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novelvisits's review
3.0
{My Thoughts}
As In West Mills begins debut author De’Shawn Charles Winslow introduces us to Azalea “Knot” Centre. She’d only lived in the community for a few years, but had quickly become well known there. Knot needed to escape the eyes of her own family, so when her father arranged a teaching job for her in West Mills, Knot left home and rarely looked back. She was liked as a teacher, but what she really became known for was hard drinking, dancing, and men. Before long Knot’s free-spirited lifestyle brought trouble in more ways than one, leaving a path of destruction, and a bevy of secrets that affected many around her.
“Knot had heard about people going into shock. But she never had been able to imagine how it might feel. This must be it, she thought to herself. When you know you hurtin’. But there ain’t no pain. When you know you sad, but you don’t feel like you gon’ cry. I want to say a whole lot of stuff, but don’t want to talk. This must be it. Got to be what shock feels like.”
While I appreciated the loyal spirit of the small West Mills community created by Winslow, the secrets and lies that percolated just under its surface grew tiresome. By the second half I especially tired of Knot. She started out as a very flawed character that you had to be rooting for and wanted to like, but over the course of her life it was difficult for me to do so. A woman who was essentially very selfish impacted so many people’s lives in oftentimes complex and hurtful ways. Knot did make some hard choices that made life better for others, but she never seemed to be able to do the same for herself. As a debut, I truly appreciated Winslow’s strong writing and insights into the people of West Mills, but I wish his story would have been more about those people and less about their secrets.
Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Publishing (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.
For more reviews and bookish news: https://novelvisits.com/
As In West Mills begins debut author De’Shawn Charles Winslow introduces us to Azalea “Knot” Centre. She’d only lived in the community for a few years, but had quickly become well known there. Knot needed to escape the eyes of her own family, so when her father arranged a teaching job for her in West Mills, Knot left home and rarely looked back. She was liked as a teacher, but what she really became known for was hard drinking, dancing, and men. Before long Knot’s free-spirited lifestyle brought trouble in more ways than one, leaving a path of destruction, and a bevy of secrets that affected many around her.
“Knot had heard about people going into shock. But she never had been able to imagine how it might feel. This must be it, she thought to herself. When you know you hurtin’. But there ain’t no pain. When you know you sad, but you don’t feel like you gon’ cry. I want to say a whole lot of stuff, but don’t want to talk. This must be it. Got to be what shock feels like.”
While I appreciated the loyal spirit of the small West Mills community created by Winslow, the secrets and lies that percolated just under its surface grew tiresome. By the second half I especially tired of Knot. She started out as a very flawed character that you had to be rooting for and wanted to like, but over the course of her life it was difficult for me to do so. A woman who was essentially very selfish impacted so many people’s lives in oftentimes complex and hurtful ways. Knot did make some hard choices that made life better for others, but she never seemed to be able to do the same for herself. As a debut, I truly appreciated Winslow’s strong writing and insights into the people of West Mills, but I wish his story would have been more about those people and less about their secrets.
Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Publishing (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.
For more reviews and bookish news: https://novelvisits.com/
ok_karla's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was deliciously gossipy.
earthseeddetroit's review
3.0
Great slice of life story. Small town with a lot of cheap liquor, unhappiness and secrets, of course. And that last page? Hmmm. Is it what it so obviously seems? Not sure.
ridgewaygirl's review
4.0
Otis Lee can't help but care about the people around him in his community in North Carolina, and his care extends to his neighbor Azalea "Knot" Centre. Knot is the schoolteacher and she's a good one, but she's also prone to indulging in books, booze and men, but especially the booze. Otis helps her out each time her behavior lands her in trouble, accepting her as she is. In West Mills begins in 1941 and continues through most of the lifespans of Otis, Knot and the various denizens of West Mills], through the changing social conditions, as life in West Mills changes and remains constant, as people leave and return.
This is a novel about secrets, and how they are kept or not kept by an entire community or within families. It's about who has the right or the responsibility to reveal what has been hidden. It's also a deeply nuanced look at a few people in a community over time, how proximity can create deep ties and how the past impacts the present. Otis Lee is a wonderful character whose sense of responsibility is both a strength and a liability. Winslow writes well and with love about his fictitious community and I enjoyed every page I got to spend with Knot, Otis, Pen, Breezy and the rest.
