Celine (by Peter Heller)
Every time author Peter Heller publishes a book, it’s a must-buy in print for me. His writing style is so unique, I best enjoy curling up with a physical book in my hands. I found this signed copy of Celine, at my local independent bookstore when it was first released. Please don’t judge me for the fact that this book has sat on my bookshelf for far too long. 😅 To be honest, I think I repeatedly put off reading Celine because I didn’t think I would like it as much as The Dog Stars or The Painter, which were incredible stories! The book description seemed so different from the others, I was doubtful it would have the emotional impact similar to the other books. I was completely wrong.
Celine is a private detective living and working in New York City. Her specialty is finding missing people. Her husband, Pete, is her business partner, and they are both artists. Gabriela reaches out to Celine to find her father, who was a famous photographer and went missing while working on the border of Montana and Wyoming. Many of his photographs and stories were featured in National Geographic. Gabriela’s father, Lamont, was presumed dead from a grizzly bear attack, but his body was never found. Celine and Pete head out to Yellowstone National Park to begin their investigation.
The search for Gabriela’s father is at the forefront of this novel; however, there are so many layers to the story about the other prominent characters. The emotional weight of this story is heavy. The book opens with a huge punch to the emotional gut, which I didn’t expect. After reading the first few pages, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. In Heller’s unique style, he weaves into the story what initially appear to be little details but are fascinating tidbits and helpful to learning about the characters. The second most interesting aspect of this novel is Celine’s history as a child and into early adulthood. I loved imagining Celine and Pete traveling through the national forest in their borrowed truck bed camper in the fall. Heller definitely knows how to write about nature, which offers such a dreamy setting to the story.
After allowing myself time to digest the book, I realized that not everything was answered. There is one question that has occurred to me since finishing the book, but it’s nothing significant to the storyline. Just a little detail I wonder about. I realize that leaving out that answer may have been intentional by Heller. He doesn’t seem like the type of writer to miss a detail. The ending was satisfying in a way that left me wanting more. I wasn’t ready for it to be over. There is a conclusion to what happened to Gabriela’s father. I was also left with curiosity about what happened to the characters next. This ending left room for the reader to draw their own conclusions, which I kind of like. It’s fun to dream about what I hope happens next.
As I mentioned earlier, I prefer Peter Heller’s books in print. I’ve read The Dog Stars and The Painter in print and loved them both. I read The River in audiobook format and didn’t care as much for the book as I expected. Furthermore, I hope to someday reread The River, as I own a physical copy, and see if I have a different opinion. Heller’s books in print take a minute to adapt, as they are different from most other books I read. You just have to see it to understand what I’m talking about. So I wonder if The River just didn’t translate well for me in audiobook format. Maybe I’ll find out someday.
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