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Nothing but the Rain
A sleepy little town discovers its memories have become part of the water cycle in Naomi Salman's debut novella, Nothing but the Rain.
The rain in Aloisville is never-ending, and no one can remember when it started. There’s not much they can remember. With every drop that hits their skin, a bit of memory is washed away. Stay too long in the wet, and you’ll lose everything you used to be.
By the time Laverne begins keeping a journal, the small town she calls home has been irreparably changed. Every drop of water is dangerous, from leaky faucets to the near-constant rainfall, and a careless trip outside can mean a life down the drain. With mysterious forces preventing escape, calls for rebellion seem to be on every resident’s lips. But Laverne has no interest in fighting. She has no interest in rebellion. She just wants to survive.
The rain in Aloisville is never-ending, and no one can remember when it started. There’s not much they can remember. With every drop that hits their skin, a bit of memory is washed away. Stay too long in the wet, and you’ll lose everything you used to be.
By the time Laverne begins keeping a journal, the small town she calls home has been irreparably changed. Every drop of water is dangerous, from leaky faucets to the near-constant rainfall, and a careless trip outside can mean a life down the drain. With mysterious forces preventing escape, calls for rebellion seem to be on every resident’s lips. But Laverne has no interest in fighting. She has no interest in rebellion. She just wants to survive.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2023
About the author
Naomi Salman
2 books52 followersNaomi Salman is a writer, editor, translator, and graphic and layout designer. She has published fiction in both French and English, and been nominated for a Prix du Jeune Écrivain and an Eisner Award. She lives and works in Paris.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 620 reviews
August 15, 2024
My complete review of Nothing but the Rain is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Rain washes away memories in Naomi Salman’s apocalyptic debut novella, Nothing but the Rain. The novella is set in the stormy town of Aloisville, an isolated village with fewer than two hundred inhabitants whose memories are rinsed away with every raindrop.
The story is told as a series of journal entries by sixty-three-year-old Laverne, a retired doctor who keeps a diary as a “backup brain.” Suspecting chemical contamination of the water, Laverne conducts experiments in puddles and her bathtub to test the effects on her own memory.
Aloisville is also under a suspicious military quarantine. It is unclear whether the quarantine is meant for the safety of the Aloisville residents or to prevent them from spreading news of their dire situation.
Laverne experiences few human interactions in Nothing but the Rain and struggles to remember people’s names. Her main interactions are with a distrusting neighbor, Katie, and her young daughter, Zoe.
Although written as a dystopian sci-fi story about environmental disaster, Nothing but the Rain also serves as an allegory for the onset of dementia:
“Sometimes I wish I could forget what’s been happening. Then I remember that’s what I’m most afraid of.”
Naomi Salman expertly probes the link between memory and sanity. Laverne is afraid of forgetting, and the loss of memory makes her paranoid. Yet the suppression of memory can also act as a coping mechanism for those who have undergone trauma.
Nothing but the Rain further examines the lengths to which people will go to exploit memory loss in others. In this way, Nothing but the Rain explores a spectrum of gray morality that mirrors the perpetually gray, rainy days of Aloisville.
Naomi Salman’s writing is spare and haunting. Nothing but the Rain makes expert use of unreliable narration to keep the reader guessing and to bring an unexpectedly satisfying conclusion to the story.
The worldbuilding in Nothing but the Rain is slight but captivating. Naomi Salman employs the minimal level of worldbuilding necessary to tell her story, which works quite effectively for this short novella. Still, the end of the novella came too soon for my taste, leaving me thirsty for more time in this world. Additional material would deepen the themes already presented in this excellent novella and create an even more immersive experience.
Naomi Salman’s debut novella is delicate yet disturbing. Memories may fade, but Nothing but the Rain will linger with me for a long time.
Rain washes away memories in Naomi Salman’s apocalyptic debut novella, Nothing but the Rain. The novella is set in the stormy town of Aloisville, an isolated village with fewer than two hundred inhabitants whose memories are rinsed away with every raindrop.
The story is told as a series of journal entries by sixty-three-year-old Laverne, a retired doctor who keeps a diary as a “backup brain.” Suspecting chemical contamination of the water, Laverne conducts experiments in puddles and her bathtub to test the effects on her own memory.
Aloisville is also under a suspicious military quarantine. It is unclear whether the quarantine is meant for the safety of the Aloisville residents or to prevent them from spreading news of their dire situation.
Laverne experiences few human interactions in Nothing but the Rain and struggles to remember people’s names. Her main interactions are with a distrusting neighbor, Katie, and her young daughter, Zoe.
Although written as a dystopian sci-fi story about environmental disaster, Nothing but the Rain also serves as an allegory for the onset of dementia:
“Sometimes I wish I could forget what’s been happening. Then I remember that’s what I’m most afraid of.”
