A Land More Kind Than Home

By Wiley Cash

A stunning debut reminiscent of the beloved novels of John Hart and Tom Franklin, A Land More Kind Than Home is a mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small western North Carolina town

For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can’t help sneaking a look at something he’s not supposed to—an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess’s. It’s a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he’s not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil—but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well.

Told by three resonant and evocative characters—Jess; Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife and moral conscience; and Clem Barefield, a sheriff with his own painful past—A Land More Kind Than Home is a haunting tale of courage in the face of cruelty and the power of love to overcome the darkness that lives in us all. These are masterful portrayals, written with assurance and truth, and they show us the extraordinary promise of this remarkable first novel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062196774

Wiley Cash

Wiley Cash is the New York Times bestselling author of A Land More Kind Than Home, the acclaimed This Dark Road to Mercy, and most recently The Last Ballad. He is a three-time winner of the SIBA Southern Book Prize, won the Conroy Legacy Award, was a finalist for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize and the Edgar Award for Best Novel, and has been nominated for many more. A native of North Carolina, he is the Alumni Author-in-Residence at the University of North Carolina Asheville. He lives in Wilmington, NC with his wife, photographer Mallory Cash, and their two daughters.

Reviews for A Land More Kind Than Home

[gincam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Author Wiley Cash lets his debut work, "A Land More Kind Than Home", be told through three distinctly different voices: a young boy, an elderly lady, and a salt-and-pepper sheriff. This dark and disturbing blend of religion, superstition, and manipulation reveals painful human vulnerabilities. Even the most devout believers may have chinks in their armor. The elements of truth in this work of fiction are unsettling, and just as nature has its way in the wild, the weak are culled from the herd. The predator here is a preacher, but is he a man of God, or is he the Devil incarnate? The characters are well-drawn, and the story line is as old as mankind itself. My favorite "voice" was the sheriff, a seasoned lawman with keen Southern sensibilities. The contrasts in the ages and life situations of the three narrators add just the right balance. "Snake handling" and "speaking in tongues" is still a religious practice in parts of the United States. I live in a small town in the VA mountains, and I have heard of churches which partake of these rituals, but they are not located in my home area. "A Land More Kind Than Home" is set in rural North Carolina, and it has a true feel for the land and the people. Wiley Cash is an author to watch, and I hope he continues to tell his tales with a Southern accent.Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

[beth.clarke · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author chose the perfect three narrators; a sheriff, an elderly lady, and a child. It's a great narrative about southern small time life. The characters are well developed from the crazy Pastor Chambliss to the brothers Stump and Jess. The novel is well written, but I found the ending too contrived.

[howifeelaboutbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had a blurb saying it was like Cormac McCarthy rewrote To Kill a Mockingbird - I don’t actually agree with that, but there definitely are some Cormac McCarthy vibes here. A Southern gothic novel about blindly believing in a church that has no limits. The pastor has a rough past he’s trying to hide while pushing his “flock” to test their faith by putting their hands in rattlesnake cages. People have mysteriously died in the church, so the windows have been covered with newspaper. Very creepy story, interesting, and well-written overall, but there were a lot of flashbacks thrown in the middle of action, making it hard to keep the timeline straight.

[pdill8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The novel is a story of murder and deception in a small Appalachian town under the spell of a charismatic minister of the snake handling ilk. Rarely is Appalachia flattered in books or film, and this book is no exception. The story was engaging, if not original, the characters were well fleshed out with backstory, and the book held me until the end. This was a quick read, but definitely not for the delicate reader.

