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samanthawattam's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Joseph Calvin Vaughan, age 11 in July 1939 from Augusta Falls, Georgia now ‘old’ is the narrator who is looking back on his life to how fear permeated and destroyed a community when death came to visit. We swap back and forth from glimpses of the present to tracing the events of his life that began with the death of his father. It was a tumultuous time globally with the Second World War but the events at home overshadowed everything for those touched by this one man.
This is not an Agatha Christie style whodunnit, yes of course they want to catch this faceless depraved man but we see the effect and the destruction of one man’s life Joseph Calvin Vaughan. We barely go beyond knowing the victims’ names the novel doesn’t delve into their lives or their families whom we rarely meet, we don’t learn much of their grief but we know it’s there.
I think it is very well written, descriptively very atmospheric, engaging and an intriguing story sometimes the language (for me) can be a bit heavy going as a sense of doom pervades the book from the start. This is not a light read by any means but I certainly found myself drawn into the story.
I would recommend but know it is a frustrating read at times and depressing not much let up and even when there are lighter moments you know they won’t last long!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
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