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Gods in Alabama

by Joshilyn Jackson (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 9,079 ratings · 1,150 reviews

For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ult...more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published June 13th 2006 by Grand Central Publishing (first published January 1st 2005)

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Jun 25, 2010 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alabama, southern-writting, addiction, friendship, whodunit, 2010, favorites

Had me at the first line.
"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus."
Now I tell you my eyebrows shot up thinking now this is gonna be a bumpy ride straight into the modern dirty south.....oh yeah!
blended with vibrant humor, a whodunit and unexpected twists of fate. I really laughed out loud with delight at Jackson's witty flare for language and natural fresh dialoge, she has a serious tallent that well have me collecting all her other...more

9 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 Mari Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jackson does it again! Personally I am loving Joshilyn Jackson. Her books are somewhat hard to describe. They are intense dramas, somewhat in the vein of Jodi Piccoult. For me though Jackson's writing seems tighter and more intense than Piccoult. She fits a lot more angst in less space.

In this one, Arlene Fleet has fled Alabama for Chicago and hasn't been back for 10 years because of a trauma that happened in high school. Due to her own reasons, she killed one of her small Alabama town's gods......more

4 likes · like · see review

May 25, 2007 Nadia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Anne Tyler

Shelves: actuallyread

There is something really beautiful about an author who is in control of their craft -- It's hard enough to plot a successful story that is intriguing, but to be able to manipulate the chronology of a story and make the story even better? (This is one of the reasons I enjoyed Time Traveller's Wife so much) This is a great book that will teach men something about relating to women and teach women something about relating to themselves. Good stuff - it's a fast read, with fabulous strong characte...more

9 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2007 Bloomeenee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: readin2007, absolutely_loved

This book contains one of the best single lines ever written: "Hail to thee alabama, thou verdant trollop" :)
I picked it up in a charity shop because it looked interesting, which is my favourite method of book-buying. I loved it, I was hooked, the characters are so real, and it uses flashbacks which i always like. Centred around a murder, but not a crime novel, its all relationships and personalities.... sorry can't recommend in any coherent manner.

7 likes · like · see review

Feb 17, 2008 sandra rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: somebody stuck on an airplane

Goodness, I don't remember the last time I read a book about a family from the southern US that didn't involve some unhappy young woman with (a) a drunken-wife beating father or (b) a teenage rape. This is yet another. Just to be thorough, the author even threw in the requisite family of eccentrics. In two weeks, I won't remember a thing about it.

7 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2008 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was all ready to be blown away by this book--the language, the humor, the structure. It started well, the main character engaged me, and when Lena and Burr started the trip with their games, I had an electric shock of realization that the author was going to play "What's in my pocketses" with the reader. Which she did.

But I was disappointed, and I felt the character let me down. I didn't really see Jim Beverly as a rapist. A bad drunk, that I could see, but as presented--well, no. Also I have...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 12, 2007 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, september2007

I'm torn about what to think about this book. I definately liked Between, Georgia better. Right off the bat, I kept thinking this one was just weird.

The present/past story telling worked in Between, since you were just learning about her in bits and pieces, and it didn't have to be in chronological order. In this one, it was alternating chapters (not just drifting back to a memory), but I don't think it worked as well. Lena tells about a story telling game they play on road trips, and I soon fi...more

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Jul 12, 2007 Ferina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Arlena Fleet, sengaja ‘melarikan diri’ dari kota kelahirannya, Alabama. Lena ingin melupakan kenangan buruk yang menghantuinya ketika ia remaja. 10 tahun lamanya Lena tidak pulang-pulang, meskipun di saat-saat istimewa seperti hari Natal.

Di masa lalu, Lena adalah gadis yang tinggal dengan paman dan bibinya. Ibunya stress karena kematian ayahnya. Satu-satunya teman Lena adalah Clarice, saudara sepupunya. Lena begitu menyayangi Clarice, meskipun dia menyimpan sedikit rasa iri terhadap sepupunya ya...more

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Jul 13, 2007 steffie rated it 2 of 5 stars

It took me a little while to get into this one. Starts off pretty slow and uninvolving despite the author's apparent attempts to achieve the opposite effect.

A lot of the wacky Southern stuff fell flat and has been done before by other authors with greater insight and flair. Some of the humor was brilliant in spots; some of it was like dead air.

