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A review by sherwoodreads
Home to Woefield by Susan Juby
I think the best way to describe this book is to call it a 'feel good' book. The basic premise is that a bunch of losers end up in or around a bankrupt, dilapidated farm. Juby alternates between several characters' POVs in a bravura variety of styles varying from an old curmudgeonly banjo player to an 11 year old girl.
The plot relies on some determinedly positive turns and unexplained motivations, but the voices and the incidents are so engaging it doesn't really matter. It kind of reminds me of Harriet Frank Jr's Special Effects in its innate generosity toward the hapless and helpless.
21-year-old drunken metal-head Seth is talking to 11-year-old geeky Sara about her prize chickens, one of whom has begun showing white feathers, which are a disaster for his breed. Seth's solution is to color the feathers with Magic Marker. When Sara thinks that's cheating, Seth says, "There's nothing wrong with assisting nature when it comes to beauty. Just ask anyone working in the porn industry."
"It's cheating," said Sara. "Even if you're selling used stuff."
"Sara, honey. You're referring to pawn. Porn is selling used people . . ."
If that cracks you up the way it did me, then give this one a try.
The plot relies on some determinedly positive turns and unexplained motivations, but the voices and the incidents are so engaging it doesn't really matter. It kind of reminds me of Harriet Frank Jr's Special Effects in its innate generosity toward the hapless and helpless.
21-year-old drunken metal-head Seth is talking to 11-year-old geeky Sara about her prize chickens, one of whom has begun showing white feathers, which are a disaster for his breed. Seth's solution is to color the feathers with Magic Marker. When Sara thinks that's cheating, Seth says, "There's nothing wrong with assisting nature when it comes to beauty. Just ask anyone working in the porn industry."
"It's cheating," said Sara. "Even if you're selling used stuff."
"Sara, honey. You're referring to pawn. Porn is selling used people . . ."
If that cracks you up the way it did me, then give this one a try.