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In a Town Called Paradox
“I wasn’t looking for Marilyn Monroe when I bumped into her, even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return…”
So begins In a Town Called Paradox, which asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end?
After her mother’s untimely death, the young Corin Dunbar is banished to live with her aunt Jessie, an obsessively religious spinster who runs a failing cattle ranch near a speck of a town called Paradox in southeast Utah. It’s the mid-1950s, and Corin hates her new life until the Big Five Hollywood studios arrive, lured by the fiery red-rock scenery that provides a perfect backdrop to the blockbuster Westerns they plan to film. Overnight, Paradox is transformed from a rural backwater to a playground for glamorous stars like Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson.
Seduced by the glitz of the movies, Corin finds work with the studios, but after a brush with the casting couch, she channels her growing ambitions into saving the ranch—the jewel of the Dunbar family for three generations. When she falls for a charismatic stranger, her future seems bright, but a tragic accident she believes is her fault wrecks her dreams and forces her to make an agonizing decision that will change the course of her life.
Told mainly by Corin—now a middle-aged woman haunted by this watershed moment—In a Town Called Paradox is a compelling read that redefines the meaning of love.
So begins In a Town Called Paradox, which asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end?
After her mother’s untimely death, the young Corin Dunbar is banished to live with her aunt Jessie, an obsessively religious spinster who runs a failing cattle ranch near a speck of a town called Paradox in southeast Utah. It’s the mid-1950s, and Corin hates her new life until the Big Five Hollywood studios arrive, lured by the fiery red-rock scenery that provides a perfect backdrop to the blockbuster Westerns they plan to film. Overnight, Paradox is transformed from a rural backwater to a playground for glamorous stars like Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson.
Seduced by the glitz of the movies, Corin finds work with the studios, but after a brush with the casting couch, she channels her growing ambitions into saving the ranch—the jewel of the Dunbar family for three generations. When she falls for a charismatic stranger, her future seems bright, but a tragic accident she believes is her fault wrecks her dreams and forces her to make an agonizing decision that will change the course of her life.
Told mainly by Corin—now a middle-aged woman haunted by this watershed moment—In a Town Called Paradox is a compelling read that redefines the meaning of love.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2020
27 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Miriam Murcutt
5 books30 followersI am a writer, editor, and former marketing executive in the travel and publishing industries. Most recently I have been working full-time as a writer and have co-authored five books with Richard Starks: 'In A Town Called Paradox', (Prestwicke Publishing) which is an historical novel set in 1950s Utah at the time when the Big Five Hollywood Studios arrived to film their blockbuster movies; 'Lost in Tibet',(The Lyons Press, 2012) which tells the true story of five young US airmen who, in 1943, were forced to bail out of the plane they were flying and found themselves stranded in Tibet; 'Along the River that Flows Uphill - from the Orinoco to the Amazon', (first published in print by Haus Publishing, 2009, and now also available as an ebook) which describes the difficult times we had traveling along the remote Casiquiare river in Venezuela; 'A Room with a Pew - Sleeping our way through Spain's ancient monasteries', (The Lyons Press September 2012) which covers a journey Richard and I made through Spain staying in monasteries alongside communities of monks or nuns; and, most recently, 'Greenland for $1.99', a short, illustrated book about a journey we made inside the Arctic Circle. I have been lucky enough to travel a lot throughout the more mountainous regions of the world - particularly to the Himalayas to research 'Lost in Tibet'. However, the countries of Europe still remain among my favorite places, especially Spain, where I have had the chance to polish up my Spanish. When I am not working on a book, I like to move around as much as possible preferably in the great outdoors. I also enjoy my role as a volunteer interviewer for a Carnegie Library oral history program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 22, 2021
I wasn’t looking for Marilyn Monroe when I bumped into her, even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return with Robert Mitchum.
When I read this opening line I was expecting to read a historical fiction based on Hollywood with Marilyn Monroe being part of the plot line. While Marilyn Monroe only makes this one appearance in the whole book, Hollywood does play a part by being directly/indirectly involved in the different story threads- running parallel and then merging- of the diverse and interesting characters that make up the town of Paradox, Utah in the 1950s and 1960s. Behind the glamour of the Hollywood studios who come to Paradox to shoot their famous westerns lie the bitter truth about the struggles, prejudices, racism and sexism that exist in the town and it is here that we find Corin Dunbar, Noah (Ark) Stevenson, Yiska Begay and Dorothy Wittering try to rise above these prejudices in their own way.
A very well written, emotional and compelling book. I loved reading it and would like to see this made into a movie.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Prestwicke Publishing and the authors Miriam Murcutt & Richard Starks for the e-Arc of the book. The book was published on 3rd February, 2021.
When I read this opening line I was expecting to read a historical fiction based on Hollywood with Marilyn Monroe being part of the plot line. While Marilyn Monroe only makes this one appearance in the whole book, Hollywood does play a part by being directly/indirectly involved in the different story threads- running parallel and then merging- of the diverse and interesting characters that make up the town of Paradox, Utah in the 1950s and 1960s. Behind the glamour of the Hollywood studios who come to Paradox to shoot their famous westerns lie the bitter truth about the struggles, prejudices, racism and sexism that exist in the town and it is here that we find Corin Dunbar, Noah (Ark) Stevenson, Yiska Begay and Dorothy Wittering try to rise above these prejudices in their own way.
A very well written, emotional and compelling book. I loved reading it and would like to see this made into a movie.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Prestwicke Publishing and the authors Miriam Murcutt & Richard Starks for the e-Arc of the book. The book was published on 3rd February, 2021.
December 28, 2021
Corin is a teenager who is sent to Paradox, Utah, to live with her aunt after her mother dies. Although she is angry at her situation, she is intrigued by the Hollywood stars who come to town to film movies, and eventually by Paradox itself. Corin's coming of age story is well done, but there are a lot of other subplots and the book moved slowly for me at times.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
November 16, 2022
When 12 yr old Corin Dunbar is sent by her widowed dad to live w/her unmarried aunt Jessie in tiny ,Paradox,Utah,she's scared and homesick. Raised in Yonkers,a suburb north of NYC & missing her parents ,Corin's unaccustomed to Southwest Utah's wide empty vistas. She gradually adjusts by the time the major movie studios discover the area's scenery & start shooting their big budget Westerns there. The town also finally gains some cache,thanks to it's mayor who touts Paradox as the perfect location for them & even has a an Old West-style street built to film on. Corin becomes enchanted as well,especially after a chance meeting with Marilyn Monroe ,who notices Corin's emerging beauty & gifts her w/her favorite red lipstick. Corin soon becomes disenchanted however after working as a movie extra & having a "casting-couch" encounter w/one of one of crew.
She then turns her focus to the ranch her aunt runs & helps her w/a prize bull by collecting his uh,well, the stuff that's needed to make baby bulls(which Imo,was a bit TOO descriptive) Some years later she meets a British college student,Noah(Ark) Stevenson whose studying astronomy at a nearby university & they literally fall in love under the stars. They get married but their happiness is short-lived after a tragic accident involving the bull that helped the ranch finally get on it's feet financially. Ark doesn't want to live as paraplegic & asks Corin to do something for him that is very difficult for her to decide to act on & goes against her aunt's v.religious beliefs as well.
The story then shifts to Yishka Begay,a Native American who escapes from prison and his back-story of injustice. I wondered why the story jumped to him but it all fit together & that's what made this book so interesting. It also took you from the Amazon of Ark's childhood as the son of Missionary parents before they send him off to an English boarding school to the impoverished Reservation that Yishka was brought up & ,most of all ,the interesting story of this particular area of Utah which was used as backdrop for many classic films such as Bad Day At Black Rock" & "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" . That & there's a big plot twist at the end. A bit uneven at times(& could've done w/o all the Bull Semen collecting) but still definitely worth a read.