Naomi Salman expertly probes the link between memory and sanity. Laverne is afraid of forgetting, and the loss of memory makes her paranoid. Yet the suppression of memory can also act as a coping mechanism for those who have undergone trauma.
Nothing but the Rain further examines the lengths to which people will go to exploit memory loss in others. In this way, Nothing but the Rain explores a spectrum of gray morality that mirrors the perpetually gray, rainy days of Aloisville.
Naomi Salman’s writing is spare and haunting. Nothing but the Rain makes expert use of unreliable narration to keep the reader guessing and to bring an unexpectedly satisfying conclusion to the story.
The worldbuilding in Nothing but the Rain is slight but captivating. Naomi Salman employs the minimal level of worldbuilding necessary to tell her story, which works quite effectively for this short novella. Still, the end of the novella came too soon for my taste, leaving me thirsty for more time in this world. Additional material would deepen the themes already presented in this excellent novella and create an even more immersive experience.
Naomi Salman’s debut novella is delicate yet disturbing. Memories may fade, but Nothing but the Rain will linger with me for a long time.
June 26, 2023
I loved this so much!! It’s set in a small town where the rain causes amnesia. It’s written entirely from the POV of an older woman’s diary entries, and was so eerie, tense, funny, and weird. Kinda had the same vibes as And Then I Woke Up.
February 17, 2023
I didn’t realize this was a novella at first and once I realized I was disappointed because I was enjoying the story. This novella was poetic and horrific and beautiful somehow all at once. The story is told through notes/diary entries that the narrator is keeping because in this the rainiest town the rain steals your memories, purpose, and self if you aren’t careful. Laverne isn’t sure why the rain has become to steal memories, but she is trying to survive the apocalypse. Her story is sad and beautiful and I was left with so many questions that I know this is a story that will be sticking with me.
October 23, 2022
"Nothing But the Rain" is an odd, poetic 96-page novella told through personal diary entries. Laverne lives in a small, Isolated town surrounded by soldiers and from which no one can leave. Most importantly, it rains constantly and the rain causes one to forget within ninety seconds. The piped water too has poisoning and memories fade as quickly as they are made. Notes on walls are pretty much the only salvation else all would be forgotten. There's no news from the outside world. The only question though is whether it's real or madness has fully set in. That question is never answered. It's a short absorbing story, reminding us all of what it's like to lose one's grip on reality and how much we depend on even the briefest of memories.
August 16, 2023
This little dystopian horror tale chilled me right to the core. In Aloisville, it's been raining everyday—how long this has been going on is anyone's guess, because the rain washes people's memories away with it. Even a single droplet can erase your morning, and the more the rain touches you, the more it takes away. This novella is told through Laverne's journal entries as she attempts to find a way to hold on to what is happening, to make sense of it all, and it's like a trainwreck you just can't look away from no matter how much it horrifies you.
I loved the fact that this story was told through journal entries, because you know you're only getting a small portion of the story. Laverne really has no clue what is going on, but she has her theories, and all we can do is guess along with her as more is slowly revealed. Perhaps the most unnerving part of the story for me was how Laverne suspects the government (and maybe even some of the citizens around her) knows more than they're letting on, because her rage and fear and paranoia are palpable and it's so easy to imagine ourselves in her shoes.
Laverne herself is a very flawed, yet enjoyable character to read through the lens of. She's a 63-year-old retired physician who is very bright, capable, and entirely unused to feeling so helpless and oblivious. She comes off as crotchety and irritable most of the time, which added a reality to her character that I loved because it was so easy to imagine meeting someone just like her.
My only complaint about Nothing but the Rain, and the reason I gave it 4 stars despite gushing about it so much, is that it's too short and would've benefited tremendously from being developed into a full novel! I hope that Salman will consider revisiting this world, maybe through a sequel novella, because there are so many questions I want answers to and so much more time I'd like to spend with Laverne.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: Laverne and a side character are both Black
✨ Content warnings for:
———
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I loved the fact that this story was told through journal entries, because you know you're only getting a small portion of the story. Laverne really has no clue what is going on, but she has her theories, and all we can do is guess along with her as more is slowly revealed. Perhaps the most unnerving part of the story for me was how Laverne suspects the government (and maybe even some of the citizens around her) knows more than they're letting on, because her rage and fear and paranoia are palpable and it's so easy to imagine ourselves in her shoes.
Laverne herself is a very flawed, yet enjoyable character to read through the lens of. She's a 63-year-old retired physician who is very bright, capable, and entirely unused to feeling so helpless and oblivious. She comes off as crotchety and irritable most of the time, which added a reality to her character that I loved because it was so easy to imagine meeting someone just like her.
