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Fire Exit
Does she remember this day? Does she remember it at all? Does she know this history―this story―her body holds secret from her?
From the porch of his home, Charles Lamosway has watched the life he might have had unfold across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. On the far bank, he caught brief moments of Roger and Mary raising their only child, Elizabeth―from the day she came home from the hospital to her early twenties. But there’s always been something deeper and more dangerous than the river that divides him from this family and the rest of the tribal community. It’s the secret that Elizabeth is his daughter, a secret Charles is no longer willing to keep.
Now it’s been weeks since he’s seen Elizabeth and Charles is worried. As he attempts to hold on and care for what he can: his home and property, his alcoholic, quick-tempered and big-hearted friend Bobby, and his mother, Louise, who is slipping ever-deeper into dementia―he becomes increasingly haunted by his past. Forced to confront a lost childhood on the reservation, a love affair cut short, and the death of his beloved stepfather, Fredrick, in a hunting accident―a death that he and Louise cannot agree where to lay the blame―Charles contends with questions he’s long been afraid to ask. Is it his secret to share? And would his daughter want to know the truth?
From award-winning author of Night of the Living Rez, Morgan Talty’s debut novel, Fire Exit, is a masterful and unforgettable story of family, legacy, bloodlines, culture and inheritance, and what, if anything, we owe one another.
From the porch of his home, Charles Lamosway has watched the life he might have had unfold across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. On the far bank, he caught brief moments of Roger and Mary raising their only child, Elizabeth―from the day she came home from the hospital to her early twenties. But there’s always been something deeper and more dangerous than the river that divides him from this family and the rest of the tribal community. It’s the secret that Elizabeth is his daughter, a secret Charles is no longer willing to keep.
Now it’s been weeks since he’s seen Elizabeth and Charles is worried. As he attempts to hold on and care for what he can: his home and property, his alcoholic, quick-tempered and big-hearted friend Bobby, and his mother, Louise, who is slipping ever-deeper into dementia―he becomes increasingly haunted by his past. Forced to confront a lost childhood on the reservation, a love affair cut short, and the death of his beloved stepfather, Fredrick, in a hunting accident―a death that he and Louise cannot agree where to lay the blame―Charles contends with questions he’s long been afraid to ask. Is it his secret to share? And would his daughter want to know the truth?
From award-winning author of Night of the Living Rez, Morgan Talty’s debut novel, Fire Exit, is a masterful and unforgettable story of family, legacy, bloodlines, culture and inheritance, and what, if anything, we owe one another.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
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June 13, 2024
Making lemonade out of a lemon life sounds like a pretty good alternative when life hands you a pile of rubble instead, and Charles could probably use a glass since he’s had to battle sobriety for 22 years now. Fire Exit, the debut novel from Morgan Talty who awed critics and readers alike with his short story collection Night of the Living Rez, interrogates personal history caught in the teeth of governmental gears where heritage and identity are questions of paperwork and lived experiences are subjected to the erasure of time and failing memory. It is a sobering story of swallowing guilt and regret that would melt under its own melancholia were it not for Talty’s ability to make each scene so direct and gut wrenching as if the prose were being drug through the shattered glass of the American dream. ‘I knew and still know what it was like to both not belong and belong,’ Talty’s narrator states, and this dichotomy is something Charles will grapple with as we watch the slow burn deterioration of his life lead up to a decision to tell his daughter the truth about her past while also watching the deterioration of his own mother to dementia, taking the untold stories of his life along with her. Fiercely moving and heartbreaking, Fire Exit is an empathetic look at navigating the labyrinthian mazes of genetics and grief in a country that would just as soon wipe the whole of indigenous peoples under the rug.
‘We are made of stories, and if we don’t know them—the ones that make us—how can we ever be fully realized? How can we ever be who we really are?’
Set around the Penobscot Reservation in Maine, the site of Talty’s own childhood upbringing, and delves deep into the opaqueness of federal laws surrounding reservation requirements and jurisdiction. As he told Chicago Review of Books in an interview, the novel was conceived while wrestling with fellow indigenous author Louise Erdrich’s own interrogation of Federal Laws as he read her National Book Award winning novel The Round House. Talty says:
Blood Quantum—a rather controversial measurement put into law by 18th century white colonial settlers to determine the amount of indigenous blood a person possesses—reduces identity to a percentage in order to restrict who can belong to a tribe or live on a reservation and how that passes along to children. And while Charles makes frequent variations on the refrain of ‘all blood looks the same,’ blood is the dilemma assailing Charles’ entire life. Able to live on the reservation as a child due to his step-father, Fredrick, Charles loses his claim to heritage at the moment of Fredrick’s shocking death. Yet now in the present Charles is forced to watch his daughter, Elizabeth, from across the river where she lives in the reservation, her mother having married another man and claiming the child as his in order to secure enough of a claim to blood in order to stay there.
‘I wanted her to know who I was—who I really was—instead of a white man who lived across from her all her life and watched her grow up from this side of the river.’
The novel is two-fold. One is Charles’ moral conundrum over whether or not he tell Elizabeth the truth against the wishes of her mother. This is less about meeting his daughter, or so he claims, and more about giving her a key to her past.
The other issue is that his mother is quickly losing herself to dementia, and not only is the time running out to tell Elizabeth her history, but also to learn his own as she begins to forget who he is beyond her caregiver. Private history sometimes tumbles out his mother’s mouth, but more frequently it slides off the cliffs of memory and into oblivion. Interestingly enough I have recently just read another novel about a man considering his estranged daughter named Elisabeth (Ali Smith’s Spring) and a novel about history washed away by the loss of memory (Julie Otsuka’s The Swimmers). Talty’s combination of the two themes really hit hard and heartbreakingly so as he manages to give each the attention they deserve as a fully realized part of the novel while also functional commentary on one another through their juxtapositions and parallels. There are many, with births and deaths juxtaposed, or dementia and depression paralleled in the shared horrific treatment, and while, admittedly, the constant use of parallels feels a bit contrived at times in order to land a larger emotional blow, the effect is so shattering that it hardly matters.
‘There was this history I was a part of. A history my body had experienced and moved though. But I never knew it. It made me wonder how much I didn’t know. We had that much in common, Elizabeth and I, and I felt she should know her body was special and she should know its history. Especially the one it would not tell her and the one it could not see.’
For a novel about indigenous identity, Talty opts for a narrator who is, effectively, outside it. Both in terms of blood and in terms of his exile from the reservation. ‘To think that the reservation is what makes an Indian an Indian is to massacre all over again the Natives who do not populate it,’ Charles offers, extending the harm caused by racist lawmaking and attempts at erasing indigenous identities (another novel from this year, Wandering Star by indigenous author Tommy Orange—who provides the cover blurb here—rather effectively addresses these issues and is a great companion read to Fire Exit) not only to non-reservation indigenous peoples but everyone. In her book What White People Can Do Next, author and activist Emma Dabiri drives home the point that what enshrines harmful and racist laws is the belief that, if you are white, it does not harm you but calls attention to how the harm is spread across class lines and the hard from such laws oozes over everyone. ‘I just need you to recognize this shit is killing you, too,’ she write and here Talty has done an excellent job of crafting a similar vantage point on how Charles, not indigenous, is suffering because these laws. Talty shows how we are all pulled down into the slaughterhouse of these Federal Laws but also does so in a way that doesn’t center whiteness and ensures the Penobscot nation is the focus. In an interview with The Rumpus, Talty was asked 'do you feel it’s your responsibility, or purpose, to tell Native stories?' to which Talty responded:
There is a strong cultural heritage throughout the story and Talty nets a lot of nuance in reservation life. The struggles are bountiful for Charles, such as the rampant alcoholism and addictions faced both on and off the reservation. It is a bleak portrayal of life but Talty reminds us that we are all, in some ways, complicit.
