“This was a very well-written and captivating novel set in 1930s Alabama. Though it has been called southern gothic, it is quite different in tone and mood from other such books of that style, such as those of Carson McCullers, whose writing was very emotional, but very stark and severely focused. Gin Phillips' story has a wider, more open feel, as her characters perceive and participate in the community of the little mining town of Carbon Hill, and also as the book is told from the alternating perspectives of every member of a family: Albert, the hardworking, traditional though slightly progressive coal-mining father; Leta, the laconic yet loving mother; Tess, the youngest daughter, Virgie, her older sister, and Jack, the youngest. Phillips does something very interesting with Jack: since he is mostly too young to contribute any kind of meaningful observation to the story, his narration is told from the present day, as he looks back and remembers these incidents from his adulthood, making several comments about how the family has turned out in recent years. His segments sound very much like an oral history, something I really enjoyed. The story revolves around a dead baby who is tossed in the family's well, which sparks a series of interactions between the family members and their community and results in them getting to know their neighbors better, getting a better sense of who other people really are, and getting a better sense of the outside world. An interesting thing about this novel is that, though it has a very democratic feel to it, it is staunchly and firmly rooted in the traditions of its age. This suggests (though the novel itself never actually does anything to suggest it) that reform can only exist in a healthy way when it refines, not replaces, tradition. Altogether a memorable novel. ”
Michael wrote this review Wednesday, June 24 2009.
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