My only complaint about Nothing but the Rain, and the reason I gave it 4 stars despite gushing about it so much, is that it's too short and would've benefited tremendously from being developed into a full novel! I hope that Salman will consider revisiting this world, maybe through a sequel novella, because there are so many questions I want answers to and so much more time I'd like to spend with Laverne.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: Laverne and a side character are both Black
✨ Content warnings for:
———
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April 29, 2023
A powerful concept, the idea of a rain that washes memories away, but the actual story fell...a little flat. It kept promising answers or questions or a twist that never came. The ending was building towards a revelation that didn't feel meaningful. This idea could have been taken so much further. It felt like someone took the first three chapters of a book and called it a novella. There's something missing.
January 27, 2023
In the town of Aloisville it is almost always raining and the rain is dangerous, it wipes memories. One drop will take away the last minute, out there too long and the brain is completely blank. This is a brilliant novella written as a journal. Laverne starts writing it to help her remember things, originally she just wrote on her walls. No answers are given, there’s no explanation for the rain. Is it a chemical? Alien? Just in Aloisville? Perhaps this town only as the perimeter is maintained by suited up military with machine guns. Phones are down so no connection with the outside world.
It’s a quick read, hard to put down and the ending left me wanting to read more!
It’s a quick read, hard to put down and the ending left me wanting to read more!
June 17, 2023
This morning I listened to an interview with a Greek MP who made the point that some of the countries, like his own, Italy and Spain, that have very limited opportunities for legal routes for migrants, are the ones most in need of those populations. Its something I came across when in northwest Spain myself recently. Unfortunately he is pretty much a lone voice in his own parliament.
Just after the interview, and purely coincidentally, I read this novella, which is about climate migration, something that lies in the not too distant future for us all.
Laverne, who narrates, lives, or rather survives, in Aloisville, where the rain never stops. It’s a dystopian setting, but not such a far-fetched one. The temptation to leave is a strong one, but soldiers are at the roads out preventing anyone from doing so. Most of the town's residents are dead, from floods, various water-born viruses, or shot trying to leave.
Salman prose is meticulous and cold, Laverne tells the story day by day, as any future beyond the next few hours is inconceivable. Any detail of the past is irrelevant, and so the format suits novella length perfectly.
The very reading of the book is a harrowing experience; the horror genre suits climate fiction so well when it’s done like this.
The only issue I have is that it could have been more subtle. I have intentionally missed something out of my brief summary, when the Alosiville rain makes contact with people it makes them forget. This was unnecessary as far as I was concerned, or at least it could have been played down.
There's a lot of horror novellas around, but with careful sifting, its possible to come up with the occasional gem.
Just after the interview, and purely coincidentally, I read this novella, which is about climate migration, something that lies in the not too distant future for us all.
Laverne, who narrates, lives, or rather survives, in Aloisville, where the rain never stops. It’s a dystopian setting, but not such a far-fetched one. The temptation to leave is a strong one, but soldiers are at the roads out preventing anyone from doing so. Most of the town's residents are dead, from floods, various water-born viruses, or shot trying to leave.
Salman prose is meticulous and cold, Laverne tells the story day by day, as any future beyond the next few hours is inconceivable. Any detail of the past is irrelevant, and so the format suits novella length perfectly.
The very reading of the book is a harrowing experience; the horror genre suits climate fiction so well when it’s done like this.
The only issue I have is that it could have been more subtle. I have intentionally missed something out of my brief summary, when the Alosiville rain makes contact with people it makes them forget. This was unnecessary as far as I was concerned, or at least it could have been played down.
There's a lot of horror novellas around, but with careful sifting, its possible to come up with the occasional gem.
May 1, 2023
Wow I absolutely fucking loved this!!! so much emotion and so many layers are packed into less than 100 pages - Naomi Salman is a genius.
I also listened to rain noises while reading this which was a nice little touch to the experience.
If you enjoyed I Who Have Never Known Men (Jacqueline Harpman) or The End We Start From (Megan Hunter), I think you’ll like this.
I also listened to rain noises while reading this which was a nice little touch to the experience.
If you enjoyed I Who Have Never Known Men (Jacqueline Harpman) or The End We Start From (Megan Hunter), I think you’ll like this.
March 5, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley & Tordotcom for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
Nothing but the Rain is seriously impressive. Salman built an entire world in a limited number of pages and told a complex and compelling story. The number of twists and turns had me second-guessing everything.
This is the kind of psychological thriller I can get behind. We know we have an unreliable narrator, even the narrator knows she’s unreliable. At any moment, the wrong decision can wipe away days or months or years, rewriting everything we’ve come to accept as fact. And since our narrator doesn’t know when this is happening - only that it could happen - it starts to make the reader question what is truth and what is delusion.