‘It was Fredrick’s love that made me feel Native. He loved me so much that I was, and still am, convinced that I was from him, part of him, part of what he was part of. That was how I felt about Elizabeth—in truth, she was a descendant only from her mother’s side, and if that were to come out and she were taken off the census, would she feel any less Native? I didn’t think so.’
Talty writes that ‘we are made of stories’ and so much of history is the struggle over the dominant narrative and who tells the story. Frederick made him feel he belonged, and what is Charles denying Elizabeth if he doesn’t tell her the truth. But also is it his place to override the story of her life she has always believed? It is an issue he will go back and forth on—Charles can be a frustrating character as he is so much blown about by the wind and while we are empathetic due to the lifetime of damages that have made him this way, it is still painful to watch—but the metaphor extends beyond the personal. The country itself is competing stories, such was the way colonialism took root, and these are the stories of those who have been brought down into generational poverty and addictions with little way out. Early on there is a rather chilling metaphor when Charles thinks about the various stories he has heard about the reservation being built over a graveyard. Regardless of which story is true, the fact remains there is death beneath their feet and we will all add our bones to the pile some day. The only story that is fixed.
‘I wanted to say it all: wanted to give her all the history that is hers. This past. This family. I wanted her to know, wanted her to understand what it meant that she was being stretched beyond the walls of her parents' house,’
A big thank you to Isabel’s lovely review which inspired me to read this. Fire Exit is a haunting and harrowing tale, and Morgan Talty expertly pulls at all the heartstrings. On the large scale it is a cutting look at the legacy of trauma and hardship caused by harmful Federal Laws around indigenous identity, yet it also functions as a tragic personal tale of a family caught in these machinations. We are all stories of our history and such histories are subject to the fallibility of memory but with Fire Exit, Talty asks of us to ensure we do not let such history be washed away.
4/5
‘all that remained was the charred, burnt wood of the story that is hers.’
‘We are made of stories, and if we don’t know them—the ones that make us—how can we ever be fully realized? How can we ever be who we really are?’
Set around the Penobscot Reservation in Maine, the site of Talty’s own childhood upbringing, and delves deep into the opaqueness of federal laws surrounding reservation requirements and jurisdiction. As he told Chicago Review of Books in an interview, the novel was conceived while wrestling with fellow indigenous author Louise Erdrich’s own interrogation of Federal Laws as he read her National Book Award winning novel The Round House. Talty says:
‘Federal Indian Law makes no sense. None. And so in reading her novel—in seeing how Erdrich looked at the law—I wondered, what is a situation that could arise out of the nonsensical structure holding up Indian Country? Blood quantum jumped into my head and that was the genesis.’
Blood Quantum—a rather controversial measurement put into law by 18th century white colonial settlers to determine the amount of indigenous blood a person possesses—reduces identity to a percentage in order to restrict who can belong to a tribe or live on a reservation and how that passes along to children. And while Charles makes frequent variations on the refrain of ‘all blood looks the same,’ blood is the dilemma assailing Charles’ entire life. Able to live on the reservation as a child due to his step-father, Fredrick, Charles loses his claim to heritage at the moment of Fredrick’s shocking death. Yet now in the present Charles is forced to watch his daughter, Elizabeth, from across the river where she lives in the reservation, her mother having married another man and claiming the child as his in order to secure enough of a claim to blood in order to stay there.
‘I wanted her to know who I was—who I really was—instead of a white man who lived across from her all her life and watched her grow up from this side of the river.’
The novel is two-fold. One is Charles’ moral conundrum over whether or not he tell Elizabeth the truth against the wishes of her mother. This is less about meeting his daughter, or so he claims, and more about giving her a key to her past.
‘All I wanted was that she know the history that was hers, that this history wasn’t lost or wasted because of the illusion we’d tried to live in so neatly, that there was a life she could have lived and been a part of, and that she know she was as much a part of me as she was not.’
The other issue is that his mother is quickly losing herself to dementia, and not only is the time running out to tell Elizabeth her history, but also to learn his own as she begins to forget who he is beyond her caregiver. Private history sometimes tumbles out his mother’s mouth, but more frequently it slides off the cliffs of memory and into oblivion. Interestingly enough I have recently just read another novel about a man considering his estranged daughter named Elisabeth (Ali Smith’s Spring) and a novel about history washed away by the loss of memory (Julie Otsuka’s The Swimmers). Talty’s combination of the two themes really hit hard and heartbreakingly so as he manages to give each the attention they deserve as a fully realized part of the novel while also functional commentary on one another through their juxtapositions and parallels. There are many, with births and deaths juxtaposed, or dementia and depression paralleled in the shared horrific treatment, and while, admittedly, the constant use of parallels feels a bit contrived at times in order to land a larger emotional blow, the effect is so shattering that it hardly matters.
‘There was this history I was a part of. A history my body had experienced and moved though. But I never knew it. It made me wonder how much I didn’t know. We had that much in common, Elizabeth and I, and I felt she should know her body was special and she should know its history. Especially the one it would not tell her and the one it could not see.’
For a novel about indigenous identity, Talty opts for a narrator who is, effectively, outside it. Both in terms of blood and in terms of his exile from the reservation. ‘To think that the reservation is what makes an Indian an Indian is to massacre all over again the Natives who do not populate it,’ Charles offers, extending the harm caused by racist lawmaking and attempts at erasing indigenous identities (another novel from this year, Wandering Star by indigenous author Tommy Orange—who provides the cover blurb here—rather effectively addresses these issues and is a great companion read to Fire Exit) not only to non-reservation indigenous peoples but everyone. In her book What White People Can Do Next, author and activist Emma Dabiri drives home the point that what enshrines harmful and racist laws is the belief that, if you are white, it does not harm you but calls attention to how the harm is spread across class lines and the hard from such laws oozes over everyone. ‘I just need you to recognize this shit is killing you, too,’ she write and here Talty has done an excellent job of crafting a similar vantage point on how Charles, not indigenous, is suffering because these laws. Talty shows how we are all pulled down into the slaughterhouse of these Federal Laws but also does so in a way that doesn’t center whiteness and ensures the Penobscot nation is the focus. In an interview with The Rumpus, Talty was asked 'do you feel it’s your responsibility, or purpose, to tell Native stories?' to which Talty responded:
'On one hand, I feel like it’s not my responsibility—I will write and have written stories that do not have Native characters in them—but on the other hand, colonialism and a dominant white readership has made it my responsibility. But then again, maybe it’s not about responsibility in terms of storytelling but rather a responsibility to be a story-keeper, a person who holds onto the stories and passes them down.'
