A review by richardrbecker
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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? No
5.0
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale is a mesmerizing short novel set in Depression-era East Texas. The protagonist, Harry Collins, is an older man recounting his experience as an 11-year-old boy while living on a farm outside of Marvel Creek, near the Sabine River bottoms.
When Harry and his sister, who goes by Tom, discover the corpse of a young black woman tied to a tree in the forest, the children assume it is the work of a figure out of local lore — the Goatman. However, his father — a barber, farmer, and local constable — insists there is no such thing. Yet, the inhuman treatment of the body suggests a different kind of monster, if not the infamous Goatman.
Theories of who killed this woman, a local prostitute, abound during a distinctly amateur investigation. As little progress is made, a very active contingent of the Ku Klux Klan decides to take swifter and more careless action than Harry's father. Meanwhile, the Goatman is still out there, and Harry and Tom have set their sites on exposing a creature they've seen with their own eyes.
Set in a poverty-stricken and racially divided community, Lansdale tells a tale of how people once scraped by in a rugged and less hospitable environment. The story is memorable and authentic, exploring men and women who can be both kind and noble or cruel and vulgar. A surprisingly epic and unforgettable story for its size.
When Harry and his sister, who goes by Tom, discover the corpse of a young black woman tied to a tree in the forest, the children assume it is the work of a figure out of local lore — the Goatman. However, his father — a barber, farmer, and local constable — insists there is no such thing. Yet, the inhuman treatment of the body suggests a different kind of monster, if not the infamous Goatman.
Theories of who killed this woman, a local prostitute, abound during a distinctly amateur investigation. As little progress is made, a very active contingent of the Ku Klux Klan decides to take swifter and more careless action than Harry's father. Meanwhile, the Goatman is still out there, and Harry and Tom have set their sites on exposing a creature they've seen with their own eyes.
Set in a poverty-stricken and racially divided community, Lansdale tells a tale of how people once scraped by in a rugged and less hospitable environment. The story is memorable and authentic, exploring men and women who can be both kind and noble or cruel and vulgar. A surprisingly epic and unforgettable story for its size.