Nothing but the Rain packs a serious punch in a short amount of time. It perfectly balances completing the story while leaving you wanting more. I can highly recommend Nothing but the Rain for a quick read that won’t let you go.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Nothing but the Rain is seriously impressive. Salman built an entire world in a limited number of pages and told a complex and compelling story. The number of twists and turns had me second-guessing everything.
This is the kind of psychological thriller I can get behind. We know we have an unreliable narrator, even the narrator knows she’s unreliable. At any moment, the wrong decision can wipe away days or months or years, rewriting everything we’ve come to accept as fact. And since our narrator doesn’t know when this is happening - only that it could happen - it starts to make the reader question what is truth and what is delusion.
Nothing but the Rain packs a serious punch in a short amount of time. It perfectly balances completing the story while leaving you wanting more. I can highly recommend Nothing but the Rain for a quick read that won’t let you go.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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October 21, 2022
If there ever was a book to read on a rainy day.
Not just any rainy day, but those days when it feels like rain is ever going to end, like it’s always been and always will be raining.
This is a story of a neverending rain…with a trick. It brings amnesia. The raindrops wipe away your memory, so depending on how wet you get, it’s anywhere from forgetting where you were going to forgetting how to stay alive.
A very dangerous rain indeed.
There’s no explanation for it. It’s just what’s going on in this novella. We know about this because we are told epistolary style via diary entries of an older woman, a determined survivor. She writes things down so she doesn’t forget them, she conducts experiments to determine the rain’s effectiveness, etc.
Maybe it’s only rainy in her small corner of the world. Maybe it’s a government experiment. There’s military perimeterring the place after all, making food drops, etc.
Now some of the locals have planned a revolution of sorts, one the story’s protagonist wants nothing to do with, but one way or another, things are about to change.
Nothing but the Rain is a fine story. It uses its epistolary style effectively, has an engaging protagonist and a compelling narrative. There’s just sort of not enough of it. Mind you, I’m all for brevity and succinctness, but this story does leave a reader wanting more. Which isn’t a terrible thing by all means. It’s just more of the “Apocalypse: slice of life” sort of thing than a complete story. Or maybe you just have to use your imagination. Again, by no means a terrible thing.
Very brazen of a publisher as hyperwoke as Tor to put out a book where an older black protagonist is written by a young white person. What? No whimpers of cultural appropriation? Did everyone suddenly remember that fiction is meant to be fictional and imaginative? Awesome.
Anyway, this novella was a quick fun read. Thanks Netgalley.
Not just any rainy day, but those days when it feels like rain is ever going to end, like it’s always been and always will be raining.
This is a story of a neverending rain…with a trick. It brings amnesia. The raindrops wipe away your memory, so depending on how wet you get, it’s anywhere from forgetting where you were going to forgetting how to stay alive.
A very dangerous rain indeed.
There’s no explanation for it. It’s just what’s going on in this novella. We know about this because we are told epistolary style via diary entries of an older woman, a determined survivor. She writes things down so she doesn’t forget them, she conducts experiments to determine the rain’s effectiveness, etc.
Maybe it’s only rainy in her small corner of the world. Maybe it’s a government experiment. There’s military perimeterring the place after all, making food drops, etc.
Now some of the locals have planned a revolution of sorts, one the story’s protagonist wants nothing to do with, but one way or another, things are about to change.
Nothing but the Rain is a fine story. It uses its epistolary style effectively, has an engaging protagonist and a compelling narrative. There’s just sort of not enough of it. Mind you, I’m all for brevity and succinctness, but this story does leave a reader wanting more. Which isn’t a terrible thing by all means. It’s just more of the “Apocalypse: slice of life” sort of thing than a complete story. Or maybe you just have to use your imagination. Again, by no means a terrible thing.
Very brazen of a publisher as hyperwoke as Tor to put out a book where an older black protagonist is written by a young white person. What? No whimpers of cultural appropriation? Did everyone suddenly remember that fiction is meant to be fictional and imaginative? Awesome.
Anyway, this novella was a quick fun read. Thanks Netgalley.
June 9, 2023
TW: death of animal, divorce, language, toxic friendships, murder
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:The rain in Aloisville is never-ending, and no one can remember when it started. There’s not much they can remember. With every drop that hits their skin, a bit of memory is washed away. Stay too long in the wet, and you’ll lose everything you used to be.
By the time Laverne begins keeping a journal, the small town she calls home has been irreparably changed. Every drop of water is dangerous, from leaky faucets to the near-constant rainfall, and a careless trip outside can mean a life down the drain. With mysterious forces preventing escape, calls for rebellion seem to be on every resident’s lips. But Laverne has no interest in fighting. She has no interest in rebellion. She just wants to survive.
