For me this almost reads as two different novels. One which worked brilliantly for me, and the other that just didn’t quite hit the mark.

I really enjoyed the Cloris parts and I found her so endearing. After being in a plane and she survives, her parts were so interesting to read and enlightening.

The other parts of the book are from the point of view of Debra and I found her sections to be disjointed and not as easy to read as Cloris’.

A mixed review for me as some parts so brilliantly written and other parts not.

Kingdomtide tells the story of two women, one who is lost in wilderness following a plane crash, the other a ranger who is determined to find her.

Cloris Waldrip and her husband are retirees, living comfortable and conventional lives at the heart of their church and community in Texas. As a treat Cloris’s husband has arranged for them to travel to their vacation by private plane. When the plane crashes in Montana’s remote and unforgiving Bitterroot range, only Cloris survives. Dazed and in shock, she makes a number of poor decisions which makes her rescue more difficult, but she does manage to communicate that she is alive.

Debra Lewis is the park ranger who is determined to find Cloris. She rails against her colleagues and insists they continue the search for Cloris long after she is believed to be dead. She is one of a small community of outsiders who make up the rescue team or live a tough and isolated life in the range.

We know from the beginning of Kingdomtide that Cloris will be rescued, because her story takes the form of a first-person narrative told some years later from the comfort of a retirement home. Lewis’s story, on the other hand, is narrated in the third person and with immediacy. We don’t know what will happen to her.

I was really absorbed by Cloris’s narrative. Because we know she will be rescued we are gripped instead by how she survives an apparently impossible situation. Telling the story with hindsight means she is able to lighten the horror of the situation she finds herself in and her struggles with the loss of her husband, with wry observations of her life before and since. She is able to share insights she could not have had at the time, and to foreshadow events.

At times there is humour among the bleakness and the terror. She speaks movingly about her marriage and the disappointments in her life, as well as making arch observations about her fellow churchgoers. She shows how her experiences change her (although I’m not sure the profound change promised at the beginning of the novel is really evident).

I felt more ambivalent about the Lewis side of the story. Her own backstory is interesting and there are some great insights into the way of life of the people living in that unforgiving and remote area. Their heightened strangeness was initially intriguing but at times verged on the grotesque.

Sometimes when you finish a book, and are no longer swept along by the plot, you see more in it, you appreciate subtleties that stay with you. Unfortunately, with Kingdomtide, I had the opposite experience. Curtis seems to be making certain points about morality which I struggled with. Of course, the views of individual characters are not necessarily those of the author, but taken collectively, you can get a sense of what Curtis wants to say, and in this case I felt a bit queasy about his apparent conclusion. (I’m sorry to be enigmatic about this, but I don’t want to give away the story.)

Still, I would definitely recommend you read it and make up your own mind. It’s an absorbing read and Cloris is an unforgettable character.

This book had all the promises of a great story but unfortunately it didn’t deliver.
Some of the characters were unlikeable and even scary.
The book had some very descriptive writing which made it slightly better in parts.
However I was disappointed at times at this book

77 year old Cloris Waldrip is the sole survivor of a plan crash and has to get herself off a mountainside. Writing a synopsis like this makes you think this is going to be straigforward tale of resiliance and courage or perhaps a more horror based narrative like Stephen King's The Girl who loved Tom Gordon. Nope. I would go so far as to say there isn't one "normal" character in this book. It is peopled by incredibly weird characters who make extremely questionable choices. Is this book highly original? Yes, absolutely I can say I've never read anything like it. Did I enjoy reading this book? Well, that's a different question and I would have to say no.

The sole survivor of a plane crash, seventy-two-year-old Cloris Waldrip finds herself lost and alone in the unforgiving wilderness of Montana's rugged Bitterroot Range, exposed to the elements with no tools beyond her wits and ingenuity. Intertwined with her story is Debra Lewis, a park ranger struggling with addiction, a recent divorce, and a new mission: to find and rescue Cloris.

This book has everything you need for an emotional and suspenseful read that keeps you gripped throughout. The story is told in alternating viewpoints which gives you a well-rounded sense of how each character feels and their own development throughout the book.

