It’s the 50’s and Jack Dayton is aspiring to emulate James Dean’s success. A sleazy director gave him empty promises after letting him use his body. A series of poor decisions found Jack drowning in the pool of a cheap motel off Route 66.
Fast forward to sixty years – Tag Manning is losing the will to live, feeling hopeless and directionless until he stopped at a deserted town where he found a desecrated motel with a pool. Resuming his journey, Tag didn’t expect to find a ghost hitchhiking with him. It’s Jack. A friendship develop between them that blossomed into something more. But what are the odds of them being actually together? For real.
There’s something about this book that makes my heart ache for both Jack and Tag. It’s the feeling of sadness when you lose someone or something that you actually cannot replace. It’s the feeling of hollowness. There’s this somber mood throughout the book that transport you to that exact time in the 50’s and 60 years after, and Kim Fielding was able to really get that feel fully in this book.
The almost whimsical vibe was also very palpable with every page. It’s something sad but also something lovely between the boys. I feel like I’ve known them for the longest time – perhaps because I can totally relate to what they’re feeling. I even got teary eyed at one point because of the intense emotion that scenes have invoked in me.
Motel.Pool. is almost lyrical to some extent. It shows Fielding’s ability to transport its readers to places and time they can only dream of. She will make you believe in this story. She will make you appreciate life and appreciate what you have. It’s definitely one of the best books Kim Fielding has ever come up with.
I am totally in awe of her pure genius.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published May 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published May 11th 2014)
About The Author
Kim Fielding lives in California and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phonebooth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out homework assistance to her children. Her favorite word to describe herself is “eclectic” and she finally got that third tattoo.
All royalties from her novels Stasis, Flux and Equipoise are donated to Doctors Without Borders.
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