She then turns her focus to the ranch her aunt runs & helps her w/a prize bull by collecting his uh,well, the stuff that's needed to make baby bulls(which Imo,was a bit TOO descriptive) Some years later she meets a British college student,Noah(Ark) Stevenson whose studying astronomy at a nearby university & they literally fall in love under the stars. They get married but their happiness is short-lived after a tragic accident involving the bull that helped the ranch finally get on it's feet financially. Ark doesn't want to live as paraplegic & asks Corin to do something for him that is very difficult for her to decide to act on & goes against her aunt's v.religious beliefs as well.
The story then shifts to Yishka Begay,a Native American who escapes from prison and his back-story of injustice. I wondered why the story jumped to him but it all fit together & that's what made this book so interesting. It also took you from the Amazon of Ark's childhood as the son of Missionary parents before they send him off to an English boarding school to the impoverished Reservation that Yishka was brought up & ,most of all ,the interesting story of this particular area of Utah which was used as backdrop for many classic films such as Bad Day At Black Rock" & "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" . That & there's a big plot twist at the end. A bit uneven at times(& could've done w/o all the Bull Semen collecting) but still definitely worth a read.
February 3, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In a Town Called Paradox was a pretty interesting book with some confusing bits and pieces. I'm not going to lie.. it felt like everyone was dealing or struggling with something. Whether they had the weight of the world on their shoulders.. or they just simply wanted to go away (forever). It was a lot for my brain to process, which didn't help when things went down confusing and dark alleyways.
I will say that the characters will make you think and feel things that you normally wouldn't while reading. Mostly because of all the struggles. They will also get you to laugh from time to time but you do get a lot of sadness and anger.
Towards the end, I feel like the book kind of lost track of what it was about. The reason why is because so much happened in this book. It just dove into a lot of topics and then kind of seemed rushed towards the last few chapters. I'm still trying to understand the big betrayal that happened because it just seemed odd (like most of this book).
It was an interesting read though.
In a Town Called Paradox was a pretty interesting book with some confusing bits and pieces. I'm not going to lie.. it felt like everyone was dealing or struggling with something. Whether they had the weight of the world on their shoulders.. or they just simply wanted to go away (forever). It was a lot for my brain to process, which didn't help when things went down confusing and dark alleyways.
I will say that the characters will make you think and feel things that you normally wouldn't while reading. Mostly because of all the struggles. They will also get you to laugh from time to time but you do get a lot of sadness and anger.
Towards the end, I feel like the book kind of lost track of what it was about. The reason why is because so much happened in this book. It just dove into a lot of topics and then kind of seemed rushed towards the last few chapters. I'm still trying to understand the big betrayal that happened because it just seemed odd (like most of this book).
It was an interesting read though.
February 7, 2021
Due to her mother’s untimely death, Corin is uprooted as a young teenager from Yonkers where she had an idyllic life as the daughter of a zoo veterinarian to live with her aunt in the red-dirt desert town of Paradox, Utah. Resentful and sad, life takes a turn to the positive for Corin when Paradox becomes a haven for Hollywood studios and their westerns and she blossoms into her own woman in the late fifties and sixties.
Noah, nicknamed, Ark, is the son of British missionaries who send him back to Britain for schooling. He is fascinated by the stars and American westerns. After his parents are killed and he finishes school, he has an opportunity to travel to Paradox where he meets Corin.
There is so much more to this novel than just a depiction of life in the west or a girl meets boy story. There is racism, sexism, free will, human rights, a broad range and depth of human emotions, the organization of the cosmos.
Well written, with vivid descriptive language and character development, there is much to think about here. There may be times when some readers feel that some of the side stories (collecting semen from a bull!) bogs you down, but stay with it, the story is well worth it. As a side note, as someone who as lived in both the east and Utah, I really related to the descriptions of Utah’s dust and its effects; the authors captured it perfectly!
My husband also read the book. Initially, he was wary of the book; he thought it started slow and was just another static story of coming of age in the west. As different characters and dimensions were added, he really, really liked the book.
Note: all of my reviews can be found online at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.com
Noah, nicknamed, Ark, is the son of British missionaries who send him back to Britain for schooling. He is fascinated by the stars and American westerns. After his parents are killed and he finishes school, he has an opportunity to travel to Paradox where he meets Corin.
There is so much more to this novel than just a depiction of life in the west or a girl meets boy story. There is racism, sexism, free will, human rights, a broad range and depth of human emotions, the organization of the cosmos.
Well written, with vivid descriptive language and character development, there is much to think about here. There may be times when some readers feel that some of the side stories (collecting semen from a bull!) bogs you down, but stay with it, the story is well worth it. As a side note, as someone who as lived in both the east and Utah, I really related to the descriptions of Utah’s dust and its effects; the authors captured it perfectly!
My husband also read the book. Initially, he was wary of the book; he thought it started slow and was just another static story of coming of age in the west. As different characters and dimensions were added, he really, really liked the book.
Note: all of my reviews can be found online at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.com
September 10, 2021
Sometimes, one stumbles upon a gem. It doesn’t take more than a couple of pages before I realise In A Town Called Paradox is one of those rare, glittering reads that somehow traps the reader immediately and does not let go until the end.
Allow me to introduce you to Corin Dunbar. She is twelve, angry, hurt and confused. Her mother has recently died and for some inexplicable reason the father she adores and idolises has packed her off to be brought up by his sister—in Utah. To Corin, that’s like being exiled to the moon. Plus, she has no idea what she’s done to have her father abandon her like this—and especially in a dump like Paradox.
But Paradox isn’t that much of a dump. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, Paradox sees a steady stream of visitors—people come all the way from Hollywood to shoot one successful Western movie after the other. The intrepid mayor of Paradox has invested heavily in creating the settings required to attract the film industry. Hollywood stars add a certain sizzle to life, and more or less every inhabitant in Paradox is at one time or another roped in to be an extra.
As the years pass, Corin’s emotional wounds heal—at least on the surface. She finds solace in the magnificent Utah landscape and in the life on the ranch her aunt owns. We are now in the early 1960s and girls are generally expected to grow up, marry and have babies. Corin has moments when she wants more out of life, and one day, she’s invited to come along to a star party—a party that will change her life forever.
Time to introduce Noah “Ark” Stevenson. When we first meet him, he is nine, angry, hurt and confused when his missionary parents decide to uproot him from the Amazon village he calls home and send him to England for adequate schooling. Where his parents detest the jungle, Ark loves it—except for the fact that he cannot see the stars from below the Amazonian canopy. And stars are Ark’s consuming passion—together with Western movies—which is why, many, many years later, he arrives in Paradox to teach the locals about the stars by arranging “star parties”.
Except in Paradox, a star party is a party with Hollywood stars.
Corin is entranced by this young Brit who speaks so passionately about the stars. Stardust, he tells her, we’re all made of stardust. And then he explains how the stars we see are ancient, ancient things, separated from the Earth by so many lightyears they may well have fizzled and died eons ago. But when a star dies, it emits matter—stardust—and this fine dust is in every atom, every particle. When we breathe, we ingest stardust. When we drink water, we swallow it down, thereby binding us to all the people who have lived before us and all who will come after.
His theories resonate with Corin, and soon enough these two young people are sharing all their secrets, all their pains and losses with each other. They fit together, somehow, and in a matter of months they marry. Happily Ever After awaits. Or not.
In a vivid prose that recreates the stunning Utah landscape, the damp green Amazonian jungle and the interiors of an English boarding school with similar ease, the authors deliver a story about life, about the brevity of it, and the sheer magnificence of it, no matter how short our allotted lifespan. It is also a story about love and how this complicated, tangled emotion can demand that we do things we did not believe ourselves capable of.