Release Date: March 13th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 93
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
What I Liked:
1. Format of writing in a journal
2. Plot of story was interesting
What I Didn't Like:
1. Journal entries felt redundant
2. Some parts dragged on
Overall Thoughts:
If I could advise you of one thing it would be this; read this book on a rainy day or night. It really sets the mood for what our character is dealing with.
Personally it makes more sense to have more people move into one house together so less walking in the rain.
I thought this novella was interesting. I liked reading about Laverne slowly losing her memory to her struggling to keep a hold on it. I felt like some parts were redundant and some parts really slowed down.
I wish we could have gotten more about who Laverne was as a person so I could have cared more about her journey and wanting to stay in the house other than her just retiring and moving back home. Why did she move back home?
I enjoyed that she changed her mind about wanting to care for Zoe. I don’t know if it was the doctor in her wanting to save lives or that she grew to care about the child in such a short time.
Final Thoughts:
I really enoyed the writing style of the author. I will definitely check out other things from them.
Recommend For:
• Isolation stories
• Character studies
• Strong women
• Creepy towns
• Human struggles
IG | Blog
Thanks to @Netgalley and @tornightfire for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:The rain in Aloisville is never-ending, and no one can remember when it started. There’s not much they can remember. With every drop that hits their skin, a bit of memory is washed away. Stay too long in the wet, and you’ll lose everything you used to be.
By the time Laverne begins keeping a journal, the small town she calls home has been irreparably changed. Every drop of water is dangerous, from leaky faucets to the near-constant rainfall, and a careless trip outside can mean a life down the drain. With mysterious forces preventing escape, calls for rebellion seem to be on every resident’s lips. But Laverne has no interest in fighting. She has no interest in rebellion. She just wants to survive.
Release Date: March 13th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 93
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
What I Liked:
1. Format of writing in a journal
2. Plot of story was interesting
What I Didn't Like:
1. Journal entries felt redundant
2. Some parts dragged on
Overall Thoughts:
If I could advise you of one thing it would be this; read this book on a rainy day or night. It really sets the mood for what our character is dealing with.
Personally it makes more sense to have more people move into one house together so less walking in the rain.
I thought this novella was interesting. I liked reading about Laverne slowly losing her memory to her struggling to keep a hold on it. I felt like some parts were redundant and some parts really slowed down.
I wish we could have gotten more about who Laverne was as a person so I could have cared more about her journey and wanting to stay in the house other than her just retiring and moving back home. Why did she move back home?
I enjoyed that she changed her mind about wanting to care for Zoe. I don’t know if it was the doctor in her wanting to save lives or that she grew to care about the child in such a short time.
Final Thoughts:
I really enoyed the writing style of the author. I will definitely check out other things from them.
Recommend For:
• Isolation stories
• Character studies
• Strong women
• Creepy towns
• Human struggles
IG | Blog
Thanks to @Netgalley and @tornightfire for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
March 13, 2023
Ahoy there me mateys! I read this when I couldn't sleep and when it was raining outside. It was a perfect mood read. This is short at less than 100 pages but was so much fun. The premise deals with memory loss caused by rain. This seems silly but the author managed to make it both atmospheric and suspenseful.
Written as a journal, I loved the main character Laverne. She is a retired woman in her 60s. How she deals with the drama (and trauma) of the situation was so intriguing. I was rooting for her while also trying to figure out what happens next.
I inhaled this story. I thought the ending was perfect, if alarming. After I was done, I ended up still not being able to sleep because I was admiring the story and the ramifications of the plot. Highly recommended. Arrr!
Written as a journal, I loved the main character Laverne. She is a retired woman in her 60s. How she deals with the drama (and trauma) of the situation was so intriguing. I was rooting for her while also trying to figure out what happens next.
I inhaled this story. I thought the ending was perfect, if alarming. After I was done, I ended up still not being able to sleep because I was admiring the story and the ramifications of the plot. Highly recommended. Arrr!
August 27, 2023
Nothing but the Rain was a tense, lushly written book that I devoured in two sittings. I'm not always a fan of epistolary novels but this was the perfect format to put the reader in Laverne's shoes. This story packed quite the punch in a short number of pages. I can't wait to read more from Salman.
December 27, 2023
...of course, nobody remembers the day this whole nightmare started. That's a day we all forgot. We didn't know to be careful yet. All taken by surprise, we must have been. Probably went for groceries, didn't bother with an umbrella since it's always raining, got to the store and forgot what to buy. Or maybe went out to walk the dog in the rain, and forgot the dog's name. Forgot the dog was even ours. Must have happened over and over again, layers and layers of amnesia, forgetting that we were forgetting at all. And so we went in a daze through blurry, shapeless days, before we finally began to realize there was something in the water.
