Vernon, Olympia. Logic.

VERNON, Olympia. Logic. Grove. 254p. c2004. 0-8021-4199-4. $12.00. A

Ironically named, Logic seems anything but. While growing up in rural and desolate Valsin County, Mississippi, Logic Harris, now 13, had a traumatic accident that makes it difficult for her to reason. The dialog of the title character and many of the others, especially the neighbor's son whom Logic calls "the tallest," makes little sense at times. The cast of characters is rich, though most seem eccentric and deeply troubled. One of the themes running throughout involves sexuality, often as it manifests itself in questionable and unhealthy ways. There is George, the neighborhood prostitute, and Logic's mother, Too, entrapped by fantasies and sexual longings. An ex-con working on the Harris's property is tormented by thoughts of The Principle, a man who raped him repeatedly while in prison. But nothing disturbs Logic more than David, her father, who rapes her on what she refers to as the "operating table." Pregnant, she enlists the help of "the tallest." The tallest molests his sister, and Logic too, all while enjoying dressing in his mother's clothing. But when Logic tells him about butterflies stirring in her stomach, he offers to help her release them. Armed with a clothes hanger, some alcohol, and cotton swabs, they attempt to solve the problem.

Steeped in imagery, metaphor and allusion, the language is beautiful, poetic even, though largely incomprehensible. Though the novel is often a difficult read, there are a few predictable elements. For example, the gun that David carries is instrumental in his own demise, while Logic is preparing a set of wings that foreshadow her final flight. Readers who enjoy the work of Toni Morrison or Gayl Jones will probably appreciate this title. Kaa Vonia Hinton, Ph.D., Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA