Sharyn McCrumb, The Unquiet Grave

This novel proved to be a very different beast of a crime book. Ghosts, murderers, and coverups, oh my! There’s a lot about this novel that screams quintessential southern murder mystery. Taking place post-Civil War in Appalachian mountain towns and based on the true story of Zona Heaster, otherwise known as the Greenbriar Ghost, this novel approaches difficult topics with grace and respect for both the victim and family.

Mary Jane Heaster does not like “Trout” Shue from the moment she learns about him. When her beloved daughter marries him almost immediately after meeting him, she is right to worry. Continue reading “Sharyn McCrumb, The Unquiet Grave” →

Amy Greene, Bloodroot

TW: Abuse and depictions of violence

Amy Greene’s debut novel, Bloodroot, is a striking work of literary fiction set in the Appalachian region of Tennessee. Rather than following a traditional plot, Bloodroot is a collection of life stories spanning four generations, each narrator connected to the novel’s central figure: Myra Lamb. By progressing in a non-linear fashion, Bloodroot’s character-driven storytelling allows readers to slowly navigate the depths of this tragic family. This is largely achieved through coupled perspectives, the first alternating between Myra’s childhood friend, Doug, and her grandmother, Birdie; and later shifting to Myra’s own children, Johnny and Laura. Though these stories are brought together by their connection to Myra, I found each incredibly compelling in its own right. Continue reading “Amy Greene, Bloodroot” →

Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)

Trigger warnings follow the book review.

How should we categorize Beloved? Its opening pages designate it as a paranormal novel. Sethe, a woman who escaped enslavement on the terrifying Sweet Home plantation, lives with her teenage daughter, Denver, in their Cincinnati house. However, their home also hosts a vengeful presence: the ghost of Sethe’s infant daughter. Like a magician flourishing her best tricks, the spirit draws from the classics of ghostly activity. Mirrors shatter. Handprints appear in cakes. And, in the baby’s strongest expression of rage, the house shakes. But early on, Paul D–a man who was enslaved alongside Sethe and with whom she develops a complicated romance–arrives and seemingly banishes the ghost. Mere chapters later, Beloved again veers into the paranormal, but with a flesh-and-blood twist. A woman appears at Sethe’s house, whose name–Beloved–mirrors the epitaph on Sethe’s daughter’s tombstone, and who is chillingly adept at bonding with Denver, chasing Paul D away, emotionally manipulating Sethe, and overindulging her sense of abandonment and anger… Continue reading “Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)” →

Amy Greene, Long Man

Welcome to Yuneetah, Tennessee. This rural, hardscrabble community set in the 1930s in East Tennessee holds tightly to their rich history through a deep connection to the land. When the Tennessee Valley Authority plans to dam the river and flood the town of Yuneetah, the inhabitants are forced to relocate. Some go willingly, eager to aid East Tennessee’s promise of “progression.” Others, such as Annie Clyde Dodson, are not willing to part with their land so easily.

Annie’s connection to the farm and desire to pass it down to her daughter, Gracie, makes her unwilling to desert her beloved land. When Gracie disappears, the Dodson family must grapple with the truth of the people around them in order to find their child. Continue reading “Amy Greene, Long Man” →