“They were a sorry lot,” Mason quips in a sharp yet emphatic introduction of 24-year-old German soldier, Bernhardt, fighting for survival in war-torn Tunisia. Watching his comrades die, Bernhardt begins questioning the Nazi ideals he had been indoctrinated with as his disillusioned sense of duty dawns on him: his life has always been dictated—by family, military hierarchy, and “the faceless old men” driving the war. Ironically, his capture by British and American forces ultimately offers him a sense of relief—though his future as a prisoner is uncertain. Mason fast forwards from there to 12-year-old Joseph Holliman, abused by his tyrannical father, who, through an act of resistance, marks a pivotal encounter with Frank, a gruff but compassionate man offering him a different life.Mason (author of EO-N) weaponizes profound symbolism and poignant prose to unite Joseph and Bernhardt’s struggles of being trapped in oppressive systems that deny them autonomy and their quest to reclaim some sense of identity. The pacing, patient but never sluggish, excels in its visceral depiction of violence—“the fractured, the burnt, the crushed and torn”—but its focal point is the endearing characters’ existential battles within. Bernhardt epitomizes the collective loss of faith in a cause for which dehumanized soldiers had been willing to risk their lives, while Joseph represents societal neglect of the most vulnerable. The narrative picks up when both attempt to carve a new life for themselves.
The tone, often gritty and grounded—“things people die from aren’t necessarily the things that kill ‘em” a character muses—softens in moments of reflection and human connection. "Sometimes you gotta be where you don’t wanna be, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leave whenever you want,” Frank says, inspiring hope in an otherwise bleak world. Lovers of historical fiction rich with wisdom will find this book haunting but healing.
Takeaway: Captivating study of the futility of war and the emotional toll of violence.
Comparable Titles: Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
An evocative and deeply moving novel that explores the intertwined fates of its characters against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath. Mason, whose meticulous attention to detail and emotional depth was evident in his multi-award-winning debut novel EO-N again delivers a narrative that is both harrowing and uplifting, capturing the complexities of the human experience when faced with heart-breaking tragedy.
Between the Clouds and the River is structured around the lives of two main characters: Joseph Holliman, a young boy grappling with an abusive father and the loss of his mother, and Bernhardt Lang, a German officer who has confronted the brutal realities of war. The story spans many decades and alternates between disparate timelines, weaving a tapestry of events from the North African desert to post-war civilian life as Bernhardt’s story unfolds.
Joseph’s story is heart-wrenching. Subjected to his father’s cruel and twisted form of punishment he struggles to find solace and meaning in a world that often feels hostile leading him to acts of vandalism. Mason’s depiction of Joseph’s internal world is both vivid and haunting, making readers feel his pain and resilience deeply.
Bernhardt’s story, on the other hand, provides a stark contrast. As a soldier, he faced the external horrors of war, witnessing atrocities that challenged his morality and humanity. His journey from the battlefield to becoming a prisoner of war, and eventually, a man living in the wake of tragedy is compelling and thought-provoking.
Central to “Between the Clouds and the River” are the themes of survival—both physical and emotional and family. Mason explores how his characters cope with trauma, loss, and the search for identity in a fractured world. The motifs of water and clouds are recurrent throughout the novel, symbolizing the fluidity of life and the often elusive nature of peace and understanding.
Mason’s writing is both lyrical and precise. He excels in creating atmospheric settings that immerse the reader fully into the scene, whether it be the aftermath of desert warfare or the oppressive coldness of Joseph’s family home. His character development is equally impressive, with each figure feeling well-rounded, real and resonating with authenticity. Add to this Mason’s ability to weave complex themes into a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally rich and in bringing the lives of seemingly disparate characters together he’s created an authentic slice of literary magic
A compelling and poignant novel that is sure to resonate with those who appreciate historical fiction that delves deep into the heart of its characters and their experiences Between the Clouds and the River is an unreservedly recommended Golden Quill read.
In Between the Clouds and the River, Paul is speaking.
“Maybe I don’t know who you and John are,” he said. “But I know what you are.”
Dave Mason catches us up with his gritty, elegant prose and carries us away, following the ultimately intertwined fortunes of Bernhardt Lang, a young soldier caught up in the dying stages of WWII in North Africa, John Steele, a former prisoner of war on the run in the rural US, and Frank Gardner, an aging Canadian. His construction is clever, multi-layered, and at times deliberately obscuring, but what is never obscured is that these men are thoughtful and generous, growing into strength and wisdom as the tragedy and joy of life unfolds.
Mason’s prose is masterful. He has a singular voice which takes the convention of the comma splice and throws it away to devastating effect. At first the long single sentences, almost paragraphs, may feel slightly daunting, but stick with them. They ebb and flow like the tide, sweeping you along on a wave of delectable, distinctive description and cleverly camouflaged life commentary. On Bernhardt’s capture he writes:
“Like dust covered sheep dogs with tin helmets and bayonets, about two dozen loudly barking British soldiers had eventually rounded up Bernhardt and the others and pointed them in the same direction, and within an hour’s plodding march roughly eastwards under a blistering sun, they’d been joined by what looked to Bernhardt to be a few hundred more battered and downcast German and Italian prisoners.”
Whilst his subsequent shipwreck is described thus:
“On serene swells littered with bits of paper and clothing and cigarette packages and all manner of indeterminate odds and ends, men floated here and there, dead and alive and halfway between, no longer captors or prisoners, no longer Americans or Germans, just pathetic human specks bobbing on a vast nothingness, the sea their only enemy now.”