This is a book in which astronomical theory jostles for space with information about everything from the sad fate of the Navajo Nation to how to milk a bull of his semen. Not once does all this imparting of knowledge come close to a dreaded info-dump; it is all done so elegantly this reader merely absorbs. Add to this an impressive cast of extras—all the way from Corin’s aunt Jessie, burdened with secrets of her own, to the distinctly dislikeable and racist town sheriff, to the Navajo Yiska—and you have a story that just gives and gives. Yes, there are tears, but ultimately, In A Town Called Paradox is about hope.
After reading In A Town Called Paradox, I will never look at the stars again without thinking of Ark Stevenson—and the stardust that lives within each and everyone of us.
Thank you, Ms Murcutt and Mr Starks, for an emotional, gripping an utterly rewarding read!
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
Allow me to introduce you to Corin Dunbar. She is twelve, angry, hurt and confused. Her mother has recently died and for some inexplicable reason the father she adores and idolises has packed her off to be brought up by his sister—in Utah. To Corin, that’s like being exiled to the moon. Plus, she has no idea what she’s done to have her father abandon her like this—and especially in a dump like Paradox.
But Paradox isn’t that much of a dump. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, Paradox sees a steady stream of visitors—people come all the way from Hollywood to shoot one successful Western movie after the other. The intrepid mayor of Paradox has invested heavily in creating the settings required to attract the film industry. Hollywood stars add a certain sizzle to life, and more or less every inhabitant in Paradox is at one time or another roped in to be an extra.
As the years pass, Corin’s emotional wounds heal—at least on the surface. She finds solace in the magnificent Utah landscape and in the life on the ranch her aunt owns. We are now in the early 1960s and girls are generally expected to grow up, marry and have babies. Corin has moments when she wants more out of life, and one day, she’s invited to come along to a star party—a party that will change her life forever.
Time to introduce Noah “Ark” Stevenson. When we first meet him, he is nine, angry, hurt and confused when his missionary parents decide to uproot him from the Amazon village he calls home and send him to England for adequate schooling. Where his parents detest the jungle, Ark loves it—except for the fact that he cannot see the stars from below the Amazonian canopy. And stars are Ark’s consuming passion—together with Western movies—which is why, many, many years later, he arrives in Paradox to teach the locals about the stars by arranging “star parties”.
Except in Paradox, a star party is a party with Hollywood stars.
Corin is entranced by this young Brit who speaks so passionately about the stars. Stardust, he tells her, we’re all made of stardust. And then he explains how the stars we see are ancient, ancient things, separated from the Earth by so many lightyears they may well have fizzled and died eons ago. But when a star dies, it emits matter—stardust—and this fine dust is in every atom, every particle. When we breathe, we ingest stardust. When we drink water, we swallow it down, thereby binding us to all the people who have lived before us and all who will come after.
His theories resonate with Corin, and soon enough these two young people are sharing all their secrets, all their pains and losses with each other. They fit together, somehow, and in a matter of months they marry. Happily Ever After awaits. Or not.
In a vivid prose that recreates the stunning Utah landscape, the damp green Amazonian jungle and the interiors of an English boarding school with similar ease, the authors deliver a story about life, about the brevity of it, and the sheer magnificence of it, no matter how short our allotted lifespan. It is also a story about love and how this complicated, tangled emotion can demand that we do things we did not believe ourselves capable of.
This is a book in which astronomical theory jostles for space with information about everything from the sad fate of the Navajo Nation to how to milk a bull of his semen. Not once does all this imparting of knowledge come close to a dreaded info-dump; it is all done so elegantly this reader merely absorbs. Add to this an impressive cast of extras—all the way from Corin’s aunt Jessie, burdened with secrets of her own, to the distinctly dislikeable and racist town sheriff, to the Navajo Yiska—and you have a story that just gives and gives. Yes, there are tears, but ultimately, In A Town Called Paradox is about hope.
After reading In A Town Called Paradox, I will never look at the stars again without thinking of Ark Stevenson—and the stardust that lives within each and everyone of us.
Thank you, Ms Murcutt and Mr Starks, for an emotional, gripping an utterly rewarding read!
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
December 9, 2020
This book is set in 1950s frontier town, a father lures Hollywood to the town to be used as a set. Overnight the town is transformed. Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson are common sightings and money is flowing in the town.
Told mainly by Corin whose mother passed away when she was young. She is enthralled with the Hollywood life and her future seems bright but an accident forces her to make a decision that will change the course of her life.
I enjoyed this book but not as much as I was hoping, it is a love story overall and I loved the setting and time period. It was a quick read.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ebook copy.
Told mainly by Corin whose mother passed away when she was young. She is enthralled with the Hollywood life and her future seems bright but an accident forces her to make a decision that will change the course of her life.
I enjoyed this book but not as much as I was hoping, it is a love story overall and I loved the setting and time period. It was a quick read.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ebook copy.
December 5, 2020
In a Town Called Paradox is an engaging, well-written novel, deserving of five stars.
February 27, 2021
This beautifully written novel takes place in Utah in the 1950s. The town of Paradox has just built an authentic looking town to try to lure the big movie studios to film their Westerns there. They are successful and the small town becomes a Mecca for films and tourists. This book is about the life of one of the residents -Corin.
As the novel begins, Corin's mother has just died and her father has sent her from their home in NYC to a small ranch outside of Paradox to live with an aunt that she has never met. Corin decides right from the beginning that she is going to hate Paradox and her aunt. When the studios start filming and she sees movie stars, Paradox begins to look better. Once she makes new friends and is popular in school she begins to really enjoy her life and starts working hard to make the ranch a success and get it out of the red. After dating a boy from school who is now a deputy, she meets and is immediately enthralled with Ark - a young man from England who always wanted to see where the Westerns were filmed. He is also a very intelligent astronomer. The town isn't real sure about him at first but they gradually accept him. Add to the mix, a Navajo who escaped from a prison work crew and you have everything you need for a fantastic character driven novel.
This novel ties a lot of threads together - growing up in a small Amazon village with missionary parents (Ark), growing up with a father who was a veterinarian (Corin), the pitfalls of cattle ranching, the gossip in a small town and how the town changes once the movies start filming, along with the racism and sexism of this time period. Everything is tied together and the novel has a sad but perfect ending. This book was full of fantastic characters as well as beautiful descriptions of the Utah desert. I hated to see it end and to say goodbye to characters that I'd come to know so well.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
As the novel begins, Corin's mother has just died and her father has sent her from their home in NYC to a small ranch outside of Paradox to live with an aunt that she has never met. Corin decides right from the beginning that she is going to hate Paradox and her aunt. When the studios start filming and she sees movie stars, Paradox begins to look better. Once she makes new friends and is popular in school she begins to really enjoy her life and starts working hard to make the ranch a success and get it out of the red. After dating a boy from school who is now a deputy, she meets and is immediately enthralled with Ark - a young man from England who always wanted to see where the Westerns were filmed. He is also a very intelligent astronomer. The town isn't real sure about him at first but they gradually accept him. Add to the mix, a Navajo who escaped from a prison work crew and you have everything you need for a fantastic character driven novel.
This novel ties a lot of threads together - growing up in a small Amazon village with missionary parents (Ark), growing up with a father who was a veterinarian (Corin), the pitfalls of cattle ranching, the gossip in a small town and how the town changes once the movies start filming, along with the racism and sexism of this time period. Everything is tied together and the novel has a sad but perfect ending. This book was full of fantastic characters as well as beautiful descriptions of the Utah desert. I hated to see it end and to say goodbye to characters that I'd come to know so well.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
March 17, 2022
This story is told from the perspective of folks that live in a fictional town, Paradox, and how the influx of Hollywood talent and money influences that small, rural town. The book is told from the different perspectives of each character - which in my opinion, illustrates each character's motivations. I enjoyed the atmospheric writing, and the Utah landscape is as much a part of the development of the characters as the characters themselves. Yes, there are descriptions about collecting bull semen, but I'm guessing that 50 years or so ago, it was much more dangerous that it is now and ends up casting Ark down the dark spiral that influences the outcome of the book. The event that involves an accident with the bull sets off existential issues that push the characters towards their final actions. Issues prevalent in the time, such as women's roles, sanitariums and involuntary commitments, rural law enforcement, racism towards Native Americans and sexual assault, actually work to meld each character's development, choices and outcomes, especially being told in those different point of views. The writing itself is descriptive and set the scene realistically - and I really wanted to taste one of those biscuits, haha! I could imagine the dust, the sun, the stars, and the ruts in the road. I was able to attend a book club meeting over Zoom that included the authors, and it was lovely to hear what their process was, especially since two of them wrote this. My favorite part? Yiska Begay, and his final scene. I cheered and laughed out loud. And, excellent use of the word "stotting" hahaha...perfect.
