Review by bellaterrabooks -- American River: Tributaries
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bellaterrabooks
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Review by bellaterrabooks -- American River: Tributaries
[Following is a volunteer review of "American River: Tributaries" by Mallory M. O'Connor.]
4 out of 4 stars
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American River: Tributaries Book One of the American River Trilogy by Mallory M. O’Connor is a complex story that brings to life the tale of three dynamic families that converge in this multi-generational, diverse saga about love, loss, self-awareness, and family. Most of the story takes place in Northern California with sections dedicated to the East Coast. Traversing the nation these families deal with difficult issues related to the tumultuous era of the 1960s. There are obstacles that they must overcome, at times alone while on other occasions uniting against external forces to surmount adversity. Shattered by tragedy and forced to reconcile confounding realities they come together and grow apart repeatedly, in a wave of interpersonal, entangled relationships.
There are three tiers that comprise those referenced as “The Ancestors.” These individuals are Cormac McPhalan, Juan Dominguez Morales, and Frank Yoshinobu. Cormac, the first ancestor, makes the passage from Sligo, Ireland ultimately gaining employment in a textile mill once he arrives on Canadian soil. In May 1849, Cormac heads west to California to seek fortune based upon a newspaper article about John Marshall’s discovery of gold in the American River. Alongside him is Maude Cahill, a schoolteacher and daughter of a businessperson, who becomes Cormac's wife. Cormac and Maude homestead Mockingbird Valley Ranch on the American River in the Sacramento Area. This becomes the primary physical backdrop for the book itself.
The second ancestor is Juan Morales. As the son of a California rancher, he inherits Rancho Las Posas on the American River. Rancho Las Posas is in modern-day Ventura County, located 470 miles south of Sacramento. This region places the second ancestor in a similar area as Cormac and Maude’s latter-day ranch. As California becomes a state in 1850 Juan is subjected to the 1851 act that requires all holders of Spanish and Mexican land grants to present their titles for confirmation before the Board of California Land Commissioners. After Juan’s land claim denial, he moves his family to Mexico.
The third ancestor Frank (Takashi) Yoshinobu arrives in the present-day Placerville, California as part of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony. As the orphaned son of a samurai warrior, he comes to California in 1869 to start a new life on the American River along with the pioneers of this movement. The colonists purchased 200 acres of land on the South Fork of the American River near Gold Run. The movement brought agriculture from Japan to start a new nation in the United States using these resources. Unfortunately, drought and financial woes plagued the community and the colony disbanded.
The substance of the story itself centers on the second tier of characters who descend from the ancestors. Cormac’s grandson, Owen, inherits Mockingbird Valley Ranch. The McPhalans’ story and the related characters splinter throughout the book, creating a tapestry of stories that are all interwoven. The married couple, Owen and Marian and their children, Kate, Alex, and Julian begin their lives at Mockingbird Valley Ranch. Alex is a musical prodigy whom Marian moves to the east coast under the guise of helping with Alex’s education. Absent from Owen and her marriage, she meets Carl and begins a romantic relationship. As the years progress the McPhalan’s son, Julian leaves Mockingbird Valley Ranch due to tension with his father over his sexual orientation, which makes Kate the sole child at home.
The Ashida Family lives on the McPhalan family farm, David as a foreman and Connie as a housekeeper. Connie Yoshinobu is the daughter of Frank Yoshinobu connecting her to the third original ancestor. David and Connie marry in 1935. In 1942 the couple is sent to an internment camp in Tull Lake, California under the “persons of Japanese ancestry residing in the West Coast” Act. At the camp, Connie gives birth to Tommy. In 1946, eight months after their release from the internment camp, David begins his employment at the ranch. As the years advance, Kate and Tommy grow closer, eventually becoming romantic partners. Upon discovering the relationship Owen decides that the Ashidas will no longer be able to work on the ranch due to his racial bias against Tommy.
Jorge Morales is the ancestor of Juan Morales, the second ancestor. Jorge becomes a migrant farmworker in Arizona. Rose meets Jorge while covering a newspaper assignment about the treatment of migrant farm workers. When Rose becomes pregnant with Carlos (Carl), Rose’s father becomes angry due to his own racial biases over his daughter becoming involved in an interracial relationship. The racial divide motivates Rose and Jorge to marry to remain together, yet war quickly separates the young couple. When he is injured Jorge goes to a V.A. hospital in Oakland, California. Upon his discharge from the hospital, Rose and Jorge decide to settle in Sacramento, leaving Carl with Rose’s parents in Tucson. After Carl’s grandparents’ sudden death, he returns to live with his biological parents; however, it is a strained relationship since he has grown accustomed to the refined life of music, art, and culture. Living with his biological parents is a huge adjustment for the young child and he has a difficult time adapting to his parents throughout his lifetime.
