Waiting for the Night Song is an ode, an elegy, a protest. It's a book about how we take care, whether of our friendships or the planet. The author's devotion shows not only in the lush prose, but in how dogged and lovable her protagonist is from the start. Cadie's quest to save the forest is compelling right away, a determination we can all admire. Her childhood secret propels us forward, enveloping us in a mystery that ramps up speed over the course of the novel. By the end, the dominoes fall one after another in a nail-biter conclusion.
I cared so much for Cadie's friendship with Daniela, for her regret and heartbreak over her past. And I loved the characters of Daniela's family. Their backstory hammered home the heartbreak of impossible choices, of how hard it can be to do the ordinary work of remaining humane. Most of all, I loved the scene with the bear. Julie Carrick Dalton's debut is an impressive start to what I hope and expect will be a long flourishing literary career.
I cared so much for Cadie's friendship with Daniela, for her regret and heartbreak over her past. And I loved the characters of Daniela's family. Their backstory hammered home the heartbreak of impossible choices, of how hard it can be to do the ordinary work of remaining humane. Most of all, I loved the scene with the bear. Julie Carrick Dalton's debut is an impressive start to what I hope and expect will be a long flourishing literary career.