Pineville Trace

The Go-Between starts with the sentence 'The past is a foreign country.' In this book our protagonist Frank is headed towards a foreign country in the same way. He has taken his cat Buffalo and they are heading to Canada from the USA - but they are also journeying through Frank's past. This book is poetic, the narration soft spoken and replete with folk music to break up the chapters. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook.

One thing I will never take for granted as an avid reader are those rare instances when a book comes out of nowhere and makes you feel so deeply connected and deeply cathartic. There is something really special about Pineville Trace that I can't stop thinking about.

Our main character is Frank, a prisoner who has escaped from a minimum security prison in Kentucky and is traveling up through the Midwest and into Canada with his cat named "Buffalo". Over the course of his travels, we get to hear Frank reflect on his life, the mistakes he's made, and how he feels about moving forward. This novella is filled with some extremely stunning prose that really took me by surprise. Wes Blake manages to pull off a level of philosophical writing that is easily digestible without coming off pretentious, and somehow is equally comforting and almost hypnotizing.
The language Blake uses to describe the nature setting throughout is vivid and warm which only added to the bittersweet feelings I walked away with after reading.

I have a tendency to get a little sappy when I finish a piece of writing that moved me in some way, and I must admit that many of the sentiments explored throughout this novella just completely punched me in the gut. Frank's relationship with his cat, Buffalo, felt so tangible and seeing how their relationship develops throughout was both beautiful and heartbreaking.

This is a slow paced novella that begs for you to take your time with it. Though the plot may appear deceptively simple, Frank's story leaves so much to be contemplated. If given the opportunity, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narrator and production are both phenomenal.

Thank you NetGalley and Mindbuck Media Audio for access to an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Pineville Trace was my first introduction to the novella in flash and I heartily enjoyed it. Pineville Trace follows Frank Russet after his escape from a minimum security prison as he reflects on his life before and works to survive in the present. For those who are also unfamiliar with the novella in flash, it is a short novel with chapters comprised of fewer than 1000 words and each chapter presents a piece of the story and may be somewhat disconnected from the previous. In Pineville Trace, this is beautifully done to be able to see glimpses throughout Frank's life without some of the dragging that may occur in a more traditional novel and by the end you really see the forest for the trees. To that end, I felt like I was kind of floating along with this book. I didn't really even understand the timing of the novel until near then end when Frank notices that it’s 1979 via a newspaper in one of the motels he finds himself in.

This was the truly most pleasant bait and switch where you think you’re going to hear some crazy escape story, but the escape is rather mundane, and instead, you get a tender story about a man and his cat, Buffalo. Their relationship was so wonderfully done and it made Frank into a more human character as he pondered about and cared for Buffalo.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was outstanding. He brought all of the characters to life and brought so much depth into the performance of it. I also really loved the musical interludes between each chapter. It gave the novella a very homey feel and paired well with the novella in flash format.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Mindbuck Media Audio for the advanced copy.

What a wonderfully weird story this was. An unexpected find while I was looking for my next read, I dove into this without knowing anything much about the story.
That being said, this isn’t your usual book. They way it’s written, told; it had something so captivating and somewhat unusual to it. Unreliable as he may be I could feel connected to the main character, could feel with him.
The writing style made the story feel vivid, melancholic, hopeful, reminiscing and in a way honest, raw.
I really enjoyed this book for the story but the audiobook version just added something special to it. Michael Mau’s performance plus the little instrumental transitions between chapters and the sound effects throughout the story (very few and underlining the story perfectly) made this a such an experience.

Thank you to the author Wes Blake, publishers Mindbuck Media Audio, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of PINEVILLE TRACE. Read by Michael Mau. All views are mine.

𝐼 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦, 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟.

I really enjoy both flash fiction and experimental forms in novels, so when I read about this offering in Netgalley, I really had to jump at it  I was rewarded with a thoroughly entertaining read. I will be honest and say the plot gives way somewhat to the form, but I love the end. I think it circles around and connects everything meaningfully, if not pristinely.

I enjoyed Michael Mau's reading of the audiobook. His voice calmly dispenses what can sometimes be surreal and abstract material. He makes it easy to calmly ride the story into the next amber waves of Americanah from a very weird perspective.

The cat is my favorite, and not just because I am a super-fulfilled old cat lady. It's a cat named Buffalo in a story about memory, history, and what gets taken from us.

Pineville Trace is a thoughtful, compelling little book that I definitely recommend to fans of Twin Peaks, experimental form, flash fiction, and surrealism. I do recommend the audiobook, as it was the perfect mode for this piece.

𝐼𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑙.

