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Author: James Agee
Genre: Classic Literature
Length: 320 pages
Published: original: 1955; version I read: 1998
Publisher: Vintage
Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) On a sultry summer night
in 1915, Jay Follet leaves his house in Knoxville, Tennessee, to tend
to his father, whom he believes is dying. The summons turns out to be a
false alarm, but on his way back to his family, Jay has a car accident
and is killed instantly. Dancing back and forth in time and braiding the
viewpoints of Jay's wife, brother, and young son, Rufus, Agee creates
an overwhelmingly powerful novel of innocence, tenderness, and loss that
should be read aloud for the sheer music of its prose.
My Review:
I give this book a 5 out of 5.
When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. A few pages in and I was in a "couldn't put it down" captivated trance. This novel is about grief and how it strikes the various members of a family, both immediate and extended, when a good man dies unexpectedly.
I particularly enjoyed reading things from the perspective of the children: both so young and neither fully understanding what has happened. Agee intertwines the various perspectives, as well as flashbacks to the past, in an expert way, making the novel easy to read and easy to enjoy. All of the characters are easy to relate to, as well, which always helps in connecting with a book.
Grief affects everyone differently, and Agee definitely manages to show that difference to his readers. Sadly, the author never got to see his book in print, as it was published after his own unexpected death.
I particularly enjoyed reading things from the perspective of the children: both so young and neither fully understanding what has happened. Agee intertwines the various perspectives, as well as flashbacks to the past, in an expert way, making the novel easy to read and easy to enjoy. All of the characters are easy to relate to, as well, which always helps in connecting with a book.
Grief affects everyone differently, and Agee definitely manages to show that difference to his readers. Sadly, the author never got to see his book in print, as it was published after his own unexpected death.
You can purchase A Death in the Family through Amazon in or Kindle format.
Have you read A Death in the Family? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.
Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.
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