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wcmills55's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kacyrene's review against another edition
5.0
I would place these stories within the Southern grotesque tradition, and as others have pointed out, Gwyn's style is reminiscent of Hemingway. Fans of Flannery O'Conner will certainly enjoy this collection because it examines faith within a Southern Protestant setting, a setting rather familiar to the author.
Several of the stories are quite memorable for their bizarre content and haunting feel. My favorite story was "The Backsliders," which was one of the few that took place outside the confines of the First Pentecostal Church, but involved several church members. The stories are loosely connected, and major characters in one story make minor appearances in others. When I finished reading the book, I continued to imagine the ways in which these lives intersected in the small town of Perser, Oklahoma.
Several of the stories are quite memorable for their bizarre content and haunting feel. My favorite story was "The Backsliders," which was one of the few that took place outside the confines of the First Pentecostal Church, but involved several church members. The stories are loosely connected, and major characters in one story make minor appearances in others. When I finished reading the book, I continued to imagine the ways in which these lives intersected in the small town of Perser, Oklahoma.
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