Full review and rating on Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6727284771

Pineville Trace is a book you "feel" more than read. It seeps into you like a dream. That's about the best way I can describe it. I didn't connect with the narrator, so I downloaded the book as well and read a bit of it before going back to the narrator - I was anxious to finish it and found that even though I didn't connect, the story was so enthralling that, in the end, I didn't care. I'll say this, though - I'll re-read it again myself.

The writing itself is beautiful - sparse and poetic. It's also not for everybody. Like I said, you feel the book more than anything else. It almost seems irrelevant to say that the main character, Frank, escapes from prison by following Buffalo, his cat. They are quite the duo. And off they go, wandering in the world, reflecting, finding solace in each other's company. Truth is, the solid action in this book isn't really the point. It's the unwinding of a life, looking back on what worked, what was honest, and what felt like a lie, all in a kind of ultra-focused, reflective, dream state. You're floating in this read.

I've read other reviews of this book and can honestly say I didn't get much of the back-and-forth between reality and dream, which is another reason I need to re-read it rather than listen to it. It requires a certain amount of concentration—or not—depending on what you take with you at the end. For me, the fact that I won't forget this book in a month is a big deal.

this was a quick, fun read. very atmospheric writing, compelling premise, and a cat named buffalo. what's not to love?? i'm easy to please.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into listening to this. The description was interesting and it was presented as a novella so I was excited to dive in. I was pleasantly surprised.

The main character will fascinate you from the very beginning. The story was written like poetry and by the end you’ll want more. I was easily invested in Frank’s life after prison. I wanted to see where his story and cat ended up. The characters introduced were also interesting, even in their brief mentions.

In my opinion, a unique audio experience. I was very into the narrator’s voice. Quickly a fan and wanted to listen to him read me everything.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Mindbuck Media for the ALC..

3.5/4

I listened to the audio version of this short novel which was beautifully read by Michael Mau. I also enjoyed the short musical interludes between chapters. It was certainly a very soothing book to listen to.

I enjoyed the first part of the book which described Frank's escape from a low security prison and his journey through the US to Canada with Buffalo, the cat. Frank was a conman who worked as a healer with his brother. His escape from the open prison seemed to pass with little fuss and he makes his way up to a cabin where he and Buffalo live a quiet life.

It was the second part of the book describing Frank's return journey south to see his family that I found a little disjointed. For me it certainly didn't flow as well as the first half but it was still a beautifully written piece of lyrical prose.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Mindbuck Media Audio for the audio advance review copy.

This poignant snippet of a man's life left me satisfied in a way many short stories and novellas don't perfect. Pineville Trace follows the life of an escaped minimum security prisoner and his faithful cat. They take their own epic journey to find peace, and once they find it, realize that the road is always winding on. The writing was excellent, but the narrator is really what made this story for me. Emotion was conveyed so beautifully in the way the characters were read.

A good story that kept me interested from the beginning. You wont be disappointed with the book or audiobook.

Frank has escaped from a minimum security prison. In this contemplative journey that follows Frank from town to town, more characters are introduced. Every person on the run needs a companion and Buffalo (a cat) fills in. Buffalo is a great addition as Frank remembers his youth, his relationship with his father, and his current situation .

It's an interesting narrative that feels meandering, but it circles back en point. The narrator, Michael Mau, was excellent and captured the mood of Franks journey. Thank you NetGalley and Mindbuck Media Audio for an early copy.

This was the first novel in flash I have read (listened to) and I enjoyed the concept. The stories blended together well and the author did a good job of creating a cohesive atmosphere through each vignette. I think this would be a good one to read in the Autumn with a hot cup of cocoa to complement the landscape of Pineville. I loved little Buffalo and the companionship he offered Frank in his weariness.

An Access Now short story from NetGalley audio - I liked the cover. Very contemplative, quiet, and easy on the ears. I was hoping something would happen to pick up the pace, but it just sort of chugged along. Between each chapter was a soothing little ditty on guitar, which I'm still finding myself humming.

Frank made the mistake of escaping from prison, into a world where he forces himself into his own prison since he is constantly fearing he might get caught and has to stay on the move or hidden.

The cat named Buffalo was the best thing that happened to him, and to the reader. 😺

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.

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.

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.

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.

Narration is splendid, I love listening to Michael Mau. His soulful voice resonates and truly sets the tone for this book.

Frank has just escaped from prison but can he escape his reality? On the road with his cat Buffalo he sets off on a journey which leads him back to the places he can't outrun or forget about. I felt like I was there with Frank on his journey to cross rivers, to buy cars, and to confront his reality.