After getting in a fight with his best friends from high school—his bros—shortly after graduation, Griffin Nichols is faced with a reality he’d never imagined. He’s alone. In his version of manhood, he figures he needs to stash his feelings, and pack them away among the ruins like dusty remnants. His job is to keep solitary watch, keep trudging through the dust, and keep protecting his jailed heart. Then he meets Maxwell Wallace, and she challenges everything he’s ever believed about what it means to be a man, flinging the jail door wide open. But is Griffin ready to face those feelings when they are too heavy to carry alone and he thinks it’s his job to do so?
Diving into this book with no context aside from the absolutely stunning cover, and hooking blurb was as exciting as getting to read Griffin's story! From what I can tell, he appeared in the previous book, The Stories Stars Tell, before getting the spotlight and his story documented in this installment. Although I prefer reading the first book in a series before facing the second, In the Echo of this Ghost Town can be read as a standalone, and so the only knowledge I had of him was from reviews that plainly stated that Griffin wasn't the most likeable character.
From the first chapter, I could tell he wasn't such a great person. Fighting his friends over petty issues, getting drunk six out of seven days in a week, being a douchebag to his mom—every action he took, and every word he uttered was questionable. There were times he was almost unbearable, and his thoughts were a pain to read. But the turning point for Griffin's character was realizing he caused some of his problems. He's messy, flawed, and trying his best to be emotionally unavailable... until he meets Max.
With how it comes off, you'd think Max would be the solutions to all his problems—the love interest who magically changes him with a kiss and a wink. She isn't. She has her own insecurities and problems to deal with, and her character is as well-personified just as Griffin's. Their first meeting is not exactly a meet-cute, and neither is their second, when he ends up at her house in his search for a job after his mother threatens to kick him out.
Griffin and Max's friendship builds in a perfectly paced way. From the lighthearted moments when they tease each other with smiles, to the serious ones where they address issues they'd much rather bury forever. It was absolutely lovely experiencing their joys and shared pain.
C. L. Walters conveys so much raw and powerful emotions in every chapter. Not only do we learn why Griffin is the way he is, we also see him try his best to be better, to correct past mistakes, mend broken bonds, and find it in his heart to forgive himself and others. It addresses toxic male culture which tells us 'Men Don't Cry,' and essentially teaches that it's perfectly fine to be undecided and lost, to feel like an echo of yourself. Griffin's character arc was a thrill to follow, his development was significant, and rang clear in the decisions he took, the feelings he expressed, and the humanity he displayed.
I teared up several times during reading, and I had to forgo sleep just so I could finish it. It's definitely a must-read, and I recommend it to everyone, no matter their age! It has a loud message that needs to be heard! Even if it's told with voices that seem to echo in ghost towns.
