A review by maric83ava
The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb

4.0

Maybe 3.5 stars, but Sharyn McCrumb is a contender for my favorite writer of all time, so this one gets graded on a curve. Many reviews I read awarded three or fewer stars because none of the main characters was likable. I didn't realize likability was a prerequisite for a favorable review! And, yes, there was a fair amount of repetition which felt tiring and monotonous. But, guess what? The lives these characters led were tiring, monotonous (except for a rare scandal or crime) and incredibly simple. These were illiterate, hardscrabble, dirt-poor, sometimes inbred, recent survivors of the most wrenching episode in U.S. history. Not a whole lot of material to spice up a tale based on a true story of that time and place. So, I give Sharyn extra credit for effectively evoking the essence of her subject matter.