David Schwinghammer's Blog - Posts Tagged "the-end-times"
Fourth of July Creek
Who would imagine a social worker would be confronted with shady side of human existence to this extent? The first part of this book is such a downer that you will be tempted to quit reading. Don’t do it. It’s one of the best novels I’ve read all year.
Pete Snow is a social worker plying his craft near the Montana Wilderness. In one of the first scenes, he’s called to a local school to deal with a boy loitering the halls, who seems to have come in out of the wild. He’s disheveled and doesn’t smell all that good. This boy is Benjamin Pearl, son of Jeremiah Pearl, a survivalist living in the hills. Pete takes Ben back to his father, and the two soon develop a rather live-and-let-live relationship. Pete sees Ben as a client and occasionally leaves food and clothes where the boy might find them. Jeremiah believes we’re in the end times, and that government script isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Pete is also having problems in his personal relationships; his wife has cheated on him, and he moves out. She moves to Texas, taking their daughter Rachel (who wants to be known as Rose) with them. Rachel soon runs away, and Pete spends the rest of the novel trying to track her down. Pete’s brother Luke has also run afoul of the law, and has jumped his parole. His parole officer thinks Pete knows where he is.
Smith Henderson has a unique style, especially during the Rachel viewpoints. He asks questions, then narrates Rachel’s answers. This is a technique that lots of writers use, asking their characters questions to get to know them, but I’ve never seen one put them in the book in this fashion. It sounds rather like the reader asking the author what’s happening with Rachel.
Rachel has two boyfriends during her escapade; the second one is a street kid named Pomeroy, who dyes his hair black. We get a good look at street life and what kids think they have to do to survive.
FOURTH OF JULY CREEK is a unique perspective on American life. I mean, when the social worker gets drunk, gets in fights, and is accused of harboring a criminal, who can you trust? Not that Pete doesn’t have a good heart. He truly loves his daughter; and he shows Jeremiah Pearl more understanding than he probably deserves.
Pete Snow is a social worker plying his craft near the Montana Wilderness. In one of the first scenes, he’s called to a local school to deal with a boy loitering the halls, who seems to have come in out of the wild. He’s disheveled and doesn’t smell all that good. This boy is Benjamin Pearl, son of Jeremiah Pearl, a survivalist living in the hills. Pete takes Ben back to his father, and the two soon develop a rather live-and-let-live relationship. Pete sees Ben as a client and occasionally leaves food and clothes where the boy might find them. Jeremiah believes we’re in the end times, and that government script isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Pete is also having problems in his personal relationships; his wife has cheated on him, and he moves out. She moves to Texas, taking their daughter Rachel (who wants to be known as Rose) with them. Rachel soon runs away, and Pete spends the rest of the novel trying to track her down. Pete’s brother Luke has also run afoul of the law, and has jumped his parole. His parole officer thinks Pete knows where he is.
Smith Henderson has a unique style, especially during the Rachel viewpoints. He asks questions, then narrates Rachel’s answers. This is a technique that lots of writers use, asking their characters questions to get to know them, but I’ve never seen one put them in the book in this fashion. It sounds rather like the reader asking the author what’s happening with Rachel.
Rachel has two boyfriends during her escapade; the second one is a street kid named Pomeroy, who dyes his hair black. We get a good look at street life and what kids think they have to do to survive.
FOURTH OF JULY CREEK is a unique perspective on American life. I mean, when the social worker gets drunk, gets in fights, and is accused of harboring a criminal, who can you trust? Not that Pete doesn’t have a good heart. He truly loves his daughter; and he shows Jeremiah Pearl more understanding than he probably deserves.
