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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
My goodness, talk about exquisite writing. I was knocked out by how good, how beautiful, how heartwrenching the writing was, not to mention the story itself. There are three voices in this story: Jojo, a 13-year-old boy; Leonie, his mom; and Richie, a specter that Jojo can see and hear. He is a ghost from Jojo's grandpa's days at a prison when he was a young man. Jojo is not the only one with this gift of the supernatural, his mom has it, too, but only when she's high. She is visited by her brother, Given, who was shot on a hunting trip.
The story doesn't cover much time in the present, though we get stories of the past told by Pop about his time in prison and the story of Richie. We get the story of Given, and we get some of the story of Pop and Mam, who is now dying of cancer. There is a road trip to the same prison that Pop had been in to retrieve Michael, Jojo's father and Leonie's number one concern (over her two kids). There is meth and abuse, there are supernatural gifts that seem completely normal, there is ache and love, there is death and deliverance. It is a remarkable triumph of what words can do.
The story doesn't cover much time in the present, though we get stories of the past told by Pop about his time in prison and the story of Richie. We get the story of Given, and we get some of the story of Pop and Mam, who is now dying of cancer. There is a road trip to the same prison that Pop had been in to retrieve Michael, Jojo's father and Leonie's number one concern (over her two kids). There is meth and abuse, there are supernatural gifts that seem completely normal, there is ache and love, there is death and deliverance. It is a remarkable triumph of what words can do.
What a lovely dive into the Southern Gothic tradition. Ward seamlessly weaves together past and present to create a haunting and incredibly lyrical story; I do not remember the last time I read (or rather, listened to on audio book) more vivid, poetic, and unflinching descriptions. My only wish is that there was more, as I feel like there were some loose ends that never quite got tied up to my liking. Overall though, still definitely worth a read. At the very least, it'll open your eyes to the current state of racism, drugs, poverty, and other social issues that continue to permeate the south.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautifully written about hard and harsh topics.
This book made me squirm with discomfort. From The sad clingy toddler to the addict mother and the dying grandmother to the ghosts of the past, it’s a gut-wrenching book.
emotional
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Heavy and sad, but beautiful (and beautifully written.) It's a coming of age story, that explores the complexity of family and the impact of death, addiction, and incarceration. There are also ghosts. I had to take time with this book there is so much to process. The story is not without hope in the end.
This is the 2019 One Book One Philadelphia selection!
This is the 2019 One Book One Philadelphia selection!
