The Tree of Forgetfulness (Yellow Shoe Fiction)
Pam Durban explores memory, race relations, and moral responsibility in her beautifully written and complex new novel. At the center is the horrific murder of three African Americans in Aiken, South Carolina, in 1926, murders for which no one was punished. The events of the night unfold slowly, with each character adding a voice and a perspective to illuminate how the murders happened and the effect the murders had on the town and townspeople. Durban shifts back and forth in time, from the immediate aftermath of the murders to the death-bed reflections of the main protagonist, Henry Aimar. The tale is narrated through a series of multidimensional characters, each representing a different part of the heavily segregated southern society. The shifting narration gives the reader a panoramic view of the town, and Durban deftly places the reader inside the heads of the characters, illustrating their excuses and justifications for action or the lack thereof. Durban’s expertly paced, concise, and compelling read packs a mighty literary punch. --Eve Gaus