Trespass

Chloe Rutherford, a children's book illustrator living in upstate New York with her husband Brendan, becomes concerned when their college-age son Toby brings home his new girlfriend Salome Drago. Salome, a Croatian immigrant, seems secretive about her past and family background. The narrative shifts between Chloe's growing unease about Salome and the wartime experiences of Salome's mother during the Croatian War of Independence in the early 1990s. These parallel storylines examine the ways both women navigate threats to their families and way of life. The relationships between mothers and sons form the core tension of the story, as Chloe struggles with feelings of displacement while Salome's mother contends with the brutal realities of war. Questions of territory, belonging, and the right to protect what one considers their own domain run throughout the novel. This layered exploration of xenophobia, possessiveness, and generational trauma challenges assumptions about who has legitimate claim to spaces - both physical and emotional. The novel examines how past conflicts echo through time to shape present-day prejudices and fears.

Readers found the parallel storylines difficult to follow at first but noted they come together effectively by the end. Many appreciated the complex exploration of family relationships, immigration, and property rights. Liked: - Strong character development, particularly of Chloe and Salome - Atmospheric New Orleans setting - Thought-provoking themes about belonging and ownership - Subtle buildup of tension Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Some plot threads left unresolved - Multiple reviewers felt frustrated by the ambiguous ending - Character Brendan described as "insufferable" by several readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (89 reviews) LibraryThing: 3.6/5 (280+ ratings) Notable reader comment from Goodreads: "The way Martin weaves together past and present demonstrates how property ownership and belonging are still contentious issues, though the delivery is sometimes heavy-handed."

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🌿 Author Valerie Martin was inspired to write Trespass during the early days of the Iraq War, weaving themes of invasion and territorial conflict into a domestic setting. 🏆 The novel explores parallel storylines across different time periods, including World War II Croatia and contemporary America, demonstrating how historical traumas echo through generations. 🎨 The main character Chloe's profession as a children's book illustrator serves as a metaphor for how people create narratives to make sense of threatening situations. 🗺️ The book's title "Trespass" works on multiple levels, referring to physical boundaries, emotional territories, and cultural barriers that characters cross throughout the story. 💫 Martin deliberately structured the novel to mirror fairy tales, particularly "Little Red Riding Hood," with themes of danger lurking in seemingly safe spaces.