The Good Brother
The first half of Offutt's first novel is set in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky, where Virgil Caudill is balking at seeking revenge against the killer of his wayward brother Boyd. Hoping to break the cycle of violence, Virgil heads west and is catapulted with the reader into the very different landscape of Montana. Here Virgil changes his name and discovers a sense of loving community, but soon he finds himself amidst a militia group about to battle the U.S. government. Although the book is beautifully written, the scenes set in Montana are less compelling than those set in Kentucky, and Offutt tries in vain to bridge the two landscapes. Recommended where Offutt's memoir, The Same River Twice (LJ 12/92), was popular.?Faye A. Chadwell, Univ. of Oregon, EugeneCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.