Scan barcode
brttbld's review against another edition
4.0
I was expecting it to be more of a thriller, but was written well. Stories like these are important because they happen... in the 1970s... 2000s...and presently. A nice quick read with great detail.
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
2.0
(2.5)
The Gone Dead takes place in the Mississippi Delta and, sadly, is as meandering and muddy as the river itself. When Billie James inherits her father’s cabin she goes home after 30 years away. A poet and activist, his death was deemed an accident, but there are whispers it may have been murder. The novel follows her as she tries to find answers, but aside from the rampant racism in the town where she’s staying, nothing else becomes clear until the very last chapter. Too many ancillary characters, including a professor who wants to write a book about her father.
The Gone Dead takes place in the Mississippi Delta and, sadly, is as meandering and muddy as the river itself. When Billie James inherits her father’s cabin she goes home after 30 years away. A poet and activist, his death was deemed an accident, but there are whispers it may have been murder. The novel follows her as she tries to find answers, but aside from the rampant racism in the town where she’s staying, nothing else becomes clear until the very last chapter. Too many ancillary characters, including a professor who wants to write a book about her father.
drkew's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the first half of the book, which is beautifully written and enables readers to perfectly visualize the book's Mississippi setting and the weight of the state's history of interpersonal relationships between blacks and whites. When it came to the "who done it" of the second half, I thought the book meandered a bit, especially for the suspense/thriller genre, hence the 4 stars. With that said, I really look forward to reading more of the author's work.
justjoel's review against another edition
2.0
This book really irritated me. There were parts that were brilliant and parts that were travesties. It was consistently inconsistent, and that's one of the worst things you can be if I'm supposed to try to enjoy you.
First of all, where the book excelled was in describing racial tensions, microaggressions, and conflicts. These things were on point and felt authentic and true.
It's tough to say what was wrong without hitting spoiler territory, but one of the biggest issues was a major plot hole where someone was trying to get the protagonist to leave town, and you realize there was a point where they could have said one simple thing that would have solved everything without the protagonist ever having to show up.
So, so irritating.
I enjoyed most of the characters as well, though the author had a horrible habit of using one for a POV character (they alternate with a different one each chapter) for a while, then you might go 10 chapters before the author suddenly threw them back into the mix without any explanation of where they'd been or what they'd been doing.
Also, I listened to this on audio and I really can't recommend the experience. The author's style has characters talking to others while also running a stream-of-consciousness type inner dialogue which does not translate well at all to audio.
I really think the author has potential and I would love to see what she can do with a better editor. I would definitely give her another read in the future, as the bright spots here were really bright.
2 out of 5 stars.
First of all, where the book excelled was in describing racial tensions, microaggressions, and conflicts. These things were on point and felt authentic and true.
It's tough to say what was wrong without hitting spoiler territory, but one of the biggest issues was a major plot hole where someone was trying to get the protagonist to leave town, and you realize there was a point where they could have said one simple thing that would have solved everything without the protagonist ever having to show up.
So, so irritating.
I enjoyed most of the characters as well, though the author had a horrible habit of using one for a POV character (they alternate with a different one each chapter) for a while, then you might go 10 chapters before the author suddenly threw them back into the mix without any explanation of where they'd been or what they'd been doing.
Also, I listened to this on audio and I really can't recommend the experience. The author's style has characters talking to others while also running a stream-of-consciousness type inner dialogue which does not translate well at all to audio.
I really think the author has potential and I would love to see what she can do with a better editor. I would definitely give her another read in the future, as the bright spots here were really bright.
2 out of 5 stars.
horrendousreads's review against another edition
3.0
The book was a relatively fast read with some great mystery. A good summer read with a likable main character.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
5.0
Read the whole thing in a day because I couldn't put it down. This is a literary mystery set in Mississippi about a woman who returns to her father's hometown to find out the truth about his death. Officially it was ruled an accident, but the reaction of locals (including her own family members) as she investigates makes it clear there's more to the story. I was totally sucked in--so atmospheric, I could practically feel the sticky heat of the South as I read.
dianna_reads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
megancrews's review against another edition
4.0
When I picked this audio book up, I expected more of a mystery, but I ended up really enjoying this one. It is a tense, lyrically written story set in the Delta with an interesting cast of characters.