I wanted to really like this story but I had trouble following the storyline. The main character was conflicted because he grew up on a reservation but he is not Native American. The story revolves around his relationship with his elderly mother who slips in and out of dementia. He had grown up with her bouts of severe depression that went untreated, and now deals her violent and aggressive episodes. My own mother is 96 and getting senile and delusional so I can relate to their relationship. He has several unresolved relationships, one with his stepfather who died of a hunting accident and a child that he fathered but is estranged from. The character development is realistic and touching, but it’s his passivity that is difficult to imagine.

I really loved Talty’s short story collection, and hoped that his first novel would delve into equally-compelling characters and relationships; Fire Exit certainly had both.
I didn’t necessarily understand the inclusion of some details (or the lack of clarity with others), but I also know that I’m not necessarily entitled to having all of my questions answered—as I get older, I find myself more drawn to stories where art imitates life in this way, and not everything needs (much less gets) a satisfying conclusion. That said, though, I am looking forward to hearing Talty’s interviews about context/background/writing process as the publication slate draws closer.
I plan to preorder a hard copy of the book, and Talty will definitely be an author I automatically read from here on out.

In this story, Charles is forced to watch his daughter grow up on the reservation across the river. She was raised by a different man, never knowing who her father was because he is white she would be denied her Native American land and rights because of the blood quantum laws. Charles takes care of his elderly mother with dementia and lifelong bouts with depression. He carries guilt over the circumstances of his stepfathers death. All of these elements weave together when his daughter who similarly suffers from depression goes missing. All woven together beautifully with hope and redemption and a stuffed elephant.

Thanks to Tin House Books and NetGalley for this ARC of Morgan Talty's 'Fire Exit.'

This is a wonderful, quiet examination of the complex nature of indigenous identity and the rules that govern who can biologically call themselves native and that exclude those who don't meet the standards in terms of their blood quantum, despite their deep and spiritual connection with their people and upbringing.

Charles, excluded from the reservation when he reached 18 because he was a stepson rather than genetically native, watches the various parts of his family from close up and far away while dealing all the time with the impact of that decision and the road that others took without him having any agency that led to that point and what came thereafter. We're introduced in a deep and emotional way to his ailing mother who blames him for her own tragedy (which is also his), his secret daughter and her mother who does not want the truth revealed, his alcoholic friend, and the life - such as it is - he's made in which, cruelly, he sits across the river from the life that could have been his in difference circumstances and maybe should have been his regardless of those circumstances. His life has effectively stood still for decades until he reaches a point in his mind and because of events outside of his control where it changes relatively suddenly and he's forced to change with it.

The writing is lovely, none of these characters are perfect and they don't claim to be but they're all so well written and believable.

Bravo.

(3.8 stars) The easy answer as to why I read this book is that I had a reading challenge prompt for a story “featuring Indigenous culture”. The reasons I liked this book is a little more complicated. Fire Exit tells the story of a white man (Charles) who fathers a daughter with a Native American woman (Mary). In order for the child (Elizabeth) to live on the Penobscot reservation, the mother marries a Native man (Roger). Charles cannot give up hope that he will someday get to know his daughter, however, and, since his humble cabin is only across a small river from Elizabeth’s home, he spends his days watching and listening from his porch. Kind of creepy if you ask me, but he manages to do his spying covertly.

As the story opens, Charles hasn’t seen Elizabeth or Mary for a couple of weeks. As his tension increases, he decides that it is time for him to go public with the truth about Elizabeth’s paternity. But will she welcome him into her life? As Charles sweats the decision, he is also dealing with a mother with increasing dementia, an alcoholic best friend, and a question from his past that will not let him go – was he to blame in the death of his beloved stepfather?

This is a book of many stories, each compelling and interesting. Most of all, I loved the story of Charles and his mother. The challenges and subtle sensitivities of dementia were very well handled. I got a real feel for the relationship between the two of them and I’m filing it away in the event I am in a similar situation in the future. The titular “fire” only comes about toward the end of the book, but it is a pivotal moment in many regards. While I wouldn’t place this among my favorite reads, it is an enjoyable, well-written book that positively contributes to the spectrum of Indigenous literature.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tin House for providing me with this e-ARC.

This centers on a man raised within the Penobscot reservation, but unable to remain because his family ties are not genetic. When he fathers a child, his existence is erased because to acknowledge him would cost his daughter her membership in that community.
How much do we value the truth and acknowledging each other’s stories vs allowing systems to privilege some only at the expense of others? Does belonging have to be zero sum?
The questions are weighty and Charles’s life has been bleak, but this is somehow more hopeful than dark.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

A simple story, beautifully rendered. The writing is at times heartfelt, dark, poetic, haunting, and devastating. The first person narrative is told from the perspective of Charles Lamosway, whose daughter, Elizabeth, grew up across the pond with her parents. The daughter's birth mother felt it best to keep Charles from his daughter, thus allowing their child the opportunity to grow up as part of the Penobscot Nation. Charles, a white man, with a Native stepfather, had always been somewhat of an outsider on the reservation. This haunting tale allows us, as readers, the opportunity for a front row seat as Charles caroms toward something inevitable with his daughter. He wants her to know from where she comes, and this, along with caring for his elderly and fragile mother, consumes the pages. The ending is bittersweet and the journey well worth the ride. Recommended.

Fire Exit is many stories. It's the story of Charles Lamosway who fathered a child secretly. Charles grew up on the Penobscot Reservation with his mother and stepfather, but as a White Man he simply does not belong. Charles is still searching for his identity and mourning the death of his beloved stepfather. While he determines whether he should make his presence known he deals with the slow demise of his mother. Along the way he veers off his tale to share stories of reservation people that you cannot help but become invested in.

Tully is the author of Night of the Living Rez and this second novel is a showstopper. With a clear man's voice, Tully takes you deep into the Maine reservation introduces you to a cast of humans you will never forget.
#FireExit #MorganTully
#Tinhouse

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty. ARC provided by Tin House.

Fire Exit is about Charles Lamosway, a man who's daughter does not know that he is her father. As he watches her grow from afar, he becomes more and more certain that he needs to tell her the truth. You feel that with all his relationships in this novel, there is love, but something is always out of reach. There is a tragic distance between the characters that are closest to each other.

Talty's writing is on point. He is adept at communicating human nature in a heartbreakingly genuine way. Because of this he creates characters that you become invested in and develop feelings for, good or bad. I can't stress how relatable and real his characters feel to me.

After reading Night of the Living Rez I could not wait to see what he did next. Fire Exit did not disappoint and I look forward to following his career, because surely it's going to be a great one.