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A review by valchanelle
Southern Cross the Dog by Bill Cheng
2.0
This book truly had the potential to be great. There's a compelling set of characters and a wonderfully tragic setting (the time/place surrounding the Mississippi flood of 1927). However, the stories here just seem to ramble around each other. In this way, "Southern Cross the Dog" reminds me of "The Twelve Tribes of Hattie." Good concept, shaky execution.
There are flashes of genius in Cheng's writing: His descriptions of the flood scenes are beautiful. But some of the language seems forced and corny - the way Northerners imagine Southerners speak. But mostly, I found myself fighting the urge to skim passages, especially toward the end. It's unfortunate that Cheng doesn't really "dig in" to these characters the way a more experienced writer could. There's a sense of distance, especially toward the women (Lucy, Etta, and Dora) that detracts from the narrative.
I'd suggest reading the first half if you want a taste of Cheng's writing style, but skip if you're looking for a compelling plot.
There are flashes of genius in Cheng's writing: His descriptions of the flood scenes are beautiful. But some of the language seems forced and corny - the way Northerners imagine Southerners speak. But mostly, I found myself fighting the urge to skim passages, especially toward the end. It's unfortunate that Cheng doesn't really "dig in" to these characters the way a more experienced writer could. There's a sense of distance, especially toward the women (Lucy, Etta, and Dora) that detracts from the narrative.
I'd suggest reading the first half if you want a taste of Cheng's writing style, but skip if you're looking for a compelling plot.