The complexity of interactions is similar in Owen and Julian’s interactions. For Julian’s perspective, he simply wants approval for himself. Julian has a series of adverse events that give complexity to his life from his own identity as gay to his acceptance in the community. Owen is unable to come to terms with having a homosexual child; therefore, he lashes out at his only son, banishing him from the ranch and severing all contact. This aggressive move splits the family and causes profound pain for his wife and daughter, Kate, who remains on the property. Kate attempts to bring the two characters together, repeatedly, much to her own detriment. These dynamic male figures battle each other for dominance, but in reality, they seem to really want to just come together in a way. Julian wants acceptance from his father while Owen wants his son to be “normal.” These are difficult concepts as each character attempts to accept the other for who they are rather than who they want that person to become.
This book is very timely for the period in which it is written. The nation was coming to terms with issues of the day such of homosexuality and race relations. These issues are more commonplace today, but in the mid-1960s when this book takes place these were significant issues for the people of that era. Although the citizens were living in a culturally diverse area, they are dealing with cultural customs that are from past generations. Derogatory terms for certain groups of people abound in this book because of the social constructs that existed at that time. Even though some of the characters are living in the San Francisco area, they are still drawn back to their roots where there are residents, such as Owen, who do not agree with their lifestyle choices. He even uses derogatory terms for his caretakers even though he finds value in the work that they do on the land.
Each of the characters in this story is seeking their place in the world and ultimately their place in their own family. They go out into the world to try to make something of their lives, but ultimately the acceptance that they seek by the external world is really the acceptance that they need from their home lives. In the case of Kate and Tommy’s relationship, the acceptance that they seek in their interracial relationship is really the acceptance of the decade. During the 1960s race relations were high. The country was coming to terms with the fact that we lived in a nation of diversity, a nation of equal rights for all, not just for some.
This is the first book in a three-book series. The characters’ stories continue until the very last sentence. The narrative maintains until the end, making room for the next book in series with potential cliffhangers. Some of the characters’ stories have remained open-ended, these characters have stayed endearing, thus the reader is craving more from the author. This book can equally be read as a single book or a primer for the series.
This is a wonderful book for people of all backgrounds because it cuts across many different groups. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. The writing is eloquent with minimal grammatical errors. This is also a good case study on issues of the 1960s in Northern California, where this book takes place. I would recommend this narrative to anyone interested in learning about 1960s race relations and coming-of-age gay youth in those days as this a good comprehensive view of that timeframe. It is a truly wonderful story that explores the stories of many different characters since it gives differing perspectives. Filled with interconnected figures and unexpected plot twists this fiction brings the characters together in unexpected ways. As the book evolves the complexity of the story and the affiliations evolve as well keeping the reader engaged until the very end.
******
American River: Tributaries
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
American River: Tributaries Book One of the American River Trilogy by Mallory M. O’Connor is a complex story that brings to life the tale of three dynamic families that converge in this multi-generational, diverse saga about love, loss, self-awareness, and family. Most of the story takes place in Northern California with sections dedicated to the East Coast. Traversing the nation these families deal with difficult issues related to the tumultuous era of the 1960s. There are obstacles that they must overcome, at times alone while on other occasions uniting against external forces to surmount adversity. Shattered by tragedy and forced to reconcile confounding realities they come together and grow apart repeatedly, in a wave of interpersonal, entangled relationships.
There are three tiers that comprise those referenced as “The Ancestors.” These individuals are Cormac McPhalan, Juan Dominguez Morales, and Frank Yoshinobu. Cormac, the first ancestor, makes the passage from Sligo, Ireland ultimately gaining employment in a textile mill once he arrives on Canadian soil. In May 1849, Cormac heads west to California to seek fortune based upon a newspaper article about John Marshall’s discovery of gold in the American River. Alongside him is Maude Cahill, a schoolteacher and daughter of a businessperson, who becomes Cormac's wife. Cormac and Maude homestead Mockingbird Valley Ranch on the American River in the Sacramento Area. This becomes the primary physical backdrop for the book itself.
The second ancestor is Juan Morales. As the son of a California rancher, he inherits Rancho Las Posas on the American River. Rancho Las Posas is in modern-day Ventura County, located 470 miles south of Sacramento. This region places the second ancestor in a similar area as Cormac and Maude’s latter-day ranch. As California becomes a state in 1850 Juan is subjected to the 1851 act that requires all holders of Spanish and Mexican land grants to present their titles for confirmation before the Board of California Land Commissioners. After Juan’s land claim denial, he moves his family to Mexico.
The third ancestor Frank (Takashi) Yoshinobu arrives in the present-day Placerville, California as part of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony. As the orphaned son of a samurai warrior, he comes to California in 1869 to start a new life on the American River along with the pioneers of this movement. The colonists purchased 200 acres of land on the South Fork of the American River near Gold Run. The movement brought agriculture from Japan to start a new nation in the United States using these resources. Unfortunately, drought and financial woes plagued the community and the colony disbanded.
