Raw and powerful, Southern-Gothic, faith-based fiction well-written; woven with touches of humor and childlike mischievousness and a whole heap of delightful storytelling.“I think maybe miracles are something everybody has to find out about for themselves. Telling them about it don’t make them believe, it just makes them think you’re crazy as a Bessie bug.” Faith – Hope – Fear - Honesty - Betrayal – Courage – Sin – Redemption – Darkness and Light - “The Homecoming of Samuel Lake” is all of these things. Moreover, it’s about family and friendship and the unifying power of unconditional love – a love so strong it can weather any storm. And storms come in all shapes and sizes, some born of the natural world and some are devilishly man-made. “There are moments in our lives that we more or less stumble upon – moments that we could not have predicted, and we’re not prepared for, and would have done almost anything to avoid . . .”“The Homecoming of Samuel Lake” taps into many genres: Family, Coming-of-age, Suspense, Southern-fiction, Drama-noir, Faith-based-fiction…. It also deviates a bit from standard linear storytelling. In a figurative way, the title is quite fitting. The story, told from various viewpoints, is not centered on Samuel Lake, per se, but rather, events encompassing him and his family when they are forced to move back to their hometown in Arkansas after being ousted from a preaching assignment in Louisiana to take a mandatory year sabbatical. “Church members are funny . . . You can’t hardly please ‘em and there’s always a faction – That’s a bunch of people that get together and drink coffee at somebody’s house after church, when the message was too strong and they got their toes stepped on – anyway, there’s always a faction that’s trying to get rid of the preacher for one reason or another . . . sooner or later the faction wins out.” During the time of being cast out, Samuel’s faith is tested to the breaking point: Loss of income, loss of a loved one, a scheming in-law, demeaning employment, gallivanting children, accidents, a confrontational neighbor….. But when his only daughter, Swan (my favorite character, who I dearly loved and easily identified with) gets entangled in a tug-and-war match between good and evil (an evil so sinister and brutal, it’s hard to fathom let alone speak of) Samuel comes undone. Broken. Shattered. Over the edge. Crushed. Sometimes though, it takes being devastatingly broken to be made whole in a glorious way that wouldn't have been possible otherwise."Sometimes a sense of loss can be so great that anyone who offers comfort seems to be making small of it."Aside from extreme creative liberties taken concerning Blue Laws in 1957 Arkansas, and the Sheriff being so lackadaisical regarding the law with the exception at the end, I passionately enjoyed this novel. And though often I have trouble reading through passages of abuse, animal or human, Wingfield writes with such tasteful respectability I was able to read through those portions, albeit with tears. Four southern-comfort-storytelling stars. I was tempted to give this book a higher rating simply because it was the first book that I haven't wanted to put down that I've read in a while.A backwoods extended family living in Arkansas runs two steady businesses out of their ancestral home... A grocery store during the day and a bar at night. This had the potential of getting tedious hearing about community drama, but the book stayed focused on the family with just a few outside characters. The villain of the story turned my stomach a few times, but that's why I kept reading.
What do You think about Una Mano Piena Di Nuvole (2012)?
Great read with well-developed characters. Southern fiction at its (near) best.
—Juicypen
Really a 3.5.. enjoyed it besides for a dark, disturbing character.
—tania_grahams
Surprisingly good story, very well told, with endearing characters.
—miraboo
