A 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year finalist for science fiction
On Memorial Day, a series of bomb explosions rips through major cities in the US. Her apartment in ruins, Sabine flees DC and begins a grueling journey on foot that brings her to West Virginia, where she finds safety at an abandoned farmhouse with other refugees. They settle in—growing food, hunting scarce game, and foraging when they can.
For Sabine, family is a vague memory—she can't even remember her last name. Without an identity, she hides; although thirty-five, she pretends to be twenty-eight, even to the refugee she falls in love with. But in time, she begins to recall family—a mother, a father, and a brother—and with her recovered memories comes a longing to find them. Are they alive, surviving, in hiding as she is? Even in harrowing times, Sabine's desires to belong and to be loved pull her away from shelter—and into danger.
Lenore Gay is a Licensed Professional Counselor with master’s degrees in sociology and rehabilitation counseling. She has worked in several agencies, psychiatric hospitals and for ten years she maintained a private practice. She is retired from the faculty of the Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Rehabilitation, where she taught graduate students and coordinated the internship program.
Now a full time writer, The Virginia Center of the Creative Arts (VCCA) has awarded her two writing fellowships. Her poems and short stories have appeared in several small journals. Her essay “Mistresses of Magic” was published in the anthology IN PRAISE OF OUR TEACHERS (Beacon Press). Her short story “The Hobo” won first place in Style Weekly’s annual fiction contest. She is a volunteer reader at Blackbird, An Online Journal for Literature & The Arts.
“It’s easy to disappear if you have nothing to lose.”
A different take on post-apocalyptic literature: this story (essentially) happens now. And the triggering events spring from today’s headlines, not from the science or opinion pages. The story opens in confusion and terror, as Sabine is knocked out of today and into the twilight zone. When things can’t get worse, they do … much worse.
“Screw forgiveness--I want revenge.”
Good pace: slowly accelerating. We walk with Sabine as she gathers the shattered shards of who she is and what she’ll do. Not a pure four star, but rounded up because it’s her first published novel.
“No one would tell the truth anyway.”
Gay works the tension between people adapting to the maybe-apocalypse and wanting to return to normal. Remember after 9-11 or Hurricane Katrina? The national unity and shared purpose lasted about two days. Then the finger pointed started.
“… ordered her around like a bratty kid.”
Told with a very close focus on an unreliable, certainly fractured main character. Everyone has fears, goals, and secrets. Allies and betrayers come in all shapes and sizes. The farther a character gets from Sabine, the more cartoonish she or he becomes.
“Monotony laced with dread.”
Quibbles: First, the sun set at [location redacted] on Aug 3, 2014 at 8:17 PM. The half-full moon rose at 12:08 AM and set at 1:30 PM. Hard to have “Moonlight blended with … over the inky waters of the bay” at 8 PM that evening. Second, State governors appoint replacement US representative and senators. Subsequent elections confirm or replace those appointed.
“… the righteous power of a mother of a dead child.”
Written as if for young adult readers, but not appropriate for them. Sabine acts like a teen sometimes, with reason.
“Everything’s about intent.”
(Full disclosure. I’m in Lenore’s writers group, the mistakes are partly my fault. The good writing is all hers.)
Found myself uneasy while reading this book. Is not a pretty story. Is about Sabine, a young woman on the road alone, after bombs are go off in various parts of our country. Is graphic with death and man's inhumanity to man. The characters in this novel are varied from all walks of life. They gather at a farm hoping to be safe. In a time like this there is no safety. Folks are murdered at random or so it seems. Is an active read with lots of lows. However, was a good read. The author is in my home state. She did a great job with this book and know you will like it. Is this our future? Thanks to Goodreads.
I thought the book was excellent. It certainly makes you think about what could be a tragic possibility of what could actually happen in this day and age. Truly sad to think about but nevertheless the book was extremely interesting. Would make a spectacular movie. Can't wait!!!!
The Dystopian genre for me has always been something like a zombie apocalypse, nuclear devastation, or a horrific future where teenagers must kill each other in an Olympics style competition. I never thought of the possibility of it happening due to strategic bombings across the country. Not saying this would be any less devastating. It just was something that never really entered my mind.
Then, along comes Shelter of Leaves and this is the Dystopian world that begins with bombings occurring across the United States. Sabine is in her apartment in Washington D.C. when the bomb hits her apartment building. She escapes and begins a harrowing journey away from the city.
I definitely got a Walking Dead vibe...without the zombies. What I mean by this is, Sabine ends up being welcomed into a small community at a farm house. The way this group lives and interacts gives off the vibe that is the best part of the Walking Dead series. Feelings of banding together to preserve humanity, order, camaraderie, love.
The characters are all unique, but the two most interesting characters are Sharp and Sabine. Sabine has had some memory loss, from past trauma, or perhaps from the bombings. As she discovers more and more about her past, a story unfolds that is both heartbreaking and astounding. Sharp is an enigma which makes him very intriguing. His mysterious nature and (seemingly) masculine ways makes Sabine's interest in him very understandable.
