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A review by castlelass
Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith
5.0
Story of two people returning home, separately, to their small town in Mississippi after much hardship: one from eleven years in prison and the other from a nomadic self-destructive life. Both are haunted by past mistakes. Both want to get their lives together. Russell is trying to figure out how to come to terms with a significant error in judgment that changed the lives of many people. Maben is trying to get her life together to provide for her young daughter. Filled with bad decisions, revenge, misfortune, and redemption.
The author has a knack for character development. The story is compelling. The prose is straight-forward and suited to the content. The setting is vividly pictured and plays a large role in the narrative. While one could question the plausibility of a few of the plot points, I was able to overlook them in the vein of “yet another poor decision” by one of the protagonists. The story contains emotional depth. Some deep questions run under the surface of this novel. What is the role of fate in life? How does a person cope with mistakes that have momentous irreversible consequences? Is there a force of good operating behind the scenes, counteracting a force of evil? How can lives be changed by helping others?
Content includes profanity, drinking while driving, drugs, sex, rape, and graphic violence. Recommended to readers that enjoy thought-provoking dark novels or struggles to overcome adversity and self-destructive tendencies.
The author has a knack for character development. The story is compelling. The prose is straight-forward and suited to the content. The setting is vividly pictured and plays a large role in the narrative. While one could question the plausibility of a few of the plot points, I was able to overlook them in the vein of “yet another poor decision” by one of the protagonists. The story contains emotional depth. Some deep questions run under the surface of this novel. What is the role of fate in life? How does a person cope with mistakes that have momentous irreversible consequences? Is there a force of good operating behind the scenes, counteracting a force of evil? How can lives be changed by helping others?
Content includes profanity, drinking while driving, drugs, sex, rape, and graphic violence. Recommended to readers that enjoy thought-provoking dark novels or struggles to overcome adversity and self-destructive tendencies.