{"product_id":"the-weight-of-this-world-9780399574245","title":"The Weight of this World","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Weight of this World - A Powerful Appalachian Noir Novel\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCritically acclaimed author David Joy, whose debut, \u003ci\u003eWhere All Light Tends to Go\u003c\/i\u003e, was hailed as \"a savagely moving novel that will likely become an important addition to the great body of Southern literature\" (\u003ci\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e), returns to the mountains of North Carolina with a powerful story about the inescapable weight of the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout This Novel\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA combat veteran returned from war, Thad Broom can't leave the hardened world of Afghanistan behind, nor can he forgive himself for what he saw there. His mother, April, is haunted by her own demons, a secret trauma she has carried for years. Between them is Aiden McCall, loyal to both but unable to hold them together. Connected by bonds of circumstance and duty, friendship and love, these three lives are blown apart when Aiden and Thad witness the accidental death of their drug dealer and a riot of dope and cash drops in their laps. On a meth-fueled journey to nowhere, they will either find the grit to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat Readers Can Expect\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis paperback edition delivers a raw exploration of PTSD, family trauma, and the harsh realities of rural Appalachia. David Joy's unflinching prose captures the struggles of veterans returning home, the complexities of mother-son relationships, and the desperation that drives people to impossible choices. Set against the backdrop of North Carolina's mountains, this literary thriller combines elements of crime fiction with deeply psychological character studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Joy\u003c\/b\u003e's first novel, \u003ci\u003eWhere All Light Tends to Go\u003c\/i\u003e, debuted to great acclaim and was named an Edgar finalist for Best First Novel. His stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in \u003ci\u003eDrafthorse\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSmoky Mountain Living\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWilderness House Literary Review\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePisgah Review\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFlycatcher\u003c\/i\u003e, and he is the author of the memoir \u003ci\u003eGrowing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey\u003c\/i\u003e. Joy lives in Webster, North Carolina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePerfect For Readers Who Enjoy\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFans of gritty Southern literature, psychological thrillers with moral complexity, and character-driven crime fiction will find this novel essential reading. The narrative explores themes of war's aftermath, addiction, family loyalty, and the difficult choices faced by those living on society's margins.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680598757650,"sku":"9780399574245","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_5f3b7e3e-bab5-47d4-a7b0-2561532d657a.jpg?v=1734923037","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-weight-of-this-world-9780399574245","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}