As Bernhardt Lang’s story unfolds, Frank Gardner is introduced, a man concerned for the welfare of others, in particular that of Joseph Holliman, a young boy whose fundamentalist Christian father is the brutal headmaster of the local school. Now Mason follows the fortunes of both Bernhardt and Frank in parallel. As Bernhardt’s story morphs into that of John Steele, who meets and falls quietly in love with a young woman named Helen, and Frank struggles to protect the clever, damaged Joseph from his own father, we are shown what the three men are, but never quite fully who they are. Their histories, although wholly entangled, are also partially hidden. Frank himself sums this up:
“History, he thought, is where facts go to become fiction.”
Mason’s text explores a number of themes: the nature of cruelty, and friendship, and how history shapes and transforms us. It does this not only through the unfolding of Bernhardt’s, John’s, and Frank’s stories, but via both Frank and Joseph’s exploration of literature. It says to us, we are what we read, so read well. When Joseph first discovers the joy of literature (it has been denied him because of his father’s fundamentalism) Mason writes:
“Cautiously and carefully, Joseph bent the worn front cover back and leafed through the first few pages.
“By the time his heavy eyelids asserted their irresistible will some ninety-five minutes later, he’d been in a world he’d never dreamed might exist, where they spoke in a way he’d never heard. He’d met a boy named Tom, and another named Huck, and they’d played a prank on a man named Jim. And right up to the moment that his thoughts had been consumed by the dark, Joseph had still been with them.”
On the nature of cruelty, it shows how some are raised in it and some revel in it, while others are driven to it. Driven to brutalize a helpless work horse named Betty Grable by his own uncontrollable circumstances, Bernhardt breaks down.
“In that moment of crazed fury, Bernhardt accidentally looked into Betty Grable’s eyes, and he suddenly understood that she was looking back at him. Instantly, he felt as if he’d become an observer instead of an active participant in the events unfolding in the mountain scrub. Through tears of rage, the reflection of his own insanity overwhelmed him, and he slumped to his knees, soul-deep anguish and sorrow and regret brought powerfully and unavoidably to the surface by her confused, pleading gaze.”
A discussion on friendship runs:
“Can’t choose your friends either.”
“Huh?” Joseph looked up.
“I don’t know about you,” said Frank, “but I never figured it was up to me. From time to time, someone showed up in my life and something just, I don’t really know, something just clicked. And that was that. We were friends. Or more than friends. Hasn’t happened too often, but when it has, it has.”
This perception of choice is returned to in several places, explored, then packed away and a new angle, a different insight, sought. Mason’s text is rich and powerful, he deals with big concepts in a way that never overwhelms, never lectures. When one young character is driven to extreme measures by the cruelty of the school headmaster, we find Frank remarking to a police officer:
“Hey, Whitmore,” he said. “I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but the things people die from ain’t necessarily the things that kill them.”
Mason’s narrative and craft allows Between the Clouds and the River to explore the nature of what it means to be human through life’s constant changes. It examines love of all kinds, and violence from the small and personal all the way to dropping atomic bombs. It is a clever, thought-provoking piece of writing, which keeps you awake, turning pages, long into the dark.
“Between the Clouds and the River” by Dave Mason receives 5 stars and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
Emotionally arresting and poignant…
Mason’s latest is a captivating and emotionally resonant tale that weaves together personal narratives with historical events, offering a poignant exploration of memory, resilience, and the complexities of human connections. In the chaos of 1942, Bernhardt Lang finds himself a mere pawn in the game of war. But amidst the destruction and despair, an unlikely ally guides him towards a newfound sense of purpose and belonging in a place he never imagined possible. Fast forward to 1965, and twelve-year-old Joseph Holliman is struggling to survive in a world that seems determined to crush him. Just when all hope seems lost, he crosses paths with Frank Gardner, a man who challenges everything Joseph thought he knew about family and what it truly means to belong.
The story unfolds across diverse landscapes, from the harsh realities of war-torn North Africa to the serene beauty of the mountains in Montana and British Columbia. A blend of contemplative introspection with dynamic tempo changes, the novels’ pacing is expert. Mason’s use of emotional intensity, expertly placed flashbacks, and reflections keeps readers hooked, immersing them in richly descriptive atmospheres and deep character connections. This balanced storytelling draws readers deeper into its lush and complex narrative. The characterization is equally compelling. Frank, wise and empathetic, is driven by strong moral principles and convictions. However, his guardedness, stubbornness, and emotional vulnerability create conflicts within him. Conversely, Joseph’s curiosity, adaptability, and emotional sensitivity allow him to learn and evolve, yet his self-doubt, impulsiveness, and trust issues hinder his growth. Together, their multilayered personalities add depth and complexity to the story. The third-person omniscient narrative voice delves into the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of multiple characters, offering a comprehensive view of the story’s events and emotions. The novel’s ending delivers a sense of resolution and catharsis as the characters navigate their personal struggles and emotional complexities, culminating in profound growth and understanding. Though the deliberate pace and complex narrative structure may prove taxing for some, the rich character development, atmospheric descriptions, and narrative depth more than compensate for any potential challenges. Mason deftly delves into the harsh realities of war, vividly depicting scenes of violence, destruction, and chaos that underscore its devastating impact. At its core, the story explores love as a universal truth that transcends boundaries and overcomes challenges, guiding characters toward self-discovery, connection, and understanding. Through their struggles and triumphs, the novel intricately examines human emotion, offering a thought-provoking reflection on what it means to be human. A stunner.
