As currently written, this book doesn’t make any sense to me.

The premise of the book is that seven years ago, Diamond’s father (“Pop”) disappears—only his shoes, ID, and some money are left behind on the banks of Swift River. Now, Diamond’s mom wants to have Pop declared dead to claims his life insurance money. Two sub-plots occur where Diamond strikes up communication with her father’s family, and Diamond suddenly forms a friendship with Shelley, someone she has known for years.

Swift River initially started off strong, but according to my notes, “the ending really sucks.”

Now, this comes from Chapter 3 out of 25 but might be considered a spoiler. Mom and Pop may not have been legally married as Pop sent the preacher away. The lawyer in me was giddy with excitement because this small detail has drastic legal consequences. To my grave disappointment, this was never even brought up.

While the letters from Aunt Lena shed more light on the town’s history, they don’t provide any clues as to Pop’s whereabouts or what ly happened to him. The mystery plot, the main plot, seems to be dropped, and the progress is poorly benchmarked.

The ending regarding Shelley needs to be rewritten—it doesn’t carry an emotional punch, and it isn’t memorable.

Finally, the more I think about this book, the more questions that I have and not in a good way:

-Why would Mom want to stay in Swift River? She has poor job prospects, the town is hostile, Diamond has no friends, no availability of buses, no family in the area.
-What about Diamond’s bike accident and knee?
-What happened to Rick?
-Big spoiler question: Why would Pop leave daughter AND cousin?

*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.


The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher

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Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Instanetgalley164 s6 comments Nilufer Ozmekik2,563 52.2k

This poignant and engaging coming-of-age narrative delves deep into the life of Diamond Newberry, a young Black girl grappling with the complexities of identity and belonging. Born into a town scarred by the legacy of historical injustices and haunted by the unresolved disappearance of her father, Diamond finds herself caught between the pain of the past and the uncertainty of the future.

Raised by her white mother amidst the harsh realities of poverty and racial discrimination, Diamond struggles to find her place in a community that often overlooks or marginalizes her. Her desire to break free from the constraints of her circumstances is palpable, yet she feels tethered to her hometown by the weight of unresolved trauma and unanswered questions about her father's fate.

As Diamond navigates the challenges of adolescence, she is confronted with the harsh realities of systemic racism and economic hardship, further complicating her search for self-discovery and acceptance. Despite the odds stacked against her, Diamond refuses to be defined by her circumstances, yearning for a sense of agency and autonomy in a world that often feels indifferent to her struggles.

When she receives letters from her estranged aunt, Diamond embarks on a journey of self-discovery, delving into her family's complex history in search of answers and connection. Through these letters, she uncovers untold stories of resilience, strength, and survival within the African American Newberry community, offering her a newfound sense of purpose and belonging.

As Diamond navigates the complexities of family dynamics, racial identity, and personal growth, she finds solace and support in unexpected places. Through the lens of her own experiences, she begins to understand the profound impact of history on her present reality, and the power of resilience in shaping her future.

This powerful and thought-provoking narrative resonates with readers through its nuanced exploration of identity, community, and the enduring legacy of systemic injustice. Through Diamond's journey, readers are reminded of the importance of confronting the past, embracing the present, and charting a path toward a more hopeful future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for sharing this powerful book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

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1987, Diamond Newberry is sixteen years old, extremely over weight and lonely and she’s the only biracial person in Swift River. Diamond lives with her mother Anna, she has a drug habit and hasn’t been the same since her husband Robert and Diamond’s father went missing seven years ago. Anna and Diamond struggle to make ends meet, they hitch rides into town and Anna is waiting for Robert to be declared legally deceased and claim his insurance money.

Diamond has been secretly saving up to take driving lessons as her mum doesn’t want her to learn, here she meets Shelly and the only friend she has and around the same time Diamond receives a letter from her father’s estranged Aunt Lena, a lady she has never met and she writes about Robert's childhood and the Newberry family history. Diamond discovers she had a Great-Aunt Clara and she was a mid-wife in the mill Town of Swift River in the early 1900’s, and Diamond she was the only coloured person.

I received a copy Essie J. Chambers debut novel Swift River from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Told from the points of view of three Newberry women, the story jumps around a lot and I must admit I found it confusing and at times hard to follow and I’m not sure if I really got the meaning of the narrative and pieced all together correctly?