We never really find out what or who was behind the bombings. I could say I have inside information on a sequel, but I won't... Here's hoping the story continues and we learn the truth behind it all. Until then, Shelter of Leaves is definitely a book I would recommend.
As a sucker for post-apocalyptic tales, I was tempted by the two-sentence description of this book because it didn't include zombies or derelict steam punkers.
From the first chapter to the last, my curiosity remained piqued. The characters develop keenly as the journey proceeds and the multiple connected story lines intertwine unpredictably. This tale of trauma and tenacity details post-disaster nuances so sensibly, one would think the author had actually experienced such an occasion. Below the surface of the crisis and survival in this story, you find insight on personal discovery and growth.
Don't let my review, because it doesn't include a brief synopsis of the plot spoiling elements of surprise, leave you wondering if this isn't a reckoning of kickass suspense and intrigue. It certainly is.
Shelter of Leaves is totally engaging- a good juicy story that carries one along with Sabine as she navigates a long journey through the dystopian destruction that has hit the country. Blessedly, much of the specifics of the horrors are not overly drawn, but rather serve as a foil for the trials and experiences that she encounters, internally as well as externally. Set in 2014, this is not a futuristic drama, but rather a realistic portrayal of our world today.
The travels and travails that confront Sabine's day-to-day existence, and those of her companions, provoke one to think carefully about how one's own struggle for survival might play out if faced with a similar national disaster. And, to think deeply about the relationships that we lose or find.
Like a rich simmering stew, Ms. Gay has developed a subtle complexity that drives the turning of the page until the very end. It is a first novel that clearly begs a second!
I was pleased to receive a promotional copy of this book by Lenore H. Gay. In this post-apocalyptic novel, she delves into the mind of her main character named Sabine, a woman who is on the run from her family, trying to survive in a world that is falling apart after several major cities were bombed by terrorists. At times, I found the book to be slow-paced, and the mystery of Sabine's life was drawn out. With that said, however, I was eager to find out what was going to happen. However, I thought that some of the events in the story were unrealistic, especially the relationships that Sabine has with some of the characters such as Sharp and Sol. I also thought that at the end of the book, the story was "tied up" much too quickly. As I stated before, the events leading up to the end were drawn out, but things were brought together without enough detail.
I especially liked Elaine. Not sure why, but there was something about her that drew me in, maybe her age. I liked the themes of revealing versus hiding self, and of questioning whom you can or can't trust. The cadence of some of the paragraphs felt like many short stories do -- sparse prose, tight writing. I liked the chapter titles, the reappearing Sun Dog, the imagined post-apocalyptic world, the weaving-in of multiple back-stories. I liked the description of the life we take for granted. I went back and re-read "The Tale of the Horse and the Shelter of Leaves" (a story within the story) and am still mulling that over -- the images there, the angle of light, the search for shelter, the longing to reverse time.
I was fortunate to review the advance reader copy of Shelter of Leaves from the author. It's different than the memoirs or light fiction I typically read, but I found myself slowly getting pulled in to the story, primarily about one woman's surviving a series of bombings and dealing with the collateral damage without the benefit of her memory and former identity. I recommend Shelter of Leaves. With characters you'll grow attached to and a relatable story about the basic need we all have to be loved and to belong, Shelter of Leaves is a page-turner that won't disappoint.
I received Shelter of Leaves as a free giveaway winner! After so many books made about an apacolypse, this book was very refreshing in that you are never sure on what really happened to cause it! You just know something happened! It was a wonderful read and would recommend it to any horror or science fiction!
I like reading dystopian future novels. This one is now rather than future which and it posed the usual tensions of how people behave and relate in stressful, uncertain times. I like the way this novel tackled those concerns. The characters were interesting. I cared about them. There was a lot going on and, at times, I wasn't sure what was going on. The ending was satisfying.
Shelter of Leaves was a good book; a different type of dystopia, but highly believable; one could almost see a series. I couldn't put it down, but found it slow going 3/4 of the way through; still i kept on. Kudos for a first novel. I recommend it, and I have found a press I love, She Writes Press, www.shewritespress.com
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. I thought this book was kind of slow-paced, but it was very interesting. The more I read, the more I wanted to know what was going to happen. You really feel like you are there with the characters. I loved the ending. Highly recommend!
An unusual story which, despite the misfortunes and unexpected surprises, gives rise to hope. I kept wanting to continue reading to see what would happen next. Sabine struck me as an unusually intelligent woman – I wanted to root for her survival.
A dystopic page turner that's too close to home. Gay has managed to include just the right amount of often horrific detail and realistic characters to make this feel all too real. It's an amazing first novel that leaves me to wonder what she's up to next.
Lenore Gay wrote Shelter of Leaves with powerful imagery and emotional realism. I intended to read just one chapter per night before going to bed, but couldn't put this book down.