Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

I have to describe this book first and foremost as perfectly done southern fiction.  There is never a time when you forget where you are.  The dialogue, the mannerisms, the phrasing, the setting, all brought me down to the land of the tupelo trees. 

Fifteen is the cursed number for the Slocumb women.  When Ginny turned fifteen she gave birth to Liza.  When Liza was fifteen she too became a mother.  Now the youngest Slocumb, Mosey, is turning fifteen and Ginny and Liza are holding their breath.  The year starts out okay but then is all comes crashing down.  Liza collapses from a stroke at thirty and a small corpse is found buried in the backyard.

This is a story of identity and what makes you who you are.  It’s also a story of redemption, how even the person who seems to have thrown everything away can change everything for the sake of another.  As the story unfolds you have an inkling where it’s heading but there are enough twists to keep you on your toes.  Told with heart and humor this is southern fiction at its finest.  So grab some sweet tea and enjoy