This audiobook hit differently than mos of the books I listen to. I think the publisher describes it as a novel in flash, which kind of makes sense. While the book is told in something resembling chapters, they almost feel like they could stand on their own as short vignettes. This book has more of a journey than a plot, and I really enjoyed it. I'm finding it hard to find the words to describe it exactly but I would say it's also nostalgic, regretful, atmospheric. And though our main character has done some things in his life that he's not proud of, I felt such fondness for him. And for his beloved cat, Buffalo.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced listening copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A book unlike many others. To be completely honest I think the audiobook was what sold me on this, otherwise I may have given up on the story. I’m really glad I didn’t because I enjoyed this a lot. Definitely preferred the first half to the second but I did love the narrator and the musical interludes that chime between chapters.

I enjoyed this audiobook, and I think the medium serves it well! Each chapter is followed by a short musical interlude, which I really appreciated, although I know some readers were not as pleased. Since this book is structured as a collection of shorter stories, I found the music to actually be supportive of that endeavor. I think without the music, it would have been more jarring that there wasn’t a solid throughline between the disparate stories. Furthermore, the narration is exquisite, the production superb. Really, give this one a listen!

I’m also a complete sucker for stories where someone is confronted with who they are relative to who they want to be. We call that *growth*. I will say that we’re not with Frank long enough to see the final outcome of all of his reflections, but maybe that was the point. The past and present kind of blend together as Frank reflects on how he got to where he is today – again, something I think was supported by the structure of the novella.

Part cross-country road trip, part fever dream, Pineville Trace follows Frank Russet, escaped convict, and his cat companion, Buffalo, as they travel by car and by foot around the country. The story itself meanders but generally focuses on the ghosts from Frank's past, namely his brother, Henry, and former lover, Lucinda. We come to understand that Frank and his brother were revivalist preachers, which Frank deeply regrets, but not as much as he regrets accidentally killing his brother while drunk.

I found this novella to be somber and atmospheric but it left me wondering what the point of it was. The writing kind of reminded me of Steinbeck, in a way—focusing on the scenery and setting. I would've loved to get more of the story of Frank's past working as a religious con-artist, but a novella only has so much time for that level of depth.

This quote sums up Frank's motivation for escaping from prison and alludes to his ultimate act in the book.

So much of his life had not been logical. He knew it wasn't logical to escape from a minimum-security prison. It was absurd. Foolish. A place you'd be release from in a short time anyway. And now, as a result, he could never return to regular life.

But now he understood why he had left...Because now he was free from himself. He never had to be himself again...A long time ago he had gotten tired of being himself...And now...they would lock him again if he became his old self. And he was glad.

I'm not used to reading novellas, so I thought this was a good opportunity to try reading one. The plot of the book sounded so intriguing to me that I decided to request this audiobook. And I must say that I did really enjoy the first part of the book a bit more than the rest of it. However, I didn't connect with the character or the narrator of this audiobook (and I personally didn't like the little musical interludes at the end of every chapter). Maybe this one wasn't for me.

Frank Russet, a former southern revival preacher and confidence man who escapes from a minimum-security prison in eastern Kentucky. With only a cat named Buffalo by his side and a desire to leave his past behind, Frank embarks on a journey to or on the fringes of society. Pineville Trace is a flash-fiction novella or a novella-in-flash by Wes Blake follows Frank as he navigates a shadowy world, encounters remnants of his former life that forces him to confront his deepest regrets and desires. The prose is not only haunting but introspective and atmospheric at the same time. It vividly captures Frank's struggle for survival and his quest for redemption in short snippets, inviting readers to explore the fine line between salvation and damnation. Thank you to #NetGalley, the author Wes Blake and Mindbuck Media Audio for an audio copy of #PinevilleTrace in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pineville Trace is a small-town dream of a person who decides to escape from a minimum security prison with his spirit guide, a cat name Buffalo. He meanders through trying to plug himself back into life -- buying a car like his old one, reconnecting with family, etc.; but is mostly in a hypnotic loop of ennui.

Pineville Trace is a contemplative novella which follows disgraced revival preacher Frank on his quest to first escape his past and then to finally confront it. The prose is evocative and the many settings along Frank's journey are well drawn. Frank's relationship with his feline companion is really quite moving.

There are two sections of the novella which I felt detracted from the reading experience: a meta-narrative chapter early on (a technique not re-visited later in the book) and a questionable depiction of the speech patterns of a Native American. The reader can skip both of these brief sections without losing any of the novella's impact.

The narration of the audiobook is well produced and the narrator is skilled at character voices. The use of music at the end of each chapter added to the immersive environment.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a moody read to keep them company on a rainy day. You can probably finish it before your coffee gets cold.

Content warning for the death of a pet.

This review week be shared to Goodreads on September 1, 2024 and to Instagram (@goodquietkitty) on September 2, 2024.