There is a strong cultural heritage throughout the story and Talty nets a lot of nuance in reservation life. The struggles are bountiful for Charles, such as the rampant alcoholism and addictions faced both on and off the reservation. It is a bleak portrayal of life but Talty reminds us that we are all, in some ways, complicit.
‘It was Fredrick’s love that made me feel Native. He loved me so much that I was, and still am, convinced that I was from him, part of him, part of what he was part of. That was how I felt about Elizabeth—in truth, she was a descendant only from her mother’s side, and if that were to come out and she were taken off the census, would she feel any less Native? I didn’t think so.’
Talty writes that ‘we are made of stories’ and so much of history is the struggle over the dominant narrative and who tells the story. Frederick made him feel he belonged, and what is Charles denying Elizabeth if he doesn’t tell her the truth. But also is it his place to override the story of her life she has always believed? It is an issue he will go back and forth on—Charles can be a frustrating character as he is so much blown about by the wind and while we are empathetic due to the lifetime of damages that have made him this way, it is still painful to watch—but the metaphor extends beyond the personal. The country itself is competing stories, such was the way colonialism took root, and these are the stories of those who have been brought down into generational poverty and addictions with little way out. Early on there is a rather chilling metaphor when Charles thinks about the various stories he has heard about the reservation being built over a graveyard. Regardless of which story is true, the fact remains there is death beneath their feet and we will all add our bones to the pile some day. The only story that is fixed.
‘I wanted to say it all: wanted to give her all the history that is hers. This past. This family. I wanted her to know, wanted her to understand what it meant that she was being stretched beyond the walls of her parents' house,’
A big thank you to Isabel’s lovely review which inspired me to read this. Fire Exit is a haunting and harrowing tale, and Morgan Talty expertly pulls at all the heartstrings. On the large scale it is a cutting look at the legacy of trauma and hardship caused by harmful Federal Laws around indigenous identity, yet it also functions as a tragic personal tale of a family caught in these machinations. We are all stories of our history and such histories are subject to the fallibility of memory but with Fire Exit, Talty asks of us to ensure we do not let such history be washed away.
4/5
‘all that remained was the charred, burnt wood of the story that is hers.’
July 25, 2024
i love blurbs. now i get to read a book because an author i like told me to!
anyway.
for most of this book, you're kind of like "i wonder what's happening here." it's sort of ambling along, following a small group of characters. you've been dropped right in the middle of someone's life, and the narrator is not doing any more to explain where you are or why than someone's internal monologue would happen to touch on. for the first 200 pages, you'll just be like, "this is kind of weird." not bad, not good, not memorable, just weird.
then for the last few dozen you will feel such a range of emotions you might catch yourself crying without noticing.
bottom line: a very strange reading experience. i recommend it.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
anyway.
for most of this book, you're kind of like "i wonder what's happening here." it's sort of ambling along, following a small group of characters. you've been dropped right in the middle of someone's life, and the narrator is not doing any more to explain where you are or why than someone's internal monologue would happen to touch on. for the first 200 pages, you'll just be like, "this is kind of weird." not bad, not good, not memorable, just weird.
then for the last few dozen you will feel such a range of emotions you might catch yourself crying without noticing.
bottom line: a very strange reading experience. i recommend it.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
May 28, 2024
As an everyday person, putting my untrained book thoughts out onto this site for no one in particular is a fun pastime to my daily life. That is until I find a 5⭐️ book that is just so good in a way I don’t know how to put into words, then I wish this was my job, and I was trained, instead of overusing commas and thinking “ugh YES, the writing maybe, or the characters, well, my feelings, THEIR feelings, just YES”.
Anyway, Morgan Talty brings remarkable life and reality to an otherwise somber and depressing story. In “Fire Exit”, Charles Lamosway has spent over two decades secretly watching his daughter Elizabeth grow up from across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. Burdened by a sick mother, an alcoholic best friend, and his own troubled past, he grapples with the decision to keep the truth of his relationship with his daughter a secret, until she suddenly goes missing.
Talty’s prose feels like stepping in Charles’ shoes and truly empathizing with his life. I felt so frustrated for him every time he found himself between a rock and a hard place because of someone else’s misgivings, lack of care, or ill-will. But I was also frustrated with Charles whenever he seemed to just let life slap him around. Ultimately, I just needed to accept the characters as they were and let the story flow. For me, what stood out the most is that this novel is a wonderful, powerful, and heartbreaking depiction of taking care of a parent with dementia. As Charles navigates his decisions involving his daughter, he takes care of a mother who often does not know who he is and increasingly refuses help. It reminded me of the high praise Anthony Hopkins received for his role in "The Father" (2020), where he played a man with dementia coming to terms with his changing circumstances. Both are done so well that you hope to never relate to the experience, but are grateful for the honest representation.
A brilliant debut novel, excellently narrated by Darrell Dennis. Once published (June 4), I think I will have to add the physical copy to my library. I very much look forward to reading more from Morgan Talty.
Thanks to Netgalley, RB Media, Morgan Talty, and Darrell Dennis for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Anyway, Morgan Talty brings remarkable life and reality to an otherwise somber and depressing story. In “Fire Exit”, Charles Lamosway has spent over two decades secretly watching his daughter Elizabeth grow up from across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. Burdened by a sick mother, an alcoholic best friend, and his own troubled past, he grapples with the decision to keep the truth of his relationship with his daughter a secret, until she suddenly goes missing.
Talty’s prose feels like stepping in Charles’ shoes and truly empathizing with his life. I felt so frustrated for him every time he found himself between a rock and a hard place because of someone else’s misgivings, lack of care, or ill-will. But I was also frustrated with Charles whenever he seemed to just let life slap him around. Ultimately, I just needed to accept the characters as they were and let the story flow. For me, what stood out the most is that this novel is a wonderful, powerful, and heartbreaking depiction of taking care of a parent with dementia. As Charles navigates his decisions involving his daughter, he takes care of a mother who often does not know who he is and increasingly refuses help. It reminded me of the high praise Anthony Hopkins received for his role in "The Father" (2020), where he played a man with dementia coming to terms with his changing circumstances. Both are done so well that you hope to never relate to the experience, but are grateful for the honest representation.
A brilliant debut novel, excellently narrated by Darrell Dennis. Once published (June 4), I think I will have to add the physical copy to my library. I very much look forward to reading more from Morgan Talty.
Thanks to Netgalley, RB Media, Morgan Talty, and Darrell Dennis for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2024
Poignant novel that tackles the family bonds, love, and the urge to find one's place in life. All these presented in the past and the present, with the background of Penobscot Reservation, Maine. Charles Lamosway looks back and discusses the choices he made. Relatively short novel, about an ordinary man, it might seem, but Charles's longing for his daughter, the care he took of his mother, and love he had for his stepfather, made his a character I warmed up to and felt for. Captivating and one of the best books I have read this year.