This is a novel about secrets, and how they are kept or not kept by an entire community or within families. It's about who has the right or the responsibility to reveal what has been hidden. It's also a deeply nuanced look at a few people in a community over time, how proximity can create deep ties and how the past impacts the present. Otis Lee is a wonderful character whose sense of responsibility is both a strength and a liability. Winslow writes well and with love about his fictitious community and I enjoyed every page I got to spend with Knot, Otis, Pen, Breezy and the rest.
mawalker1962's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this book about Knot Centre and the gnarly knots tied from ropes of love, lies, good intentions, and family secrets.
beatniksafari's review
Great characterizations and sense of place in this story, set in rural North Carolina during the mid-20th century. Otis Lee was my favorite!
bibliobethica's review
5.0
In West Mills is a novel that stirs emotions. It unfolds beautifully showing how you can love and hate at the same time. Sometimes hate wins and things are said and done that can't be taken back. The characters learned from their mistakes and loved one another in ways that fictional characters rarely do. It's incredibly sad. I rarely get emotionally affected by fiction, but this one will stay with me.
readingwithmygoldens's review
4.0
What a debut!! Everyone should put De'Shawn Charles Winslow on their list of authors to watch!
This wasn't on my radar at all, but Buzzfeed listed this as a must read for summer and the short synopsis was all I needed to sell me. It was a delightful read (a shorter one too) that was simply just such a feel good book. Feel good, not because the characters had it easy (they most certainly didn't), but it was like coming home when I opened it each time.
Azalea Centre (known as Knot), is a woman not of her time. She doesn't feel the need to have a husband, do the whole housewife thing and fall into line. She much prefers drinking, being sassy and reading her books. It follows her life and those of her closest neighbors in the small town of West Mills, NC from the early 40s up until the late 80s.
Some people found Knot's personality tiresome and grating, but I absolutely loved her! I found the issues she faced then, just as relevant today and that makes this book truly timeless. Her relationship with her neighbor, Otis Lee was something special. I enjoyed his soft spot for her and how the complexities of their relationship gave them comfort during troubling times. In this community, the love they had for one another always came through in the end, despite the hurt or feelings of resentment that materialized.
I can't wait to read the next book from Mr. Winslow as this was truly, something special.
Thanks to the Buffalo Public Library for my copy to read!
Review Date: 6/15/19
Publication Date: 6/4/19
This wasn't on my radar at all, but Buzzfeed listed this as a must read for summer and the short synopsis was all I needed to sell me. It was a delightful read (a shorter one too) that was simply just such a feel good book. Feel good, not because the characters had it easy (they most certainly didn't), but it was like coming home when I opened it each time.
Azalea Centre (known as Knot), is a woman not of her time. She doesn't feel the need to have a husband, do the whole housewife thing and fall into line. She much prefers drinking, being sassy and reading her books. It follows her life and those of her closest neighbors in the small town of West Mills, NC from the early 40s up until the late 80s.
Some people found Knot's personality tiresome and grating, but I absolutely loved her! I found the issues she faced then, just as relevant today and that makes this book truly timeless. Her relationship with her neighbor, Otis Lee was something special. I enjoyed his soft spot for her and how the complexities of their relationship gave them comfort during troubling times. In this community, the love they had for one another always came through in the end, despite the hurt or feelings of resentment that materialized.
I can't wait to read the next book from Mr. Winslow as this was truly, something special.
Thanks to the Buffalo Public Library for my copy to read!
Review Date: 6/15/19
Publication Date: 6/4/19
trisha_thomas's review
2.0
"Time is time. That's what time is."
This is a definite case of "it's not you, it's me" type of book. This one just wasn't for me.
The writing style wasn't my favorite. It was a lot of description and dialogue but not a lot of getting to know anyone. I felt plunked into a town closer to the middle of the story than the beginning and only got glimpses into the past through memories (and they were rare). Otherwise it's a sweeping story, that involves a few lives in a small town - as each of them make decisions and help each other out.
I didn't find either main character particularly like able but I know, again, the drinking is more my hang up and not something particularly wrong with the story - just not my thing. I wish I'd liked it more.
This is a definite case of "it's not you, it's me" type of book. This one just wasn't for me.
The writing style wasn't my favorite. It was a lot of description and dialogue but not a lot of getting to know anyone. I felt plunked into a town closer to the middle of the story than the beginning and only got glimpses into the past through memories (and they were rare). Otherwise it's a sweeping story, that involves a few lives in a small town - as each of them make decisions and help each other out.
I didn't find either main character particularly like able but I know, again, the drinking is more my hang up and not something particularly wrong with the story - just not my thing. I wish I'd liked it more.