Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn JacksonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Really, a 4.5. It's amazing to me that this is a debut novel, as the way the story weaves together over time is complex but accomplished masterfully in Jackson's hands. Not everyone can combine otherwise ordinary words into beautiful sentences, lovely language reminiscent of rivers that you could watch move along for hours on end. Yes, this is a story of the South, and those who are not Southern may not recognize the truth behind the characters that Jackson draws. I find them to be people who reflect the time and place in which they live, and I would love to find myself living with them, if for just a while. They may not be perfect (though Burr comes pretty damn close), but most of us aren't. I just love getting to know them anyway--even Lena's mama, who never recovered from her husband's death--and being part of it for as long as I can. I've had the pleasure of meeting Joshilyn and learning about how she lives with her characters for years before she attempts to tell us their story, and that totally shows in her writing.
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