A big thank-you to Morgan Talty, RB Media, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
A big thank-you to Morgan Talty, RB Media, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
July 6, 2024
**4.5-stars rounded up**
Fire Exit is a realistic Literary Fiction novel that falls completely outside of my comfort zone. I picked this one up because of one reason, and one reason only: Morgan Talty.
I've read short-fiction from him and loved it. Additionally, he's an Assistant Professor at my alma mater, University of Maine, Orono. His stories take place around that area, so there's also that connection.
This book is about life. More specifically, it's about Charles Lamosway's life. The story-telling feels very Coming of Age. Although this isn't that type of story, Charles takes us through certain portions of his life in a way that makes it feel like that subgenre.
There's a lot going on in his life, which he focuses on in his narration. First and foremost, is the fact that he has a daughter, Elizabeth, the result of an affair, who doesn't know the true nature of her parentage.
For years, this has weighed on him. He's watched Elizabeth grow up, as she lives just across the river from him.
As she comes of age, and his life transitions into its later stages, he starts to feel compelled to share the truth with her. He feels she has the right to know. She has the right to know her true history, who she is and where she came from.
He's not trying to negate all her parents have done for her, he doesn't want anything from her really, but Elizabeth's mother, Mary, doesn't see it the same way as Charles.
Then there's his relationship with his mom, Louise. That's complicated too. He loves his mother. He's dedicated to her, but it's not always easy.
Louise has struggled with depression for many, many years. Charles and Louise have also experienced a terrible trauma together, which they never discuss. He has unresolved guilt from that event that continues to haunt him.
Louise is now succumbing to dementia and she's more reliant on Charles than ever. She's not always kind, and rarely recognizes him, yet he is 100%-committed to her care. It's a situation he wasn't prepared for.
The whole journey he's on with his mom has caused him to confront a lot of issues from his life. Such as distant moments of his childhood, his relationship with his Mom and step-Dad, Frederick, and of course, his nonexistent relationship with his daughter, Elizabeth.
I thought everything about this was beautifully-done. I loved the writing. I loved the delivery of Charles's voice and story. I felt like I was sitting with him at a bar in Old Town and he was just relating moments of his life to me.
It amazed me how invested I got in each of the different aspects that Charles was exploring. As mentioned above, this isn't normally a type of story that I would pick up, but I'm so glad that I did. It was emotional, yet so enjoyable.
I would recommend this to all my Literary Fiction friends out there, or Readers who enjoy the quality of storytelling in a Coming of Age narrative. Also, the audiobook is fantastic. I def recommend that format as well.
Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Morgan Talty is such a talent. I can't wait to read more from him!!
Fire Exit is a realistic Literary Fiction novel that falls completely outside of my comfort zone. I picked this one up because of one reason, and one reason only: Morgan Talty.
I've read short-fiction from him and loved it. Additionally, he's an Assistant Professor at my alma mater, University of Maine, Orono. His stories take place around that area, so there's also that connection.
This book is about life. More specifically, it's about Charles Lamosway's life. The story-telling feels very Coming of Age. Although this isn't that type of story, Charles takes us through certain portions of his life in a way that makes it feel like that subgenre.
There's a lot going on in his life, which he focuses on in his narration. First and foremost, is the fact that he has a daughter, Elizabeth, the result of an affair, who doesn't know the true nature of her parentage.
For years, this has weighed on him. He's watched Elizabeth grow up, as she lives just across the river from him.
As she comes of age, and his life transitions into its later stages, he starts to feel compelled to share the truth with her. He feels she has the right to know. She has the right to know her true history, who she is and where she came from.
He's not trying to negate all her parents have done for her, he doesn't want anything from her really, but Elizabeth's mother, Mary, doesn't see it the same way as Charles.
Then there's his relationship with his mom, Louise. That's complicated too. He loves his mother. He's dedicated to her, but it's not always easy.
Louise has struggled with depression for many, many years. Charles and Louise have also experienced a terrible trauma together, which they never discuss. He has unresolved guilt from that event that continues to haunt him.
Louise is now succumbing to dementia and she's more reliant on Charles than ever. She's not always kind, and rarely recognizes him, yet he is 100%-committed to her care. It's a situation he wasn't prepared for.
The whole journey he's on with his mom has caused him to confront a lot of issues from his life. Such as distant moments of his childhood, his relationship with his Mom and step-Dad, Frederick, and of course, his nonexistent relationship with his daughter, Elizabeth.
I thought everything about this was beautifully-done. I loved the writing. I loved the delivery of Charles's voice and story. I felt like I was sitting with him at a bar in Old Town and he was just relating moments of his life to me.
It amazed me how invested I got in each of the different aspects that Charles was exploring. As mentioned above, this isn't normally a type of story that I would pick up, but I'm so glad that I did. It was emotional, yet so enjoyable.
I would recommend this to all my Literary Fiction friends out there, or Readers who enjoy the quality of storytelling in a Coming of Age narrative. Also, the audiobook is fantastic. I def recommend that format as well.
Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Morgan Talty is such a talent. I can't wait to read more from him!!
July 23, 2024
From the porch of his home, Charles Lamosway has watched the life he might have had unfold across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation.
Laura (thenerdygnomelife)'s review of this book starts with: "It's hard to put my finger on why "Fire Exit" captivated me so completely — on face value, it seems to be about an ordinary man grappling with somewhat ordinary issues: navigating a relationship with his adult daughter and caring for his ailing mother." It was like Laura reached into my head and stole my thoughts because this is exactly how I felt. I have 3 or 4 books on the go and this was the one I nearly always chose to continue with.
Charles spent his younger years on the reservation living with his mother Louise and step-father Fredrick but, in accordance with the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, when he turned 18 Charles no longer had any right to live on the reservation. His step-father had purchased land across the river and he and Charles built a house which Fredrick signed over to Charles. When his step-father died his mother (a non-native) chose to move off the reservation.
The story is told by Charles, an alcoholic who's been sober for 22 years, and through him we meet some great characters and some not-so-great but interesting all the same. It's a story of life, family and relationships. Highly recommended. Although I'm not usually a fan of short stories, I'd be interested in reading "Night of the Living Rez", a collection of stories by this author.
I had the Kindle version of the book from Netgalley and was also lucky enough to be approved for the audiobook; I enjoyed both versions. Darrell Dennis does an excellent job with the narration, very level and undramatic which suited the story being told.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for providing access to the electronic version of this book and to RB Media for approving access to the audiobook, both via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Laura (thenerdygnomelife)'s review of this book starts with: "It's hard to put my finger on why "Fire Exit" captivated me so completely — on face value, it seems to be about an ordinary man grappling with somewhat ordinary issues: navigating a relationship with his adult daughter and caring for his ailing mother." It was like Laura reached into my head and stole my thoughts because this is exactly how I felt. I have 3 or 4 books on the go and this was the one I nearly always chose to continue with.
