This book...oh goodness, this book! One second Charons Crossing will lure you in with its quirky characters, slapstick humor and calm contemplation of life (and afterlife) philosophies. You and your curiosity will be content to cozy up by the fire with the perfect cup of tea, watching ghostly mysteries unfold. Then BAM--you'll find yourself crying on the couch, eating a sorrow-baked scone and checking in with loved ones. The power of this story will sneak up on you much like a visit from The Manager, but the importance of the human challenges it shines a gentle, considerate light on cannot be overstated.
I wanted to hug these characters and never let go; live out my life on these salty shores, in the tiny shops; claim the metaphors as my own, never thinking of happy moments as anything other than pebbles on my own beach. Julia Drake expertly captures the precious and painful experiences of family, friendship, and love in a net of small town lore, diverse journeys toward mental health, and some of the most beautifully poetic lines I've ever read. Simply put, The Last True Poets of the Sea made me ache for an understanding I didn’t know I needed.
When I was 13 a cool older girl at school gave me a silk screened patch that said "RIOT NOT DIET". I promptly sewed it onto my backpack and never looked back. Reading this book is the literary equivalent of a cool older girl giving you that patch.
Everyone needs to read this, particularly all the people who believe they don't need to. Trust me, you do.
