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A 38 year old bar manager hires a young girl who just walks into his bar without ever checking to see any ID. From the very beginning, I heard warning bells going off. It turns out she is only 17, but develops a crush on him. And then it went downhill.
Even though the premise was unsettling the life of a black male in Memphis seemed to be an accurate portrayal. The most telling part of the book was the description of the Police Museum on Beale Street where, as the author says, you didn't have to go too far back in historic police logs to see entries for arrests for "being uppity, not getting off the sidewalk quick enough, having the wrong tone in their voice." Not too far back indeed, especially when you see reports of blacks executed by blues for crimes such as having an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. Even 30 years after it was written, this book should make you feel very uncomfortable for so many different reasons.
Other reviews have said this is the weakest of Patchett's books, so I may have to try another.
Even though the premise was unsettling the life of a black male in Memphis seemed to be an accurate portrayal. The most telling part of the book was the description of the Police Museum on Beale Street where, as the author says, you didn't have to go too far back in historic police logs to see entries for arrests for "being uppity, not getting off the sidewalk quick enough, having the wrong tone in their voice." Not too far back indeed, especially when you see reports of blacks executed by blues for crimes such as having an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. Even 30 years after it was written, this book should make you feel very uncomfortable for so many different reasons.
Other reviews have said this is the weakest of Patchett's books, so I may have to try another.