Book Review: The Berry Pickers

A heartbreaking read about love, loss, grief and guilt

I picked up Amanda Peters’ debut novel, The Berry Pickers, after seeing it on what seemed like every book club selection list and ranked among the top on bestseller lists. I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the novel, except that it involved a child who goes missing from the berry fields of Maine, so I expected intrigue and mystery. I just didn’t expect to cry at the end. 

The Berry Pickers revolves around one main plot point: Ruthie, a four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine. The novel follows how that disappearance affects her family, delving into difficult, heavy topics such as grief, loss, guilt, anger and fear. Two narrators help to unfold the story: Joe, Ruthie’s older brother and the last to see her before she disappeared, and Norma, a young girl growing up in Maine with a very religious, protective mother and a somewhat aloof father. Joe, on his deathbed, reflects on his life, which has been defined by grief, anger and violence—which he’s dealt with by running from it all. 

Norma, on the other hand, lives in a home where the shades are always drawn. Stepping out of line or asking seemingly innocuous questions only lead to one of her mother’s headaches. Feeling trapped and smothered, Norma longs for freedom and normalcy, but lives in the shadow of all the miscarriages her mother suffered before Norma came along. Unlike Joe, who runs away, Norma stays but is racked with guilt about a life that she can’t make sense of—a lack of baby pictures, nightmares that feel more like memories and a mother who tries to keep her hidden away and safe from all danger. 

In other words, Norma’s real identity is barely concealed, but that doesn’t seem to be the real point of the novel. Instead of unraveling a mystery, Peters explores how grief and loss affect people. Joe is devastated and grief-stricken by the fact that he was the last one to see Ruthie alive, that it’s his fault she went missing. The loss devastates so much of his life as he runs from his anger and fear and avoids the deep relationships that would actually fulfill him. Norma’s mother, Lenore, devastated by miscarriage after miscarriage, takes and justifies unthinkable actions to have a daughter, then nearly smothers her with an overbearing love that seeks to protect but also feels overwhelming, cloying and controlling. 

I’ll be honest: for me, The Berry Pickers was a bit of a slow read. It took a little for me to get into the book and the pacing felt a little too slow and cerebral at times. Maybe it was the author’s intent, but I got very tired of Joe’s rage-fueled running and actions much earlier than he did. . . Joe seemingly wanted to rob himself of the “good” life he felt he’d let get stolen from Ruthie. 

If you’re picking up The Berry Pickers for a last-minute beach read or a light read to end your summer, this may not be the book for you. The Berry Pickers delves into heavy, emotional topics and how one devastating decision can ripple out, damaging families, breaking trust and changing life trajectories. 

But in the end, Peters refuses to let the darkness win. The final chapters of The Berry Pickers are full of hope, light and reconciliation. And maybe the beauty of those final chapters shine a little brighter because of the darkness that came before. 

Bookery Rating: 📙📙📙📙

A heart-wrenching read about grief, guilt and loss that poignantly points to the power of love and hope. Get your copy.

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