January 15, 2021
https://book-bucket.com/2021/01/16/in...
Set in the small desert town of Paradox, Utah, this is the story of Corin and Ark. Corin grew up in New York and has had to adjust to ranch life, while Ark was born to missionaries in tribal Africa. On opposite sides of the world they both lost parents and went to live with relatives in completely different environments to the ones they had grown up in. Eventually their paths cross and their story begins.
The book covers a lot of ground: loss; learning to adapt; the importance of belonging; racism; sexism and the hopelessness and helplessness that women experienced; the confining expectations and limited opportunities of living in a small community; science versus faith; and a few others. The book is mainly set in the 1950’s era when attitudes to almost every facet of life were very different, and particularly so in small towns.
I’m being careful not to give away spoiler details, but I loved Corin’s and Ark’s story line and where it took them and the decisions that needed to be made. Yiska’s story was particularly poignant. The injustices of the time were infuriating as well as heartbreaking. The subject matter covered has obviously been well researched and the book is well written.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
Set in the small desert town of Paradox, Utah, this is the story of Corin and Ark. Corin grew up in New York and has had to adjust to ranch life, while Ark was born to missionaries in tribal Africa. On opposite sides of the world they both lost parents and went to live with relatives in completely different environments to the ones they had grown up in. Eventually their paths cross and their story begins.
The book covers a lot of ground: loss; learning to adapt; the importance of belonging; racism; sexism and the hopelessness and helplessness that women experienced; the confining expectations and limited opportunities of living in a small community; science versus faith; and a few others. The book is mainly set in the 1950’s era when attitudes to almost every facet of life were very different, and particularly so in small towns.
I’m being careful not to give away spoiler details, but I loved Corin’s and Ark’s story line and where it took them and the decisions that needed to be made. Yiska’s story was particularly poignant. The injustices of the time were infuriating as well as heartbreaking. The subject matter covered has obviously been well researched and the book is well written.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
February 4, 2021
"We are all related," Ark said, "because we're all made of the same material. Stardust."
There was a lot to like in this short story. The growing up and the friendship story of Dottie and Corin is adorable and I love their friendship and Dottie's marriage gift. I liked the love story between Corin and her stargazer and I enjoyed their beginning meeting and courting. I even enjoyed the story about the farm, growing up with Jessie and then, even later, as Corin became an adult and her love for the farm and her want to make it survive.
However, the story got very confusing and messy at times. There was a lot about stars and space and sperm collection of farm animals (yuck). Then the story was suddenly about social injustice and corruption in the police force and the jail (and even the city officials). It was also a story about rape, about assisted suicide and religion. There was a lot packed in the last few 100 pages, probably too much to truly tackle any topic really well. And I really hated the betrayal at the end - just to burn some papers. All in all, it was okay but I didn't love it.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
There was a lot to like in this short story. The growing up and the friendship story of Dottie and Corin is adorable and I love their friendship and Dottie's marriage gift. I liked the love story between Corin and her stargazer and I enjoyed their beginning meeting and courting. I even enjoyed the story about the farm, growing up with Jessie and then, even later, as Corin became an adult and her love for the farm and her want to make it survive.
However, the story got very confusing and messy at times. There was a lot about stars and space and sperm collection of farm animals (yuck). Then the story was suddenly about social injustice and corruption in the police force and the jail (and even the city officials). It was also a story about rape, about assisted suicide and religion. There was a lot packed in the last few 100 pages, probably too much to truly tackle any topic really well. And I really hated the betrayal at the end - just to burn some papers. All in all, it was okay but I didn't love it.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
August 27, 2022
Wow! what a good book, it seemed so real to me. The book is based in Utah and is so familiar, the authors did a great job with their research and I appreciated that. It started well and kept its pace and tied together 3 different characters so well. I loved how they portrayed the town, the townspeople, and the time frame. You will be sad, happy, and angry while reading this book and that is what makes it so good to me. If you are looking for a fluffy love story this is not for you, because like I said I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. Great read.
I WASN’T looking for Marilyn Monroe even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return... So begins In A Town Called Paradox – set in Utah during the 1950s when the Big Five Hollywood studios arrived to film their blockbuster movies.
Corin Dunbar – banished to live with her aunt Jessie, an obsessively religious spinster who runs a failing cattle ranch in Utah – hates her new life until Hollywood transforms the rural backwater of Paradox into a playground for glamorous stars. Seduced by the glitz, Corin finds work in the movies, but after a brush with the casting couch channels her growing ambition into saving the ranch—the jewel of the Dunbar family for three generations.
When Corin falls for Ark Stevenson – a charismatic stranger drawn to Paradox by his fascination with the movies that are filmed there – her future seems bright. That’s not the outlook facing Yiska Begay, a Navajo on the run from prison.
These three different lives unexpectedly collide as each of them seeks their own kind of freedom: Corin is determined to cast off the restrictions imposed on her by society; Ark yearns for a spiritual freedom after he suffers a horrific accident; and Yiska is desperate to regain the physical freedom he has unjustly lost.
In a gripping climax, Corin is faced with an agonizing dilemma. She can win them the freedoms they crave – but only at a heartbreaking cost?
Told mainly by Corin – now a middle-aged woman still haunted by her decision – In A Town Called Paradox is a poignant love story that explores some of the ideas and beliefs that shape our lives as it asks the question: If each of us has a life story, who determines how it unfolds – and how it should end?
I WASN’T looking for Marilyn Monroe even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return... So begins In A Town Called Paradox – set in Utah during the 1950s when the Big Five Hollywood studios arrived to film their blockbuster movies.
Corin Dunbar – banished to live with her aunt Jessie, an obsessively religious spinster who runs a failing cattle ranch in Utah – hates her new life until Hollywood transforms the rural backwater of Paradox into a playground for glamorous stars. Seduced by the glitz, Corin finds work in the movies, but after a brush with the casting couch channels her growing ambition into saving the ranch—the jewel of the Dunbar family for three generations.
When Corin falls for Ark Stevenson – a charismatic stranger drawn to Paradox by his fascination with the movies that are filmed there – her future seems bright. That’s not the outlook facing Yiska Begay, a Navajo on the run from prison.
These three different lives unexpectedly collide as each of them seeks their own kind of freedom: Corin is determined to cast off the restrictions imposed on her by society; Ark yearns for a spiritual freedom after he suffers a horrific accident; and Yiska is desperate to regain the physical freedom he has unjustly lost.
In a gripping climax, Corin is faced with an agonizing dilemma. She can win them the freedoms they crave – but only at a heartbreaking cost?
Told mainly by Corin – now a middle-aged woman still haunted by her decision – In A Town Called Paradox is a poignant love story that explores some of the ideas and beliefs that shape our lives as it asks the question: If each of us has a life story, who determines how it unfolds – and how it should end?
December 29, 2021
The setting is a fictional Utah town called Paradox, obviously based on small towns in Southern Utah where movies were made in the 1950s. I like reading books that are set in Utah. I like the descriptions of areas where I've been to and know about in stories, and I like to see how Utah affects characters in different times.
