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annodee 's review for:
Sing, Unburied, Sing
by Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward writes like a poet. The setting is the same fictional Mississippi town as in Salvage the Bones. The long middle section is a road trip from hell, when 13 year old Jojo, his 3 year old sister Kayla, and their drug dependent mother Leonie drive to pick up Michael, the children's father, from prison. Leonie doesn't possess the "mothering instinct" and has no desire or ability to care for her children. Fortunately for Kayla, her brother Jojo steps in and loves and takes care of her. The children's saintlike grandparents have raised them in Leonie's sporadic absences. Jojo and Kayla's relationship is realistic and touching. Leonie is hard to figure out, and I'm not sure I understand what is happening with her character. Overall, the story is readable and gripping though sad, and there is hope in the end. The audiobook is excellent, with 3 different and distinct narrators.