[mckait · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pastor Carson Chambliss played a pivotal role in A Land More Kiind Than Home. He was also the only character that I disliked in every possible way. Wiley Cash writes the most beautiful characters! I have to think that he is acquainted with some of the most down to earth and impoverished and sadly naive people in the country, how else could he write such extraodinary characters?For too many reasons to name, books that take place in an Appalacian setting tend to remind me of my grandparents and particularly my paternal great grandparents. So much of the folklore, and music rings true to my memories of those long ago days when I sat at the table as a child and listened to the grown ups talk about their old days.Christopher listened, he listened to his brother, the grown ups and to the rhythms and melodies of the earth and the sky. He was one of the special ones, the ones born old. He never spoke, and was deeply attached to his brother Jess. Many called him by the cruel nickname of Stump, but it didn't matter to him. He knew who he was, and that was a being too filled with kindness and love to allow a simple name to matter. Jess was also completely devoted to his brother. It was as if they were attached at the hip, and they had a deep understanding of and commitment to each other. Sadly, both or either of them were wiser than their mother. She was a woman broken by the world and reaching for whatever hope promised to her, no matter who made the offer. Their father, too was just a man trying to make his way, A man who had suffered too much, too soon and whose family mattered to him, but perhaps more as proof that he was different from his father than as actual people needing his guidance and care. But Adelaide Lyle, she was one of the wise ones. She was more fortunate than most, she had lived long and learned much. It was her hands that helped to birth many of those she knew. Generations had been born into her competent hands, as she played the role of wise woman, country doctor and midwife. She also played the roles of teacher and mother, although she had no children of her own. She was the one who tried to save them. She tried to save them all. This story will break your heart, and you will remember the characters long after the last page has been read. Wiley Cash has the gift of storytelling. Don't miss A Land More Kind Than Home.

[scote23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it! I was drawn into the story right away. Not a happy one, to be sure, but compelling and beautifully written.

[samsattler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Southern fiction often reminds us that evil exists where we least expect to find it and that we let our guards down at our own risk. Wiley Cash’s disturbing debut novel, A Land More Kind Than Home, set deep inside the rural North Carolina of the mid-eighties, takes this approach. There is plenty of evilness in Cash’s story, and most of it is buried in one charismatic preacher’s heart.Sometimes nine-year-old Jess Hall, even though he has an older brother, feels like he is the oldest child in the family. His brother, who carries the unfortunate nickname “Stump,” is severely autistic and has never spoken. Jess loves Stump dearly and has routinely assumed the burden of watching out for his brother when the two of them are outdoors on their own. But one day Jess cannot protect Stump from the evil that has entered their home. And, although Jess curses the momentary cowardice that led him to run off and abandon Stump to his fate, he will fail Stump one more time – with tragic consequences. A Land More Kind Than Home explores the power of deeply held religious faith to blind true believers to the evil within those whom they trust the most. Pastor Chambliss, whose church the boys’ mother attends, has a criminally checkered past and is not a man to tolerate people spying on him. Unfortunately, Jess and Stump, who greatly enjoy the thrill of spying on adults, inadvertently do spy on the preacher one day, with lasting consequences that will impact their entire community.This is a story of good vs. evil, one that explores what can happen when evil is allowed to have its way unchallenged. It is about a community’s responsibility to protect its children even when their mother fails to do so. It is about secrets, the kind that can get people killed, ruin marriages, or allow one man callously to exploit for decades those who trust him most. It is Southern fiction at its best, and Wiley Cash has claimed a well-deserved spot for himself within the genre. Rated at: 4.0