Charles spent his younger years on the reservation living with his mother Louise and step-father Fredrick but, in accordance with the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, when he turned 18 Charles no longer had any right to live on the reservation. His step-father had purchased land across the river and he and Charles built a house which Fredrick signed over to Charles. When his step-father died his mother (a non-native) chose to move off the reservation.
The story is told by Charles, an alcoholic who's been sober for 22 years, and through him we meet some great characters and some not-so-great but interesting all the same. It's a story of life, family and relationships. Highly recommended. Although I'm not usually a fan of short stories, I'd be interested in reading "Night of the Living Rez", a collection of stories by this author.
I had the Kindle version of the book from Netgalley and was also lucky enough to be approved for the audiobook; I enjoyed both versions. Darrell Dennis does an excellent job with the narration, very level and undramatic which suited the story being told.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for providing access to the electronic version of this book and to RB Media for approving access to the audiobook, both via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
June 6, 2024
Blood Credentials
With 2022’s brilliant collection, “Night of the Living Rez,” and now with his debut novel, “Fire Exit,” Morgan Talty has stepped up as one of our most exciting writers. Centering around life in Maine’s Penobscot Reservation, these books are not only insights into Native American issues, but they also explore universal themes of family, inclusion, and identity.
In “Fire Exit,” Charles Lamosway lives just outside the Penobscot Reservation– directly across the river from his daughter, Elizabeth, who is now in her early twenties and unaware that Charles is her father. Charles is not Penobscot, but Elizabeth’s mother, Mary, and the man she has married are. Because Charles does not have the tribe’s blood in him, Elizabeth would technically be excluded from tribal membership.
Charles grew up on the reservation because his mother married a member. Once Charles turned 18, he was forced to move off– a common practice. When Mary became pregnant, she convinced him to keep their secret, otherwise Elizabeth would be exposed below the 25 percent Blood Quantum level the Penobscots accept.
Blood Quantum is the measurement determining who can and who cannot claim tribal standing. It is a rating, a ranking originally imposed by the government to whittle down the numbers of the Native American population. Many tribes embraced the practice as a self-protective practice, often in the fear that any benefits would be diluted by swollen numbers. It has effectively split cultures and arbitrarily sent souls into exile.
This whole Blood Quantum equation has paralyzed Charles. For over twenty years he has quietly watched his daughter grow up. The longing to tell her and his inability to do so has eaten him alive. A virtual outsider at this point, he longs to share his bond with his daughter, even as the rest of his family dissolves. His stepfather tragically died in a hunting accident that his mother blames him for. She rarely recognizes him anymore, as she is stumbling deeper and deeper into dementia.
And then Charles discovers that something is wrong with Elizabeth. He decides he must tell her the truth. Her truth.
Identity is a huge issue here. Elizabeth has never been told who her real father is. Charles was driven from where his roots are, his childhood home. The most influential person in his life, his stepfather, is gone. His mother not only rejects him, but her mindset is also irreversible. Now, finally, Charles is taking things into his own hands.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Fire Exit” and look forward to what Morgan Talty will bring in the future. A wonderful storyteller, a refreshing voice.
Thank you to Tin House Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #FireExit #NetGalley
With 2022’s brilliant collection, “Night of the Living Rez,” and now with his debut novel, “Fire Exit,” Morgan Talty has stepped up as one of our most exciting writers. Centering around life in Maine’s Penobscot Reservation, these books are not only insights into Native American issues, but they also explore universal themes of family, inclusion, and identity.
In “Fire Exit,” Charles Lamosway lives just outside the Penobscot Reservation– directly across the river from his daughter, Elizabeth, who is now in her early twenties and unaware that Charles is her father. Charles is not Penobscot, but Elizabeth’s mother, Mary, and the man she has married are. Because Charles does not have the tribe’s blood in him, Elizabeth would technically be excluded from tribal membership.
Charles grew up on the reservation because his mother married a member. Once Charles turned 18, he was forced to move off– a common practice. When Mary became pregnant, she convinced him to keep their secret, otherwise Elizabeth would be exposed below the 25 percent Blood Quantum level the Penobscots accept.
Blood Quantum is the measurement determining who can and who cannot claim tribal standing. It is a rating, a ranking originally imposed by the government to whittle down the numbers of the Native American population. Many tribes embraced the practice as a self-protective practice, often in the fear that any benefits would be diluted by swollen numbers. It has effectively split cultures and arbitrarily sent souls into exile.
This whole Blood Quantum equation has paralyzed Charles. For over twenty years he has quietly watched his daughter grow up. The longing to tell her and his inability to do so has eaten him alive. A virtual outsider at this point, he longs to share his bond with his daughter, even as the rest of his family dissolves. His stepfather tragically died in a hunting accident that his mother blames him for. She rarely recognizes him anymore, as she is stumbling deeper and deeper into dementia.
And then Charles discovers that something is wrong with Elizabeth. He decides he must tell her the truth. Her truth.
Identity is a huge issue here. Elizabeth has never been told who her real father is. Charles was driven from where his roots are, his childhood home. The most influential person in his life, his stepfather, is gone. His mother not only rejects him, but her mindset is also irreversible. Now, finally, Charles is taking things into his own hands.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Fire Exit” and look forward to what Morgan Talty will bring in the future. A wonderful storyteller, a refreshing voice.
Thank you to Tin House Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #FireExit #NetGalley
May 6, 2024
Fire Exit is a powerful, poignant, and multilayered story that had me utterly captivated. The story alternates between two timelines and examines two cultures. The complex characters in the story had so much depth that by the end of the book, I felt that I knew them all personally. It’s been a week since I finished Fire Exit and I find myself still thinking about the story and its characters.
Fire Exit is truly a remarkable story and I enjoyed it so much that I had to put it on my list of top reads of 2024. This is my third read by Talty (previously read Night of the Living Rez and his short story in Never Whistle at Night), and Fire Exit solidified him as one of my favorite authors.
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty will be available on June 4. A massive thanks to Tin House Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy!
Fire Exit is truly a remarkable story and I enjoyed it so much that I had to put it on my list of top reads of 2024. This is my third read by Talty (previously read Night of the Living Rez and his short story in Never Whistle at Night), and Fire Exit solidified him as one of my favorite authors.
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty will be available on June 4. A massive thanks to Tin House Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy!
November 30, 2023
Morgan Talty’s writing sleight of hand is astonishing— and I hope we have many, many more novels from him to figure out how he pulls off the powerful duality of his storytelling. In Fire Exit, the writing is economical, but the world you’re drawn into is vivid and holds like a vice grip. The circumstances are harsh, but the tenderness radiates off the page. The heartbreak is profound, but the love is everywhere. It is altogether its own kind of beautiful.
May 27, 2024
Once again, Talty doesn't disappoint.
For some reason I often had the feeling like there was a second POV to Charles' POV, like he was split in more than a singular identity, as if split between his child self and his adult self he has yet to fully grow into? It felt both confusing and masterful.
His child aspect comes across as disillusioned and numb, afraid to hope or to reach for the better life he longs for, prisoner of his own immaturity and fear of letting go of what little he has, it can come across as generally unfeeling. His more adult aspect rebels against the unfairness of going unacknowledged. It's a strange portrait that you really have to sit with to appreciate.
