BookReviewtoday

Every once in a while I’ll come across a book that has characters so vivid, so likeable and despicable that I find it impossible to set it down. This was the case with Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. (Read courtesy of HarperCollins Canada.) Set in 1946 rural Mississippi the story of the McAllan clan and their African American workers is told from several different points of view.  While at the onset this might seem a bit confusing, it only added to the characters and what they were going through together and individually.  Jordan managed to evoke a different voice with each character while keeping the overall tone of the book steady so the end result flowed and wasn’t in the least bit choppy.

The main themes of family, love and racism are dealt with in such a brutal way that it is almost painful at times, especially her handling of racism.  Jordan holds nothing back when dealing with the typical opinions towards African Americans during the 1940s.  While some of the language is harsh, none of it is exploitive:  it is all relevant to the larger story of a tragedy that could have and should have been avoidable.

Hillary Jordan’s Mudbound brings the reader smack dab into the middle of her characters’ lives, showing every aspect of their personalities in such a way that even their flaws seem oddly beautiful.   I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from her.

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