[tututhefirst_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wiley Cash has produced a stunning debut novel set in rural Appalachia in the mid 1980's. Telling the story from three different points of view (9 year old Jess Hall, 60 year old  Sheriff Clem Barefield, and 81 year old Adelaide Lyle, midwife and Sunday School teacher) Cash skillfully presents a picture of the power of evil disguised as religion, and the harm caused by alcoholism, secret-keeping, and lack of understanding at all levels of the town.Each narrator tells different aspects and events of the lives inhabitants of the town, and each brings us closer to the chilling ending, while at the same time giving us back-fill about themselves and the community.  Jess tells us about his older brother Christopher (called "Stump") who is autistic.  Stump's never spoken a word, but he and Jess are able to communicate without difficulty.  In the course of normal boyhood games, they spy on the happenings inside the community's fundamentalist Pentecostal church, led by Pastor Carson Chambliss (the villain every reader will love to hate). Unable to process what they have witnessed or ask adults for an explanation for fear of being punished for snooping, they stumble along toward the inevitable.Preacher Chambliss believes in a form of religion based on an interpretation of scripture that posits a God who will protect believers from evil--in this case evil in the form of bags of rattlesnakes--and that those who expose themselves to such evil, e.g., plunge their arms into sacks full of snakes, can be cured of the maladies caused by their sins by trusting in God.Adelaide Lyle, increasingly convinced that the preacher is up to no good, removes her Sunday school students from the church services rather than have these children she has delivered brought into contact with these bizarre rituals.The boys' mother has bought into the preacher's promises of God's restorative powers and wants to have Pastor Chambliss "cure" Christopher of his speechlessness.  Her motherly love and her misguided sense of faith engenders a huge rift between the boys' parents, destroying her marriage, and driving her more and more to the solace offered by the preacher, thereby adding more tension to the story.From the beginning, I had a sense of doom, despair, and utter devastation waiting at the end, but could not put the book down.  I even got the audio version--admirably read by Mark Bramhall, Lorna Raver and Nick Sullivan-- so I could continue with the story even when I couldn't sit with a book. I sometimes needed to remind myself that 9 year old Jess was the younger brother, although never did Cash drop out of character and make him seem older than he was.  It was simply the fact that without the ability to process what Stump was experiencing and thinking, and the fact that Jess had been assigned the duty of watching after his brother, that he came to be seen as the more mature.  Either way, these two boys were surrounded by adults who were not helping these young boys make sense of their world and were therefore unable to protect them.The Sheriff, one of the sharper knives in the drawer, at least pays attention to his sense of unease and begins to investigate the Pastor, but is not able to put the brakes on the happenings before it's too late.  The same holds true for Adelaide:  while she can see what may be coming, she simply cannot overcome years of fear and ignorance to break down the prejudices and false ideas of the community.  She feels a responsibility for the children, she tries as best as she knows how to shield them, but in this case the power of evil, the overwhelming reliance on a religious fanatic (and quack) is too much for her.Wiley Cash grew up in the South.  Those roots shine through in his gorgeous portrayal of the customs, the people, and the geography.   His sense of place is one of the best I've seen in years.  His ability to write in three distinct voices and give each of them a unique perspective is uncanny, and one of the strengths of this work.  I don't want to say more about the plot to avoid spoilers.  This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one which I will read again.  It will be an outstanding book for a reading discussion group.

[lauralkeet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jess and his brother Christopher (nicknamed Stump) live in a rural North Carolina town dominated by a fundamentalist pastor with a shady past. Early on, Jess and Stump see something they shouldn't, with swift and disastrous consequences. The rest of the story is told through three narrative voices: Jess, the town sheriff, and an elderly Sunday school teacher. And instead of telling the reader what happens after the terrible event, Wiley Cash takes the reader back in time and leads them step by step toward and through the conflict. Adelaide Lyle, the Sunday school teacher, is a keen observer of the intricate relationships between townspeople. She despises the pastor, and years ago moved the Sunday school from the church to her home to keep teaching the children that she loves. Clem Barefield, the sheriff, has lived through tragedy and loss, and yet still manages to perform his duties and cannot rest until he gets to the bottom of a case. Nine-year-old Jess is an innocent, understanding little about what is happening around him, and left in the dark by his parents. I felt terribly sad for Jess, whose life would be forever changed simply as a result of being a normal boy playing behind his house. And I felt anger at the pastor, who held the town in a grip of fear, and abused his power for personal gain. This is a very unsettling novel, but one that grabs you almost from the first page and will not let go.

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book tells the story of the Hall family. Growing up north of Asheville, North Carolina in the Appalachian mountains, Jess loves his father, a tobacco farmer, his mother and his older brother, nicknamed Stump, who doesn't talk, but who is his constant companion. His mother is involved in the local Church of God with Signs Following, a small, secretive pentecostal congregation led by a charismatic pastor. In this rural community, everyone knows everyone else and what their parents did. And then one event precipitates another and things go badly wrong.This is a book whose sum is greater than its parts. Yes, there's fantastic atmosphere and a solid sense of place. And the characters are complex and even the secondary ones are fully fleshed out. The plot is well put together and moves with a sort of inevitable speed toward the conclusion, but this book just works. There are a few false notes. Cash missed a step by not fully exploring the beliefs of the church, which are more complex than he set forth, but as a whole, this was a fantastic book that fully deserves its reputation.

