Let me preface this review with an explanation of bias - my sister is several years older than me and would babysit me when our parents went on date nights. Those were the best nights because she'd make us macaroni and cheese, or Totinos Party Pizzas, and then we would watch VHS recordings of every X-Files episode. Granted, I was FAR too young to be watching the X-Files, and I am still afraid of songs from the 50s due to the "Home" Episode. As you can probably tell, I'm a huge fan of David Duchovny, he is, after all, my first ever celebrity crush. So when my sister saw that he would be discussing his newest novella, The Reservoir, at Town Hall Seattle, we HAD to go. We found out that the tickets were only $5, unheard of for most events, and honestly, after seeing the recently renovated venue, our jaws were on the floor.
The venue reminded us both of our old church in our hometown, grand but still intimate and welcoming. It felt like the right place to host a book discussion, and honestly it would be a great venue for pretty much anything. The crowd was greeted by the Hall's executive director, Wier Harman, who thoughtfully acknowledged the land of the Salish and Duwamish peoples - as a Native American myself, this was not only unexpected, but also did not feel performative, but instead respectful and intentional.
Then the real action started - Edgar Allen Poe Award Winner, Jess Walter, and the David Duchovny, Fox Mulder, Hank Moody, JP Prewitt - appeared and shared a hilarious conversation that was natural and thought provoking. The evening ended with a fun Q&A, and a long line for book signing. I should have taken notes, but I was so star struck and in awe (and busy laughing) that living in the moment felt more right than whipping out a pen or my phone to take notes. BUT I do recall my favorite quote of the night:
"Spokane is the New York City of.....the Pacific Northwest." - David Duchovny
Spokanite Jess Walter, "Spokane is the New York City of Spokane County."
Let's get back to the real star of the evening, The Reservoir. (Amazon Link to Purchase Publisher Link)
Rating:
4.5 Stars
Summary:
Ridley is a man of wealth, status, and poignant thoughts. Due to the global pandemic, being quarantined in his home, his thirst for "leaving a mark" leads him into madness.
50% Progress Check:
Is David secretly a poet? So much alliteration, so much detail. You feel yourself slip quickly into Ridley's world.
Immediate Completion Thoughts:
I'm so glad I listened to the audiobook - Duchovny's narration definitely made the story easy to follow, and there's something about having the author read the story as they originally intended it to be voiced that makes the novel so much more meaningful.
Most Surprising Moment:
The Bear
Least Favorite Moment:
I liked the whole book, let's be real, so 'least favorite' is me saying, "hey this wasn't my favorite part but was still good" so - the COVID reminders were hard for me to relive.
This Book Reminds Me Of:
Weirdly enough - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty mixed with Shaun of the Dead.
I Wish I Could Ask the Author:
Final Thoughts:
A quick read, that after sitting in on the book discussion I feel like it touches on more than just a spooky history of the reservoir and an interesting woman. The Reservoir is a raw narrative of what it really was like during the thick of the lockdown.
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