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I was really nervous about reading this book. William Gay is, with out a doubt, my favorite author of the 21st century, and this book is the first of his manuscripts to be released after his death in 2012. The three novels and short story collection he released in his short career are all masterpieces, very polished, very poetic, and very compelling. The prospect of reading what is, despite what his agent and publishers have claimed, an unfinished novel was a bit unsettling to me. Gay's previous works are so pristine and magical that I really didn't want to see what the work looks like before it met his final approval, lest it somehow tarnish his legacy in my eyes. And though the novel is definitely unfinished, it is still worth a read for Gay's fans, though I'd hesitate to recommend it to a reader who has never read any of his work.
At it's core, this is a ghost story. It's very creepy at times, but as far as the narrative goes, too many things are left unfinished. We get brief glimpses of characters that I can only imagine Gay had a much bigger role intended for had he survived to finish the story (i.e. Swaw's grandson, or the old lady wandering through the woods when the Binder's first move in to the Beal estate). A lot of loose ends were left untied, and the lore and mythos that Gay inserts feel awkward and unnecessary, as they never get to reach their conclusion. Overall, the haunted house story is a bit unsatisfying, and frankly, quite a mess given it's unfinished nature.
The other narrative going on in this book, on the other hand, was what really drew me in. Aside from a standard ghost story, this novel is also a bit of a metafiction, as it is also about a novelist trying to write a novel. It's in these moments where I was able to draw the most pleasure as I felt that it offered us a glimpse into Gay's own process. There are some great moments where Gay discusses the fugue state that accompanies writing, the acuteness of vision that the writer receives, and the nuts and bolts of the process. These moments really grabbed me, because as I've stated, I really admire Gay's work, and it was wonderful to get some insight into what made him tick.
As always, Gay's prose is beautiful, and the book is worth a read just to savor the language that he so deftly uses. I just wish that this was a finished piece, because it had the potential to really be something special. The beginning of the novel (the 1785 flashback, Binder's moving to the new house, and the 1933 flashback) is some of the best writing Gay has given us, but after that, the story really falls a part.
I rated this 3 stars mainly because I'm a fan of Gay. If I hadn't been familiar with his work, though, I would have probably given it a two, solely for the beauty of the prose.
At it's core, this is a ghost story. It's very creepy at times, but as far as the narrative goes, too many things are left unfinished. We get brief glimpses of characters that I can only imagine Gay had a much bigger role intended for had he survived to finish the story (i.e. Swaw's grandson, or the old lady wandering through the woods when the Binder's first move in to the Beal estate). A lot of loose ends were left untied, and the lore and mythos that Gay inserts feel awkward and unnecessary, as they never get to reach their conclusion. Overall, the haunted house story is a bit unsatisfying, and frankly, quite a mess given it's unfinished nature.
The other narrative going on in this book, on the other hand, was what really drew me in. Aside from a standard ghost story, this novel is also a bit of a metafiction, as it is also about a novelist trying to write a novel. It's in these moments where I was able to draw the most pleasure as I felt that it offered us a glimpse into Gay's own process. There are some great moments where Gay discusses the fugue state that accompanies writing, the acuteness of vision that the writer receives, and the nuts and bolts of the process. These moments really grabbed me, because as I've stated, I really admire Gay's work, and it was wonderful to get some insight into what made him tick.
As always, Gay's prose is beautiful, and the book is worth a read just to savor the language that he so deftly uses. I just wish that this was a finished piece, because it had the potential to really be something special. The beginning of the novel (the 1785 flashback, Binder's moving to the new house, and the 1933 flashback) is some of the best writing Gay has given us, but after that, the story really falls a part.
I rated this 3 stars mainly because I'm a fan of Gay. If I hadn't been familiar with his work, though, I would have probably given it a two, solely for the beauty of the prose.
Overall, this was a pretty strong debut novel. I had fairly low expectations, as I'm pretty picky about the crime fiction I tend to read, but as a fan of southern/rural lit, this book came highly recommended to me from friends.
The structure of the novel is really well executed, as Panowich jumps between characters and moments in time pretty seemlessly. The central narrative is plotted in a way that keeps you wanting to read the next chapter, and Panowich's storytelling abilities are strong. Though the story tends to unravel a bit by the end, and the pacing begins to feel much more rushed than the wonderfully lazily paced opening chapters.
The book tends to rely a bit too heavily on grit lit cliches at times (and often come off as the author trying a bit too hard to have that southern rustic charm) and the emphasis on family, and the ghosts of the past can be a bit tedious, as every rural lit writer in recent memory seems to have at least one novel about a conflict centered around a wanting-to-do-good-despite-his-family's-outlaw-past protagonist. It's not bad, but it's just been done before much more successfully. I know we all love Flannery, but not every southern story needs to be about redemption.
Overall, this is a fun crime novel that keeps you wanting more. I look forward to Panowich's future output, and I hope he eases back on the Southern lit tropes. They just don't feel all that genuine, and it seems like he is trying a bit too hard to be Larry Brown. You're a good storyteller, but son, you aren't Larry Brown. Once he finds his own voice, Panowich should be a hell of a writer though.
The structure of the novel is really well executed, as Panowich jumps between characters and moments in time pretty seemlessly. The central narrative is plotted in a way that keeps you wanting to read the next chapter, and Panowich's storytelling abilities are strong. Though the story tends to unravel a bit by the end, and the pacing begins to feel much more rushed than the wonderfully lazily paced opening chapters.
The book tends to rely a bit too heavily on grit lit cliches at times (and often come off as the author trying a bit too hard to have that southern rustic charm) and the emphasis on family, and the ghosts of the past can be a bit tedious, as every rural lit writer in recent memory seems to have at least one novel about a conflict centered around a wanting-to-do-good-despite-his-family's-outlaw-past protagonist. It's not bad, but it's just been done before much more successfully. I know we all love Flannery, but not every southern story needs to be about redemption.
Overall, this is a fun crime novel that keeps you wanting more. I look forward to Panowich's future output, and I hope he eases back on the Southern lit tropes. They just don't feel all that genuine, and it seems like he is trying a bit too hard to be Larry Brown. You're a good storyteller, but son, you aren't Larry Brown. Once he finds his own voice, Panowich should be a hell of a writer though.