As you would imagine with the last paragraph, it's not a book where there is much of a plot or action, it's really a character study and a reflection on grief, love, culture, and family in their many forms.
The narrator was pretty good, his narration was generally smooth and his voice acting was pretty minimalist which I personally really appreciated.
This review is for the audiobook version narrated by Darrell Dennis, of which I received an ALC from RB Media | Recorded Books through Netgalley, many thanks to both.
For some reason I often had the feeling like there was a second POV to Charles' POV, like he was split in more than a singular identity, as if split between his child self and his adult self he has yet to fully grow into? It felt both confusing and masterful.
His child aspect comes across as disillusioned and numb, afraid to hope or to reach for the better life he longs for, prisoner of his own immaturity and fear of letting go of what little he has, it can come across as generally unfeeling. His more adult aspect rebels against the unfairness of going unacknowledged. It's a strange portrait that you really have to sit with to appreciate.
As you would imagine with the last paragraph, it's not a book where there is much of a plot or action, it's really a character study and a reflection on grief, love, culture, and family in their many forms.
The narrator was pretty good, his narration was generally smooth and his voice acting was pretty minimalist which I personally really appreciated.
This review is for the audiobook version narrated by Darrell Dennis, of which I received an ALC from RB Media | Recorded Books through Netgalley, many thanks to both.
June 4, 2024
It's hard to put my finger on why "Fire Exit" captivated me so completely — on face value, it seems to be about an ordinary man grappling with somewhat ordinary issues: navigating a relationship with his adult daughter and caring for his ailing mother. Morgan Talty is adept at exploring this average everyday human experience, however, and manages to unearth something profound in the mundane. Though my own human experience is far from that of main character Charles Lamosway, I nonetheless emerge somehow feeling seen.
Charles lives on the banks of a river in the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Across the water, he can see Elizabeth, a young woman who is wholly unaware that Charles is her biological father. Charles has always wanted to be a part of her life, and is no longer willing to keep the secret from her. While he tries to navigate this moral dilemma, his mother begins to show signs of dementia, and he steps into the role of her caregiver. At its heart, "Fire Exit" is a novel about a man's search for his place in the world, his need for human connection, and the drive for love and belonging. By the end, I was charmed by Charles and warmed by his deep care for others.
The audiobook production was well done and Darrell Dennis did a great job on narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Morgan Talty for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
Charles lives on the banks of a river in the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Across the water, he can see Elizabeth, a young woman who is wholly unaware that Charles is her biological father. Charles has always wanted to be a part of her life, and is no longer willing to keep the secret from her. While he tries to navigate this moral dilemma, his mother begins to show signs of dementia, and he steps into the role of her caregiver. At its heart, "Fire Exit" is a novel about a man's search for his place in the world, his need for human connection, and the drive for love and belonging. By the end, I was charmed by Charles and warmed by his deep care for others.
The audiobook production was well done and Darrell Dennis did a great job on narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Morgan Talty for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
June 24, 2024
I don't generally read debuts of contemporary authors when they first come out. I tend to trust most of my friends and their opinions on things, so I thought I'd give this a go. I'm glad I did.
Talty's novel debut has a wide range of things that appeal to me: deep emotional writing, mostly flawed characters and a story that reminds me of my broken past.
Many of us try to avoid what gives us pain, while some gravitate toward it like a moth to a flame. This flame is addicting, cruel and burns us over and over, yet we seek it out no matter how much it hurts.
Talty's novel debut has a wide range of things that appeal to me: deep emotional writing, mostly flawed characters and a story that reminds me of my broken past.
Many of us try to avoid what gives us pain, while some gravitate toward it like a moth to a flame. This flame is addicting, cruel and burns us over and over, yet we seek it out no matter how much it hurts.
June 7, 2024
I thought this book was very dry and sometimes even dull. Only finished it because I had nothing else in my queue.
June 23, 2024
I raced through this. It was a very easy read, and the story was engaging. I have seen this billed at literary fiction, and though the classification can be a little blurry, I would not place it in that bucket. The prose is simple and direct, it lays out the story clear as a bell. It does not leave the reader with much to think about off the page, which is something I look for in litfic. When Talty does reach for metaphors or deep thoughts "clunky" would be an apt and pretty kind euphemism for how that goes. I thought this read like YA (which is a big minus for me) but the matters at hand, grief, the dissolution of family, alcoholism, grief, mental illness, economic stress, and others set this as a book for adults.
We learn this story through the eyes of Charles, a White man raised on a Penobscot reservation. As a young man he is involved with a Penobscot woman, but when she becomes pregnant she announces that she is leaving and identifying an Indian as the father so her child will be considered a full-blooded enrolled member of the tribe. Charles is devastated and basically spends the rest of his life watching his daughter's life with her make-believe father and the woman he loved (or maybe loves.) There is a related story about Charles' estrangement from his mother (I can't discuss without spoilers) and his reentry into her life when she begins her descent into dementia. There are other side stories I won't go into. So many that you would think it would be hard to follow, but it is not. This is a very decent first novel (Talty also wrote a well-received short story collection, Night of the Living Rez, which I haven't read.) It lacks nuance, and I wish the prose was a bit lovelier but I did enjoy the story of this man who longed for connection but belonged in no world. In response he just did nothing and let life happen to him until he tried to break out of that with unintended and unfortunate results.
We learn this story through the eyes of Charles, a White man raised on a Penobscot reservation. As a young man he is involved with a Penobscot woman, but when she becomes pregnant she announces that she is leaving and identifying an Indian as the father so her child will be considered a full-blooded enrolled member of the tribe. Charles is devastated and basically spends the rest of his life watching his daughter's life with her make-believe father and the woman he loved (or maybe loves.) There is a related story about Charles' estrangement from his mother (I can't discuss without spoilers) and his reentry into her life when she begins her descent into dementia. There are other side stories I won't go into. So many that you would think it would be hard to follow, but it is not. This is a very decent first novel (Talty also wrote a well-received short story collection, Night of the Living Rez, which I haven't read.) It lacks nuance, and I wish the prose was a bit lovelier but I did enjoy the story of this man who longed for connection but belonged in no world. In response he just did nothing and let life happen to him until he tried to break out of that with unintended and unfortunate results.
June 5, 2024
The first note I made about this book was how can a stuffed element nearly move me to tears in a few sentences. Didn’t even know that elephant would be one of my favorite things about this book, but no spoilers. Stuffed elephants aside, this exploration of who we come from and if we can ever be fully realized if we don’t know our histories worked so well through Charles and his relationship with his mother, father figure, and daughter. Watching him reconcile his existence when it feels like all he has are remains is going to stick with me.
I highly recommend checking this out!
June 19, 2024
This is definitely an 'it's me, not you' situation, but this novel never grabbed me. I was hoping switching to audio would help with the conversational, flat style but no luck. Were we ever supposed to figure out who he's telling the story to?
