The Retreat

A great thing about that David Bergen did in his novel The Retreat was the detailing with regards to the characters and emotions. The detailing of the characters  helped to give the reader a visual understanding of what they could look like. "Still, the management wanted Lisa Kennedy happy, and she was happiest with Raymond at her side. She golfed alone. This morning she wore a pink pleated skirt that fell to her knees and a white short-sleeved blouse. A white sweater with the arms tied around her waist. " (Pg.7)

Another example of good physical detailing in the novel is "She'd written something about her mother, about the bone-coloured dress her mother liked to wear, and the buttons that were like tiny bones themselves, and about the shape of her mother's bones within the dress. And the bone of her mother's wrist cracking as she fell down the stairs." (Pg.104)

The author also does a great job of giving the characters traits as seen with Earl Hart, who's racist beliefs almost kill Raymond (the main character) in the beginning of the book. I thought the detailing was great in this passage because it 1) indicates/foreshadows that Hart is a cold man and 2) because it helps the reader understand what his laugh sounded like and gives him an ominous feeling. "He chuckled, but it wasn't truly a laugh, more the simulacrum of a laugh, as if he had spent much time as an unhappy man leaning how to imitate happiness." (Pg.5) 

The author adds more information and traits as the story progresses which is very effective because the reader is reminded just how evil he is. " 'Uncle Earl?' She pulled away from Raymond and stepped towards the police car... He reached out and touched Alice, as if laying some sort of claim on her. He didn't look at Raymond... Hart opened the cruiser's rear door and motioned at Raymond, who said he didn't need a ride. 'Nobody's asking.' " (Pg.18-19) I was drawn to this passage because suspense slowly builds up. Once the reader finds out its Hart, they know its trouble. This makes the reader worry about what will happen to Raymond and keeps them reading.

Questions for the author:

1.) A major theme in the beginning of the novel is hatred and racism. Have you ever dealt with or witnessed such issues?

2.) Are there any specific authors that inspired you to become a writer?

3.) Any new projects coming up soon?