To me, the book only true came alive during the flashbacks. The story of Arlene's adolescence captured me, and I had great compassion for her.

I also give...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2008 Blair rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2008

I don't often write reviews, but I wanted to take a moment to recommend this book to anybody who comes across it on my feed. I am totally enamored with Joshilyn Jackson. Despite my deep South upbringing, I often shy away from novels labeled "Southern fiction." I find them to be cloying and built on stereotypes that did not ring true to my experience as a southerner. Jackson's novels bring a breath of fresh air to the genre. She writes fabulous fiction that happens to take place in the South. god...more

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Aug 06, 2007 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly suprised by this book. I expected it to be a chick lit book (which it is in some senses) with a mystery thrown in, but the plot and character development went deeper than I thought it would...more psychological. Arlene is trying to escape her Southern roots and a murder she committed, so she moves to Chicago to reinvent herself. However, she does have to face her past.I hear Jackson has another book out, and I would like to read it. My one complaint, it seemed to me that Arlene'...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 04, 2011 Cecilia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: f2f-bkclb, read-2008, debut-novel, re-read

Fast read! Real page turner! Great ending!

If I had to come up with a moral for this book it would be:

We are all blessed with a great mother, she just might not be the one we actually call mom.

2011 Re-read... Still wonderful. After reading Backseat Saints, I was compelled to read this one again. It is a far better book than Backseat Saints, and very powerful.

I only wish that Rose Mea had an Aunt Flo to be there in the end for her.

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2009 Chelsea added it

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson was a good book. Joshilyn Jackson has written other books such as The Girl Who Stopped Swimming and Between, Georgia.

The setting is mostly in Possett, Alabama. Possett is the main character’s hometown, which she eventually goes back to. The beginning of the novel, however, takes place in Chicago, Illinois.

Arlene Fleet is the main character. Arlene kills her high school’s quarterback when she was in school. She promised God...more

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Mar 03, 2009 Indra rated it 4 of 5 stars

A quick read full of strong, interesting characters and thought-provoking yet universal themes, "Gods in Alabama" fits into the crazy-Southern-family genre with aplomb. The book also fits the "chick lit" label, but is better written than most lumped into that category. A lot of things are going on here...the ending happened a little fast, but I did like it. Burr was a great character...Florence also stood out. I liked Clarice very much and would have liked even more about the Clarice and Arlene...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Joe Orozco rated it 5 of 5 stars

Make a promise to God that you will walk the straight and narrow if He can keep his end of the bargain. Stay out of Alabama, and everything should be fine, but ten years later, the past comes barging back.

Damn this book was good! Rare is the book that can wrench that kind of an adolescent response out of me, but there was so much right with Jackson's style of writing. I don't know that I've ever read a southern-based plot before. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was good but too intellect...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Sheila DeChantal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Arlene left Alabama a long time ago and with it, a deeply buried secret. She had made a deal with God that she had held true to these past ten years….

Then Alabama came knocking on her door in Chicago in the form of a once classmate, Rose May Lolley. And Rose May is asking questions… questions that Arlene never wanted to have to answer and questions that have her making her way back to all she left in Alabama along with her boyfriend Burr, who has been wanting to meet Arlene’s family for a long t...more Arlene left Alabama a long time ago and with it, a deeply buried secret. She had made a deal with God that she had held true to these past ten years….

Then Alabama came knocking on her door in Chicago in the form of a once classmate, Rose May Lolley. And Rose May is asking questions… questions that Arlene never wanted to have to answer and questions that have her making her way back to all she left in Alabama along with her boyfriend Burr, who has been wanting to meet Arlene’s family for a long time.

Be careful for what you wish for…

Arlene already knows her strong Southern Baptist family is going to have trouble with her African-American boyfriend, but really, Burr is the least of her worries. Arlene’s long kept secret is starting to come to the surface and she must do everything she can to keep the past in the past, because what happened in Alabama… really needs to stay in Alabama. Buried deep.

Last year I listened to Joshilyn Jackson’s book Back Seat Saints on audio and really enjoyed it. At the time I did not know that this book was actually written and published before Back Seat Saints and involves many of the same characters.