I found the story uneven (maybe because there are two authors?) My favorite voice was Corin. The other four sections fit in to Corin's life, but had different narrators. There were long sections of exposition on all kinds of tangents that I learned to skip over. (Bulls, astronomy, missionaries in South America etc.) I liked the ending.
I found the story uneven (maybe because there are two authors?) My favorite voice was Corin. The other four sections fit in to Corin's life, but had different narrators. There were long sections of exposition on all kinds of tangents that I learned to skip over. (Bulls, astronomy, missionaries in South America etc.) I liked the ending.
August 9, 2022
Read this for book club. Cant wait to discuss on Monday. Dont want to spoil it for anyone. Book club was awesome the authors Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks participated via Zoom. During the discussion they shared their background and what led them to write A Town Called Paradox. It was so fun and interesting to get everyone's take on the characters and how they all tied together. It is a fictional town in Utah with a bit of real history thrown in. Looking forward to their next book together. Definitely highly recommend this book. It has a bit of everything a reader could want. Thank you both for joining our discussion today.
June 16, 2022
What a great read! The characters are truly memorable. When the book ended I didn't want to say goodbye to most of them. There are so many great historical angles woven into the story. It's especially interesting to learn about the early history of the film industry in Utah. This book is a true sleeper - so don't miss out!
Perfect choice for a book club!
Perfect choice for a book club!
December 29, 2020
(review in progress)
December 6, 2020
I read In a Town Called Paradox shortly after reading Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire, set in the same geographic area. Paradox is, in part, the story of how cowboy movies began to be made in Utah—which is diametrically opposed to Abbey’s vision of the West, particularly those areas set aside in National Parks. I grew up in Blanding, Utah during the time in which both books were set—which might explain why I enjoyed them.
In a Town Called Paradox three lives intersect: Corin, who, when her mother dies, is sent to live with her aunt Jessie on a cattle ranch that’s on it’s last legs; Ark, a young man raised by missionaries in the Amazon then sent to boarding school in England; and Yiska Begay, an innocent Navajo sent to jail on a trumped up charge, then sentenced to life imprisonment for killing another inmate in self defense.
In the 1950s, a town father decides to lure Hollywood producers into Paradox by building a fake frontier town to be used as a set. Overnight, Paradox changes. Sightings of stars like Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson become commonplace, and money from Hollywood pours in, allowing the little town to prosper.
Corin falls in love with Ark when he arrives to give a different kind of star-sighting—the heavenly bodies above. A tragic accident wrecks their young marriage. At this point, the third person enters the stage, Yiska Begay. Though the convergence of these three lives seems unlikely, authors Starks and Murcutt pull it off successfully.
In a Town Called Paradox three lives intersect: Corin, who, when her mother dies, is sent to live with her aunt Jessie on a cattle ranch that’s on it’s last legs; Ark, a young man raised by missionaries in the Amazon then sent to boarding school in England; and Yiska Begay, an innocent Navajo sent to jail on a trumped up charge, then sentenced to life imprisonment for killing another inmate in self defense.
In the 1950s, a town father decides to lure Hollywood producers into Paradox by building a fake frontier town to be used as a set. Overnight, Paradox changes. Sightings of stars like Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson become commonplace, and money from Hollywood pours in, allowing the little town to prosper.
Corin falls in love with Ark when he arrives to give a different kind of star-sighting—the heavenly bodies above. A tragic accident wrecks their young marriage. At this point, the third person enters the stage, Yiska Begay. Though the convergence of these three lives seems unlikely, authors Starks and Murcutt pull it off successfully.
January 14, 2021
3.4 Stars
The book is set in a town called Paradox and deals with the lives of its people. Corin is sent from NYC to Paradox in southeast Utah after the death of her mother. She has to live with Aunt Jessie, a spinster, and a religious rancher.
As the town’s Mayor builds an entire new town, and names it Eldorado to attract the Hollywood, life chances for the townsfolk. We see Corin grow up, try a hand at acting, and get back to ranching. We see her relationship with Cal and the entry of Ark. We see Ark’s childhood and how it shaped his ideas.
Life changes when Corin and Ark get married and tragedy strikes soon after.
Yiska, a Navajo Indian, enters the town, and we get to see his past struggles.
A few more POVs are thrown in to give us more background details about different characters whose past actions have impacted others’ lives.
The book starts out very well, interesting and engaging. But from part two, it starts to have too much information, literally dumped on the readers.
Around 55%, the book picks up again, falls a bit, and gets better until it ends on a flat note. After reading almost 300 pages, I was surprised to see that the book just ended. The ending was incomplete, with some information left for the readers to assume as they seemed fit.
While the characters were etched well, the narration wasn’t as gripping. The book sure had its moments, but the overall effect was just about average. There was a lot of filler (imagine sharing two full chapters about a bull to set the stage for the coming twist). I mean, give us a gist, and we’d have still understood.
A whole lot of research has been done about Native Americans. It certainly must be applauded. But the tone of the presentation had to suit the book. It resembled non-fiction more than fiction. The book has quite a few places where it reads like non-fiction rather than fiction. That made the book dry even when it was supposed to be emotional and even passionate about the injustice faced by women and the Native Americans.
Overall, it was a decent book that taught me something new but not strong enough to make a lasting impression.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Prestwicke Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#InaTownCalledParadox #NetGalley
P.S: It’s sad that the authors couldn’t find the contribution of ancient Bharat when talking about the stars and universe in the book.
The book is set in a town called Paradox and deals with the lives of its people. Corin is sent from NYC to Paradox in southeast Utah after the death of her mother. She has to live with Aunt Jessie, a spinster, and a religious rancher.
As the town’s Mayor builds an entire new town, and names it Eldorado to attract the Hollywood, life chances for the townsfolk. We see Corin grow up, try a hand at acting, and get back to ranching. We see her relationship with Cal and the entry of Ark. We see Ark’s childhood and how it shaped his ideas.
Life changes when Corin and Ark get married and tragedy strikes soon after.
Yiska, a Navajo Indian, enters the town, and we get to see his past struggles.
A few more POVs are thrown in to give us more background details about different characters whose past actions have impacted others’ lives.
The book starts out very well, interesting and engaging. But from part two, it starts to have too much information, literally dumped on the readers.
Around 55%, the book picks up again, falls a bit, and gets better until it ends on a flat note. After reading almost 300 pages, I was surprised to see that the book just ended. The ending was incomplete, with some information left for the readers to assume as they seemed fit.
While the characters were etched well, the narration wasn’t as gripping. The book sure had its moments, but the overall effect was just about average. There was a lot of filler (imagine sharing two full chapters about a bull to set the stage for the coming twist). I mean, give us a gist, and we’d have still understood.
A whole lot of research has been done about Native Americans. It certainly must be applauded. But the tone of the presentation had to suit the book. It resembled non-fiction more than fiction. The book has quite a few places where it reads like non-fiction rather than fiction. That made the book dry even when it was supposed to be emotional and even passionate about the injustice faced by women and the Native Americans.
Overall, it was a decent book that taught me something new but not strong enough to make a lasting impression.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Prestwicke Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#InaTownCalledParadox #NetGalley
P.S: It’s sad that the authors couldn’t find the contribution of ancient Bharat when talking about the stars and universe in the book.
November 26, 2020
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I found the book interesting and I wanted to keep reading to see where it went. I found the characters interesting and inspiring as many of them overcame adversity and loss in their lives. I was hopeful for a more stratifying ending but it rather fell flat for me. There were several great bits throughout the book and I enjoyed reading it.
March 25, 2024
If you've read any of my reviews in the past, you know I don't describe the plot. Rather I give you my impression of what it was like to read the book.
This book is well written and the characters are lifelike. The one thing that kept it from a five star rating was a lack of flow. There were fact filled paragraphs that took me out of the book's atmosphere entirely. There were more than five characters and a lot of jumping between the chapters each one owned.
