Ohio

Stephen Markley

Aug 2018 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

“Extraordinary...beautifully precise...[an] earnestly ambitious debut.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A wild, angry, and devastating masterpiece of a book.” —NPR

“[A] descendent of the Dickensian ‘social novel’ by way of Jonathan Franzen: epic fiction that lays bare contemporary culture clashes, showing us who we are and how we got here.” —O, The Oprah Magazine

“A book that has stayed with me ever since I put it down.” —Seth Meyers, host of Late Night with Seth Meyers

One sweltering night in 2013, four former high school classmates converge on their hometown in northeastern Ohio.

There’s Bill Ashcraft, a passionate, drug-abusing young activist whose flailing ambitions have taken him from Cambodia to Zuccotti Park to post-BP New Orleans, and now back home with a mysterious package strapped to the undercarriage of his truck; Stacey Moore, a doctoral candidate reluctantly confronting her family and the mother of her best friend and first love, whose disappearance spurs the mystery at the heart of the novel; Dan Eaton, a shy veteran of three tours in Iraq, home for a dinner date with the high school sweetheart he’s tried desperately to forget; and the beautiful, fragile Tina Ross, whose rendezvous with the washed-up captain of the football team triggers the novel’s shocking climax.

Set over the course of a single evening, Ohio toggles between the perspectives of these unforgettable characters as they unearth dark secrets, revisit old regrets and uncover—and compound—bitter betrayals. Before the evening is through, these narratives converge masterfully to reveal a mystery so dark and shocking it will take your breath away.

Ratings and reviews

3.5 Stars Review by Heather Late Night Reviewer Up All Night w/ Books Blog Ohio is the debut novel by author Stephen Markley. The writing in this novel is rich and detailed. The descriptions are so involved that a very clear picture is formed, but it always feels dark. Like the town is Eeyore under a cloud or it is always night time. New Canaan is a fictional town in Northeastern Ohio that could be any number of small Ohio towns that has seen better days. The book revolves around 4 main characters (Tina, Bill, Dan and Stacey). Tina Ross, the quintessential “preacher’s daughter”; Bill Ashcraft a drug addict and alcoholic activist and anti-war crusader; Dan Eaton is a war veteran; and Stacey Moore a PhD candidate. The book opens with the funeral of Marine Corporal Rick Brinkland, former high school football star, who plays a major role in the book through flashbacks. Everyone is connected not just by the town, but by Lisa Han, whom no one has seen since high school. There are many issues raised in the book that aren’t unique to small town America, but are relatable in their commonness: drugs, sex, war, and murder. The story is compelling albeit depressing. This book isn’t about happy endings or feel good coming of age. This book takes the lives of 20 somethings who reach back into the past to remember their hopes and dreams only to be reminded of what didn’t come to be. I can only recommend Ohio to those that appreciate well told stories and captivating descriptions. Mr. Markley isn’t trying to make the reader feel better and he doesn’t.

This book was a stuggle to get through. It seemed like the narrator would say one sentence then follow up with 4 more sentences and that described the first sentence. Then repeat for 16 hours. i would have perfered a more broken up story. Each character basically had 4 hours a piece and it just seemed like it went on and on. The overly describing every single detail kept throwing me off from paying attention to the story.

Simply amazing one of the best books I've ever read. And I've read a whole whole lot

About the author

Stephen Markley is the acclaimed author of Ohio, which NPR called a “masterpiece.” A graduate of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Markley’s other books include the memoir Publish This Book and the travelogue Tales of Iceland.