The substance of the story itself centers on the second tier of characters who descend from the ancestors. Cormac’s grandson, Owen, inherits Mockingbird Valley Ranch. The McPhalans’ story and the related characters splinter throughout the book, creating a tapestry of stories that are all interwoven. The married couple, Owen and Marian and their children, Kate, Alex, and Julian begin their lives at Mockingbird Valley Ranch. Alex is a musical prodigy whom Marian moves to the east coast under the guise of helping with Alex’s education. Absent from Owen and her marriage, she meets Carl and begins a romantic relationship. As the years progress the McPhalan’s son, Julian leaves Mockingbird Valley Ranch due to tension with his father over his sexual orientation, which makes Kate the sole child at home.
The Ashida Family lives on the McPhalan family farm, David as a foreman and Connie as a housekeeper. Connie Yoshinobu is the daughter of Frank Yoshinobu connecting her to the third original ancestor. David and Connie marry in 1935. In 1942 the couple is sent to an internment camp in Tull Lake, California under the “persons of Japanese ancestry residing in the West Coast” Act. At the camp, Connie gives birth to Tommy. In 1946, eight months after their release from the internment camp, David begins his employment at the ranch. As the years advance, Kate and Tommy grow closer, eventually becoming romantic partners. Upon discovering the relationship Owen decides that the Ashidas will no longer be able to work on the ranch due to his racial bias against Tommy.
Jorge Morales is the ancestor of Juan Morales, the second ancestor. Jorge becomes a migrant farmworker in Arizona. Rose meets Jorge while covering a newspaper assignment about the treatment of migrant farm workers. When Rose becomes pregnant with Carlos (Carl), Rose’s father becomes angry due to his own racial biases over his daughter becoming involved in an interracial relationship. The racial divide motivates Rose and Jorge to marry to remain together, yet war quickly separates the young couple. When he is injured Jorge goes to a V.A. hospital in Oakland, California. Upon his discharge from the hospital, Rose and Jorge decide to settle in Sacramento, leaving Carl with Rose’s parents in Tucson. After Carl’s grandparents’ sudden death, he returns to live with his biological parents; however, it is a strained relationship since he has grown accustomed to the refined life of music, art, and culture. Living with his biological parents is a huge adjustment for the young child and he has a difficult time adapting to his parents throughout his lifetime.
The complexity of interactions is similar in Owen and Julian’s interactions. For Julian’s perspective, he simply wants approval for himself. Julian has a series of adverse events that give complexity to his life from his own identity as gay to his acceptance in the community. Owen is unable to come to terms with having a homosexual child; therefore, he lashes out at his only son, banishing him from the ranch and severing all contact. This aggressive move splits the family and causes profound pain for his wife and daughter, Kate, who remains on the property. Kate attempts to bring the two characters together, repeatedly, much to her own detriment. These dynamic male figures battle each other for dominance, but in reality, they seem to really want to just come together in a way. Julian wants acceptance from his father while Owen wants his son to be “normal.” These are difficult concepts as each character attempts to accept the other for who they are rather than who they want that person to become.
This book is very timely for the period in which it is written. The nation was coming to terms with issues of the day such of homosexuality and race relations. These issues are more commonplace today, but in the mid-1960s when this book takes place these were significant issues for the people of that era. Although the citizens were living in a culturally diverse area, they are dealing with cultural customs that are from past generations. Derogatory terms for certain groups of people abound in this book because of the social constructs that existed at that time. Even though some of the characters are living in the San Francisco area, they are still drawn back to their roots where there are residents, such as Owen, who do not agree with their lifestyle choices. He even uses derogatory terms for his caretakers even though he finds value in the work that they do on the land.
Each of the characters in this story is seeking their place in the world and ultimately their place in their own family. They go out into the world to try to make something of their lives, but ultimately the acceptance that they seek by the external world is really the acceptance that they need from their home lives. In the case of Kate and Tommy’s relationship, the acceptance that they seek in their interracial relationship is really the acceptance of the decade. During the 1960s race relations were high. The country was coming to terms with the fact that we lived in a nation of diversity, a nation of equal rights for all, not just for some.
This is the first book in a three-book series. The characters’ stories continue until the very last sentence. The narrative maintains until the end, making room for the next book in series with potential cliffhangers. Some of the characters’ stories have remained open-ended, these characters have stayed endearing, thus the reader is craving more from the author. This book can equally be read as a single book or a primer for the series.
This is a wonderful book for people of all backgrounds because it cuts across many different groups. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. The writing is eloquent with minimal grammatical errors. This is also a good case study on issues of the 1960s in Northern California, where this book takes place. I would recommend this narrative to anyone interested in learning about 1960s race relations and coming-of-age gay youth in those days as this a good comprehensive view of that timeframe. It is a truly wonderful story that explores the stories of many different characters since it gives differing perspectives. Filled with interconnected figures and unexpected plot twists this fiction brings the characters together in unexpected ways. As the book evolves the complexity of the story and the affiliations evolve as well keeping the reader engaged until the very end.
******
American River: Tributaries
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like bellaterrabooks's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: McDowell by William H. Coles
