Hurricane Fiona – After the Storm by Rosalyn Roy grabs you from the first page, when meteorologist Eddie Sheer, who wrote the foreword, explains Fiona and what makes a hurricane. This was such great detail and was very educational and grabbed my attention. It made me think “if the author took the time to explain this, this will be a storm like no other.” That hook continued to intensify into the next part, when editor René J. Roy, who won an award for his Blue House photo (Savery house), describes what it was like when he stepped outside in the early morning hours of Sept. 24, 2022 when Fiona was ripping houses away on Water Street East. Once I started reading this I could picture him running to his car and it gave me chills. He describes the smells of the salt in the air and smell of oil from ruptured tanks, and all of these vivid details only give you a small idea what that day was like. The stories shared are new and more detailed accounts from survivors, some who left their home in the nick time, and some who I think were lucky to even survive. The pictures of that day and the damage Hurricane Fiona unleashed are simply unbelievable, and there are a lot of photos to pour over. It’s not just pictures from Port aux Basques either. I read stories from other people in other communities in the region that were impacted, thoughts and experiences of the mayor himself (Brian Button), what the town did and tried to do to help and details about how the government stepped in and how they are all still working on the recovery efforts a year later. Some may find this book hard to read, which is understandable as their wounds are not yet healed. I found myself tearing up at times, and I wasn’t one of those who lost their home, but my heart broke for them anyway. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone, and to me this is a very important part of history for our small town, and many years from now someone will read this to get the full story on what their loved ones went through, because you won’t find this kind of account on Google or anywhere else. Roy’s dedication and experience as a small town journalist shines through, and she does a superb job here. Ashley’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Book columnist Ashley White is a mother of two and a self-confessed bookworm. She is passing on her love of reading to her children, and is active in local book groups and her community, including through volunteer work at the Port aux Basques Salvation Army. You can email Ashley at: info@ wreckhousepress.com.
Comments