Review: Beautiful and timely
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 25, 2014
Emory Joe is the preacher's son, a beautiful and angelic young man. His daddy worries about him, and with good cause. In 1922 East Texas, a delicate young man like Emory Joe has to marry, even though he might be gay. Especially with the evil masquerading as Elihu Bishop, the law in town. Emory Joe and his daddy have seen the acts the sheriff is capable of, and the preacher just wants to keep his boy safe. When Glory Lands, the son of a traveling musician, comes to town with his family, the sparks fly between the two young men. They start a love affair that is forbidden and unsafe. What happens when their secret comes out into the open?Holy hell this is good.When I look to see what makes a book sing for me, I look to three things-story, voice and characters. This beautiful tale knocks all three out of the park.Story - this book is set in rural 1930s Texas, and the detail necessary to make the story really shine is subtle. The town, backdrop of characters, speech and attitudes are just nailed here. The small town feel is captured so well; the people are narrow minded but not claustrophobic. It's often a a mistaken belief that all small towns are homophobic-there is always a Dutch Uncle who flies under the radar, and often there are big-hearted folks who belie the cliche. To draw this delicate story against this background is genius, and it's so well done. Not a single misstep in the plotting or execution of the story.Voice - Bondurant's sure handed voice shines here. She is so good at nailing the backwoods characters and time-frames with a delicacy not often seen, and here, it takes a sure hand and a really fine touch to bring these characters to life. The story fairly leaps off the page with believability and passion. It's like she sat and told me the story, and I closed my eyes and was there.Character - So often I don't enjoy historical stories because they just don't ring true to me. They oftentimes feel forced because the characters are 21st century men and women dropped into another time, and it "clunks". Not here. Emory Joe is so believable as a 1920s young man, and Glory, and the preacher. And especially the sheriff. All ring true.All in all, this is fantastic. I can't remember a story I've enjoyed so much recently. Just well done.