Up Through the Darkness - by Wayne Aronsen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Anders is exiled with his Danish mother from post-war Europe to a small coastal town in Central California. His isolated mother, grieving the loss of her homeland and her German officer lover, retreats into a solitary life, unable to face the daunting task of raising a child she never planned on. Ander lives his youth adjusting to a life with an emotionally absent mother, surviving by sheer willpower born out of ingrained and unabated melancholy. An unknown benefactor provides income for them both.

Up Through the Darkness is written in scenes that alternate between Anders' youth and the present when he is sixty years old. Still living in the same small town, he achieves business success and wealth as a property developer. An accidental meeting with an old German rancher neighbor begins the unravelling of his prosperity. Secrets of his family's past come to light. The disinherited granddaughter of the woman from whom he purchases a large property, launches a vendetta against him to ruin him financially.

Small town government corruption, California wine, a supporting cast of dominant business women, a love affair with a European actress, and the gorgeous noirish setting of the coast all conspire to bring about Anders' downfall and lead him to an impulsive act of violence.

The novel is a story of a man who believes he controls his destiny but discovers he has been manipulated all the while by people from his mother's past. He realizes his entire life had been orchestrated by people he never knew existed. He grows up a boy without a family (his mother ends her life when he is young) only to discover a family that had been secretly hiding in plain sight.

Up Through the Darkness is predominantly about mood, character, setting, and the coming of age of an older melancholy man seeking to discover a purpose in his life. While trying to avoid the presence and influence of people, ultimately it's broken souls like himself who direct him toward recovery.

Some highlights of the book: Anders builds a Michelin two star restaurant that draws an exclusive clientele from San Francisco. A wrap party for his actress lover is an extravaganza worthy of a film scene. Anders, an avid cyclist departs on a road trip after his downfall, to parallel his journey towards spiritual recovery. A lover of literature, (he never owned a TV) he incorporates quotes from past and present literary works throughout the book, mixed in with his internal dialogue.

Up Through the Darkness centers on lyrical language, mood, and the main character's surprising path to self-discovery.

Review Quotes

With a gorgeous setting and even more beautiful prose, Wayne Aronsen's UP THROUGH THE DARKNESS is a literary novel about a long-lost family and the lengths people will go through to protect their legacy...involving financial corruption, family secrets and murder...with an intense conspiracy revealed in the story's striking climax. Aronsen's writing style is fluent and often poetic...makes it easy to visualize setting and experience scenes. Sufficient conflict (internal and external), drama, crisis and tension throughout the story keep readers engaged and curious to its ending...

Indie Reader Review

The best way to describe the narrative would be to call it atmospheric. Nothing less would suffice...boasts of a strong set of female characters who hurl through dire situations and come out stronger...be prepared to be blown away by how words have the power of making you feel things...

Bookreadersclub Review

...the story of a forgotten family history, that will see the light of day...and change lives...with a strong set of female characters...words have power in this book...

Goodreads Review

...readers who appreciate the prose's melancholy tone will find an earnest and thorough exploration of what it means to choose one's family and identity...

Kirkus Reviews