A Killing in This Town.A Killing in This Town by Olympia Vernon Grove Press, February 2006 $22, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-802-11813-5 Olympia Vernon's third novel addresses a violent and destructive time in African American history African American history is the portion of American history that specifically discusses the African American or Black American ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are the descendants of African slaves held in the United States from 1619 to 1865. . Set in a rural, segregated Southern town, A Killing in This Town is a story of redemption and hope. In Bullock, Mississippi, lynching is a rite of passage rite of passage n. A ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood. for all 13-year-old white boys, until an unexpected force halts--if only temporarily--the cycle of killing. Vernon presents a cast of characters to tell the story of the local Klan and the black community it terrorizes. The protagonist is Adam Pickens, whose life is not his to control. Adam is born to carry on the violent traditions of his forefathers forefathers npl → antepasados mpl forefathers npl → ancêtres mpl forefathers npl → Vorfahren . Though the story of lynching is not new territory, Vernon adds an unexpected twist in the form of Gil Mender. His prodigal-like return to town sets the book in motion and helps free young Adam of his burden. Eventually, Adam's parents as well as the black preacher and the Klan leader's wife will all be affected by the boy's final choice. Vernon tells the story mainly from the perspectives of the white characters who are culpable Blameworthy; involving the commission of a fault or the breach of a duty imposed by law. Culpability generally implies that an act performed is wrong but does not involve any evil intent by the wrongdoer. . The crimes of Bullock are committed by white men, with their women acting as accessories to murder. It is only when these men and women express their personal sins, regrets and loneliness that Vernon can bring the violence and story to a close. One thing Vernon would never be called is lazy. Her meticulous attention to detail and imagery challenges and sometimes confuses. She has been compared to Morrison and Marquez for her use of language. She cleverly combines complex narrative with simple dialogue, which adds meat to the story. Unfortunately, she also uses language as a crutch. With minimal character development and no real backstory back·sto·ry n. 1. The experiences of a character or the circumstances of an event that occur before the action or narrative of a literary, cinematic, or dramatic work: , you are forced to read between the lines to infer something different from what is plainly indicated; to detect the real meaning as distinguished from the apparent meaning. See also: Read and never get to know the characters deeply. Despite these flaws, Vernon goes where few authors are comfortable, bravely addressing the psychological and physical effects lynching had not only on the black community, but also on all others involved. Denise M. Doig is a freelance writer and editor in New York. |
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