Diamond’s coming of age (and yes, connecting with her aunt as well.) The writing was good although it took me a minute to get used to the style. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an advance copy!

A powerful debut. I enjoyed all the themes presented in this book which were written with care and clarity. I was surprised this was a debut as the characters were well drawn and craft wise I think this novel hits the right beats with good pacing. I really enjoyed this.

This is one of the best books that I have read this year. It lured me in slowly, the unraveling story of the biracial daughter of a missing man and an unstable woman who lost so much, she is close to losing the last threads that connect her to normal life and to her child.
The parallels between the unabashed racism of the beginning of the century and the sometimes hidden but always obvious racism of the same small town in the 1980s are striking. Times have changed so much but they also haven't. People change, but then they forget, and the new generations are just as awful as their forefathers - only now they destroy your garden instead of running you out of town. The results remain the same. The Black man leaves.
Chambers' writing is elegant and heartbreaking, even more so in the letters of the long-lost and recently found family members, recounting the ways they try to hold on to each other and keep the family together through the time apart and distances between them.
The scenes Chambers describes are palpable, Diamond's emotions and discomfort coming off the pages in waves almost visible. This is a coming of age, a conscious emancipation of a child/young adult who walks away from family she knows to the family she needs.
An absolutely amazing read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Essie J. Chambers, and Simon & Schuster, for providing the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 - This was such a moving coming of age story that I really enjoyed. Diamond is such a powerful POC female main character and the representation in this book was terrific.

Diamond lives in Swift River, a small New England mill town with very few Black people. Diamond's father disappeared years ago and the entire book flashes between present and past timelines, following the disappearance and Diamond's life presently. Diamond has always stood out in her town because of her weight, her race, and how poor her family is and she struggles as a teenager with her body and her identity. I really enjoyed Diamond's character and how strong she was, despite her insecurities and past trauma. I felt that she really reflected so many young teenagers today. Additionally, I loved how much Diamond grew and the power she gained as she was able to read letters from her living family members and learn about the generations of African American women in her family. The strength that she drew from her ancestors and learning about her heritage really helped develop her sense of self and gave her the power to make tough choices at the end of the book.

Overall, I thought this story was very moving and a quick read to get through. Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!

This is an emotional story that follows Diamond along with a few other perspective. Diamonds father is “missing” for many years and with that she somewhat loses a piece of her that she never really got to know. Diamond is biracial with a white mother and a black father. She is raised in a town where she is essentially the only black person. Years after here fathers passing she connects with an aunt on her fathers side and get to know her which in turn allows her to learn more about that side of herself.

I felt for Diamond in learning more about herself and opening her up to reflection of who she is more than she’s ever known before. This book has themes of racism, family history, mother/daughter relationships. This is a great journey of learning who you are when you aren’t totally exposed and I think the author did a great job of telling this story. Diamond is a vulnerable teenagers with a lot more baggage then the average young girl.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this e-Arc.

Diamond Newberry is extremely overweight, and lonely, and is the only biracial person living in Swift River. Through letters from her family’s past, letters from her relatives in the present, and her own perspective, you are taken on a journey of her finding herself and finding her voice.

I loved this story, and breezed through it, though I wish it was even longer so all the plot holes could be filled in. This book is great for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and anyone who loves a good person centric story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted on June 4, 2024 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

This novel is so special, a lovely and powerful hybrid of historical fiction and a coming-of-age story. The writing is exquisite and so razor sharp! At times funny, at times inspiring, at times heartbreaking, you can't help but love and root like hell for Diamond. I absolutely adored Clara's letters and saw so many parallels between her and Diamond! (I would love a novel centered around Clara some day!) There were also beautiful symbiotic moments when Clara and Robert experienced joy at skills they were pre-naturally good at. That same joy and awe across the decades was absolutely beautiful. This is one of the best novels I've read this year! Saying goodbye to Diamond actually hurt. It's one to experience, from Jim Crow New England to the bubblegum pop 1980s New England. #SwiftRiver Rating: 😍 / loved it
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This book is scheduled for publication on June 4, 2024. Thank you @simonbooks for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Swift River by Essie Chambers was a phenomenal family drama!
This was such a beautiful story. It's a compelling and propulsive book.
The plot of this story moved along so swiftly and kept me entranced the whole way through— I finished this book in a sitting because I just had to know how it would finish.
I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.

Thank You NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Happy June!

First of all, is this cover not BEAUTIFUL?!

Diamond traveled with me everywhere this weekend and I still can’t stop thinking about her. I really, REALLy grew to love her character. So much is explored through her, especially body image and family secrets and dynamics and I really enjoyed that. I found myself equally rooting for and wanting to bring her home with me.

This is a quieter, slower moving, character driven, coming of age story that will make you sad and also give you hope.

I honestly cannot believe it is a debut! Totally makes sense that its a Read with Jenna bookclub pick as it definitely will make you think and spark conversation.

This one release tomorrow and should definitely be on your TBR

I can see why this was a 'Read with Jenna' pick - it checks a lot of boxes: generational trauma, multiple POVs, etc. There were many aspects I enjoyed about this story, but I wish the storytelling had been a bit more linear.

Diamond is a young, Black girl who is trying to survive living with her white mother in a small town (she's the only non-white person living there). Her father disappeared seven years ago, and she's resorted to using food as a comfort. She drifts through her life, uncomfortable in her body and in her skin. She starts to gain some optimism when she goes on a quest to get her driver's license and when she starts receiving letters from a family member of her father's.

I loved the sections that follow Diamond's story. As heart-wrenching as her life has been, she exists in the world with grace and intelligence. I felt a little more taken out of the story with the letters that are written by two different members of Diamond's family. There were elements of their story that were important, but I kept feeling like I just wanted to get back to finding out more about Diamond (and about how her parents ended up where they were).

I loved the ending, but wish it had been expanded a bit more. I do think this is a really impressive debut novel from Chambers, and I'll be interested to see what stories she tells in the future.

Thank you #SimonBooks #partner for this copy of:

Swift River by Essie Chambers

"Time is bent. Everything I could ever want is in this car, except for Grandma Sylvia. I calculate that loss and decide to embrace what's here: Ma's feet out the window, her donkey laugh. Pop's off-pitch humming of no recognizable song, his big hand rubbing the back of Ma's neck with careful fingers, like he's afraid he might snap it."

This dual timeline story of Diamond with and without her father. The struggles of a child of poverty, the blame and shame enveloping her and seeping into each relationship. Race, class, love, abandonment, friendship and loyalty all playing a role in Diamond's torment. As she navigates through each of these relationships, she gets to decide what's most important to her own survival.

DESCRIPTION:
"It’s the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere. But that’s not the only reason Diamond stands out: She’s teased relentlessly about her weight, and the fact that since Pop’s been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on.