Coal River

by Ellen Marie Wiseman

            Since reading Wiseman’s novel, What She Left Behind, I have been eagerly anticipating her next novel. Coal River has a great setting and premise. Unfortunately, it never lives up to its potential.

            The coal industry in the early 1900’s in Pennsylvania was a time of forced child labor, little to no safety, and mine owned stores. Into this setting, Wiseman drops nineteen year old Emma, an orphan coming to live with her aunt and uncle. Her uncle, an evil little man, is a supervisor in the mines and lives very well. Emma’s aunt is a flighty, nervous caricature who is never fully developed. Predictably, Emma is horrified with the conditions of the mine workers, children, etc. and sets out to change matters. The rest of the story is just too predictable. Even a secret revealed at the end cannot save this novel.

            I wanted to like this novel. I slogged my way through it. I put it down, I picked it back up. I hoped it would get better. It never did. The characters in Coal River are just too one dimensional, and unlikeable. Emma in particular comes off as dull, whiney and weak. The bad guys are spectacularly bad, and the good guys are saints with halos.

            Let’s hope Wiseman’s next novel is better. Leave this one at the library.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.