For me, this was a themes and character book and I need more than that in my reading. The themes were interesting though! Blood quantum, belonging, being cut off or even not remembered, the idea of legacy. Talty does this cool thing with the way Charles mixes dreams within his story, almost reflecting his mom's dementia and his disconnection to his family.
The ending was a little rushed and I'm not sure why this idea of a big reveal kept being teased, it never came to fruition. While I can logically feel for Charles never knowing his daughter, I never emotionally connected to this loss because there wasn't enough backstory on his and Mary's relationship before she got pregnant.
For me, this was a themes and character book and I need more than that in my reading. The themes were interesting though! Blood quantum, belonging, being cut off or even not remembered, the idea of legacy. Talty does this cool thing with the way Charles mixes dreams within his story, almost reflecting his mom's dementia and his disconnection to his family.
The ending was a little rushed and I'm not sure why this idea of a big reveal kept being teased, it never came to fruition. While I can logically feel for Charles never knowing his daughter, I never emotionally connected to this loss because there wasn't enough backstory on his and Mary's relationship before she got pregnant.
June 8, 2024
I really enjoyed Night of the Living Rez so I was very excited to read FIRE EXIT by Morgan Talty and I really enjoyed this novel too!! It’s about Charles who lives across the river from Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. He’s dealing with caring for his mother Louise who has dementia, his friendship with Bobby who is wanting to move away but not really, the loss of his stepfather and trying to connect with his secret daughter. I loved how Charles described what it means to be Native and how it’s not just living on the reserve. I really enjoyed how this novel focused heavily on family, heritage, connection, and culture. Definitely recommend to contemporary lit fic lovers like me!
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC!
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC!
January 31, 2024
(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.
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.
June 6, 2024
I’m giving it one star for visibility of this comment to add a huge trigger warning since none of the other reviews seem to be talking about it: At about 80% there is an extremely ableist scene and slur dropped. There was no reason or interrogation/discussion around this. Its was incredibly jarring and I can’t believe in 2024 that it was left in. Want to make sure everyone going to read knows so can be prepared
December 31, 2023
This sparse novel packs a punch. It's about a man caught, not only between two worlds, but between his parent and his adult child. Neither his mom (who has dementia), nor his adult child (who doesn't know her true parentage) realize who he is. And this lack of knowledge, leaves Charlie in limbo. Charlie, a white man, was raised on and near an Indian Reservation by an Indigenous step father, who loved his as his own. He's always from the outside, looking in, and is determined that his adult child, should know her history so she will be less lost. This second book cements Morgan Talty as a truly talented writer and soon he should be in the same category as Jesmyn Ward and Colton Whitehead.
ETA: 12/31/23, this book is still with me, so bumping it to 5 stars
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
ETA: 12/31/23, this book is still with me, so bumping it to 5 stars
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
January 15, 2024
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
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
July 10, 2024
Morgan Talty's Fire Exit shows us what life is like for a non-native raised on a reservation. Charles Lamosway never seems to fit in. His mother Louise was a non-native, but his step=father was native. Under the law, a woman married to a native is welcome to live on a reservation, even if she is widowed. If she comes to the marriage with non-native children, they are welcome until age 18. Charles lost his right to live in what he considered his family home with his mother and step-father at 18. There were other early losses. His best friend's father, convinced that Charles was gay, beat his son and refused to allow him to be friends with him. Charles's girlfriend Mary became pregnant and convinced him that it would be better for their daughter if she married Roger, a native, and claimed he was the father. His step-father Stephen dies in a hunting accident Another friend wanted Charles to move someplace warm with him. More losses follow. Louise develops health problems. When Charles wants to tell Mary he is her birth parent things escalate. Although the consequences triggered by his threat are catastrophic, by the end of the book it seems that nothing else bad can happen, and the ending seems almost like a feel good ending. Great writing and just right tone to avoid melodrama.
May 29, 2024
This is one I have to sit with, and I know it will be with me for a long time after putting the book away.
Talty is truly one of the most talented writers I've read yet, and his writing has that quality where you feel held while the story is unfolding.
More thoughts soon.
Thank you Tin House for the advanced review copy!
Talty is truly one of the most talented writers I've read yet, and his writing has that quality where you feel held while the story is unfolding.
More thoughts soon.
Thank you Tin House for the advanced review copy!
January 26, 2024
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.
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.
Read
July 3, 2024The Amerie’s Book Club selection for the month of July is FIRE EXIT by Morgan Talty!
Follow @AmeriesBookClub on IG, and join me and Morgan Talty on my IGLIVE (@Amerie) July 30th 9PM Eastern/6PM Pacific. Bring your questions!
What glue bonds us? Is it blood? Shared stories and histories? Common pains and triumphs? And how do our connections help or worsen our circumstances when we are faced with life’s trials, with artificial divisions? Are we our stories, and what happens when we begin to lose them? These are some of the questions Morgan Talty explores in FIRE EXIT with alternate turns of blunt force reality and soothing, poetic beauty.
@AmeriesBookClub #AmeriesBookClub #ReadWithAmerie #FireExit #MorganTalty @morganjtalty @tin_house
📚
ABOUT MORGAN TALTY
Morgan Talty, a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation, is the author of the national bestselling and critically acclaimed story collection NIGHT OF THE LIVING REZ from Tin House Books, which won the New England Book Award, was a Finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers, and is a Finalist for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. His writing has appeared in Granta, The Georgia Review, Shenandoah, TriQuarterly, Narrative Magazine, LitHub, and elsewhere. A winner of the 2021 Narrative Prize, Talty’s work has been supported by the Elizabeth George Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts (2022). Talty is an Assistant Professor of English in Creative Writing and Native American and contemporary Literature at the University of Maine, Orono, and he is on the faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in creative writing as well as the Institute of American Indian Arts. Talty is also a Prose Editor at The Massachusetts Review. He lives in Levant, Maine.
Follow @AmeriesBookClub on IG, and join me and Morgan Talty on my IGLIVE (@Amerie) July 30th 9PM Eastern/6PM Pacific. Bring your questions!
What glue bonds us? Is it blood? Shared stories and histories? Common pains and triumphs? And how do our connections help or worsen our circumstances when we are faced with life’s trials, with artificial divisions? Are we our stories, and what happens when we begin to lose them? These are some of the questions Morgan Talty explores in FIRE EXIT with alternate turns of blunt force reality and soothing, poetic beauty.
@AmeriesBookClub #AmeriesBookClub #ReadWithAmerie #FireExit #MorganTalty @morganjtalty @tin_house
📚
ABOUT MORGAN TALTY
Morgan Talty, a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation, is the author of the national bestselling and critically acclaimed story collection NIGHT OF THE LIVING REZ from Tin House Books, which won the New England Book Award, was a Finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers, and is a Finalist for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. His writing has appeared in Granta, The Georgia Review, Shenandoah, TriQuarterly, Narrative Magazine, LitHub, and elsewhere. A winner of the 2021 Narrative Prize, Talty’s work has been supported by the Elizabeth George Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts (2022). Talty is an Assistant Professor of English in Creative Writing and Native American and contemporary Literature at the University of Maine, Orono, and he is on the faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in creative writing as well as the Institute of American Indian Arts. Talty is also a Prose Editor at The Massachusetts Review. He lives in Levant, Maine.