Short, this one, and told in three parts that tell some of the story just in how the narrator does the telling. This is all about the experience of being told the story, of hearing how one person navigated a crisis that threatens not just your life but the essence of yourself.
It was perhaps not quite the right length - the end was a little abrupt for something with this much story, I could have seen it working if the book was shorter, but then there would have been no way to fit all that story in, and I wouldn't lose any of it. Ultimately though, it doesn't ask a lot of your time, but it'll pack a whole ton of punch into its tiny space. Naomi Salman wrote something that, regardless of quibbles, got me thinking and captured my imagination.
Short, this one, and told in three parts that tell some of the story just in how the narrator does the telling. This is all about the experience of being told the story, of hearing how one person navigated a crisis that threatens not just your life but the essence of yourself.
It was perhaps not quite the right length - the end was a little abrupt for something with this much story, I could have seen it working if the book was shorter, but then there would have been no way to fit all that story in, and I wouldn't lose any of it. Ultimately though, it doesn't ask a lot of your time, but it'll pack a whole ton of punch into its tiny space. Naomi Salman wrote something that, regardless of quibbles, got me thinking and captured my imagination.
May 22, 2024
I have to take this off my ecofiction shelf because it didn’t really have anything to say about anything and the narration especially in the last part was so cringe 😬 ok miss dolezal
August 18, 2023
This novella had an interesting premise, and the first two sections were fairly well done but the final section was a mess and the end of the book was a disappointment.
I did like Laverne as the protagonist. It is nice to have a book with a very smart and capable older female MC. I also liked how atmospheric and intriguing the beginning of the book was. Unfortunately like the TV series LOST this book has lots of great set up and then just falls apart. The end answers none of the books questions, has the most poorly realized antagonist, and has zero tension because everything magically works out for Laverne in the end. At least it was a quick read.
Trigger warnings for animal death, child death, toxic friendship, suicidal thoughts, murder,
I did like Laverne as the protagonist. It is nice to have a book with a very smart and capable older female MC. I also liked how atmospheric and intriguing the beginning of the book was. Unfortunately like the TV series LOST this book has lots of great set up and then just falls apart. The end answers none of the books questions, has the most poorly realized antagonist, and has zero tension because everything magically works out for Laverne in the end. At least it was a quick read.
Trigger warnings for animal death, child death, toxic friendship, suicidal thoughts, murder,
March 24, 2023
Nothing but the Rain was a lot of fun. I loved the overall concept, and the narrative structure fit perfectly for the story being told. Even though it was a short book, one I read in a single sitting, there were a few surprises along the way. This is a great example of the power of a good novella.
February 16, 2024
3.0/5
a dystopian/ sci-fi concept that reminds me of ‘i who have never known men’ because in both books you don’t get any answers at ALL. except that this one felt more repetitive, strange and abrupt.
a dystopian/ sci-fi concept that reminds me of ‘i who have never known men’ because in both books you don’t get any answers at ALL. except that this one felt more repetitive, strange and abrupt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2024
Short novella,96 pages told in diary entries of a 63 year old woman named Laverne. She lives in a small town where the rain doesn't stop and causes memory loss. Every drop washes away a memory until you have lost yourself entirely.
This was so bizzare and unsettling, I read it in one sitting. It's a little bit ambiguous, so you don't get all the answers you might want, but damn the vibes were perfect.
Read this if you enjoy: isolation, small towns, dystopian, environmental horror/sci-fi, unreliable narrators, and journal-style writing.
This was so bizzare and unsettling, I read it in one sitting. It's a little bit ambiguous, so you don't get all the answers you might want, but damn the vibes were perfect.
Read this if you enjoy: isolation, small towns, dystopian, environmental horror/sci-fi, unreliable narrators, and journal-style writing.
June 17, 2023
That last sentence made me bump the rating from 3 stars to 4.
Naomi Salman's Nothing but the Rain was a short and foggy novella about a town where being exposed to rainwater wipes away your memories. The story is written in an epistolatory form, which helps give it a strong narratorial voice. I love books where the character's narration comes across strong and full of their personality. There's a very smudgy aura to the story which works well to establish the setting. The plot isn't very very great, it's more the character and their ramblings that drew me in. I would say objectively, this was a 3.5 star read. Salman is an author I'd keep an eye out for longer works. I've been burnt out on fantasy especially high fantasy so these novellas are great to snack on.
Naomi Salman's Nothing but the Rain was a short and foggy novella about a town where being exposed to rainwater wipes away your memories. The story is written in an epistolatory form, which helps give it a strong narratorial voice. I love books where the character's narration comes across strong and full of their personality. There's a very smudgy aura to the story which works well to establish the setting. The plot isn't very very great, it's more the character and their ramblings that drew me in. I would say objectively, this was a 3.5 star read. Salman is an author I'd keep an eye out for longer works. I've been burnt out on fantasy especially high fantasy so these novellas are great to snack on.
