A review by cmarcatili
Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson

5.0

Pete's a social worker in a small Montana town – he spends his life trying to help the down-and-out take care of their kids. When things get really bad, he tries to make sure the kids end up in a decent situation. But he's not much good at being a father, or taking care of his own life. Things really fall apart when his wife moves to Texas with his daughter. About the same time, Pete gets mixed up with a kid, Ben, and his mysterious father, Pearl. Pearl is a survivalist, living out in the forest with his son awaiting the end of the world. All Pete seems to want is to make sure Ben's OK, but as his own life falls apart, maybe something of their life away from society appeals to Pete. And then there's the lingering question, asked but never answered: where's Pearl's wife, and their other five kids?

Fourth of July Creek is a complex book, with so much happening, all densely layered atop each other. Pete searches for Pearl, tries to rebuild his family, fails at so much. It's beautifully written, evocative, and at times troubling. Might be a bit slow for some readers, but well worth a read.