The book contains humour, laugh out loud moments and some deep and dark moments that contain a lot of self-reflection and looking at the truth. The author has created some unforgettable characters whose strength and spirit allowed them to survive and tell this extraordinary story.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I received a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

REVIEW ☆☆☆

Kingdom Tide is first of all tragic. Imagine a 72 year old woman as the lone survivor of a plane crash. Circumstances make it so much worse, but I won't go into that. Then, a park ranger who hits the bottle is the search party, sort of. You can find yourself if you're truly lost in the wilderness. This story is a unique but strange journey for two women. It meanders here and there too much for me. There are some darker aspects and good twists. I just didn't love this story, but it was okay overall. An average read.

A refreshingly unique and fascinating book. I loved Clovis and Debra, and journeying with them through the story. There were some unexpected elements to this to that I just loved. I think the less you know going in to this the better, just let it unfold and enjoy the ride.

This was a refreshing read because I don't usually go for books with older protagonists - and usually when I notice them they are uplifting, etc. This one did not disappoint. The writing was excellent and I wish it had been longer

Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review Kingdomtide. I had high hopes for this novel and was intrigued by the premise.

Whilst I found some of the writing beautiful and the exploration of humanity deftly and sensitively handled, something didn't sit right. For some reason I just couldn't engage with the novel and found it ultimately unsatisfying.

Kingdomtide is an exquisite yet quirky and highly original debut novel which charts the lives of two very different women amongst the wild, remote Bitterroot mountains in Montana in 1986. Seventy-two year old Cloris Waldrip is the sole survivor of a plane crash and is forced to survive on the slimmest of supplies. Meanwhile, park ranger and alcoholic with a turbulent personal life, Debra Lewis, decides to band together a real ragtag motley crew of rescuers to help her in her search as she is convinced there are survivors despite much evidence to the contrary. Fuelled only by bottles of merlot Debra takes the risk and moves forward with the search. This then evolves into a journey of self discovery for both of these women and follows them as they seek identity. Curtis reminds us that the human spirit is an extremely resilient part of us and even in the most adverse of circumstances we, as humans, can bounce back. This is a story written in wonderfully lyrical prose and although the main storyline is about survival, which is both gripping and intense, there is a much more profound and philosophical side to it all. It’s a fascinating and thought-provoking read but due to some of the strangeness incorporated into the storyline I feel this is a book that will be polarising.

If you are looking for something a little different from the norm and are tired of the formulaic books out there, this just might be right up your street. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved that it was impossible to predict which direction the author was heading in. It’s dark, intriguing and genre-defying with plenty of grittiness and even some sardonic black humour interspersed throughout the narrative. This is absolutely one of those books that requests you to step into its world and engage with it and by doing so rewards you with a gem of a story full of wisdom about life, love, what it means to be human and so much more. The characters are so strongly and superbly developed they come to life on the page and although most of them are not exactly likeable I found myself admiring their courage and the fact that they had enough self-awareness to recognise their flaws as well as their strengths. I enjoyed the structure of the book as it was told in chapters alternating between Cloris and Debra and this helped to build up the tension and suspense. The rich descriptions of the desolate, lonely wilderness were so vivid I felt I was actually there experiencing all of this myself. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Fourth Estate for an ARC.

This was a real slow burner of a story for me! From the initial shock impact of the plane crash that leaves 72 year old Clovis lost and alone in the wilderness, this was a book that immerses you in the plight of her and the female ranger, Debra, in charge of trying to find her. And both their journeys, both phsyically and mentally, are fascinating insights into 2 women at different stages of their lives, alone with their thoughts and demons, and the misfit characters surrounding them, and just goes to show how quickly life can change and lead you on different paths, and ultimately teaches you more about yourself than you've ever learnt before.

Clovis and her husband are in a small plane that crashes, and she's faced with horrific sights as she makes sense of what has happened to them. But her years have taught her resilience so she sets off with very little to find a way to get back to civilisation.

Debra Lewis is the Park Ranger who is heading up a small group of rescuers who have no idea where the plane went down, but have heard radio message repeating the name 'Clovis'. The forests carry their own folklore too, there's talk of ghosts roaming, and this really adds to the desperation felt by those doing the searching, and Clovis looking to be rescued.

