“Whether the lake was rainwater or just difficult to find—whether it was a cursed ocean that only existed when certain people were around to perceive it, like the crack of the proverbial tree falling in a forest—the truth of it wouldn’t bring him back.”
Have you ever felt uneasy in a waiting room or a motorway rest area or a wide expanse of wilderness? Have you ever heard about liminal spaces? They are places of transit, places in-between other places and even in-between time. Now that you can get a grasp of the feeling we are talking about, you will understand the essence of this book. We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu feels exactly like a liminal space, like the very mysterious “lakeless” forest that drowned the protagonist’s friend, Link, and it is deliciously eerie.
Before this novel, Nagamatsu’s short stories had been featured in a great variety of print and online publications. All of her works are, in some way or another, linked to nature and the power and influence it has and will always have over people who dare to immerse themselves in it. We Were Restless Things is Cole Nagamatsu’s first full-length work and it is definitely a novel full of potential. Despite the book presenting the typical minor slips of a debut work, it has the strongest and most wonderfully gripping atmosphere in the YA sphere of the last couple of months. Cole Nagamatsu creates a sense of eeriness that becomes deeply unsettling in the best kind of way, and that is one awfully complex task to fulfil.
The dreamlike, oneiric contemporary fantasy, based in the strength of wilderness is very reminiscent of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, both relying on the power of nature and the unsettling aura that great expanses of forest give off. Nature is personified to the point where it becomes a character in its own right within the narration, something that is brilliantly disturbing and beautiful. In terms of the writing style, again, Cole Nagamatsu is a very promising author. While there is a somewhat overuse of similes, they do fit beautifully within the style of certain scenes where the fantasy she creates reaches its full capacity. This is especially the case in the fragments of Noemi’s dream journal, where Nagamatsu makes the most of her lyrically descriptive style and creates a whimsical ambience that truly takes your breath away.
In terms of plot and characters, however, the novel does fall a bit flat. The narration does not seem to follow a clear timeline, set of events, or a personal development of the characters, so their actions seem rather pointless and it is hard to know where the narration is going. Even though getting to the bottom of Link’s mysterious drowning is the driving force of the story, the characters do not appear to be excessively worried about it most of the time and so both the rhythm and pace of the narration also slip away. Consequently, the most compelling sections of the novel are those that focus on unravelling the mysteries of the forest and its disappearing lake, but they are spaced out in the narration enough to lose their breathtaking shine. However, the author does makes the most of the narration and dialogue to deal with extraordinarily relevant topics, such as the stages of grieving and accepting someone’s passing, coming to terms with one’s sexuality and the effect abuse can have on people and how they treat others.
Finally, in terms of the characters, the three focalising characters—Noemi, Jonas, and Amberlyn—are, paradoxically, the less rounded. It is quite difficult to establish a connection with either of the three, as their personalities are not developed to their full potential and their flaws, even if realistic, overpower them. At the same time, there is also no real feeling of connection between the characters themselves. Even though they all have varying levels of friendship, their interactions feel stiff and lacking a mutual respect for emotional and personal boundaries. This is especially upsetting in the case of Noemi and Jonas whose relationship is quite difficult to read, since neither Jonas nor Noemi herself seem to respect her sexuality—she is asexual (most likely sex-repulsed). In the case of Amberlyn, who could have been a truly wonderful character, which we can see in the blooming relationship she has with Lyle (Noemi’s best friend), she just feels like a ghost of what she could become. Her chapters do not seem to be connected at all to Noemi’s and Jonas’ and barely add any relevancy to the plot development. However, Link and Gaetan, who take more of a secondary role, steal the spotlight for the most part of the novel. These two characters are beautifully nuanced and mysterious at the same time, which makes the reader want to continue discovering more about their personalities and their past.
All in all, We Were Restless Things is a rather solid debut, despite having its flaws. Cole Nagamatsu is more than well versed in the art of establishing a convincing atmosphere and a setting where the most outstanding events can happen. There is no doubt that there is a bright future ahead of this emerging author, and we cannot wait to read her future works, where we hope nature will have as big of a role as it has in We Were Restless Things. We definitely recommend you answering the calling of the forest and diving into the mysterious lake of Shivery…if you are able to find it, that is, because its eeriness is mind-blowing.
We Were Restless Things is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 6th 2020.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
From debut author Cole Nagamatsu comes an atmospheric contemporary fantasy about three teens coming of age in the wake of a mysterious death.
Last summer, Link Miller drowned on dry land in the woods, miles away from the nearest body of water. His death was ruled a strange accident, and in the months since, his friends and family have struggled to make sense of it. But Link’s close friend Noemi Amato knows the truth: Link drowned in an impossible lake that only she can find. And what’s more, someone claiming to be Link has been contacting her, warning Noemi to stay out of the forest.
As these secrets become too heavy for Noemi to shoulder on her own, she turns to Jonas, her new housemate, and Amberlyn, Link’s younger sister. All three are trying to find their place—and together, they start to unravel the truth: about themselves, about the world, and about what happened to Link.
Unfolding over a year and told through multiple POVs and a dream journal, We Were Restless Things explores the ways society shapes our reality, how we can learn to love ourselves and others, and the incredible power of our own desires.
