A young lady from the deep south finds herself up north in graduate school with an African-American boyfriend. What's more, she can't go home again, for other reasons besides the boyfriend. Ten years ago she killed the town football hero/predator/drinker and left his body moldering in the kudzu. She has promised God she'll never go home and never tell another lie, if only she isn't caught.From that premise unfolds the story told in Joshilyn Jackson's first novel. And quite a story it is! It made a splash back in 2005 and propelled Ms. Jackson toward a career as a novelist which continues to go forward.At the start, the set-up seems just a little improbable, but the reader, carried along by the rapid current, doesn't have much time to worry about that. And the story gets better as it moves along, accumulating psychological detail and a sense of place, especially as the action moves back to Alabama. (No spoiler here; you knew that had to happen!) When it comes to endings, Ms. Jackson is the opposite of Stephen King. She does them well. You will get your money's worth out of this one.At first I wondered why I was contemplating four stars for this book. Is it "just" entertainment? Then I thought of the book in terms of the book of moral philosophy I just finished. This book is all about morality in terms of one's group(s). Morality in terms of what is owed, especially to those who raised you, who nurtured you, and whose origins you shared. How do you honor the ones who rescued you?The protagonist of Gods in Alabama embodies a Kantian dilemma about lying. In the beginning, like Kant (at least as his philosophy is described in the other book I read), it's okay with her to tell misleading truths but not out-and-out lies. But in the end, this young lady ascends to a morality in which the ties that bind win out over the abstract Kantian absolutes.Thinking about this book in terms of morality as it intersects with group loyalties is giving me a new idea about "southern" literature. I have previously thought of it largely in terms of drama and histrionics, such as in the fiction of Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddons that I have sampled. And I have tended to shy away from such writing because it feels manipulative to me. (I have read more of Pat Conroy's nonfiction than his fiction.)This is the second Joshilyn Jackson book I've read; I read her second book first. A quick check of my library shows they have her other books, in audio formats, if that's what I want. I'll keep that in mind!
At the end of next month I am going to attend a literacy luncheon where Joshilyn Jackson is going to be one of the authors who will speak. Since I was not familiar with her work, I decided to read one or two of her books before the luncheon.I read this one first and loved it! For most of my life I have been a Yankee, but I have lived in the south for the last 7 years. I was never particularly into Southern writers, although I liked Tennessee Williams and Pat Conroy has always been my favorite author. Now I find that I can't get enough of Southern writers and I can't wait to read another book by Jackson before I meet her.Goodreads gives you a synopsis so it isn't necessary for me to say too much. The main character, Arlene Fleet, is from Possett, Alabama. In the first sentence she lists the gods in Alabama, which would pretty much fit any Southern state. One of the gods she lists are high school quarterbacks and she tells us fairly early in the book that she killed one when she was a sophomore in high school.As the book begins Arlene is living in Chicago while working on her Ph.D., having left Alabama as soon as she graduated from high school. She has vowed never to return to Alabama, but circumstances have forced her to return with her African American boyfriend. She is, of course, white.This book, which is mainly about family and racial relations, is also part murder mystery. I enjoyed every minute of it!
What do You think about Gods In Alabama (2006)?
This was a quick and easy read. I was hooked from the very first line. She reeled me right in. I love the author’s writing. This is my second novel that I have read that was written by her and I love the honesty in which her characters approach southern life with all its flaws and strengths. She isn’t worried about being politically correct or any 'correct' for that matter. She’s a little irreverent but I love the quirkiness. She makes me laugh out loud. She used some rough language, but didn’t abuse it like some authors do. I am NOT a fan of bad language. I think it is a weak crutch when it is over used. In this book it didn’t feel like it was thrown in just for effect. This contained typical southern drama: alcoholism, violence against women, racism and so on. But I could read her all day because I love how she writes. The story line had some unexpected twists and turns. She can spin a story. The characters were vividly portrayed. I either felt like I could identify with them or I wanted to identify with them, because they weren’t all perfect. Some were even kind of lacking in the redeeming qualities, but it was entertaining.
—Donna
When I started reading "Gods in Alabama," I realized that it featured one of the characters (Arlene Fleet) from Ms. Jackson's "Backseat Saints," which I read a few months ago. Actually, there were a lot of characters that were in both books. That said, both books were completely enjoyable whether read in the order written (this is Ms. Jackson's debut) or backwards.The story was interesting, surprising at times and quite authentic. I especially liked Arlene and her boyfriend, Burr. Prior to reading this book, I had seen reviews for it, mostly positive. When they were not positive, the main gripe seemed to be that the story made rural Alabama too much of a stereotype - too many heavy accents, too much drinking, too many "characters", etc. Well, clearly these folks have never even driven through rural Alabama. Speaking as someone who lives there, I can tell you - she has it all dead to rights.
—Kathy
There is something really beautiful about an author who is in control of their craft -- It's hard enough to plot a successful story that is intriguing, but to be able to manipulate the chronology of a story and make the story even better? (This is one of the reasons I enjoyed Time Traveller's Wife so much) This is a great book that will teach men something about relating to women and teach women something about relating to themselves. Good stuff - it's a fast read, with fabulous strong characters. Really Enjoyed it (i.e. I'm going to keep it on my shelves and not allow anyone to borrow it, in case I want to read it again).
—Nadia
