So my second most recent book takes place in the 50s in the small town of Limoges (the "s" is silent) Louisiana. The book starts with 16-year old Olive Nepper trying to kill herself by drinking poisoned Nehi because she's found herself in the family way via the local preacher. As Olive lingers in a two-month coma, the lives of those in Limoges continue with supposed private dramas and the resulting never ending gossip. Everyone seems to be living a soap opera. From Olive's dowdy mother, Vangie, whose only expertise seems to lie in gardening and sticking her head in the sand to her pharmacist husband Henry, who runs around town with his counter girl, Dee Dee Robichaux. She's married to a "cripple" recently back from Korea who likes to throw dishes and drink whiskey. Worst of all, however, is the identity-stealing Baptist minister, T.C. Kirby who, in every real sense of the word is a nymphomaniac/pedophile. If you thought your life was full of drama - get a load of these characters.
I had a hard time reading this book because, once again, there wasn't a likable character among the bunch. I'm sort of glad I stuck with it, however, because in the end, I enjoyed seeing certain people "get theirs". That being said, however, there were others who deserved the worst possible punishment but never got it. Do I recommend this to others? I guess. I know that doesn't seem promising but I think I may have just NOT been in the right frame of mind for this book. I can see how others may really enjoy it but I'm just so sick of reading books about shitty people who get dealt shitty hands or allow shitty things to happen to themselves without trying to make things better. You decide!
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