I will start with my own take on this publication and then follow those observations with the remarks prepared and compiled for this blog tour.
Aside from having a great title, The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello is a great read. I couldn’t even get out of the first chapter without “connecting” with the book and the protagonist, Raleigh Harmon. There was a definite feeling of longing and understanding when presented with both her surroundings and the thoughts in her head.
As the first chapter moved along, the emotions that we all hope for in books and/or movies were all there! I was excited, thrilled, disappointed, angry, irritated, worried, and more — just in the first chapter. The author’s phraseology was really great stuff, and the writing is a lot more colorful than the bulk of publications I have seen recently. Since the location of our story is based in Alaska, I think I’ll go as far as calling it an aurora borealis of word choice! That might be an overstatement but not by much. Read on and you’ll see what I mean!
Most of my dog-earring of pages was due to fun and/or fascinating phrases or word selections. I had to suppress a giggle at the bald man whose “mustache made him look like a vandalized pumpkin.” I got such a visual! In addition, Sibella’s use of personification throughout this story had quite an impact.
We all know that we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but nobody ever said anything to me about word choice. I love that Sibella even used her gift of personification in her title. There are people and events that can move mountains but needing to read about what makes “The Mountains Bow Down” is an enticing way to lead your readers into a story.
There is an aviary of birds that this author uses as her helpers to impact her readers. “A raven crossed the sky, following the eagle’s retreat, and the oily blackbird cawed happily at our misfortune.” I like that writing tool!
We cannot ignore that this is Christian writing. The protagonist leans on her internal prayers and struggles often.
“Unable to speak, I headed for the elevators and kept my head down, sending up more desperate prayers for forgiveness, wondering when God would get as tired of me as I was.”
Don’t we all wonder that same thing from time to time? How does He tolerate us? Sometimes I wonder about myself, to be sure!
I also liked the way she referred to the medical examiner who had no gumption as an “invertebrate” and a lack-luster Federal Building as an “aesthetic crime.” Hmmm… I think our Federal Building could be called that, too — I will have to think on that one!
There were dramatic moments that were blessed with emotional, thought-provoking quotes as well. When Raleigh Harmon’s mother becomes unstable and starts behaving like an irrational nut case, Raleigh holds her mother and shares the event saying, “I squeezed tighter, wondering that I had never held someone so close yet felt so far away.” The story is just as tightly woven. It is page-turning and fast moving in parts; then it slows in spots where the reader can savor the scenery and, in some cases, the moronic behavior of characters that need to be slapped! Yeah, they are that annoying! Good job, Sibella!
The Mountains Bow Down is a Raleigh Harmon novel and part of a series. The Mountains Bow Down is the fourth in that series but it is the first I have read. It stands alone quite nicely and there is little to no impact on the effectiveness of the storyline. The understanding of the characters and their various traits and/or instabilities fall into place as the text propels, or sails calmly, forward.
I have The Stones Cry Out (A Raleigh Harmon Novel)
Apparently both Amazon and the publisher figured out that this one is a keeper! So have I! As promised, what follows is the collection of write-ups for the Blog Tour.
About the Book and about the Author:
“Giorello won the Christy Award for this series’ debut (The Stones Cry Out). Each entry has proven better than the one before, and the latest installment is no exception. Crisp writing, fast-paced action, and beautiful descriptions of Alaskan landscapes make this an essential read for fans of Irene Hannon.” —Library Journal
Sibella Giorello has also received two Pulitzer Prize nominations.
To celebrate the book’s release Sibella is pulling out all the stops! She’s giving away a cruise during The Mountains Bow Down Cruise Giveaway and wrapping up the giveaway and blog tour with a Raleigh Harmon Book Club Party on Facebook! See below for details.
About The Mountains Bow Down: Everything’s going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . ..
That’s what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, The Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who’s hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.
But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh’s vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship’s security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh’s forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.
Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-perpetual ladies man Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be such a jerk after all.
And that’s only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.
Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a situation so steep and so complex that even the mountains might bow down.
About Sibella Giorello: Sibella grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College. After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. Find out more about Sibella and her other books at her website. www.sibellagiorello.com
That was a great write-up! Avid blog readers will appreciate Sibella’s website too!
NOTE: FTC regulation requires bloggers to disclose whether or not they have been given free products in exchange for a review. I received a copy of the book at no charge. This page helps to explain this requirement further.
