This 450-ish page book by James Lee Burke was as dense a feast as “War and Peace.” James Lee Burke uses a plot and storyline to provoke philosophical and theological discourse. He takes you back to English literature class where “Moby Dick” and “Beowolf” are dissected to demonstrate basic elements of imagery and metaphor in prose. This is not an easy read. I was constantly taxed and taken to task to understand and delve into the mysteries of the interaction of man and creation just before someone was blown away or was facing certain death but spared. Sometimes this would be frustrating because I simply needed a violence fix or because I didn’t want to think anymore. But, be sure that this piece with strong characters like Sherriff Holland, Pam Tibbs, Preacher, Vikki Gaddis, and Ester Dolan (female majority) interact in similar fashion to a Shakespearian play. A tragedy, this is not but it is still far enough from all getting what is deserved. The only player in this read getting what is truly deserved is the reader. James Lee Burke makes it rain brilliantly, with life giving infusion of descriptive and insightful phraseology and action.
(Reviewed by Stewart Richard)
1 comment:
Sounds like splendid "spring breadk" reading for a PhD scholar looking for a fun read to unwind from required academia.
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