The romance was devine, raw and real but as pieceworked as a quilt by all the activitiy that broke into its telling. I felt robbed of the story I could have read.
This book is well written and the characters are lifelike. The one thing that kept it from a five star rating was a lack of flow. There were fact filled paragraphs that took me out of the book's atmosphere entirely. There were more than five characters and a lot of jumping between the chapters each one owned.
The romance was devine, raw and real but as pieceworked as a quilt by all the activitiy that broke into its telling. I felt robbed of the story I could have read.
January 25, 2021
I enjoyed this book and read it in one day. It's the story of a young girl, Corin, who is sent from the East Coast to rural Utah to live with her Aunt Jessie after her mother dies. Grieving and angry, she struggles to settle in there, but by the time she is a teen, she's found her place in the town of Paradox, where Hollywood stars and production companies come to make cowboy movies, party, and enrich the town with their money. Through the 1950s and 60s, Corin grows up, falls in love, and explores what it means to be a woman in that time and place.
There are a lot of subplots and other characters; maybe a few too many for such a short book, but each one was interesting. The son of missionaries trying to convert the indigenous people of the Amazon is sent to boarding school in England, pursues astronomy, and eventually ends up in Paradox. A Navajo man escapes from prison and is pursued by the local racist cops. A Marilyn Monroe wannabe spends her teens and early 20s trying to make it as a star by taking bit parts in movies filmed in Paradox. Three generations of corrupt cops rule Paradox. All of these threads eventually come together in the breathless final chapters of the story. I read several reviewers that said they found the ending disappointing or too abrupt, so I was expecting that, but for me, it was satisfying. I closed the book at 3:30 am feeling like it was well worth my late night.
I will say it was rather an unusual mix of longish didactic sections on a variety of subjects (eg., animal husbandry, astronomy, the Yanomami people of the Amazon basin, the criminal treatment of Indigenous Americans by white people) and plot-driven fiction. It worked for me, because I find most of those topics of interest, but I haven't read many other books like that. Usually when fiction authors want to introduce a topic you might not know much about, they intersperse the information throughout in small bits, usually from the mouths of the characters. This author used larger chunks and often as intros to chapters, which has the benefit of allowing you to skim topics that don't interest you and get back to the plot. Like, it's enough to know that Ark is into stars in a big way without having to read every word about all the constellations.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. I liked the focus on what that era was like for women. TW: There is a gang rape scene. I don't like those, but I could see it coming a mile off and just skipped past it. If the author writes another novel, I'm likely to pick it up.
I received this ARC from NetGalley.
There are a lot of subplots and other characters; maybe a few too many for such a short book, but each one was interesting. The son of missionaries trying to convert the indigenous people of the Amazon is sent to boarding school in England, pursues astronomy, and eventually ends up in Paradox. A Navajo man escapes from prison and is pursued by the local racist cops. A Marilyn Monroe wannabe spends her teens and early 20s trying to make it as a star by taking bit parts in movies filmed in Paradox. Three generations of corrupt cops rule Paradox. All of these threads eventually come together in the breathless final chapters of the story. I read several reviewers that said they found the ending disappointing or too abrupt, so I was expecting that, but for me, it was satisfying. I closed the book at 3:30 am feeling like it was well worth my late night.
I will say it was rather an unusual mix of longish didactic sections on a variety of subjects (eg., animal husbandry, astronomy, the Yanomami people of the Amazon basin, the criminal treatment of Indigenous Americans by white people) and plot-driven fiction. It worked for me, because I find most of those topics of interest, but I haven't read many other books like that. Usually when fiction authors want to introduce a topic you might not know much about, they intersperse the information throughout in small bits, usually from the mouths of the characters. This author used larger chunks and often as intros to chapters, which has the benefit of allowing you to skim topics that don't interest you and get back to the plot. Like, it's enough to know that Ark is into stars in a big way without having to read every word about all the constellations.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. I liked the focus on what that era was like for women. TW: There is a gang rape scene. I don't like those, but I could see it coming a mile off and just skipped past it. If the author writes another novel, I'm likely to pick it up.
I received this ARC from NetGalley.
January 8, 2021
3.5/5
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It took me a few tries to fully sink my teeth into this one, it initially seemed a bit disjointed. However, when the story started unfolding, what I thought was a confusing back and forth, all seemed to come together like a tricky, but well thought out puzzle. Kudos to Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks.
Corin has her everyday life in NYC ripped away, when her mother falls sick and dies and her father sends her to live with a long lost Aunt in Utah. Through her love of animals, instilled in her by her zoo veterinarian father, Corin and her Aunt Jessie begin to find some common ground and Corin even begins to find that ranch life agrees with her. Day to day life becomes more interesting when their small town of Paradox becomes the go to Hollywood filming site of American Westerns.
Then we meet Ark, real name Noah, who is raised in the jungles of Africa with his missionary parents. He is shipped off to boarding school in England where he is to be given a “proper education”. During this time his parents pass due to tribal unrest leaving him an orphan at only 15. Astronomy becomes his first love and he is so taken by the films filmed in Paradise, he relocates to check out the vast skies of Utah.
Then there is Yiska. Though both Ark and Corin’s lives are marked by loss and grief none seem quite so tragic as what Yiska has endured. He is displaced Navajo, turned Korean War hero, and now sadly a prison inmate.
When the three main characters lives eventually intertwine, the result is both heartbreaking and liberating.
I would have given this a 4/5 but found much of the info dry which unfortunately took away from the overall effectiveness of the plot. I do give kudos to the authors for how extensively they clearly researched all subjects presented, as A Town Called Paradox covers a lot of ground.
I would definitely recommend!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It took me a few tries to fully sink my teeth into this one, it initially seemed a bit disjointed. However, when the story started unfolding, what I thought was a confusing back and forth, all seemed to come together like a tricky, but well thought out puzzle. Kudos to Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks.
Corin has her everyday life in NYC ripped away, when her mother falls sick and dies and her father sends her to live with a long lost Aunt in Utah. Through her love of animals, instilled in her by her zoo veterinarian father, Corin and her Aunt Jessie begin to find some common ground and Corin even begins to find that ranch life agrees with her. Day to day life becomes more interesting when their small town of Paradox becomes the go to Hollywood filming site of American Westerns.
Then we meet Ark, real name Noah, who is raised in the jungles of Africa with his missionary parents. He is shipped off to boarding school in England where he is to be given a “proper education”. During this time his parents pass due to tribal unrest leaving him an orphan at only 15. Astronomy becomes his first love and he is so taken by the films filmed in Paradise, he relocates to check out the vast skies of Utah.
Then there is Yiska. Though both Ark and Corin’s lives are marked by loss and grief none seem quite so tragic as what Yiska has endured. He is displaced Navajo, turned Korean War hero, and now sadly a prison inmate.
When the three main characters lives eventually intertwine, the result is both heartbreaking and liberating.
I would have given this a 4/5 but found much of the info dry which unfortunately took away from the overall effectiveness of the plot. I do give kudos to the authors for how extensively they clearly researched all subjects presented, as A Town Called Paradox covers a lot of ground.
I would definitely recommend!
January 8, 2021
3.5/5
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It took me a few tries to fully sink my teeth into this one, it initially seemed a bit disjointed. However, when the story started unfolding, what I thought was a confusing back and forth, all seemed to come together like a tricky, but well thought out puzzle. Kudos to Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks.
Corin has her everyday life in NYC ripped away, when her mother falls sick and dies and her father sends her to live with a long lost Aunt in Utah. Through her love of animals, instilled in her by her zoo veterinarian father, Corin and her Aunt Jessie begin to find some common ground and Corin even begins to find that ranch life agrees with her. Day to day life becomes more interesting when their small town of Paradox becomes the go to Hollywood filming site of American Westerns.