[sschaller-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a Character driven novel set in rural upstate North Carolina where it is difficult to leave the past behind. The novel is told by four characters perspectives which leads to deeper understanding of the motivations of the characters and interesting to see others points of views on the same event. What I enjoyed most about the book is seeing how the past kept bubbling up like from a brook no matter how much the characters tried to suppress them, but it is this deep history that ultimately makes it possible for the characters to forgive and move on.

[sleahey_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A most evocative story of a Southern slice of life that revolves around the impact of an extreme evangelical church in a small town, and the power of one person to introduce evil. Told from three points of view, the author is skilful in making each narrator distinct, particularly the nine year old boy. The fact that the apparently inevitable tragedy is pretty clear from the start in no way diminishes the strength of the story, and although the ending is a bit abrupt, its positive message lingers with the reader.

[peggygillman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a tragic story. Written from the view point of many of the people of the story and very well written. I don’t think I can recommend it to others but I’m glad I read it. Although it was a sad, sad story it was so well done that I liked it. 8/3

[lit_chick_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“People out in these parts can take hold of religion like it’s a drug, and they don’t want to give it up once they’ve got hold of it. It’s like it feeds them, and when they’re on it they’re likely to do anything these little backwoods churches tell them to do. Then they’ll turn right around and kill each other over that faith, throw out their kids, cheat on husbands and wives, break up families just as quick.” (97)In Marshall, North Carolina, Ben and Julie Hall are raising their two sons: Christopher, the eldest at thirteen, and mute, is known as Stump by all but his mother; and Jess, who lovingly and tirelessly looks out for his older brother. Sadly, however, “If somebody would have wanted to, after Christopher was born, they could’ve just stood by and watched Julie and Ben grow apart from each other real slow. It was like a tree had sprung up between them, a tree that was just too thick to throw their arms around.” (215) Too, both Ben and Julie have different ideas as to the meaning of their having borne a mute child together. Julie believes Christopher’s muteness is a sign from God – a belief which ironically will lead her straight into the arms of Carson Chambliss, evil ex-convict and snake-handling preacher at the local church. When Stump sneaks a look at something he is not supposed to see one day, in spite of repeated warnings from his mother not to snoop, his action will have tragic consequences – Stump, too, will come to know the church of Carson Chambliss.The story is told from the point of view of three reliable narrators: the elderly and respectable Adelaide Lyle, local midwife and moral conscience; Clem Barefield, the town’s sheriff with his own painful past; and Jess Hall superbly well here. Cash’s writing is beautiful – prudent and frugal – and his use of the vernacular is superlative. I was fast in the grip of the novel from page one with its well drawn characters and intelligent plot. Carson Chambliss is the eeriest being I’ve come upon in literature for a long time – made my skin crawl.A stunning debut novel, A Land More Kind Than Home establishes Cash as a master storyteller, one whose work I’ll be watching going forward. Very highly recommended!“… he wanted me to come down to the church the next day, and I can say that after I did I knew for certain that I’d looked right into the face of evil." (228)

[ebt1002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"And the Lord knows that when people don't get what they need they take what they can find..." and if this doesn't lead to heartbreak, I don't know what does. Told from the perspectives of 9-year-old Jess Hall, elderly midwife Adelaide Lyle, and Madison County sheriff Clem Barefield, this compulsively readable novel has indelibly imprinted by brain with rich characters and vivid scenes, but it's my heart that has been touched. *A Land More Kind than Home* is the story of religious fanaticism gone wrong (can it go otherwise?) in a community of hard-working and hard-drinking souls who have little hope of anything beyond what they can see over the next mountain ridge. It's the story of the damage to be wrought by need and longing and loneliness. It's also a story of hope. "It's a good thing to see that people can heal after they've been broken, that they can change and become something different from what they were before." I don't know if I buy Wiley Cash's notion that churches can heal just as people can, but I closed the book knowing that I will read whatever this man next publishes.

[kappadeemom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book, especially because it was set in Western North Carolina - a place where my grandparents lived. The location resonated with me and fit this story perfectly. Stump, a child that is mute, lives with his very religious mother and quiet, brooding father. Stump's mom takes him to a "holy roller" church where they handle snakes, drink poison and play with fire - all in the name of the Lord. When tragedy strikes the church, many secrets are uncovered. A great story from a new writer. Loved it!

[eembooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stump and his brother Jess have a life one wishes children would never have to live. Elegant writing providing a wonderful sense of place. August 2013

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent audio book and hard to stop listening. I would wake up in the middle of the night and instead of going back to sleep, I would listen to this book. A southern gothic story that you know is going to be a train wreck but you can't look away. The readers do an excellent job bringing the reader into this world. Recommend.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Of late, I've been having trouble describing the plots of the books I've read, so why should A Land More Kind Than Home the debut novel by Wiley Cash be any different? So, rather than summarizing what happens, I'll tell you it's an intriguing novel about misplaced trust, blind belief and small southern towns. It's a story of how nine-year-old Jess Hall's life falls apart.A Land More Kind Than Home is told from various people's perspective: Adelaide Lyle, a 70 some year old townslady who has divorced herself from the local church (with newspapers pasted across the windows to hide what goes on inside); Jess Hall himself who describes his feelings about his mute older brother Christopher (aka Stumpy) and his parents; and Clem Barefield, the local sheriff, who in some ways has to clean up the mess that occurs.Through a series of reminiscences interspersed with the current story, readers get a feeling for all of the characters, their histories, their motivations, their victories and defeats. Much of what happens you can predict, but that does not lessen the impact of each event. It just makes you want to read faster to see if it really does occur.There came a point about a third of the way through, when I finally got to read in longer stretches than a few minutes here or there that I found I didn't want to put the book down. Cash has talent for wordsmithing and story telling. No wonder hte book was included in the New York Times Book Review Notable Book list.I tend to tell you about books I like and rarely will I post something about a book I don't like. So, if it's written about here, you know it's good (in my humble opinion). Anyway, it was recommended by Susan, so it must be good, right? We all know she's got high standards when it comes to books. So put A Land More Kind Than Home on top of your pile of books on your nighttable. Actually, if you want to get some sleep, put it on the pile in your living room; otherwise you'll be up til the wee hours trying to finish it.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a southern saga of a small North Carolina town where a minister has brought healing to a church. The church's windows have been covered in newspaper, which immediately foreshadows dark secrets within. With the healing minister comes evil and A Land More Kind Than Home is the account of how that evil effects one family in particular.

The narrative is told in four voices: A ten year old boy (Jess), his father, the sheriff and an old wise woman who was the first to recognize the evil. The centerpiece of the novel is a twelve year old mute boy, Jess's older brother, nick-named "Stump". Despite the efforts of Jess and the old lady to protect Stump and the love of his father and mother, things go awry for the boy and all the characters have to deal with it.

This is an amazing book. If it is a debut book from this author then hats off to him. The writing style, the story, the premise, the ending, the character development, all was phenomenal.

[iudita_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book and would have rated it a 5 except for a couple of things. First, I thought the end was a bit rushed. It wasn't as conclusive as I would have liked it to be. And second...there were one or two scenes that didn't really contribute to the plot. I kept waiting for those scenes to tie into the story and they never did. Anyway, I loved the book and would recommend it.

[justmelissa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard to believe this is Wiley Cash's debut novel. The plot and storytelling both shine. The story is centered around a secret in a small town populated with typical characters including the evil preacher, the devout followers, the skeptics, the disenfranchised, and the drunk and disorderly. The characters are crisp and distinct and fully actualized - no two-dimensional or filler folks to be found. The plot is suspenseful and includes just enough side details to keep you interested and guessing how it will all come together. But the real beauty of A Land More Kind than Home is in the writing. Cash somehow immerses the reader into small town Appalachia. Every word feels slow and humid and desperate and tobacco-steeped. It's a book to be savored on a slow Sunday afternoon.

[flippinpages-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is dark southern fiction at it's best. Realistic dialogue. Well developed characters. Excellent writing. One of my favorites.

[gbelik_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a touching and well written novel about two young brothers, their parents and grandpa, a fundamentalist church with its charismatic but evil preacher, and the local sheriff. It has a wonderful sense of place and a good feel for its characters. The story is told from multiple points of view, but still manages to be sequential (rather than repetitive). I liked it and will look forward to more from Mr Cash.