September 7, 2024
I loved this novella so much!!
Nothing But The Rain is an apocalyptic story set in a small village where the rain causes amnesia. We follow the story from the point of view of a 63 year old lady who moved there after retirement in the hopes of living a peaceful life.
Since the rain causes amnesia, our protagonist has to write things down, and her diary entries are what we're reading in this novella.
It's just too good, so if the blurb feels even a bit interesting to you then just pick it up.
Must Read!!!
Nothing But The Rain is an apocalyptic story set in a small village where the rain causes amnesia. We follow the story from the point of view of a 63 year old lady who moved there after retirement in the hopes of living a peaceful life.
Since the rain causes amnesia, our protagonist has to write things down, and her diary entries are what we're reading in this novella.
It's just too good, so if the blurb feels even a bit interesting to you then just pick it up.
Must Read!!!
March 7, 2024
4.5 stars
September 17, 2024
Sorry what? What was this?
This could have been amazing, started off well but went nowhere and due to the repetition felt wayyyyyy longer than it was.
This could have been amazing, started off well but went nowhere and due to the repetition felt wayyyyyy longer than it was.
March 5, 2024
Boh raga maybe im dumb ma questo libro non mi ha trasmesso letteralmente nulla????? La premessa era intrigante: piccola città completamente barricata perché la pioggia causa amnesia se tocca la pelle delle persone. Interessante no? Figo. Okay, except che non viene mai spiegato il perché di questa cosa, non si capisce bene dove voglia andare a parare. Idk sinceramente l'unica cosa che ho trovato interessante di questa novella è stato il discorso sulla memoria ma anche lì è abbastanza buttato lì e non è che metta le radici su un qualcosa di più profondo like yeah la memoria è importante ma vogliamo boh approfondire un po' di più? Non lo so it fell pretty flat per me, la premessa era interessante ma it didn't deliver at all. This is what i get for trusting tik tok for book reccs, proverò a leggerne un altro dalla stessa lista e se mi fa cacare anche quello penso che tornerò alla mia solida modalità di bookreccing (nini)
August 29, 2024
"It's awful knowing you're in a cage, but it's better than fearing the cage might be all that's left."
January 20, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for review! All opinions are my own.
Nothing but the Rain is a sci-fi novella about a town is awash with a particularly (un)memorable phenomenon--the rain clears away memories. The more it comes in contact with you, the more is taken. We follow an elderly lady named Laverne in an epistolary/journal format as she recounts her memories as an assurance to keeping them safe from the rain. She and the rest of the town live in fear that the rain may take away too much, even the memories of their entire lives.
The story explores a lot of interesting themes for its short length. The loss of memory is an apparent one. There's definitely a connection to dementia, with the main character being an older woman, and it really delves into the frightening experience of not being able to trust what you can remember, of the psychological battle that comes with retrograde amnesia. It makes you consider your own memories, how much you might have lost without realizing, without even the effects of amnestic rain.
But the rain isn't the only danger. The internet and most technology is down, besides the utilities. Laverne can't tell time, can't Google something when she needs to, can't digitally contact the outside world or even her neighbors. It puts into dystopian perspective how dependent we are on our devices, how much we have to lose.
What came as a surprise were the thriller elements. Most of it comes psychologically (and I also quite enjoyed the plot twist at the midpoint.) There's a lot of dimension to the story. It's personal, in Laverne's psyche and turmoil. Emotional, in her, though sparse, relationships. Physical, in the threat of mysterious soldiers keeping them trapped in their rainy town. Salman balanced a lot of ideas, and I think she did it well for how little novellas are by nature, and I had a great time reading it!
Nothing but the Rain is a sci-fi novella about a town is awash with a particularly (un)memorable phenomenon--the rain clears away memories. The more it comes in contact with you, the more is taken. We follow an elderly lady named Laverne in an epistolary/journal format as she recounts her memories as an assurance to keeping them safe from the rain. She and the rest of the town live in fear that the rain may take away too much, even the memories of their entire lives.
The story explores a lot of interesting themes for its short length. The loss of memory is an apparent one. There's definitely a connection to dementia, with the main character being an older woman, and it really delves into the frightening experience of not being able to trust what you can remember, of the psychological battle that comes with retrograde amnesia. It makes you consider your own memories, how much you might have lost without realizing, without even the effects of amnestic rain.
But the rain isn't the only danger. The internet and most technology is down, besides the utilities. Laverne can't tell time, can't Google something when she needs to, can't digitally contact the outside world or even her neighbors. It puts into dystopian perspective how dependent we are on our devices, how much we have to lose.
