“The closer he got, the brighter that red became. It was a rose–a rose that had no earthly business growing there, right in the middle of all that dust.” Just as Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his fate in the electric chair, he is given a second chance at life. With the flip of a coin, he decides to return to his home town of Nowhere, Oklahoma, to settle the score with his twin brother Josiah. … brother Josiah. But upon his escape, he enters a world he doesn’t recognize–one that has been overtaken by the Dust Bowl. And the gift he once relied on to guide him is as unrecognizable as the path back to Nowhere.
On his journey home, he accidentally rescues a young boy, and the pair arrive at their destination where they are greeted by darkened skies and fearful townspeople who have finally begun to let the past few years of hardship bury them under the weight of all that dust. Unlikely heroes, Jeremiah and his new companion, Peter Cotton, try to protect the residents of Nowhere from themselves, but Jeremiah must face his nightmares and free himself from the guilt of his past and the secrets that destroyed his family.
Filled with mystery and magic, this exquisite novel from award-winning author James Markert is a story of finding hope in the midst of darkness and discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness.
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I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild, I was not required to give a favorable review. This was a very interesting story. Of course I learned about the Dust Bowl as part of my history in school and I have read about it in other books. This story put another twist to what happened at the time. I would recommend this book to anyone like a book with a little history and a bit of everything else.
When a tornado knocks down the wall of a prison, Jeremiah Goodbye (also known as the Coin-Flip Killer) gets a startling reprieve from the electric chair. Setting out for his hometown of Nowhere, Oklahoma, he’s determined to put a bullet in the twin brother who turned him in to the authorities. But when “Black Sunday,” the worst dust storm in three years of dust storms, overtakes the town, Jeremiah starts to soften toward the people who’ve given up on life. With the help of an orphan boy named Peter, he tries to stop his home from disappearing off the map, digging out houses after each dust storm, eradicating the tarantulas that keep invading the buildings, and hoping against hope that some kindness can bloom in a harsh and barren land that’s been forgotten by its Maker.
This book was a complete and utter surprise. The gorgeous cover outside is matched by the gorgeous prose within. The oppressively suffocating setting of the Dust Bowl is poignantly rendered, as are each of the characters that connect to Jeremiah Goodbye in some way. Jeremiah’s strained relationship with his brother and convuluted relationship with his brother’s wife Ellen set the stage for a complex story about family, hardship, hope, and little deeds of love and mercy. The simplicity of Peter, a child who seems mentally handicapped and yet acts as the catalyst to revive the town, shows how the purest, most unadulterated kindness can come from the least of these.
There were a few parts towards the end of the book where the story dragged, but over all, I found this book a novel and fantastic read. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A little strange but intriguing to the point that you have to keep reading quickly to see what happens. I would say this is similar to The Green Mile. I loved reading about the Dust Bowl in The Grapes Of Wrath and now I will add this to that category. I can’t imagine the desperation these people felt and the struggle to just get out of bed and function each day. This author makes you feel the hunger, finding strength to shovel that dirt out each day, wanting a bath, etc. All the things we take for granted. Amidst that desperation comes hope in the form of a young boy, Peter, and the letters he writes to inspire kindness in the citizens of Nowhere. I loved these characters and their unique personalities. Step out of your rut of the ordinary and step into the journey of extraordinary.
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction Guild. The honest review and opinions are own and were not required.
This was the third book I’ve read by James Markert. Although there was some “weird” things going on like in the other two books, I think this one made more sense in the long run. I had read other books on the dust bowl that hit the Midwest in the thirties, but this expanded it even more. Parts of the book were like Biblical plagues hitting the town of Nowwhere, Oklahoma. Interestingly from chapter one until the “epilogue” was only a week and a half. It seemed to span a much longer period of time than that. So much was covered in this short period of time.
The author seems to base his books in small communities with an assortment of strange and unusual characters. This book was no exception. There was contention among them, then goodwill, then banning together for a common cause.
Although I’m not personally fond of books with these strange and unusual occurrences, many will enjoy the escape from everyday reality for a while into a world of whimsical and strange circumstances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Fiction Guild but was not required to write a review.
Favorite Quotes:
Wilmington said he felt a duster coming every morning. He liked to hedge his bets and say he told you so.
Least when I talk I don’t look like a mouse nibblin’ on cheese…
Back when you had hair on your head and a stomach that fit in your pants. How do you continue gaining weight when the rest of us can’t seem to keep it?
Your mother died too young, Jeremiah. Death ain’t picky when it comes to things like that. It takes you when it takes you and then leaves you to cope without the least bit of instructions on how you’re supposed to do it.
There’s signs up everywhere in California… They say No Okies Allowed. They don’t want us. Nobody wants us. We’re no different from the Indians and the Blacks and the Mexicans… They put us on the same signs. The same signs.
