Some Small Magic
by Billy Coffey
Abel Shifflett is a most unusual child, but he feels
overlooked by his peers and is picked on by the school bully. Because of his latest plot to take revenge on
Chris, the bully, he has exasperated his mother. Shortly afterwards he unwittingly thwarts her
only plan to be able to pay a few bills and finally get a bit ahead. He feels guilty and hopes to change their
situation. On the basis of a word he
received from a traveling healer, he decides to find his missing father. On this journey with his friend, Dumb Willie,
and a hobo he names Dorothy, he learns much about life and death.
I appreciate the author’s writing style. Coffey’s novels are set in the small southern
town of Mattingly, with a glimpse of the supernatural in them, and this one is
no exception. His prose is easy to
read. His convoluted plot keeps readers
guessing and reading. He gently leads
the reader along and reveals the story layer upon layer. His characters are richly drawn and flawed
yet lovable, which was a bit surprising once all is revealed in this novel. This book was absorbing and thought-provoking. If you are looking for a different kind of southern
fiction, this book is one that you will enjoy.
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