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ufstefgator's review
5.0
I. Loved. This. Book! The writing is wonderful and the story even better. It’s a story of prejudice, secrets, and the way one event can change the course of many lives. It’s not a happy story through most of the book but such a wonderful read.
_lilbey_'s review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ljm57's review
3.0
A well-written tale where the solving of the crimes both past & present take a back seat to the inter-relationships of the main characters which form the heart of this book. Nudging 4 stars for this one.
elliiecrne22's review
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
so wonderfully crafted. in a lot of stories where there are so many loose ends, there's bound to be one or two left untied at the end. not here. tom introduces so many clues and easter eggs that you don't notice until he's revealed the twist toward the end. this book is such a study in rural mississippi and its pathology, the twistedly intimate relationships between people in a shitty situation. love it
bon1bon1's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jenmangler's review
2.0
I went into this expecting a mystery, but it just wasn't - or at least, not a very good one. All the "twists" were telegraphed and pretty obvious. Once I let go of that expectation, I enjoyed reading it a lot more. Larry's story was very compelling and my favorite part of the book.
salgalruns's review
5.0
“MI crooked letter, crooked letter I, crooked letter, crooked letter I, humpback, humpback, I” (how southern children are taught to spell Mississippi.)
- Can I tell you how much I loved this opener and how I loved this book more than I was ever expecting to! I downloaded it a year ago, after reading on blog after blog about how it was a great read, and yet never got to it until the last day. Read the whole story in a day.
Larry Ott is an introverted horror book lover who is a little off of the norm when it comes to social skills. However, he is so genuinely kind-hearted and never speaks ill of anyone. You love him. You hope that if you pass him on the street, that you would befriend him. The town completely shuns him and I am truly flabbergasted that NO ONE ever gives him a second glance, not even his former friend. Breaks my heart.
As for Silas - parts of his storyline were somewhat obvious, but he's such an intriguing character. I loved hearing all about his life, where he came from and how he ended up where he is. Such an incredible athlete, with such amazing secrets. You're kind of, well very, ticked off at Silas for shunning Larry as well. I mean, seriously? That's just wrong.
This story explores how misconceptions can break a person but not their soul; how important it is to tell the truth; how sometimes the most beaten down people can be the most loving — and how sometimes they can be the most disturbed. It will make you feel love for someone who, if you actually lived in this fictional town, you would probably fear. It will make you wonder who you are ignoring, neglecting, judging. It will make you think about how much you ridicule and isolation you could endure if made to do so.
- Can I tell you how much I loved this opener and how I loved this book more than I was ever expecting to! I downloaded it a year ago, after reading on blog after blog about how it was a great read, and yet never got to it until the last day. Read the whole story in a day.
Larry Ott is an introverted horror book lover who is a little off of the norm when it comes to social skills. However, he is so genuinely kind-hearted and never speaks ill of anyone. You love him. You hope that if you pass him on the street, that you would befriend him. The town completely shuns him and I am truly flabbergasted that NO ONE ever gives him a second glance, not even his former friend. Breaks my heart.
As for Silas - parts of his storyline were somewhat obvious, but he's such an intriguing character. I loved hearing all about his life, where he came from and how he ended up where he is. Such an incredible athlete, with such amazing secrets. You're kind of, well very, ticked off at Silas for shunning Larry as well. I mean, seriously? That's just wrong.
This story explores how misconceptions can break a person but not their soul; how important it is to tell the truth; how sometimes the most beaten down people can be the most loving — and how sometimes they can be the most disturbed. It will make you feel love for someone who, if you actually lived in this fictional town, you would probably fear. It will make you wonder who you are ignoring, neglecting, judging. It will make you think about how much you ridicule and isolation you could endure if made to do so.