What was fun about this book was that it took a small character (Arlene) from Back Seat Saints and made her the main protagonist. It did not seem to make a difference that I listened to them in reverse order. Some of the story line overlaps within the two books, as Rose May Lolley and Arlene encounter one another in the earlier book, but this is fun and interesting as while Back Seat Saints is told from Rose May’s perspective, Gods In Alabama is told from Arlene’s. It’s hard to explain but I for one thought it was brilliant and lapped up both reads.

I listened to both on audio and audio book lovers, you are going to LOVE this narration by the author. The fun Alabama accent with have you feeling like you are right there enjoying the down home craziness right along with them.

Seriously, a joy to read. I had so much fun with this one and look forward to reading Joshilyn Jackson again. (less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Jessica Sinn (Chick Lit Cafe) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Authors like Joshilyn Jackson are the reason why I love, love, love Southern fiction. Her books (typically involving crazy-ass mothers and emotionally scarred women) are gritty, powerful and downright gut-wrenching. After reading Backseat Saints, I needed to know more about Rose Mae Lolley’s backstory – and boy did this book deliver! Although Rose Mae is only a side character in this novel, I get to learn more about her psychotic high school sweetheart, and how he met his end. The story revolves...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Sharon Nelson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven't finished a book this quickly in a long time!

I picked up Gods in Alabama randomly while cruising my local used shop, brought it home, and read the first couple of chapters. The 2nd chapter was so coarse and the story on the surface so trivial and superficial, I thought I'd made a mistake. I removed the bookmark, and planned to "shelve" this one back in the used store bag to recycle again. The next day I came across a small slip of paper with "God's in Alabama" written on it. Odd! I had...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Shonna Froebel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I chose this book because I loved listening to Backseat Saints. That audiobook ended with an excerpt from the beginning of this book and it intrigued me. The books are related, with the storylines weaving into each other a couple of times, each told from the point of view of a different woman. This one is told from the point of view of Arlene Fleet. Arlene lives in Chicago, after running away from Alabama twelve years earlier. Arlene's encounter with Rose Mae (of Backseat Saints) a girl from her...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Margaret Maurer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Southern Sass with a Hint of Crass
Joshilyn Jackson is sweeping bookstores with her crisp and shocking southern writing. Her bestselling books include gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, and most recently The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. Jackson’s books find fascinating female characters in uncompromising circumstances that always center on deep and unbreakable southern roots. Her bold sentences draw readers in and leave them gasping for air after each turn and twist of the plot. Humor and wit weav...more Southern Sass with a Hint of Crass
Joshilyn Jackson is sweeping bookstores with her crisp and shocking southern writing. Her bestselling books include gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, and most recently The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. Jackson’s books find fascinating female characters in uncompromising circumstances that always center on deep and unbreakable southern roots. Her bold sentences draw readers in and leave them gasping for air after each turn and twist of the plot. Humor and wit weave themselves throughout her chapters to provide comic relief and make the characters even more relatable.
I recently read The Girl Who Stopped Swimming and upon finishing the last sentence I instantly wanted to reread the entire story. The plot follows Laurel, a southern woman having one heck of a midlife crisis. The story opens with this line, “Until the drowned girl came to Laurel’s bedroom, ghosts had never walked in Victoriana.” Simply enough, ghosts have haunted Laurel from her childhood on and the most recent is the drowned ghost of her daughter’s best friend.
Laurel’s character seeks to keep everything in perfect and pretty order, as she crafts quilts until every piece is flawless or as she makes do with her mostly robot of a husband. Her personality is put to countless challenges with the arrival of her free spirited and entirely eccentric sister, Thalia. Laurel’s older sister uproots everything she has done to ignore her deepest gut instincts about the drowning of the girl. Thalia shocks and delights readers as she blurts out Laurel’s thoughts for her and digs further into Laurel’s personal life than she should. The exciting contrast of characters adds dynamic to the story and the reader cannot help but feel the anguish from each character.
One of my favorite aspects of Jackson’s writing is how she maneuvers the plot and the reader never can quite figure out the central issues. In this story, several intricate issues within Laurel’s past life come to light and life lessons are learned and valued. Whether they want to or not Thalia and Laurel set out on a journey of self-discovery of the true states of their lives and the desperate co-dependency they have in one another. Family roots seem to be the strongest in the South as tradition remains rooted and everyone’s business is everyone else’s business as well.
The way in which Thalia approaches Laurel in regards to just about everything is summed up with the sentence, “Thalia went for the jugular.” I love the character of Thalia and her blunt confidence is inspiring. When she sees Laurel’s rich new mansion for the first time she tells Laurel, “This place is a hole where your brain used to be.” While Thalia offends occasionally, she is unforgettable and just the kind of character that Jackson loves to create. Jackson brings to life the South and the witty personalities of her characters that boil down to a fierce loyalty unlike anything I have seen.