My Review:
“Health, wealth, and opportunity,” were the promises on a brochure depicting a lovely town with paved roads and a wholesome and established community which had lured a train filled with hopeful new residents, all eager to see their new investment of homes and property, only to find themselves in the middle of nowhere, in a field in the Oklahoma panhandle in 1920s. Swindled and fleeced. They settled there anyway and ironically named their newly established town, Nowhere, Oklahoma. I love irony and Mr. Markert used it cleverly throughout his intricately woven storylines and brilliantly paced and engrossing tale.
Masterfully crafted are the words that kept turning over in my mind as I read this evocative and superbly written book. It was quite stunning. Mr. Markert’s cunning use of detail and striking descriptions plucked at all senses while sharp visuals danced through my gray matter. I became so engrossed in the story I grew hot and thirsty when they were parched; I could almost hear the wind and smell/taste/feel the grit of the relentless dust that permeated every scene. Their despair and exhaustion wafted across the pages. I also felt low-energy as they grew increasingly listless and despondent. But in addition to all that was the eeriness of the sixth sense and unexplainable good/evil type forces at play. I was fully invested in this startling and peculiar family drama from beginning to end and despite the arduousness of the tale; I was well pleased and fully satisfied with the journey.
This is the second book about the Dust Bowl I’ve read in the last 12 months. Honestly, it’s the second book about the Dust Bowl that I’ve read in my entire life. You would think that this is something I would have read about more. I mean, I’m knowledgeable about this time period both from family stories as well as choosing to study the history, but I’ve not come across a lot of fiction that is specific to this era. I’ve talked before about my family history of this period in American history here. My Daddy is technically a dust bowl baby born in the summer of ’39. I think, from a personal standpoint, this would be difficult time period to incorporate into fiction. I mean there are only so many ways you can describe dust ya know? Both books I’ve read have been well written and engaging but . . . dust.
There’s something to be said for an author that can take layers of grit and dust and weave it into a memorable story. However, much like the layers of earth that peeled up to create the dust this story had layers that needed to be peeled up and sometimes I just didn’t ‘get’ it. Some things became clearer over time, sorta like digging out after a duster, but some things remained buried just out of my grasp. Some of this I feel was intentional, because with a story like this there are certain things that I believe should be left to the reader. However, I think some of it was because I was in the middle of a week of chaos that limited reading time and so my take on this story was disjointed. Despite that the story did peel itself up and dust me with completeness. I feel like for a moment in time I lived the dust, felt it’s grit on my skin and in my hair. I smelled it’s earthiness and staleness. I felt it’s despondency. For a brief period of time I was Nowhere, Oklahoma.
I really enjoyed this book. It gets into your head and onto your skin. Nowhere, Oklahoma brings out both the good and bad in people. And in life. It doesn’t matter that it happened 80 years ago, or yesterday, hard times bring people together or tear them apart. Sometimes, they do both. The Goodbye twins are the perfect reminder that things aren’t always as them seem. That second chances are sometimes first chances to make things right. That just because we believe the lies we tell ourselves doesn’t make them truth. And through all of this, community is everything. This book has so many layers and you ultimately decide how deep you want to peel them back. The reader decides how much they want to truly invest. And investment is worth if. And reading it again is almost a requirement.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
So first thing first, I choose this book because of its’ cover. It is beautiful, and truth be told, I am easily swayed by a pretty cover. Luckily for me, it wasn’t just the cover that was beautiful, the story between the covers was also gorgeous. It is a little slow out of the gate but stick with it, and I promise you will not be disappointed.
The writing was fantastic. The setting atmospheric. I’ll be honest, I knew nothing about the dust bowl before reading this book, but this author did a tremendous job of making me feel like I was experiencing the grit, despair, and hopelessness right along with the residents of Nowhere, Oklahoma. The characters were well developed and intriguing. I loved Jeremiah Goodbye and Peter Cotton. Can’t say I was a huge fan of Ellen, but this book was full of interesting characters for sure. The plot was unique and engaging with a thread of magical realism woven throughout. I loved the added element of the coin flipping and the typewriter. All that said, my favorite part of this book was the last 20% or so. Perseverance, forgiveness, kindness, and hope. The letters, and the roses. I’ll admit, I had a few tears in my eyes watching this town come back to life. Not only come back to life but THRIVE. It was a powerful ending with a powerful message.
Nothing more left to say really. I am so happy that this cover caught my eye. And this was another great read that reminded me that I have to step out of the romance genre box more often. This one gets two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly.
I must confess I knew very little about the dust bowl other than just a general idea. This book brings the stark reality and pain of this event front and center. I cannot even begin to imagine what these people endured. Horrible!
We meet Jeremiah Goodbye as he is just escaped from the electric chair after a tornado rios through the prison in which he is incarcerated in 1935. He sets out for his home in Nowhere, OK. Along the way, he buys a little bit from a mother who can no longer afford to Feed her family. Jeremiah has a very unique gift that features prominently in this story. James Markert also has a unique ability and that is creating some very interesting characters.
My thanks to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinion stated here is entirely my own.