A review by kaloughl
Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford
3.0
This is a complicated book with a complicated story. What I loved was the complex mother/daughter relationships that Ford deftly characterizes. The four generations of Cherokee women: Granny: Lula, Lula: Justine, Justine: Reney unravel as you read through the book, though in an unpredictable way. You get to live in the minds of these four women, out of sequence and out of time, but yet they all display their strength and vast love for one another, despite differences and difficult circumstances.
What I struggled with most was the structure. Each chapter or section was narrated by a different person with almost no explanation of who this is or what time they are living in the headings. I got used to the uncertainty, letting myself settle in each voice as it came and not worrying too much about trying to figure out where the book was going. This is something that is hard for me, preferring a little more structure to my books, however Ford's writing was powerful and intriguing and kept me engaged no matter who the author was writing as. However, as the story progressed, we got to see some perspectives that were not one of the four women - the father of Pitch, Justine's husband, and a heart-wrenching Mose. Both seemed out of place and didn't really drive the story forward or resonated on the theme of mothers and daughters (though did have an element of fathers and children which could have been really interesting if it was expanded more). It was also a little disappointing because I really loved Mose so was sad when his beautifully tragic vignette ended on a cliffhanger only to never reappear... I also found the ending of the novel to be confusing, almost switching genres to semi science fiction or dystopian with no warning.
Overall, this was an impressive debut with some flaws. Ford roped me in and got me about these women and their relationships. Some particular moments were beautiful and will always stand out for me (the goldfish in the dirty pond for one) and I look forward to more from the author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review
What I struggled with most was the structure. Each chapter or section was narrated by a different person with almost no explanation of who this is or what time they are living in the headings. I got used to the uncertainty, letting myself settle in each voice as it came and not worrying too much about trying to figure out where the book was going. This is something that is hard for me, preferring a little more structure to my books, however Ford's writing was powerful and intriguing and kept me engaged no matter who the author was writing as. However, as the story progressed, we got to see some perspectives that were not one of the four women - the father of Pitch, Justine's husband, and a heart-wrenching Mose. Both seemed out of place and didn't really drive the story forward or resonated on the theme of mothers and daughters (though did have an element of fathers and children which could have been really interesting if it was expanded more). It was also a little disappointing because I really loved Mose so was sad when his beautifully tragic vignette ended on a cliffhanger only to never reappear... I also found the ending of the novel to be confusing, almost switching genres to semi science fiction or dystopian with no warning.
Overall, this was an impressive debut with some flaws. Ford roped me in and got me about these women and their relationships. Some particular moments were beautiful and will always stand out for me (the goldfish in the dirty pond for one) and I look forward to more from the author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review