A mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small North Carolina town—author Wiley Cash displays a remarkable talent for lyrical, powerfully emotional storytelling. A Land More Kind than Home is a modern masterwork of Southern fiction, reminiscent of the writings of John Hart (Down River), Tom Franklin (Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter), Ron Rash ( Letter, Crooked Letter), Ron Rash (Serena), and Pete Dexter (Paris Trout)—one that is likely to be held in the same enduring esteem as such American classics as To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and A Separate Peace. A brilliant evocation of a place, a heart-rending family story, a gripping and suspenseful mystery.
For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can’t help sneaking a look at something he’s not supposed to—an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess’s. It’s a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he’s not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil—but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well.
Told by three resonant and evocative characters—Jess; Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife and moral conscience; and Clem Barefield, a sheriff with his own painful past—A Land More Kind Than Home is a haunting tale of courage in the face of cruelty and the power of love to overcome the darkness that lives in us all. These are masterful portrayals, written with assurance and truth, and they show us the extraordinary promise of this remarkable first novel.
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Cash has employed lyrical prose to render a realistic vision of Appalachia and its inhabitants. The story woven by this beautiful and deft-eared writing is predictable and so certain in its irony that it’s conclusion is formulaic, if not common. The literary style makes the reading, even of a stale tale, worth the exertion.
I read this book a few years ago, and I still remember it vividly. It is unusual for me to read a book and still remember specific details as well as the overall story; this book will stick with you. It is haunting, beautifully written, and the characterization and story line are well-developed.
Great summer reading
I liked it, but felt it need more development, hence the 4 stars.
After reading Wiley Cash’s fantastic historical fiction novel The Last Ballad I bought A Land More Kind Than Home. I sped through this Southern Gothic novel, its dark and unsettling sense of dread drawing my interest. The details of place and culture are outside my scope of experience, but the insights into human nature are universal.
A con-man …
There isn’t much to this story, but it is powerful in its conclusion. Characters could have been developed more to fully understand why they did what they did.
One of the best books I ever read. And I’m an English teacher.
Great characters with incredible depth. A tragic and memorable story.
Very,very sad and disturbing. Good character development.
After the first few chapters, it held my attention. I had to find out what happened in the end. Hated the so-called preacher and didn’t feel sorry for the mother. Sadly, it mirrored rural life characters I’ve known.
Great writing I just wanted to keep reading until I finished the book!
Tragic story but the characters are wonderful . Author had a great view on human nature. On community and on individualism . I swear I have met some of these people. Read it, it will do you good to remember to stay true to what you know.
First-book novelists often really hit it big, and that’s true of “A Land More Kind than Home”. The writer is gifted in building a place that feels real, characters who are genuine and heart-breaking, and a plot that carries the reader along on their journey. The language and dialogue are from real people; it’s as if you were watching their lives …
Loved it. Wiley Cash went to school with my son and daughter. I knew he was destined for great things. He is an absolutely wonderful writer. I’ve already reserved my copy of his next book. I love, love, love his stories. So heartwarming.