gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson

Genre: fiction

It's taken me longer than expected to write a review of this most fabulous offering from the talented Joshilyn Jackson. This was one of the few books I've read this year that bowled me over and made me want to start re-reading immediately upon completion.

Arlene Fleet makes a deal with God. If she stays out of Alabama, God will keep Alabama far away from her. Nine years after fleeing her hometown, her past comes knocking at her door, and Arlene is thrown into a panic. Since her family has badgered her for nine years to return home for as much as a holiday, she finally gives in and returns for her uncle's retirement party. The catch: she has a black boyfriend and a racist family, a haunting past and a maddening fear of facing it, and part of her pact with God was that she wouldn't lie. Ever. Did I mention she murdered someone?? Yeah, that's not a spoiler. Talk about a flawed main character--good thing she's likeable.

If you've ever set a toe in a small town to spend any significant amount of time, this book will likely ring true to you. I very much enjoyed Jackson's ability to draw quirky characters that don't veer off into the unbelievable, and at times the book reminded me of my family, friends, and the small town I was blessed (and cursed) to grow up in. Arlene's mother was a first-rate basket case, her aunt Florence a first-rate control freak, and her boyfriend a first-rate example of tolerance personified. The family made me cringe and hoot with laughter by turns, as did Arlene's reaction to them after nine years away. In the hands of a lesser author the southern family might be stereotyped as full-on racist nutcases, but that wasn't the case in this book. Jackson's talented hand manages to frame the discomfort the family feels with Arlene's choice of mate, but they're not mean-spirited people.

The mood of the book is odd and addictive. While I found myself cackling maniacally and often, I also found myself thoroughly creeped out. Joshilyn Jackson is one funny mama and I found that reading the book was a bit like seeing comments from the inside of my head on paper. I'm not saying I'm nearly as funny as Jackson, but she includes in her characters a lot of snappy comments that I might never have the balls to say out loud...but I would think them all day. On the creepy side, Jackson describes the "gods" of a small southern town in a way that also rings scarily true. The gods of football, alcohol, jocks and romance. Those undercurrents of the sad and pathetic that no one wants to discuss until they jump up and bite someone in the ass.

gods in Alabama is superb. Great story, sharp wit, touching, funny, dark.

For an extra dose of Joshilyn, check out her blog:
http://www.joshilynjackson.com/mt