By Vitina Molgaard
“She stepped back. She had never seen the sheriff like this before. Was he crazy, too? Was there something spreading through town, some invisible malignancy affecting the people? Or was there something in the water? Maybe she should go home, curl up, hide like the rest of the town, and wait out the storm brewing on the horizon.”
– Tear Stone
On the surface, The Tearstone seems like a simple prodigal son’s homecoming story, but soon after our protagonist returns to the hometown he once left behind, the story takes a darker turn. Ten years ago, Tom left his family home in Washington Heights, a small town in southeastern Ohio. Now, after receiving news of his father’s suicide, he returns home to deal with his resentful brother Kyle. The relationship between the two is strained to say the least. The family has deep-rooted secrets that leave them with a lot of guilt and regret. Tom, the oldest son in the family, inherits his father’s belongings, an old house and a few other items. One of these items is a stone that looks like an ancient artifact. This artifact has a name – the “Tearstone” – and an unexpected power. It is with this stone that the lives of everyone in this small community begin to change, and people begin to break down and find themselves facing their own demons.
We’ve already met Tom, and his brother Kyle has been mentioned, but there are many other relevant characters in this book. I’ve already mentioned the Tear Stone, but it should be said that it’s almost necessary to consider it as a character in this story, as it unleashes palpable power that brings evil that affects the lives of everyone in the book. Lewis, Tom and Kyle’s late father, may have never really breathed, but in a way, he was the catalyst for evil, so he definitely deserves a mention. Cassie, a young woman who was once in a relationship with Tom, is now a deputy sheriff investigating the circumstances of Lewis’ death. Nothing about her is as it seems, and readers should be careful. Next up is Sean, a sociopathic teen with murder on his mind, and finally, I have to mention the mysterious old man who has suddenly become a member of this community. This character is very different, but you’ll need to crack it to find out more.
The Tearstone has a deep, dark feel to it, and it delves into the various layers of mysticism and other forms of magic. But it delves even deeper into the deeper layers of religious belief. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you need to look for obvious activity in these areas. They are almost subtly interwoven throughout the novel. Personally, I had no problem with it, but was a little surprised at the way some of the references were introduced. This is Day’s first novel, and the story is very well written. The reader is able to sympathize with the characters, which is (obviously) always a good thing. I found each character’s personality to be a novel part of his character development. While I felt that this was a good book, I had some issues with the finale of the story. It felt as if the novel was… not fully realized; something was missing in the grand finale of events. There are some questions that would have made the whole story more satisfying if they were answered.
That being said, I feel that this novel is well worth your time. While not a perfect novel, I am still happy to recommend it to you. I give Tearstone a 3.5; it is a solid work that has some issues but ultimately proves to be worthwhile.
Order your Tearstone right here.
grade: 3.5/5
