05/15/2023
Porter’s debut, a touching portrait of an American family and the power of secrets, is replete with historical baggage, generational trauma, evocatively captured small-town lives, and a mystery that thickens with every page. The plot revolves around Nate Holub, a recently divorced Houston veterinarian who moves back to his father’s hometown to assist the only veterinarian in the rural area. But while Holub had thought the work would be the trickiest part, it turns out it’s his own family history: before long, he encounters a resentful cousin, a reclusive uncle, and hints of a surprisingly insidious past.
Porter, a veterinarian himself, proves a thoroughly engaging writer, and right off the bat he builds an immersive world for readers. His vivid descriptions of people, animals, and life in the country bring the setting to life, bolstered by the gripping plot and arresting characters whose personalities and interpersonal dynamics are both convincing and surprising, like actual people. Porter’s experience as a veterinary pathologist is evident throughout, particularly in his skill at crafting scenes involving animals, sometimes eager and sometimes in anguish, and Holub’s careful treatment of them, with welcome insights into the reasons for his approach as he deworms, administers vaccines, delivers C-sections, and faces emergencies.
At times it can be hard to track the various cousins, aunts, and uncles pervading the narrative, but these interweaving connections have a point: they’re meant to throw Holub, and readers alongside him, into a sticky past that turns out to be more sprawling and complex than he anticipated. The narrative is rich with nostalgic reveries and flashbacks that strengthen the presence and impact of the past, and Porter’s skill at eventually melding the different perspectives, time periods, and revelations together delivers a well-rounded story that will resonate with lovers of family dramas and thoughtful mysteries.
Takeaway: The touching, accomplished story of a veterinarian and a small-town mystery.
Comparable Titles: Nick Trout’s The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs , John Grisham’s A Painted House .
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: B
BookLife Reviews (Editor's Pick)
"With beautiful prose, Brian Porter vividly evokes a place and way of life that will mesmerize the reader with its heartfelt authenticity and humanity. This is an immersive read you will not be able to put down." -Philipp Schott, Veterinarian and Best-selling Author -Rox Burkey, Award-winning author and book blogger Dreams of Arcadia is a winner. This could well be made into a film." -Dr. Mary Carlson, author of Drinking from the Trough, A Veterinarian's Memoir Dreams of Arcadia . It embraces these facets and more...a compelling read." -Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review -Teresa J. Rhyne, #1 NY Times Bestselling Author of The Dog Lived (and So Will I) Dreams of Arcadia is ultimately about capricious memories and the need to reconnect with the roots of both family and the natural world. Brian Porter traces this literary journey with ease, providing readers with a sense of hope and even a sense of humor along the way." -Lone Star Literary Life -Jean M. Roberts, author of The Heron and The Angel of Goliad -Dan K. Utley, co-author, From Can See to Can't: Texas Cotton Farmers on the Southern Prairies -Dr. Douglas Mader, author of The Vet at Noah's Ark Dreams of Arcadia is an engaging work of contemporary fiction with a gripping mystery that keeps readers hooked through the entire novel. Porter's down-to-earth characters, immersive dialogue, and masterful storytelling make this a must-read." -Literary Titan Dreams of Arcadia unfolds at an easy pace with characters that I cared about, plus Brian Porter's masterful description of the Central Texas great outdoors is akin to icing on a delicious homemade cake. So pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and put your feet up because you won't want to hurry through Porter's first novel." -Elaine Thomas, author of Veterans' Voices and Home Front Memories and four other nonfiction books about rural Texans Dreams of Arcadia is the type of book I enjoy: a character-driven novel with a keen sense of place. The book's pacing unfolds naturally, and readers can relax into the author's comfortable storytelling." -Audrey Wick, author of Island Charm and Seeing Us -Clinton Machann, coauthor of Krasna Amerika: A Study of the Texas Czechs, 1851-1939