[toobusyreading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great Southern flavor, wonderful characters, and a heartfelt and too-often tragic story all add up to make for a great summer read. I'm a sucker for Southern lit, and this book, with its poison-drinking, snake-handling Christians, with kids caught in circumstances beyond their control, with dialogue that seemed so right to me, did not let me down. My only issue with the book came in the last chapter where a character I met at the beginning of the book and very much liked, wrapped up the story. To me, the last couple of pages seemed a little too preachy, and it felt more like the author was speaking to me than that the character was.Other than that minor quibble, I loved this novel.Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy for my review.

[teresa1953_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This extraordinary novel will certainly stir your emotions.Set in the oppressive heat of North Carolina, the story unfolds from the viewpoint of three people. Adelaide Lyle is a force to be reckoned with. An elderly, deeply religious matriarch, she has not attended church for ten years because she strongly disagrees with the manner of pastor Carson Chambliss’s teaching methods and his dubious healing practices. Instead, she teaches Sunday school to the local children at her home. Clem Barefield is the town sheriff. He’s a “regular kind of guy” and a popular figurehead in the community. There is sadness in his past which links him to the family of our third character Jess Hall. Jess is just nine years old, but he has witnessed more than any child should have to. One Sunday, he spies through a church window at a healing service which attempts to “cure” his mute, autistic older brother Christopher. He not only doesn’t comprehend what he is watching, but is scared for his brother. Worse still, he is unable to tell anyone, as he knows he shouldn’t have been watching. A further such healing service ends in unimaginable horror when Christopher is smothered to death. Understandably, local feelings run high and the fall out is catastrophic.Wiley Cash has a wonderful gift of drawing you in to his novel from the first page. His understanding of personalities is first class, no mean feat when they span several generations. I loved this book. It is a pleasure to read and a debut for Cash who has a second novel in the pipeline, also set in his beloved North Carolina. I can’t wait!This book was made available to me, prior to publication, for an honest review.

[beckyhaase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wiley Cash has a way with words. He can make you see a rain storm or love with equal clarity. In A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME he has written a beautiful elegy for love and death, faith and fear, condemnation and redemption. Told in three very different voices, the tale unfolds in starts and pauses and then backtracks on to itself. Occasionally Cash loses his way and the story loses momentum. But stick with him because in the pulsing end, you will know you have found a wonderful new voice.A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME follows the inhabitants of a small back country Appalachian community. They include an outsider Sheriff and the drunk the sheriff blames for his son's death, the drunk's son and his church obsessed wife, their two young sons - one a mute, a spellbinding preacher with a hidden past and the area's "healer" woman. Cash is point perfect in detailing the culture of Appalachia, the speech patterns of his characters and an atmosphere of foreboding. Book groups will find a wealth of topics including family dynamics, faith and faith that becomes oppressive, guilt and how it can poison relationships, fear of the unknown, outsiders, understanding disabilities, alcoholism, infidelity, and secrets.

[ellenmeeropol · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This debut novel was pretty good. In fact, I would have given it four stars until the last few pages, when a character's religious beliefs started to feel like authorial intrusion, and I felt lectured to... Still, well worth reading for the compelling story, the fresh and often gorgeous prose.

[cameling_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From the very first chapter, the author draws you into this little Southern town and the mysterious practices behind newspaper covered windows in the church. There is a vague and pervasive sense of unease as one reads through the chapters, the trepidation escalates as certain events take place. We follow the carefree lives of 2 brothers in a small North Carolina town. Stump, the older brother is mute and Jess, the younger brother looks out for him. When they each see something they shouldn't have seen, their individual actions has drastic repercussions on their family and others in their community.The author delivers each of his characters boldly, honestly and without apology. We're never confused in this story as to which characters to root for and which characters to flay. It's an absolutely wonderful work, and one I will be placing on my re-read shelf.

[junipersun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book club selection. An Appalachian church preacher kills a disabled boy during one of his services. He told the members help him "heal" the boy, but, from some of the back story provided by other characters, we know he really wants to get rid of a witness to his adultery with the boys mother. Kind of boring, especially sections by Jess Hall, a 9 yr old boy, which had a lot of reporting what he sensed at each moment. I would not read any more of this author. When the sheriff presented the post mortem result of "petechiae", I lost all respect for the author. Petechiae are pinpoint blood spots, yet the author refers to "eyes swimming in blood."