The Year It Snowed in April [Paperback]

Eva Bottiér (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2010

Avery Benjamin Clarke is a shy and demure boy, raised in the upper middle classed home of his maternal grandparents from the day he was born.  He’s a straight “A” student and a model child who has never given his family an ounce of trouble. Then one Easter Sunday, his wayward mother, Carla, returns to his grandparents’ brownstone.  When an unexpected tragedy strikes, Avery is forced to live with Carla permanently. Soon after, his life begins a swift downward spiral as she introduces him to a world of dysfunction and darkness.

 

As Avery grows into a young man, he is determined to hide the secrets he’s accumulated from the world. He struggles to suppress his psychosis and obtain some sense of normalcy in his life. But when the tables are turned yet again, Avery is given crosses no young person should ever have to bear. Will he ultimately delve within himself for the strength and sanity that was stolen from him or will he awaken the monster that has been lurking beneath the surface created by years of suffering and abuse?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This uneven debut novel begins in the heart of the African-American community in Harlem, circa 1983, where Avery Clarke, 13, is living with his grandparents. His mother, Carla, long ago rejected her upwardly mobile family and the responsibilities of motherhood for drugs and alcohol. Avery comes across as too good to be true: a straight-A student who avoided conflict and never wanted to cause anyone any unnecessary strife or irritation. Then Carla shows up, and concerned that her son may be too sheltered and even gay, she begins having him come over to her apartment for profanity-filled conversations, cigarettes, and pot. At a frankly unbelievable pace, Avery begins cussing his grandparents, getting into fights, and having an incestuous relationship with mom. Melodramatic events pile up, leaving Avery in Carla's care and the abuses subsequently spiral out of control. There is no suspense because it's clear early on that nothing good can come from Avery living with his mother. Despite some good dialogue and a well-drawn Manhattan setting, the story remains unfocused, with too many plot lines. (Apr.)
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About the Author

Eva Bottíer is the pen name for Michelle Valentine, the author of A GIRL'S GOTTA EAT and the co-author of Essence bestselling INSATIABLE with Heather Hunter. A cum laude graduate of Marymount College, she has been in the entertainment industry for many years and lives with her family in New York.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (March 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312360606
• ISBN-13: 978-0312360603
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stolen Innocence, March 30, 2010

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Year It Snowed in April (Paperback)

Carla Clarke is a rebellious teenager and at the age of fifteen, she gives birth to a son, Avery Benjamin Clarke. Leading her life down a destructive path and not having any desire to be a mother, Carla relinquishes her parental rights to her parents and moves away. Benjamin and Carolyn Clarke raise Avery in a loving and spiritual home. As he grows, he becomes a shy child, who makes excellent grades in school, never causing any problems for his grandparents. Avery loves his grandparents with all his heart and soul. On a snowy Easter Sunday, Carla surprisingly returns home. Although he accepts her lack of maternal instincts for him, he is fascinated by her and wants to spend as much time with her as possible.

One tragic night, Avery loses everything that means the world to him and is forced to move in with Carla. He hopes Carla will begin to show a hint of motherly love, but his hopes are shattered. Carla's erratic demeanor surfaces and Avery's safe and innocent childhood is stripped away from him forever. The emotional scars he suffered during his childhood extend over into adulthood and his secrets begin to take a toll on his behavior. But, just when he thinks his life is under control, his world is turned upside down again and this time he may never bounce back. My heart cried out for Avery and as for Carla I felt anger. How much emotional and physical pain can a child endure?

Bottier creates an engrossing and sensitive novel of a little boy whose safe and happy life is destroyed by his evil mother. She develops the characters with a sense of realness and the story intensifies on every page. An added bonus is a twist that I didn't see coming. THE YEAR IT SNOWED IN APRIL is sure to please the palettes of many fiction readers.

Reviewed by Sharon Lewis
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fascinating character study, April 1, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Year It Snowed in April (Paperback)

In Harlem, his maternal grandparents raised Avery Benjamin Clarke in a protective middle class environs. Although shy by nature he was doing okay obtaining excellent grades at school and was a nice respectful child at home.

Now in 1983, thirteen years old, Avery is stunned when his mother Carla arrives at her parents' brownstone as she abandoned him years ago. She worries that her parents have ruined her son turning him gay with their over protectiveness. She has him visit her at her place where he is introduced to pot, cigarettes, and alcohol. He learns cursing is the most frequently used descriptors and modifiers. Avery takes his lessons with him as he soon gets into fights at school and in the neighborhood and shouts profanity at his caring shocked grandparents. However, his spiral downward has just begun as Carla has a mission to insure her son is straight.

The Year It Snowed in April is a fascinating character study that focuses on negative nurturing as an adult can lead a child down a path of destruction. The story line is driven by the cast especially Avery who goes from encouraged pampered child to abuse victim learning to abuse others. Although so much is dumped on Avery the pile is higher than Morningside Heights, readers will appreciate this tense tale of how a good young person is taught to be ugly.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Read! It made me cry!, August 1, 2010

By 

J. Adams - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Year It Snowed in April (Paperback)

This book started a little slow but when it picked it I couldn't put it down. I wanted to kill Carla myself! A child with so much potential destroyed by a greedy, unloving mother. SMH!!