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Apr 03, 2012 Book Concierge rated it 3 of 5 stars

Audio book performed by Catherine Taber
3.5***

Arlene Fleet lived up to her name when she fled Possett Alabama for Chicago as soon as she graduated high school. She’s lived up to her bargain with God – she will not lie, fornicate or return to Alabama, as long as He keeps the body of the man she killed hidden. Now she’s being pressured by her African American tax attorney boyfriend to introduce him to the family. She loves Burr, but her family members are racist Southern Baptists, and of course the...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

“There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel’s. high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus…”

How could you not be immediately sucked into gods in Alabama after reading that opening sentence? Especially if you are intimately familiar with small southern towns and know this to be true? That’s what got me- I felt like I was reading about places I visit every year when I visit my extended family.

Ten years ago, Arelene made a deal with God, and she’s kept her promises. Until now, God’s held...more “There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel’s. high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus…”

How could you not be immediately sucked into gods in Alabama after reading that opening sentence? Especially if you are intimately familiar with small southern towns and know this to be true? That’s what got me- I felt like I was reading about places I visit every year when I visit my extended family.

Ten years ago, Arelene made a deal with God, and she’s kept her promises. Until now, God’s held up his end of the bargain. But then a high school classmate shows up at Arlene’s door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, one of the gods of Alabama. Now Arlene’s secret- the reason she left Possett, Alabama- might be exposed and Arlene is faced with making her first trip home in ten years. Add to that Burr, Arlene’s African-American boyfriend who has given her an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or they are through. Arlene figures this trip home is as good an occasion as any for Burr to meet her family. This trip home forces Arlene to realize the guilt she feels after an incident ten years ago. As her alibi for the past begins to fall apart, Arlene comes to understand more about family, and about how far she is willing to go for love and a sense of redemption.

Johsilyn Jackson obviously knows the nuances of small southern towns very well. Her prose made me think of sultry summer afternoons, lazing on the porch swing, sharing idle gossip with my aunts and cousins. While an appreciation of life in a small southern town certainly helps the reader identify with the story, it isn’t necessary. We all have secrets, things we prefer remain buried in our past. Most family relationships have their complications and many of us are looking for redemption from something. Jackson’s telling of the story-alternating past deceptions with new ones interspersed with kernels of searing truth- keep the reader turning pages. I will definitely be reading more Joshilyn Jackson.

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Nov 28, 2011 Keri rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book, read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down! Excellent characterizations, and a really exciting plot too. I appreciated how torn Arlene is in this book and how real her (and her family) seem to be. There aren't many one trick ponies, no one is drawn as all good and all bad. Jackson's descriptions of the people, places and things are so descriptive, and yet I wasn't bored by them. I especially liked the games that she described that Arlene and Burr come up with, and for som...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

rief Description: The precursor to Jackson’s book Backseat Saints, Gods In Alabama tells the story of Arlene Fleet, whose flight from her hometown of Possett, Alabama to Chicago, Illinois and her deal with God to stop lying, fornicating and never to return to Possett is put to the test with the appearance of Rose Mae Lolly (whose story is told in Backseat Saints). Rose Mae is searching for her ex-boyfriend Jim Beverly. Arlene knows all too well what happened to Jim Beverly, and her desperation t...more rief Description: The precursor to Jackson’s book Backseat Saints, Gods In Alabama tells the story of Arlene Fleet, whose flight from her hometown of Possett, Alabama to Chicago, Illinois and her deal with God to stop lying, fornicating and never to return to Possett is put to the test with the appearance of Rose Mae Lolly (whose story is told in Backseat Saints). Rose Mae is searching for her ex-boyfriend Jim Beverly. Arlene knows all too well what happened to Jim Beverly, and her desperation to keep that information to herself spurs her to return to Possett with her African-American boyfriend Burr—another little secret she’s been hiding from her very Southern family.

