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taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Rape, Domestic abuse, Child death, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Racism, Abandonment, Car accident, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism and Animal cruelty
rubyhosh's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Ableism, Rape, and Violence
selenotropic's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think this is one of the best books I've ever read. Originally a serial novel published in six parts, this is a 50-year story about a rich family in a small Alabama town whose son and heir marries a mysterious woman who shows up on the day of a catastrophic flood. Although McDowell's known as a horror author, this is mostly a southern gothic family drama, with lots of soap opera scheming and complex, shifting relationships between the cast. Though when the supernatural does intrude into the story it does so effectively and often brutally - this book has possibly the most distressing description of a monster murder I have ever read. Mostly though, it's just an extremely well-told story with a big cast of really engaging characters on a large scale that smoothly shifts and changes what exactly it's about and what it's doing in a way that's pretty masterful. It's a shame that McDowell is so obscure, because this book is fantastic and is definitely a lost classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism and Racism
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