Clovis finds herself being 'helped' by a masked man making her fires and finding food, and I really enjoyed the mystery of just who he is. The more time she spends alone, the more you think is she imagining things and the way she looks back over her life with her husband adds to the interest and helps keep her going. I was always amazed at her determination and fight to keep going, even if things did get to her at times. The more time she spent in the forests, the more she became comfortable with the routine and existence, leading her to question if she even wanted to get back to 'normality' as it all felt so far removed from the person she had become.

Debra is also another fascinating character - she chooses to spend time alone so having to deal with others is a little alien to her, and her prickly character is put to the test by some of those around her, who bring their own issues to the table.

This isn't a straightforward kind of book - there are dark turns, and the story often wanders off into places I didn't expect it too! But I think that just made it more of an intriguing prospect for me. With the rescue taking place over a longer period, it allows you to get to know more about the characters and their state of mind, and how being pushed to the edge can lead you to some extraordinary decisions. Highly recommended

I'm sorry to say but this couldn't keep my interest at all. I put it down... I don't know what the author could have done differently to appael to me more.

Rye Curtis's is a genre defying novel that is a gritty and moving character driven read with some pretty dark elements, and inhabited by a strange collection of characters. The elderly 72 year old Cloris Waldrip is the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Bitterroot mountains and wilderness in Montana in 1986. She has barely nothing in the form of supplies, forced to survive on whatever she can find to subsist, with the chances of her survival not looking good. Divorced local park ranger, Debra Lewis has drink issues, plagued by insecurities, with a messy personal life. It gives her life some much needed structure and purpose, when convinced that Cloris is still alive, a conviction that goes against the face of all the available evidence, she organises and leads an odd collection of individuals that form a rescue party. The quest moves into surprising directions, taxing its members as hope dwindles. Cloris finds help and rescue from an unexpected corner.

This is about the search for identity, and the spirit of human resilience in the face of the challenges that life can throw at a person. Rye excels in his characterisation, the nuanced interior lives, and the writing is beautiful, reflective, with human truths and with rich descriptions of the location. I appreciated the novel very much but it didn't sit quite right with me, and I really did not like some of the characters in the slightest. Yet there was so much about flawed humanity that resonated and that raises this novel to greater heights. I am not sure that I have got the star rating right, quite possibly I might later raise it to 4 stars as I think about this book more. Many thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate for an ARC.

This had all the makings of a book I would enjoy, having a main character who is older in life and a bit quirky, but unfortunately, I didn’t love it.
The chapters alternated between Cloris (both at the time of the crash and present) who was such a great character and Ranger Lewis, both I could picture clearly, with their flaws and foibles. Although the repetitive talk of Merlot really grated after a while. Some of the side characters I found a bit odd and one in particular creeped me out so much that I struggled to read about him.
The descriptions of the wilderness were exceptional and really made me feel that I was living alongside Cloris in the wild, even though at times it was a little too real with the way she was having to survive. Her subsequent relationship with the unknown man was touching and shows that in certain situations it doesn’t matter who or what you have done in the past, but how you can help each other in the present.
It is hard to explain why I didn’t love this without giving away spoilers, but the book was not what I expected and the promise of the start didn’t really carry through and at times I found myself wondering why I carried on reading, but then I would realise it was Cloris and her commentary that pulled me through.

This book was really different, and I'm sure it won't be everybody's cup of tea. But, although I didn't find it flawless, I appreciated the author's talent and ability.
The start was great. It has a lyrical prose and strong characters. It's about the strength of humans to survive the hard landscape. It makes you think, and admire the spirit some people have against difficulties.
The biggest flaw of this book was inconsistent structure and pace. Had it been better paced, and edited evenly, it would have been a really strong book.
Nevertheless, I'd recommend people to try it out as I'm sure the writer is promising to deliver future work.

Thanks a lot to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is different from anything you might envisage from the blurb. I went through phases of liking Kingdomtide followed swiftly by being bewildered by it and wondering why I was reading it. It's fair to say it comprises equal parts quality drama mixed with wise reflection and, well, utter strangeness. I cannot recommend it, in the traditional sense, as it is simply unconventional, and likely, not palatable for those who enjoy cookie cutter stories and logic. I expect you either love Kingdomtide or loath it. I fall somewhere in the middle.