My Thoughts: Once I listened to Backseat Saints, I had to listen to Gods in Alabama to find out what happened to Jim Beverly. Although I read the books out of order, I actually think it may have worked better reading them that way. If I had known what happened to Jim Beverly before reading Backseat Saints, I think that book would have been less effective. Overall, the books work well together, but I did pick up on some discrepancies between the two (as far as I remember, the “big reveal” with Rose Mae at the end didn’t happen in Backseat Saints). However, it isn’t a big deal, and I thought Jackson did good job of tying the two stories together. I do have to give this book an award for Outstanding Opening Line: “There are gods in Alabama: high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus.” As usual, Jackson creates memorable characters (Arlene’s Aunt Florence is simultaneously appealing and appalling) and lightens the rather heavy story line with her trademark Southern sass and humor.

About the narration: This is the second Jackson book I’ve listened to on audio, and I think her books are well-suited to this format. The first person narration works well, and the narrator, Catherine Taber, did a fine job. However, I think I prefer Jackson’s narration of Backseat Saints over this one. The only thing that bugged me about the audio was the rather intrusive background music that popped up periodically. I found it disruptive and could have done without it. Still, don’t let that keep you from trying this on audio (or in print).(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book review below was a Book Hungry Club read. All of the Book Hungry Members are posting a book review today on their blogs.

This months selection Gods In Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson comes to us from the Fabulous Cynthia Reese.

I should tell you this is anther book recommendation that I would never have picked up and read on my own.

The title Gods In Alabama had me wondering if God resided in Alabama or if our author was saying there are Gods in Alabama. Either way works here from Arlene's...more The book review below was a Book Hungry Club read. All of the Book Hungry Members are posting a book review today on their blogs.

This months selection Gods In Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson comes to us from the Fabulous Cynthia Reese.

I should tell you this is anther book recommendation that I would never have picked up and read on my own.

The title Gods In Alabama had me wondering if God resided in Alabama or if our author was saying there are Gods in Alabama. Either way works here from Arlene's point of view, but mainly it just meant that their are Gods residing in Alabama and they just happen to play high school football.

This book takes us on the journey of Arlene Fleet who escaped her small town roots and traded them in for the vastness of the windy city. Her motives, totally not-altruistic, were based on the deal she made with God. No more sex, lies or even returning to the scene of the crime as long as He keeps the body hidden.

The body in question belonged to one Jim Beverly, the local reining God of the football field. The reveal comes to us in a series of flashbacks and present day story telling, a format I have not been over found of in past books but keeps this story moving extremely well without confusing the reader.

After ten years of excuses, when a visitor from home (looking for Jim Beverly) leaves Arlene believing God may be slipping on his end of the bargain, she decides to head back to the tiny town in Alabama she called home. Coming along for the ride is her boyfriend Burr who also happens to be African American.

This book had all the earmarks of embracing every stereotype, instead it made fun of them. Ms. Jackson's characters jumped off the page at me and I was there with them from start to finish. Ms. Jackson's ability to write characters that resonate comes through from the first page and kept me entertained until the very end.

Once again, I step out of my reading comfort zone and the result is another satisfying read. Thanks Cynthia for the recommendation and don't forget to check out the other members thoughts on this book at their blogs as well.

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Oct 23, 2010 Hilcia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-bookshelf, fiction, impressions-blog-review, romance, contemporary

I read Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson when it was first released in 2005 (re-read in April, 2010). It was Ms. Jackson's debut novel and one that made my keeper shelf for different reasons. This is a women's fiction book, but it's also considered "Southern Fiction." Ms. Jackson is from the South and those roots can definitely be appreciated and recognized in her writing, characterization, subject matter and humor.

Gods in Alabama is one of those books with an unforgettable first line, one tha...more I read Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson when it was first released in 2005 (re-read in April, 2010). It was Ms. Jackson's debut novel and one that made my keeper shelf for different reasons. This is a women's fiction book, but it's also considered "Southern Fiction." Ms. Jackson is from the South and those roots can definitely be appreciated and recognized in her writing, characterization, subject matter and humor.

Gods in Alabama is one of those books with an unforgettable first line, one that "hooked" me into reading it and became engraved in my mind. Every time I looked at my bookshelf and saw the title of the book, I remembered it.