Then we meet Ark, real name Noah, who is raised in the jungles of Africa with his missionary parents. He is shipped off to boarding school in England where he is to be given a “proper education”. During this time his parents pass due to tribal unrest leaving him an orphan at only 15. Astronomy becomes his first love and he is so taken by the films filmed in Paradise, he relocates to check out the vast skies of Utah.
Then there is Yiska. Though both Ark and Corin’s lives are marked by loss and grief none seem quite so tragic as what Yiska has endured. He is displaced Navajo, turned Korean War hero, and now sadly a prison inmate.
When the three main characters lives eventually intertwine, the result is both heartbreaking and liberating.
I would have given this a 4/5 but found much of the info dry which unfortunately took away from the overall effectiveness of the plot. I do give kudos to the authors for how extensively they clearly researched all subjects presented, as A Town Called Paradox covers a lot of ground.
I would definitely recommend!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It took me a few tries to fully sink my teeth into this one, it initially seemed a bit disjointed. However, when the story started unfolding, what I thought was a confusing back and forth, all seemed to come together like a tricky, but well thought out puzzle. Kudos to Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks.
Corin has her everyday life in NYC ripped away, when her mother falls sick and dies and her father sends her to live with a long lost Aunt in Utah. Through her love of animals, instilled in her by her zoo veterinarian father, Corin and her Aunt Jessie begin to find some common ground and Corin even begins to find that ranch life agrees with her. Day to day life becomes more interesting when their small town of Paradox becomes the go to Hollywood filming site of American Westerns.
Then we meet Ark, real name Noah, who is raised in the jungles of Africa with his missionary parents. He is shipped off to boarding school in England where he is to be given a “proper education”. During this time his parents pass due to tribal unrest leaving him an orphan at only 15. Astronomy becomes his first love and he is so taken by the films filmed in Paradise, he relocates to check out the vast skies of Utah.
Then there is Yiska. Though both Ark and Corin’s lives are marked by loss and grief none seem quite so tragic as what Yiska has endured. He is displaced Navajo, turned Korean War hero, and now sadly a prison inmate.
When the three main characters lives eventually intertwine, the result is both heartbreaking and liberating.
I would have given this a 4/5 but found much of the info dry which unfortunately took away from the overall effectiveness of the plot. I do give kudos to the authors for how extensively they clearly researched all subjects presented, as A Town Called Paradox covers a lot of ground.
I would definitely recommend!
November 20, 2020
“I wasn’t looking for Marilyn Monroe when I bumped into her, even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return…”
So begins In a Town Called Paradox, which asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end?
Set in the mid-1950s, in Utah. Around the time when Hollywood and Westerns were being filmed on location in old western towns or ones just built to look like an old town.
Corin Dunbar. After her mother died young, her father ships her off to her Aunt Jessie in Utah. On a cattle ranch with few cattle and a lot more projects than money.
Corin is angry that her father sent her away and has been letting that fester for a while now. Aunt Jessie seems very religious and has rules. Corin is the main person telling this story.
First, she hates Utah. She hates her circumstances. Until Hollywood arrives putting money into the town and bringing all the hot stars to town. The studios are in love with the scenery so almost overnight Paradox becomes something of a Paradox.
She isn’t interested in being in the movies. Not a fan of the casting couch, she instead decides to save the ranch. As she falls in love with the area, she also is falling for a stranger. A man raised by missionary parents who wants to see the West. Throw in the mix an escaped Native American, put in jail for a crime he never committed and there is some excitement going on.
I enjoyed this book so much. It asked some very interesting questions and I admit I pondered on them a lot. Through tragedies and surprise announcements, this had everything from police corruption, the good old boy network, how little power women had in this time, and the question.
Who does control my future choices? And everyone has an agenda.
Very Well Done!
NetGalley/ February 3rd, 2021 by Independent Book Publishers Association
So begins In a Town Called Paradox, which asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end?
Set in the mid-1950s, in Utah. Around the time when Hollywood and Westerns were being filmed on location in old western towns or ones just built to look like an old town.
Corin Dunbar. After her mother died young, her father ships her off to her Aunt Jessie in Utah. On a cattle ranch with few cattle and a lot more projects than money.
Corin is angry that her father sent her away and has been letting that fester for a while now. Aunt Jessie seems very religious and has rules. Corin is the main person telling this story.
First, she hates Utah. She hates her circumstances. Until Hollywood arrives putting money into the town and bringing all the hot stars to town. The studios are in love with the scenery so almost overnight Paradox becomes something of a Paradox.
She isn’t interested in being in the movies. Not a fan of the casting couch, she instead decides to save the ranch. As she falls in love with the area, she also is falling for a stranger. A man raised by missionary parents who wants to see the West. Throw in the mix an escaped Native American, put in jail for a crime he never committed and there is some excitement going on.
I enjoyed this book so much. It asked some very interesting questions and I admit I pondered on them a lot. Through tragedies and surprise announcements, this had everything from police corruption, the good old boy network, how little power women had in this time, and the question.
Who does control my future choices? And everyone has an agenda.
Very Well Done!
NetGalley/ February 3rd, 2021 by Independent Book Publishers Association
January 10, 2021
Corin Dunbar who is one of the main characters in this story which starts in the early to mid 1950's.
She is a New York girl from Yonkers whose life revolves around ballet and the fact that her father has to have one of the coolest jobs going in that he is a vet for the Bronx Zoo. So when Corin's friends are playing with stuff animals she gets to help with the real thing. Every thing seems to going well until at the young age of 38 her mother passes away. And for a double whammy her father as cold hearted as it seems sends her away just a month after her mother passes away, to live with her Aunt Jessie who lives on a ranch in Utah near a town called Paradox. This a little town whose coffers along with residents could all use extra money along with work for most of them. When the town mayor notices that there are other towns in the state have made money by opening their area to Hollywood to make movies. The mayor goes all by building a fake western town and it is not long and Hollywood shows up with all the big time movies stars and new up and comers to film western movies. This is a boon to the town and the people. This story revolves around these residents along with Corin and her growing up in to a women and struggles faces growing up and helping keep her aunt's ranch running. This has alot of movies stars from that era such as Marilyn Monroe, Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, and many others along with movies depending on your age of if your a movie fanatic that you will recognize. There are some moral issues that are involved in this story and a big one is about assisted suicide of one individual. This a good read and I would definitely recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and Prestwicke publishing for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
She is a New York girl from Yonkers whose life revolves around ballet and the fact that her father has to have one of the coolest jobs going in that he is a vet for the Bronx Zoo. So when Corin's friends are playing with stuff animals she gets to help with the real thing. Every thing seems to going well until at the young age of 38 her mother passes away. And for a double whammy her father as cold hearted as it seems sends her away just a month after her mother passes away, to live with her Aunt Jessie who lives on a ranch in Utah near a town called Paradox. This a little town whose coffers along with residents could all use extra money along with work for most of them. When the town mayor notices that there are other towns in the state have made money by opening their area to Hollywood to make movies. The mayor goes all by building a fake western town and it is not long and Hollywood shows up with all the big time movies stars and new up and comers to film western movies. This is a boon to the town and the people. This story revolves around these residents along with Corin and her growing up in to a women and struggles faces growing up and helping keep her aunt's ranch running. This has alot of movies stars from that era such as Marilyn Monroe, Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, and many others along with movies depending on your age of if your a movie fanatic that you will recognize. There are some moral issues that are involved in this story and a big one is about assisted suicide of one individual. This a good read and I would definitely recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and Prestwicke publishing for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
January 7, 2021
Once again I have proven the old saying wrong. They say you can't judge a book by its cover. I was drawn to this book and by the title. Anything that takes place in a town called Paradox has to be interesting!
The storyline is very complex, as are the characters. It is difficult to try to summarize the plot without spoilers. The characters are all well developed and definitely three dimensional. The writing is vividly descriptive.
The plot takes several right turns which surprised me at the time. But, as I read on everything seems to fit. It seemed like a natural progression. But, still, the reader never knows which way it is heading.