Cloris is an elderly woman who survives a small plane crash into wilderness. We shadow her and eavesdrop on her inner most reflections as she struggles to survive and find her way back to humans. What she encounters out in the wild is both thought provoking and most unusual. In parallel we meet merlot-swigging park ranger Lewis and the bazaar path the search for Cloris takes for her. The odd people she encounters on the way and her shocking ability to function whilst ingesting only merlot is staggering. I said it was strange. But, there is one shining beacon of light here. Among all the reflections is astounding wisdom and clarity of thought. Much to ponder and think through...if you can see your way through the odd bits to find the sparkling diamonds buried beneath the surface.

An elderly couples plane crashes in the wilderness of the Montana Bitterroot mountains leaving 72 year old Cloris Waldrip as the sole survivor. A search for the plane wreckage, which when found with no sign of Cloris Waldrip’s remains, triggers an obsession from alcoholic park ranger Debra Lewis to find a women who she has never met but yet faithfully believes is still alive. The book then follows the separate lives of these two women over the next two months on their individual journeys of self-discovery.

I honestly feel like this book had the potential to be a fantastic exploration of female identity and resilience, and in a way it does deliver in some aspects of exploring this theme. However, for me as a reader there seemed to be a lot going on in this book which distracted from the women at the centre of the narrative (the weird male characters, the ghost, the element of sexual deviance). Im sure most of these were intended by the author to contribute to the discussions in the book – I just couldn’t see how – 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book so full of promise at first, and it certainly had an intriguing premise - Seventy-two year old Chloris Waldrop survives a plane crash, only to find herself the sole survivor and alone in the wilderness. This half of the book is indeed interesting, and I found her character to be well-crafted and it was refreshing to have an older protagonist; she does not view her situation as a younger person might, and this was rather endearing.

However, the other side of this story is the drastically unsuccessful tale of Ranger Lewis, an alcoholic in her outpost, set to search for Chloris. It was almost comical how many times the word 'Merlot' is mentioned - what alcoholic drinks Merlot? - to the extent that I was tempted to use it as the basis of a drinking game. When Lewis is joined by Bloor, I found that he was bizarre. The character he most reminded me of was Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks.

The two plots plodded along, and the author attempted to add interest with unrelated sub-plots about paedophilia and lesbianism, supposedly to tantalise the reader. Sorry, but it didn't.

Most disappointing of all was that the two characters of Chloris and Lewis never actually met. I really got the feeling that Curtis ran out of steam towards the end and didn't really know how to tie up the ends.

My two stars is for Chloris' story, particularly at the start. Overall though, this was a disappointing read.

Following a brief Google I find that "Kingdomtide" is “the season of charity and unity” and a time to “renew and reaffirm faith”.

For elderly Methodist, Cloris Waldrip, it is also one of reflection, epiphany and confession as she recounts her journey before, during, and following a plane crash some twenty years earlier. Her experiences are quietly illuminating, but they form just one half of the story.

The other features Ranger Lewis, whose obsession with tracking this elusive passenger fuels dependence on the flask of Merlot she never leaves home without and allowing a colleague / serial pincher to tweak her sides with his permanently chalked fingers.

As you see, things do tend to move in very mysterious ways in Bitterroot and unusual behaviour touches every one of the characters to some degree. Don’t get me wrong, they are fascinatingly ‘individual’ but I wouldn’t want to share a taxi with some of them!

What did I make of "Kingdomtide"? Well, even now there are certain instances in this book that leave me pondering this very question. Perhaps some things on this earth are not meant to be fully understood, and we can achieve nothing more than acknowledging that people and their actions are not perfect – they may confound, amuse, distress, and even complete us.

And on that note, let me relay Cloris’s opening line:

“I no longer pass judgement on any man nor woman. People are people, and I do not believe
there is much more to be said on the matter.”

DFNed at 40%.
After a great start it slows down and I couldn't keep my attention. The book is well written but not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.