"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and left it to the roaches..."

Thus begins this complex story written in first person as seen through Arlene Fleet's point of view.

Gods in Alabama is an interesting mixture of heavy subjects and witty, humorous prose. Through Lena's guilt-ridden eyes and conscience, Jackson tells a story full of family conflicts, murder, rape, racism, guilt, redemption and immense love. She throws in a bi-racial romance and sets it all in a small southern town full of unforgettable characters. But, the best part of this book is that while reading about all these heavy subjects, all of which she addresses fully and without reserve, there is not a "heavy" feel to this book.

Jackson uses her gift for humor and wit to tell Lena's story and the writer's southern roots definitely show in the telling. There no such thing as southern "flavor" in this book, there is much more than that. The way she describes the setting, the usage of language and humour make you feel as if you're right there in Possett and these elements make the story come alive. The characterization was excellent in most instances, however in some cases she seemed to gloss over the characters and they came off a bit stereotypical. Lena and Aunt Flo's characters were flawlessly developed, but I do wish that cousin Clarice had been better drawn. She was an important character in this story whose motivations stayed 'sketchy' in my mind, both through my first read and this time around.

I thought Gods in Alabama was an excellent debut novel for Joshilyn Jackson. Then and now, I loved her gift for telling this type of story with wit and humour.
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Jun 27, 2010 Jael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Arlene Fleet made a deal with God, she vowed never to return to Possett, Alabama. After graduating high school in 1987, Arlene left her hometown on the hopes that God would keep her secret. She vowed to stop lying. To stop messing around with boys, all in hopes of God keeping her safe from her deadly secret. For ten years she’s been avoiding her friends and family. But now, her past shows up on her Chicago doorstep.

To make matters worse, Arlene’s African-American boyfriend Burr wants to meet her...more Arlene Fleet made a deal with God, she vowed never to return to Possett, Alabama. After graduating high school in 1987, Arlene left her hometown on the hopes that God would keep her secret. She vowed to stop lying. To stop messing around with boys, all in hopes of God keeping her safe from her deadly secret. For ten years she’s been avoiding her friends and family. But now, her past shows up on her Chicago doorstep.

To make matters worse, Arlene’s African-American boyfriend Burr wants to meet her conservative white family. Her stern Aunt Florence has been trying for years to get Arlene to come back. According to Aunt Florence, Arlene’s mother has been on her death bed for nine years. Her mother is borderline crazy and her “good girl” cousin Clarice did all the right things, got married and had children.

At age 15, Arlene’s life changed forever when she killed Jim Beverly her sophomore year in high school. Back then Arlene was a wild promiscuous teenager, but after that tumultuous night she made her deal with God. The deal is now off. Now living in Chicago, a friend from Arlene’s past starts asking questions. Questions that could destroy her life. After ten years of running, Arlene must now go home and face her past.

I came to his book purely by accident. I was looking for some books to add to my shelf. At the time it had been so long since I read a book. I was getting mad at myself for getting away from reading. I let my job and the TV get in the way of my love of reading. So I just did a basic search under women’s fiction on Barnes and Noble.com. After sifting through pages and pages of books I read the summary for Gods in Alabama. Usually if the summary sounds interesting and there are good reader comments on the book, I buy it. I found Jackson’s writing very straight forward and full of sassy humor. It’s one of those books that can be read in a day, but I’ll admit it took me about two weeks. Why? I let myself get distracted by the world of Jack Bauer and how the passengers of Oceanic 815 will get rescued. I made a promise to rededicate myself to love of reading. Hopefully you all can help me with that! (less)

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Jun 09, 2010 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature-fiction

Upon her leaving hometown in Possett, Alabama, Arlene Fleet made a deal with God: 1) She would stop fornicating with every boy she met, 2) She would never tell another lie in her life, and 3) She will never ever go back to her hometown in Posset. All she wanted from that 3-to-1 deal was for God to make sure that a body was never found. But then, ten years later, God brings back her past right into her doorstep. In addition, her African-American boyfriend, gives her an ultimatum: introduce him to...more

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Mar 17, 2010 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

AMAZING book! I really loved this story and didn't want to put it down. The storyline is haunting and occasionally dark, but the humor getting there is priceless. This is very well worth reading. My favorite story here is a great example of why I'll be reading more Joshilyn Jackson

I wracked my brain, trying to sufficiently explain the power of Florence. Finally, I said, "Let me tell you a story. Growing up, our closest neighbor was Mrs. Weedy. She was an older lady. A widow with no kids. But she...more

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Jul 02, 2010 Francine Ellis rated it 2 of 5 stars

I originally chose to read this book because I have been dying to read Ms. Jackson's latest book "Backseat Saints." Reviews for "Backseat Saints" state that the book is a companion book to "Gods in Alabama," so I chose to read this one first.

