The Stars of
Alabama by Sean Dietrich
I loved so many things about this book! The setting allowed me to learn about an
unfamiliar time in our nation’s history.
The characters were quirky and multi-layered. The plot kept me reading to determine how the
three story lines were going to converge.
And his use of the supernatural was ironic. The author also handled gritty subjects
gracefully and appropriately.
I enjoyed reading about a time period in American history
that I knew little about—the dust bowl and into World War 2 on the home front. The author captured the hardships that
families experienced and gave me an appreciation for that part of our history.
I fell in love with the characters and was sorry to see the
book end. I felt as if I had watched
them grow up over a period of years and knew them like family members. They were very well-written and
realistic.
I couldn’t anticipate how the plot threads would come
together, but it was very satisfying when they did! Of course the author knew how to use suspense
to keep my interest. The ending was one
that made me sigh contentedly.
I thought his inclusion of the supernatural was interesting—especially
set against the backdrop of charlatan preachers and in contrast with the house
of prostitutes. This book reminded me a bit of Billy Coffey’s books, which also
contain some supernatural elements.
This story contained examples of incest, murder, racism,
poverty, death, and religious chicanery.
However, the author handled it in a tactful way and always laced a
thread of hope through the darkest situation.
I highly recommend this book. Southern fiction fans will find much to
enjoy. I intend to read more of Sean
Dietrich’s books. I am grateful to the
publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for this, my honest
review.
No comments:
Post a Comment