Review: Mama Said exciting, satisfying tale
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 12, 2012
When one of your favorite writers recommends a book, you just can't ignore it!  So when Trent Zelazny suggested I read Mama Said, I was on it in a heartbeat.  Turns out, Trent Z did not steer me wrong.Mama Said is a firecracker of a story, told from the viewpoint of a 13-year-old boy who has been sent to stay with his Grandma. It seems his mama is busy trying to recover her glory days so she sends Buddy off, unhappy about leaving his home.  But then again, his sister and her despicable boyfriend were making Buddy's life miserable, so it might just be for the best.  He's getting used to life on the farm when his sister swoops in, destroying his peace and quiet.  It's not long before her boyfriend follows her and he's got bad intentions for Buddy.  As a good boy who always obeys, Buddy does what Mama Says and who can blame him.Mama Said gives us a look at the life of someone powerless by virtue of age and size, and the many ways adults can hurt a child, most painful of all, by neglecting the child who is in peril. Buddy demonstrates that strange creature, a 13-year-old boy, caught between wanting his mama  to save him and deciding a man can only take so much, even if he is only on the cusp of manhood.I'm looking forward to reading more from Lee Allen Howard.  This story just whets your appetite for more.