This story takes place in a small down in the rural south and the setting sets the tone greatly. I may have preferred to read this book over listening to the audio but there wasn't a lot of "acting" done by the narrator. Very well read and it seemed to be well a well written piece about what toll it takes to uncover the truth. Overall good listen but if you aren't an audiobook person it'll be best enjoyed with your eyes.

I’m always looking for books set in Appalachia to recommend to folks since I live in the south. This one will definitely be easy to recommend as it is quite atmospheric writing from the beginning, and the narrators accent is excellent. A quick and fun read.

This was one of the strangest yet most boring reads I’ve ever read.. Or rather, listened to.. I found myself wondering what was the point of this story more than once. I felt almost as if I opened a random book and decided to read just the middle of it, like I was missing information or something. Although the book was a bit boring, the narration was done well! The little music between chapters was a little strange, but it didn’t bother me at all.

The narrator's voice was pleasant and the accent used helpes the reader immerse in the cultural landscape of the novel.

This review is for the audio version of this novella.
I really liked the narrator. I think his voice fit perfectly for the subject matter of this novella.
I this seemed similar to the movie Leaving Las Vegas, a man on a journey, of life and death.
This is not an action story, but the listener is more immersed in the main characters inner dialogue and struggle.
It was interesting.
3,25 Stars

After being sentenced to a minimum-security prison in eastern Kentucky, former southern revival preacher and confidence man, Frank Russet, escapes. Taking only a cat named Buffalo and a desire to outrun his former life, he journeys to the fringes of society.

Thank you Mindbuck Media Audio & Netgalley for the digital ARC! I enjoyed this book. I liked reading about Frank traveling with his cat Buffalo.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mindbuck Media Audio, and Wes Blake for the advanced audio copy of Pineville Trace.

This wasn't for me, honestly. I found myself feeling very apathetic listening to the story- I didn't feel related to the main character other than his relationship with his cat. The chapters were incredibly short and that made it hard to follow any kind of plot, though there seemed little of that.

I did like the many descriptions of the landscape and other settings. I also enjoyed the narrator quite a lot. He has perfect enunciation that allows for any speed readers want to listen at. I found I was able to understand him at 2.5x speed just as easily as at 1x speed.

I will not give an online review for this title. I honestly don't have much praise to give it. The story is not for me, nor my audience. It feels more a self help book than a novel, but it gives all the wrong or extremely generic tips of life.

Like many a reader I enjoy the great american roadtrip novel. Whilst it can be argued that that statement does not compleltely encompass the genre or contents of this novel it is the most accurate one i can think of.

Firstly, I really enjoyed the narration of this book, Michael Wau did an excellent job at keeping me at least slightly enthralled in this book. That accent!

However, he could not save this book from the overwhelming blunders of the author. This book is confusing. It is meandering, it feels as though even the author doesnt know what he wants to do with this, not in a suspenseful kind of way, in an aggravating sort. The blurb had me keen to read but I cant help but feel the author fell short. In this way, the plot felt non existence and in the absence of plot i want to be invested in the characters but even this was not executed. I do not know what the central theme of this book was and the frustrating part is that I really dont think the author did either. The redemption arc?? if that's what was happening was not accomplished! Of course this is all my own opinion, I was bored by this novel but that is because of my own tastes.

I did enjoy the various settings though!

I started reading this for the cover and stayed for the emotional journey it took me on. The narrator was great and did a fantastic job of voicing ex con-man Frank and his journey with his little cat, Buffalo. It was a bit sad and a little haunting, although I'm not sure that was entirely the author's intention. The imagery was beautiful and set the scene perfectly - it felt nostalgic in a strange way, like the written version of an old film photo.

Pineville Trace follows Frank Russet and his cat, Buffalo who search for a cabin to live in after they escape prison. What they find is dull and uninteresting.

The only thing I can say for this book is that the writing on the sentence level is competent, if a little silly with nonsensical figurative language. The book almost comments on masculinity in an interesting way, but mostly it’s a very average journey book that overstays its welcome.

This novella feels less like a neatly composed piece told in bite-sized flash fiction chapters and more like something patched together from a daily writing journal. There isn’t much plot and the characters aren’t compelling. I like reading, so this wasn’t tortuously boring or anything, but the book doesn’t really give much to latch onto. Frank has some challenges on his quest to find this quaint cabin, but not enough and none that feel terribly consequential. I failed to feel that Frank was suffering in the wilderness when I was told he was.

The most disappointing thing about Pineville Trace is that it doesn’t match its own description. The reader didn’t learn what Frank is seeking redemption for until late in the book, and even then, it’s not clear what happened or how it impacts anything. That kills the redemption theme, in my opinion. A lot of symbolic meaning and Themes™️ are attempted but they just never come together.

I honestly can’t think of anyone who would get anything out of this book.

Pineville Trace is short and sweet. I felt like I got to know the main character, Frank, without ever thinking of him as the "good" guy. The short flashes into his life and past give a sense of his character and his relationships with others. It was just the right length for me to feel satisfied with the story without feeling like it was dragging. I'll be on the lookout for more by Blake.