A Compelling New Voice -
I LOVE a Scary Story! I LOVE Folklore! A story that embodies both is an automatic win BUT
when it is done with captivating characters, multi-layered themes and outstanding visualizations...
well I become a forever fan. White Harbor effortlessly fulfills these requirements. I received the first
four chapters of this new Serial and was quickly immersed in the beautifully written and captivating
story. This serial tells the story of this small seaside town and is full of multi-layered characters
whose stories and relationships are just as compelling as the events that plague the town. Carlos
Rivera showed finesse and restraint in his storytelling, creating a duality with the eloquence of his
descriptions and the macabre visuals they conjured. Honestly, there were a few times, where I had
to stop reading just to slow down my brain and catch a breath before I was swallowed by the
imaginative riptide of the narrative. I am also not ashamed to say that a couple of those ‘breaks’
were desperately needed so that I could attempt to control the rising nausea brought about by said
visuals.
White Harbor embraces the essence of community lore as the characters reveal the town’s
history. These revelations draw parallels between the characters (past and present) and offer
varying perspectives as similar situations bring about differing resolutions. Rivera was able to craft a
setting for these characters to interact that is reminiscent of other towns from the genre. The town of
White Harbor inhabits qualities akin to the towns of Castle Rock, Derry, Jerusalem’s Lot, and to
some extent Crockett Island (Midnight Mass reference). Small towns with small communities with
long memories and vivid explanations for the town’s history / lore. White Harbor also possesses the
standard imposing ‘haunted’ mansion that overlooks the town and one which the residents can
conveniently use as a scapegoat for any and all malfeasance in the town. The embracing of this
familiar haunted house trope didn’t feel imitative or clichéd but relatable. It reflected a town that is
present in every culture and country. This device gave this story its essence of authenticity and
familiarity and grounded it in the genre of folklore.
Filtered into the ‘lore’ of White Habor are themes of abuse, bullying, friendship, relationships,
parental love, religion, mental health, marginalization, racism and gossip. These topics may speak to
a more contemporary society but are in fact quite traditional. The timelessness of these themes are
perfectly adapted to the plot’s convergent timelines and reveal the multiple layers of the characters
introduced. Characters that is another of this serial’s strengths. The characters are believably flawed
and at times frustratingly obtuse. Their motivations and actions, at times confounding, yet plausible.
Rivera’s choice of characters and their development again belied King’s influence, but in the best
possible way. One of King’s remarkable abilities is his comprehension of the Human Psyche and
Condition. He is able to craft characters that are multi-dimensional, main characters that are neither
completely evil nor completely innocent. Rivera shares much of that ability as is evident in his
characters’ development. As the serial evolves, I anticipate even more layers to develop for each
character, much like a film’s negative.
Also woven through this lore is the supernatural which is expected for a tale steeped in
folklore. Folkloric tales often present supernatural explanations for inexplicable occurrences.
Rivera’s talent for description denotes his imagination and incredible ability to conceptualize and
craft visual pictures with his words. Visuals that can evoke visceral reactions, as I alluded to earlier,
as well as heart wrenching emotion, tears fell and cracks appeared along my heart. Rivera is a
compelling storyteller whose narrative is well-paced and immersive. I will concur that there are some
tropes incorporated but show me a book in any genre that doesn’t inject them. White Harbor is a
story about a town that we all ‘know’ and told tales about when we were younger... Rivera’s
invocation of that ‘town’ blows away the cobwebs that masked it from our consciousness as we grew
up. With a mere four chapters, Rivera captured my attention, imagination, memory and heart. I was
more than pleasantly surprised by what I read; I was flawed by the impeccable quality of the writing.
A compelling new voice and a story I look forward to getting to the end of...
https://www.patreon.com/WhiteHarbor
Amazon Link for hardcopies or Kindle copies: