THE SLIDE THAT BURIED RIGHTFUL

In Shapero’s novel, a carpenter mounts a desperate search for survivors in the wake of an unfathomable tragedy.

On the morning of April 22, 1922, Eisenhart’s Mercantile in Rightful, Alaska, is a hive of activity. Inside the general store on the cold, icy morning, dozens of people, including some who’ve traveled from other states, are gathered to witness the wedding of Sara Eisenhart, daughter of mercantile owners Ruth and Jonas Eisenhart, to Hiram Sumderby, who works for the Eisenharts as a handyman and gofer. Officiating is Lars Koopman, a pastor with the Society of Friends who’s dedicated to building a meeting house in Rightful. Wedding guests include Yvetta and John, a young couple in love; Clayburn Pike, a local shopkeeper, and his longtime girlfriend, Blinne; and Mattie, a missionary who works closely with Lars Koopman. At the height of the festivities, tragedy strikes: A rock slide buries the community under ice, rock, and snow. In the aftermath, Yvetta’s father, Garris, who’s a carpenter, arrives and joins the search for survivors. As he looks for his daughter, he reflects on his life before arriving in Rightful and the community of friends that sustains him. Shapero’s novel is a fast-paced work of historical fiction that skillfully uses the opening tragedy as the starting point for a parallel story that explores the lives of Garris, Yvetta, and the other townspeople. Specifically, Shapero’s narrative weaves together the events of April 22, 1922, with Garris and Yvetta’s arrival in Rightful one year earlier. Garris is revealed to be an itinerant carpenter, haunted by his experiences in World War Iand the death of his wife, Mirabel, from cancer. The story effectively details how he comes to Rightful to help repair the Mercantile, which needed maintenance before the rockslide occurred, and stays to build the meeting house while forging a friendship with Lars Koopman and a romantic connection with Kiachuk, the half-Inuit daughter of a local elder. Other well-developed supporting characters include John Jimmy, a young Inuit man who breaks away from the established religious community in Rightful and follows his own faith.

An emotionally resonant tale of love, community, and spirituality featuring fine characterization.