What came as a surprise were the thriller elements. Most of it comes psychologically (and I also quite enjoyed the plot twist at the midpoint.) There's a lot of dimension to the story. It's personal, in Laverne's psyche and turmoil. Emotional, in her, though sparse, relationships. Physical, in the threat of mysterious soldiers keeping them trapped in their rainy town. Salman balanced a lot of ideas, and I think she did it well for how little novellas are by nature, and I had a great time reading it!
February 28, 2023
I received this book as an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review!
Short but definitely not sweet, Nothing but the Rain is a hard-hitting epistolary novel that soaks you in mystery and suspense.
While it retains an apocalypse, dystopian, and horror flair, the novella is a mystery above all else. What is happening in the town? Why is it happening? We never really know, and while you might think that’s frustrating, I think an explanation would have ruined the ethereal aspect of the novel. In a way, this novel reminds me of long dream - it’s a little disjointed but still connected and contains moments that are odd but make sense in context. The journal aspect of the novella makes it very mimetic - we’re as confused as Laverne is, but that’s part of the fun.
The epistolary aspect of the novel is executed flawlessly. The journal aspect of the novel makes it easy to follow. While sometimes I find epistolary novels provide far more information than a real person would put in their diary or letter, you don’t have to suspend your disbelief on this one, as Laverne is writing the journal to remind herself what’s going on.
The writing itself is just lovely, full of lines like “it’s awful knowing you’re in a cage, but it’s better than fearing the cage might be all that’s left” (this line may change or be removed as I took it from an ARC). The writing style also gives the main character, Laverne, a crotchety retired woman, a distinct personality.
There are some great twists in the novella, and while I kind of wish it was longer (because I was enjoying it so much!), I also was entirely satisfied with the story. Nothing but the Rain is a great example of a novella, because it felt neither too short (I don't think it needed to be a novel) nor too long (it doesn't feel like a stretched-out short story). The balance was excellent and I really enjoyed the open-ended ending.
Overall, definitely check out this novella, especially on a rainy day!
Short but definitely not sweet, Nothing but the Rain is a hard-hitting epistolary novel that soaks you in mystery and suspense.
While it retains an apocalypse, dystopian, and horror flair, the novella is a mystery above all else. What is happening in the town? Why is it happening? We never really know, and while you might think that’s frustrating, I think an explanation would have ruined the ethereal aspect of the novel. In a way, this novel reminds me of long dream - it’s a little disjointed but still connected and contains moments that are odd but make sense in context. The journal aspect of the novella makes it very mimetic - we’re as confused as Laverne is, but that’s part of the fun.
The epistolary aspect of the novel is executed flawlessly. The journal aspect of the novel makes it easy to follow. While sometimes I find epistolary novels provide far more information than a real person would put in their diary or letter, you don’t have to suspend your disbelief on this one, as Laverne is writing the journal to remind herself what’s going on.
The writing itself is just lovely, full of lines like “it’s awful knowing you’re in a cage, but it’s better than fearing the cage might be all that’s left” (this line may change or be removed as I took it from an ARC). The writing style also gives the main character, Laverne, a crotchety retired woman, a distinct personality.
There are some great twists in the novella, and while I kind of wish it was longer (because I was enjoying it so much!), I also was entirely satisfied with the story. Nothing but the Rain is a great example of a novella, because it felt neither too short (I don't think it needed to be a novel) nor too long (it doesn't feel like a stretched-out short story). The balance was excellent and I really enjoyed the open-ended ending.
Overall, definitely check out this novella, especially on a rainy day!
March 20, 2023
"Welcome to Aloisville, rainiest town in the rainiest state. Population: we don’t recall."
Literally, the rain makes this whole town forget. Forget what? Oh, well that would be everything. Laverne makes the really great idea to start writing everything down in a journal, which is how we are told this story: through her perspective, in her journal. She is just trying to keep on keeping on, and when people approach her to leave, she thinks that is probably a bad plan.
I loved this story, in fact my only real issue was that I wanted more of it. I wanted to know all the things, but since we are reading this from Laverne's perspective, we are nearly as in the dark as she is (though luckily, we get to keep her memories, as our rain isn't poisoning us, you know, yet). The atmosphere was awesome, I felt Laverne's frustrations and fears so much, and the dreariness of the town really works. The townspeople have found some ways to dampen (heh) the effects of the rain, but one leaky roof can destroy everything. They have to make some very brutal decisions, and let's just say this is not a place I would want to find myself. I would love to read more of this story, or at least from this world, as I was really fascinated and have so many more questions.
Bottom Line: An exciting and very readable novella about an amnesia-inducing rain that we definitely do NOT want to be a part of!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
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