I would categorize this as a fair book but not an excellent one. The main character, Arlene, is a Chicago grad student who has fled her Alabama hometown and has never looked back. She has been scared to go back for the past 10 years because of a secret invol...more

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Southern Lit Lovers: Gods In Alabama - February 2013 - Spoilers Possible!	41	25	Feb 26, 2013 11:10am

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About Joshilyn Jackson

SHORT VERSION:

Jackson's latest novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY, pubs on November 19, 2013!

New York Times Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of six novels: gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Backseat Saints, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, and most recently, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, won SIBA’s nove...more SHORT VERSION:

Jackson's latest novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY, pubs on November 19, 2013!

New York Times Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of six novels: gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Backseat Saints, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, and most recently, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, won SIBA’s novel of the year, twice been a #1 Book Sense Pick, and twice been shortlisted for the Townsend prize. A former actor, Jackson reads the audio versions of her novels; her work in this field has been nominated for the Audie Award, was selected by AudioFile Magazine for their best of the year list, and garnered two Listen Up Awards from Publisher’s Weekly.

She is hard at work on a new novel expected in 2015.

She lives in Decatur, Georgia with her husband, their two children, and way too many feckless animals. She

LONG VERSION:

Joshilyn Jackson was born by the sugar white beaches of Florida’s Redneck Riviera and raised by a tribe of wild fundamentalists who taught her to be virtuous and upright. Unfortunately, it didn’t take, and Ms. Jackson dropped out of college to pursue a career as an actor. She worked in regional repertoire, wrote plays, and traveled the southern third of the country with a dinner theatre troupe.

She decided both virtue and an education were worth the work, so she went back to college to study English literature, focusing on Modern and Medieval Theater. She graduated with honors from Georgia State. She fell for the hometown guy who’d been her best friend since she was a teenager and followed him north, braving Chicago’s winters to marry him. She recovered from a near-terminal case of culture shock in time to earn her MA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jackson spent seven years in as a southern ex-pat in Illinois, working with various theatre groups as an actor and playwright and selling short fiction to literary magazines and anthologies such as Calyx and TriQuarterly. She also taught English at UIC, trying to explain the function of the gerund and why Waiting for Godot is a great play to crowds of hung-over 18 year olds. In her first year of teaching, she won the Student’s Choice Award for Best English Instructor.

Motherhood made her homesick, and in 1998 she moved back to the South to teach part time, raise kids full time, and try her hand at writing novels in her copious spare time (read: every day from 4 am ‘til the baby woke up.) She’s been a full time novelist since gods in Alabama sold at auction in 2005, but Jackson’s teaching experience and theatre background have both come in handy. She enjoys reading the audio versions of her novels, and she’s been on faculty of writing workshops all over the country and enjoys speaking at book festivals, libraries and literary events. She occasionally teaches a creative writing class, most recently at Vermont College of Fine Arts and Emory University.

She currently lives in Decatur with her husband Scott and their two kids, Sam and Maisy Jane. They share space with Bagel the hound dog, Ansley the small auxiliary dog, and Mango, a huge yellow tom. Their outsize aquarium has, over the years, hosted a pair of brother gerbils who turned out to be an incestuous brother-sister baby factory, tadpoles who turned out to be mosquito larvae, more tadpoles who turned out to be newt larvae, caterpillars who turned out to be verminous hairy tent worms, and an egg sack that recently hatched out several zillion cannibalizing mantises who are now living in the back garden. This crew is often supplemented by stray beasts of all stripes seeking permanent homes.(less)

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Trivia About Gods in Alabama

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Quotes from Gods in Alabama

“There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus.” — 89 people liked it

“God gave us crying so other folks could see when we needed help, and help us.” — 53 people liked it

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