A review by ljjohnson8
In West Mills by De'Shawn Charles Winslow

4.0

A debut novel by a talented author. In West Mills tells the story of a group of neighbors in a black rural community in North Carolina, spanning the 1940s to the 1980s. At the center of the group and the plot is Azalea "Knot" Centre, a hard-drinking and hard-loving woman - prickly, independent Knot who wants to be left alone to live her life her way. She pays some high prices for her sometimes abysmal choices; she can be shockingly lacking in insight; and she certainly is difficult to like at times. But Winslow creates a vibrant and unforgettable character, along with a number of wonderful other characters and relationships, most especially the lifelong friendship between Knot and the extraordinary and loving Otis Lee. I didn't want to leave West Mills.