May 13, 2024
gifted by the publisher
Set in the Penobscot Reservation, FIRE EXIT is a captivating exploration of identity and belonging following Charles Lamosway, a white man raised by his Native stepdad. Talty's writing has a literary quality, yet his vivid descriptions and skillful storytelling allow for an engaging reading experience.
Talty examines the quantum blood rule, a controversial policy that determines one's Native status based on the percentage of their indigenous ancestry. This rule is a central part of Charles' story, as his severance from the Penobscot culture he was raised in challenges the notion that one's nativeness can be defined by quantitative features alone.
The discussions of being "disremembered" and the subsequent desire to establish a lasting legacy are poignant and thought-provoking. Talty expertly delves into the complexities of cultural identity and the longing to reconnect with one's roots. The ending feels a bit rushed, and I was expecting a bigger reveal. I recommend FIRE EXIT to readers looking for a reflective read about found family and indigenous identity.
Set in the Penobscot Reservation, FIRE EXIT is a captivating exploration of identity and belonging following Charles Lamosway, a white man raised by his Native stepdad. Talty's writing has a literary quality, yet his vivid descriptions and skillful storytelling allow for an engaging reading experience.
Talty examines the quantum blood rule, a controversial policy that determines one's Native status based on the percentage of their indigenous ancestry. This rule is a central part of Charles' story, as his severance from the Penobscot culture he was raised in challenges the notion that one's nativeness can be defined by quantitative features alone.
The discussions of being "disremembered" and the subsequent desire to establish a lasting legacy are poignant and thought-provoking. Talty expertly delves into the complexities of cultural identity and the longing to reconnect with one's roots. The ending feels a bit rushed, and I was expecting a bigger reveal. I recommend FIRE EXIT to readers looking for a reflective read about found family and indigenous identity.
May 30, 2024
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Darrell Dennis’s narration on this book! He speaks clearly and covers all the characters well and was easy to listen to for hours at a time! The story itself blew me away! It was not at all what I was expecting and everything I didn’t know I needed in a book! It almost felt like a tale of everything and nothing at the same time. I felt deeply for Charles and all that he was going through and all that he had lived through in the past. I would highly recommend if you like literary fiction with complex characters!
I loved Darrell Dennis’s narration on this book! He speaks clearly and covers all the characters well and was easy to listen to for hours at a time! The story itself blew me away! It was not at all what I was expecting and everything I didn’t know I needed in a book! It almost felt like a tale of everything and nothing at the same time. I felt deeply for Charles and all that he was going through and all that he had lived through in the past. I would highly recommend if you like literary fiction with complex characters!
June 8, 2024
|| FIRE EXIT ||
#gifted @knopfca
✍🏻
This book destroyed me!
FIRE EXIT is a debut novel that packs a punch! A story about family, heartbreak, grief, legacy, and culture. It follows Charles Lomosway a white man who has watched his daughter grow up across the river on the reservation. The secret that she is his daughter is something he wrestles with. He is also struggling to care for his alcoholic friend, and his mother with dementia. This is a profound character study of a man grappling with life's issues. A multilayered study of grief, secrets and inheritance. Talty's prose are masterful, and I couldn't put this down!!
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
#gifted @knopfca
✍🏻
This book destroyed me!
FIRE EXIT is a debut novel that packs a punch! A story about family, heartbreak, grief, legacy, and culture. It follows Charles Lomosway a white man who has watched his daughter grow up across the river on the reservation. The secret that she is his daughter is something he wrestles with. He is also struggling to care for his alcoholic friend, and his mother with dementia. This is a profound character study of a man grappling with life's issues. A multilayered study of grief, secrets and inheritance. Talty's prose are masterful, and I couldn't put this down!!
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
May 12, 2024
Charles Lamosway lives across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. He watches his neighbor Elizabeth’s life -and the secret is that Elizabeth is his daughter. As he is helping his alcoholic friend Bobby and taking care of his mother with dementia, the past increasingly haunts him and, alongside many secrets being unburied, Charles is no longer willing to keep the secret about his daughter.
In this plot covered with story, history and the theme of death, truths are slowly unfolded. With melancholic vibes, Talty makes subtle and heartfelt observations on mental health, friendship, grief, identity and legacy. In Charles' pronounced loneliness and perpetual flounder, there is certain fragility and rawness that bring the characters together, as well as the reader closer. Hurt characters, broken relationships... the story shows how past shapes ones and when one 'unknowns' the supposed known.
Through Charles' life, Talty examines the complexity of 'nativeness' - how is one Native enough? It is often interesting to follow the exploration of identity, for it can be dynamic and relative, without losing its personal touch. Suffering from several ways of separation (geographical, emotional disconnect with family), the MC longs for the connection with past time and people, and his conviction to carry family's story/legacy is conveyed in hidden meanings, which invite ones to apply their own interpretations.
More often than not, the plot adopts existentialism and as one pictures the full story, it incorporates a somber tone, saddening the reader. Despite the heartbreaks, Talty relieves the weight with a final dash of tenderness and hope. With several storylines, I was mostly moved by the family connections (mother-son; father-daughter) and while one particular bond wasn't fleshed out and it was tied up in a rushed way, one was allowed to embrace the emotions leaping off the pages.
FIRE EXIT is a poignant and nuanced novel that demands meditation and discussion. Talty is a talented writer who crafts genuine characters and readers will have to experience it for themselves.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Tin House . All opinions are my own ]
In this plot covered with story, history and the theme of death, truths are slowly unfolded. With melancholic vibes, Talty makes subtle and heartfelt observations on mental health, friendship, grief, identity and legacy. In Charles' pronounced loneliness and perpetual flounder, there is certain fragility and rawness that bring the characters together, as well as the reader closer. Hurt characters, broken relationships... the story shows how past shapes ones and when one 'unknowns' the supposed known.
Through Charles' life, Talty examines the complexity of 'nativeness' - how is one Native enough? It is often interesting to follow the exploration of identity, for it can be dynamic and relative, without losing its personal touch. Suffering from several ways of separation (geographical, emotional disconnect with family), the MC longs for the connection with past time and people, and his conviction to carry family's story/legacy is conveyed in hidden meanings, which invite ones to apply their own interpretations.
More often than not, the plot adopts existentialism and as one pictures the full story, it incorporates a somber tone, saddening the reader. Despite the heartbreaks, Talty relieves the weight with a final dash of tenderness and hope. With several storylines, I was mostly moved by the family connections (mother-son; father-daughter) and while one particular bond wasn't fleshed out and it was tied up in a rushed way, one was allowed to embrace the emotions leaping off the pages.
FIRE EXIT is a poignant and nuanced novel that demands meditation and discussion. Talty is a talented writer who crafts genuine characters and readers will have to experience it for themselves.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Tin House . All opinions are my own ]
June 21, 2024
Morgan Talty extends the universe he created in Night of the Living Rez, crafting a novel whose characters, voice and tone fit smoothly into that earlier work.
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