Monday, May 28, 2012

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash: A Review

A Land More Kind Than Home: A NovelA Land More Kind Than Home: A Novel by Wiley Cash

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I love debut novels. There is nothing quite as exciting as hearing a literary voice for the first time, particularly if it is fresh and vibrant and new. Of course there are the inevitable one-hit wonder books that seem to suck everything the author has from them. Or the debuts that garner so much acclaim that their authors' sophomore attempts inevitably pale in comparison. But then there are the books like this one.

A Land More Kind Than Home tells the story of a young boy whose innocent curiosity sets into motion a series of devastating events. We watch these events unfold through Jess's eyes, as well as via the town midwife and sheriff. The writing is pure and sweet, the story is one I haven't read before, and the characters were vivid and memorable. There were some issues with pacing and focus, I think, but overall there was something terrifically exciting about this novel. And I suspect that Wiley Cash will be back again with more.

Excellent storytelling, and just so much promise here.



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