I find this book a hard one to review. I enjoyed it immensely. It covers a wide range of subjects. The writing is outstanding. There are many threads to the story. It covers hardship, resiliency, a
love story, injustice towards the indigenous, Hollywood glamour, homosexuality, police corruption, Biblical beliefs vs scientific facts. When these threads are woven together they create this wonderful saga. Some heavy subjects are covered, all within relevance to the story.
Things I learned:
1. How to get a semen sample from a grumpy bull.
2. A lot about the stars in our galaxy.
3. What it is like to take a trip down the Amazon, deep,
deep, deep into the jungle.
4. The gospel truth isn't always the gospel truth,
according to the gospels.
I was sorry to see this book end. The ending was satisfying but I still wanted more time with the characters. Paradox will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy of this book.
The storyline is very complex, as are the characters. It is difficult to try to summarize the plot without spoilers. The characters are all well developed and definitely three dimensional. The writing is vividly descriptive.
The plot takes several right turns which surprised me at the time. But, as I read on everything seems to fit. It seemed like a natural progression. But, still, the reader never knows which way it is heading.
I find this book a hard one to review. I enjoyed it immensely. It covers a wide range of subjects. The writing is outstanding. There are many threads to the story. It covers hardship, resiliency, a
love story, injustice towards the indigenous, Hollywood glamour, homosexuality, police corruption, Biblical beliefs vs scientific facts. When these threads are woven together they create this wonderful saga. Some heavy subjects are covered, all within relevance to the story.
Things I learned:
1. How to get a semen sample from a grumpy bull.
2. A lot about the stars in our galaxy.
3. What it is like to take a trip down the Amazon, deep,
deep, deep into the jungle.
4. The gospel truth isn't always the gospel truth,
according to the gospels.
I was sorry to see this book end. The ending was satisfying but I still wanted more time with the characters. Paradox will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy of this book.
January 15, 2021
Corin and Noah (Ark) start their stories on opposite sides of the world, but they live beneath the same sky and are drawn together by the same stars. We're transported to a time of Marilyn Monroe in the the wild west of America in the 50s and 60s. However, this story is not one of glitz and glamour as we follow Corin's life upturned when she is shipped over to live with her aunt Jessie in Paradox. Parallel, Ark is sent away from his missionary parents to a boarding school in England that shapes him into the physicist who will meet Corin at a Star Party.
This book discusses racial discriminisation, gender prejudice and injustice in a thoughtful way. I think this books confronts the, "American Dream" and makes the reader question how glamorous it ever really was. At times heartbreaking, the author tells us about the hardest decisions and some of the tenderest acts of love.
This books covers a lot of ground and the central story of Corin, Ark, Jessie and Yiska is intricate and thoughtful. I felt a few peripheral characters lacked depth and served mainly to progress the plot. There are certain revelations further into the book that left me asking why? It didn't add much to the story. I also felt that some information seemed to be revealed conveniently when there was little reason a person would actually reveal that much.
Whilst at points I felt some characters were a little flat on the page, I enjoyed this book. It was a thoughtful, emotive read that transported me away from rainy England and I would recommend this book to a lot of friends.
Trigger warning/ SPOILER:
This books does include a rape scene.
This book discusses racial discriminisation, gender prejudice and injustice in a thoughtful way. I think this books confronts the, "American Dream" and makes the reader question how glamorous it ever really was. At times heartbreaking, the author tells us about the hardest decisions and some of the tenderest acts of love.
This books covers a lot of ground and the central story of Corin, Ark, Jessie and Yiska is intricate and thoughtful. I felt a few peripheral characters lacked depth and served mainly to progress the plot. There are certain revelations further into the book that left me asking why? It didn't add much to the story. I also felt that some information seemed to be revealed conveniently when there was little reason a person would actually reveal that much.
Whilst at points I felt some characters were a little flat on the page, I enjoyed this book. It was a thoughtful, emotive read that transported me away from rainy England and I would recommend this book to a lot of friends.
Trigger warning/ SPOILER:
This books does include a rape scene.
May 25, 2022
Probably one of the best novels that I have read in years! I was transfixed from the first page until the last. These are some of the most wonderful characters and a really engrossing story that just draws you in deeper and deeper.
And one of the best characters is the setting itself - the small town of Paradox, Utah. Set in the 1950s, the little town shines as the backdrop for big Hollywood stars of the era who descend on the town and its made-for-Hollywood town of Eldorado on its outskirts - itself a fake old-West backdrop wherein the filming is done.
But there is nothing fake about this story. It is achingly real and the characters are so well drawn. Miriam Murcutt is a masterful storyteller. There is love and loss, friendship and betrayal, honor, duty, and redemption. There's also astonomy, lessons in animal husbandry (who knew?), and a good dose of searching philosophy and the meaning of life! The goodness of people shines and the meanness of the antagonists seethes and it all comes together in a fabulous ending that is heartstopping in its intensity.
I loved every minute of it, and I am sad it's over. Anyone of a certain age (I am 75 y/o) will appreciate the Hollywood names that are dropped in this novel. But, you don't have to be old to love this novel. Its story is timeless. I intend to gift it to my 21 year-old granddaughter, who I am sure will appreciate its beauty as I do.
I highly recommend In a Town Called Paradox by Miram Mucutt!!!
And one of the best characters is the setting itself - the small town of Paradox, Utah. Set in the 1950s, the little town shines as the backdrop for big Hollywood stars of the era who descend on the town and its made-for-Hollywood town of Eldorado on its outskirts - itself a fake old-West backdrop wherein the filming is done.
But there is nothing fake about this story. It is achingly real and the characters are so well drawn. Miriam Murcutt is a masterful storyteller. There is love and loss, friendship and betrayal, honor, duty, and redemption. There's also astonomy, lessons in animal husbandry (who knew?), and a good dose of searching philosophy and the meaning of life! The goodness of people shines and the meanness of the antagonists seethes and it all comes together in a fabulous ending that is heartstopping in its intensity.
I loved every minute of it, and I am sad it's over. Anyone of a certain age (I am 75 y/o) will appreciate the Hollywood names that are dropped in this novel. But, you don't have to be old to love this novel. Its story is timeless. I intend to gift it to my 21 year-old granddaughter, who I am sure will appreciate its beauty as I do.
I highly recommend In a Town Called Paradox by Miram Mucutt!!!
December 26, 2020
In a Town Called Paradox is a very complex and engaging story. I was captivated at once by the opening of the book: “I wasn’t looking for Marilyn Monroe when I bumped into her, even though I knew she was in town filming River of No Return.”
When Hollywood comes to this small town to film western movies, the whole place is transformed, as are the hopes and dreams of so many of the residents. Some just appreciate the uptick in economics as more people stay in local motels and eat at local restaurants, but for some the call of stardom is strong.
The story, told from the primary POV of Corin Dunbar, who is sent to live with her aunt in Utah after her mother dies, asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end? Is it the fiction ending of so many of the movies that Corin and her friend go watch being filmed? Or is it an ending determined by our choices and actions?
The answers to those questions don't come easily, challenging Corin and the whole cast of characters at every turn.
This is not a lighthearted read, but a very satisfying one.
When Hollywood comes to this small town to film western movies, the whole place is transformed, as are the hopes and dreams of so many of the residents. Some just appreciate the uptick in economics as more people stay in local motels and eat at local restaurants, but for some the call of stardom is strong.
The story, told from the primary POV of Corin Dunbar, who is sent to live with her aunt in Utah after her mother dies, asks the question: If each of us has a life story, then who determines how it unfolds and how it should end? Is it the fiction ending of so many of the movies that Corin and her friend go watch being filmed? Or is it an ending determined by our choices and actions?
The answers to those questions don't come easily, challenging Corin and the whole cast of characters at every turn.
This is not a lighthearted read, but a very satisfying one.
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