Alligators in the trees by Cynthia Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars

Alligators in the Trees is such a wonderful story from the ever-talented Cynthia Hamilton. I have read many of Ms. Hamilton’s books now and she never ceases to amaze me by how versatile a writer she is. From mysteries, to romance, powerful non-fiction, and even humorous chick-lit- she masters them all. Ms. Hamilton’s clever and creative stories never fail to cast their spell on me, easily pulling me in and keeping me engrossed from beginning till end.
I really didn’t know what to expect going into this book- the title was intriguing but really didn’t give too much away. Even after reading the blurb, I still wasn’t sure that I would be blown away by the story. Of course, I knew it would be a ‘good’ read- because Ms. Hamilton wrote it, but I still had my reservations. But boy-oh-boy did she show me- I should never have doubted her for even a second. This was brilliant, the story captured me right from the get-go, and I couldn’t believe how easily I became invested in the story and the wonderfully quirky, interesting, and strangely endearing characters.
This is what I would class as a character study story- a character driven plot woven around the lives of three mismatched, struggling characters who all happen to end up at the same grungy diner, for different reasons. Little do they realise that ending up at the grimy dive that is ‘Frank’s Diner’ will impact them far more than they ever imagined.
Prolific poetry writer Priscilla Vanderpool took on a job waitressing at Franks as a way of avoiding challenging herself, taking risks, or expecting too much from her life. Her fears have held her back for such a long time. Waitressing is merely a means-to-an-end for her- as she basically stumbled into the job and stayed because she didn’t have anywhere else to be.
Philip Glessner had a thriving architectural firm and a stellar reputation, until one of his buildings collapsed thus throwing his well-ordered world into chaos- drowning him in a bottomless pit of debt and a mountain of legal woes. It was pure chance that led him to the diner, looking for a place to hide out from pushy reporters. That was months ago, but he returns daily, not for the food- but because he’s developed a crush on Priscilla. So, while his world falls apart, his business fails, and his wife tries to squeeze him dry- Phillip finds some solace in Priscilla’s steady and calm demeanour.
Then we meet Tobias Jordan, the reclusive, aging, world-weary, former Rockstar who’s desperately trying to recapture his mojo and recreate his former success. Hiding out from the paparazzi, he ducks into the diner to find a quiet moment to focus his thought and maybe write some new lyrics. But what he never expected was to find a muse there, in the form of Priscilla, who unknowingly ignites his creativity and inspires new songs.
What Ms. Hamilton has managed to create is a beautifully balanced story- with a focus on character development, but not at the expense of the intriguing story that she engineers so beautifully. This story may seem simple, but it is deceptively complex- with many layers, a high degree of detail, a few surprises to keep things unpredictable, and all so vividly descriptive- including the song lyrics that pepper the story and add extra interest. All the elements are cleverly choreographed into quite an impactful read, which I certainly didn’t wasn’t anticipate- making this all the more memorable.
A true unexpected pleasure, and another glistening gem to add to Ms. Hamilton’s crown.

Thank you, Cynthia Hamilton!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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