Idaho by Emily Ruskovich

There's power in the idea of a place. Think about it for a second. Things inevitably change, people come and go, but a place can remain. Within a single place, be it a home, a city, a state, different people will have different experiences. Even the same person can experience varying events in that one place. In her debut novel, Idaho, author Emily Ruskovich examines the possibility within her own imagined version of the state. Through a non-linear narrative surrounding an intimate group of characters, Ruskovich invites her readers to experience the love, sorrow, hope, and despair that all traverses a single place. 

Wade and Jenny's move to Idaho was one built on the promise of deepening their life together, and for the most part, that's exactly what the couple did. They began to raise their two daughters May and June amongst the mountainous landscape. Life was never easy, but together they were getting through it. Then one day, the joy of their life together was abandoned for pure tragedy. The family was forever changed by this instance, never to be fully together again. From this moment, the threads of Ruckovich's tale spread, delving into the lives of the characters before and after. 

Ann's move to Idaho from her native Europe brings hope of opportunity. As a music teacher, she revels in connecting her students with her passion for the arts. It is at the school that she first meets Wade, the parent to a student she's having to discipline. There is sorrow behind Wade's eyes. After their first meeting, Ann meets with Wade again. He soon reveals that he's been diagnosed with dementia, a condition passed on to him by his father. From there, the pair begin to form a relationship. First, it is simply the relationship between a piano teacher and her unconventional student, a man fighting to hold on to whatever scraps of memory remain. Soon it blossoms into something much deeper, a relationship that moves them to love in ways they never imagined but also one in which they encounter challenges neither of them could have foreseen. 

This is a slow, contemplative read. Rusckovich seems more concerned with the emotional introspections of her characters than building any kind of propulsive plot. While jumbling the timeline of the narrative gives way for a variety of emotional moments, it does little to maintain any sort of narrative cohesion. Several times I found myself uncertain of where I was in the book, confused about exactly which part in the character's life I was reading. I kept waiting for the separate threads of the book to come together into some sort of revelatory whole. Alas, no such conclusion occurred. My qualms with the non-linear structure of the novel aside, there is no denying the deliberate approach that Ruskovich takes with her characters. Idaho reads as a kind of tone poem. At its heart, it is a quiet exploration of the characters and emotions that they experience through this singular place. Ruskovich's ability to craft layered characters through her subtly nuanced writing is the real strength of this novel. To that end, Idaho is a fascinating, if not a bit frustrating, read. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads

(2021, 16)


This entry was posted on Thursday, April 29, 2021 and is filed under ,,,,,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

16 Responses to “Idaho by Emily Ruskovich”

  1. I think the not knowing where I was at in the time line would make me feel I had dementia. However, your thoughts on the spirit of place and the fascination with the characters might balance that.

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    1. The approach to the timeline didn't really add anything to this one for me.

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  2. Interesting to center a novel around a certain place like that. The fact that the different story lines never come together would frustrate me and make me wonder what's the point.

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    1. It left me feeling like I must have been missing something. The exercise in studying the characters was certainly interesting, but it never really payed off.

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  3. I'd be wondering when the two threads would connect and be a little disappointed as well when they didn't. Still, sounds like an interesting read. I don't think I've ever read a story with one of the characters is diagnosed with early dementia and then falls into a romance. Sounds a little heartbreaking and I hope Wade and Ann had their own little version of an HEA. Or at least found solace in each other.

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    1. The dementia aspect was handled really well, equally beautiful and heart breaking.

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  4. Not really sure if this is a book for me at the moment. Currently reading War Storm, which is HUGE and also kinda slow TBH.

    I'm just here to FANGIRL about your next read (can't wait for your review) and to tell you that I added Mother May I to my TBR for Audiobooks!!

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    1. I'm really loving it so far! Can't wait to hear what you think of Mother May I

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  5. Not sure this is one I would enjoy, I would get frustrated as well. But I enjoyed your review!

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    1. Thank you! While I didn't really "get" this one, others seem to have really enjoyed it.

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  6. Thanks for the great review. This sounds kinda interesting but not sure.

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    1. I'd say proceed with caution on this one. Others seem to have loved it, but it never really clicked for me.

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  7. I actually found your explanation of the premise interesting, but I would have expected the stories to converge in some way. I really enjoy when authors do that in a story.

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    1. I agree. This one is less about the plot and more about the characters.

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  8. Sounds like reading this book is a lot like driving through its titular state - BORING! LOL. There are definitely some beautiful spots in Idaho, but a lot of it is just very, very dull. In a book, I definitely need SOMETHING to be happening or I won't keep reading.

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    1. If I hadn't already owned this one, I probably wouldn't have read it haha. I agree with driving through the state. It is a lot of the same sights the entire time!

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