The family certainly had a lot of secrets, and Diamond loved her father, she wasn’t ready to move on and then she changes her mind. I wondered did Robert really die and stage his own death by the banks of the river and possibly?

A story about racism and prejudice, love and loss, and comfort eating and dysfunctional families. With a small amount of humour added and I did find it hilarious when Diamond cleaned her bike and to make sure it was stolen and three stars from me. Please read the book to make up your own mind, I could have missed something important, despite rereading parts of it and taking notes and it’s released on the 11th of June 2024.netgalley netgalley-challenge-202433 s2 comments Cheri1,910 2,769

4.5 Stars

This story revolves around young Diamond Newberry, who shares some moments of happiness in her younger years, her insecurities over her weight, her life before her father disappears, and the years that follow. Life had always seemed different, especially in her younger years, but it seems her family always gets attention because Diamond’s father is African American, and her mother is not. When her father disappears, rumours abound, while the most prominent one suggests that he drowned. All these combined just add to her insecurities, which become a weight that is heavier on her shoulders than an already insecure teenage girl should have to handle.

This goes back and forth in time as old memories surface, giving a glimpse into their families lives in the ‘before’ time.

Diamond has always felt an outsider, but as she will soon be eligible to apply to get a drivers license, which she plans to do without sharing that with her mother, she joins a friend in taking driving lessons from one of the school faculty, which proves to be…interesting.

There are many flashbacks to the past, moments when her mother and father took her places that come back to in as she tries to navigate the new life her mother and her now have to come to terms with. Old letters from the past, balanced against the present, begin to add a new element to her thoughts on the future. A way to escape the sadness of the past,

A heartrending and moving story of family, the traumatic teenage years made even more difficult as she navigates letting go of the heartbreak of the loss of her father, and finding the path to her future.


Pub Date: June 4, 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schusteradult-fiction coming-of-age family ...more28 s17 comments Ellery AdamsAuthor 61 books4,592

I’d never heard of the Sundown Laws that enforced a curfew on the Black residents of entire towns. The post Civil War North was supposed to be a place of refuge for runaway slaves and free Blacks, but after reading this book, I can see how racism threatened the freedom and opportunities of generations of African Americans.

I loved Diamond, the young heroine of this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a coming-of-age story. 16 s Tammy1,042 241

*Read with Jenna June 2024 book pick.

SWIFT RIVER is about a young girl (Diamond Newberry, 16) coming into her own. Being biracial, poor, overweight and friendless doesn’t quite fit the mold of her peers, or the townspeople for that matter being she’s the only Black resident in town since her Pop disappeared (shoes/items found) on the edge of the local river.. 7 years earlier. Add to the fact that Swift River, a small mill town in rural New England, was once a “sundown town,” .. that legacy of racial discrimination still runs deep.

Her Ma is now trying to get Pop declared legally dead in order to collect his life insurance to buy their home. She wants to learn to drive (secret kept from Ma) to leave Swift River. She also wants to find her Pop’s people.. her people. A paternal cousin Lena writes to her from Pop’s birthplace in Georgia giving her insight into her family line, and she finds a new friendship (and misadventures!!) with a white classmate who also feels the need to leave.

The alternating timelines flash back from the present, to Diamond as a little girl with her Pop in the 1980s, and even goes further back to 1915, through handwritten letters from her paternal great Aunt Clara who was the only Black remaining in town after an event called “The Leaving” of the entire Black community. All driven out due to the heinous practices as a “sundown town.”

[“sundown town” refers to a town where a predominantly white community excludes Black people with laws, harassment, terrorism, or violence - - the name comes from signs that were often posted right at the welcome sign, warning Black people that if they were caught after sunset, they might be killed.]

Chambers explores family dynamics, identity, body image, acceptance, bullying, racism and provides an insightful look into generational trauma. I loved Diamond’s character, she’s quite resilient and downright gutsy. Chambers shows how Diamond feels an outsider, a universal experience we’ve all felt. Emotional. 4.5 stars — Pub. 6/4/24release-202413 s2 comments Shelby (allthebooksalltheways)767 122

Thank you #partners @simonbooks @simonaudio & @librofm for my #gifted copies.
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