Larkin on the Shore

Larkin wants to forget what happened, not only the party where she was assaulted, but also her mother’s debilitating drug addiction. Larkin’s father packs her off to her Granne’s house in seaside Nova Scotia to heal, but suffocating panic attacks, worry about her mother, and the insidious worm of gossip make Larkin wonder if she’ll ever escape her past.

Jean Mills, author of Skating Over Thin Ice, digs into issues both current and universal in Larkin on the Shore. Through Larkin’s eyes, readers see trending issues like online bullying, sexual assault, trauma and the opioid crisis, but readers also explore more timeless topics, such as the power of family, romance and trust.

Beautifully rendered descriptions of the Cumberland area of Nova Scotia provide the setting for Larkin’s recovery. Larkin is vulnerable, suffering from post-traumatic stress, and common events in everyday life, from an arm around the shoulder to the first line of a book, can trigger her instinct to panic and flee. It’s not a good strategy when she is trying to fit in with a new group of teenaged strangers, but she can’t help it. Often she gazes out at the water and thinks, “It would be so easy, just walking out across the sandbars and never stopping until I’m in over my head.” Understandably in the age of the #metoo movement, Larkin would much rather escape than seek justice for her assault. But her Granne’s new project, a café/reading room in the local village, provides her with an anchor, and despite setbacks, she gradually regains mental equilibrium.

Larkin’s trauma is exacerbated by her family situation. After a life-changing car accident years before, Larkin’s mother has become addicted to painkillers to the point where her addiction overwhelms everything else, including her family. Rather than dismissing opioid addiction as a self-inflicted choice, as some do, Mills paints a sympathetic and heartbreaking picture of the condition, its causes and effects.

But Larkin’s family is also a source of support and warmth. Granne is a powerhouse of a personality, a former high school principal with a steely will and endless patience. And Larkin’s father may be vague and distant, but she knows he loves her deeply.

Throughout the novel, readers see the damage done by “people talking”. It’s both an old and a new issue: social media makes cruel, old-fashioned gossip a brutal and powerful force. Larkin is banned from going online when the rumours that swirled through her social networks after her assault left her huddled and sobbing. Granne’s neighbour, Will, carries his own baggage as a result of gossip, and both Will and Larkin must learn to trust each other before they can act on the attraction between them. Their sweet romance provides another source of strength and hope.

Adeptly written, with short, punchy chapters and moments of poignant intensity, Larkin on the Shore reveals the pain of mental illness and the healing power of human connection. A bonus closing feature is an eight-page “Interview with Jean Mills”.