Book Review: Sing, Unburied, Sing

I don't recall how I stumbled upon this audio book, Sing, Unburied, Sing, by National Book Award-winner Jesmyn Ward. Billed as a Time Magazine "Best Novel of the Year" and a New York Times "Top Ten of 2017," it was beautiful, well-written, and emotionally-stirring. This story of grief and family resilience managed to swing from present to past and back to present seamlessly. Although it won't make one of my favorites for 2017, I enjoyed the listen and it kept me absorbed in a time when my focus has been drifting.

Jojo and Kayla live with their grandparents in Mississippi. Although their mother, Leonie, is a part of their lives, her drug-addiction keeps her on the fringes. Mam, Pap, and Leonie are still struggling with the death of Leonie's brother, Given, at the hands of a white boy during what has been labelled "a hunting accident." When Leonie receives word that the white father of her children will soon be released from prison, she decides to take the kids on a road trip to pick him up.

At times I wondered where things were leading (more character-driven than plot-driven), but my heart strings were definitely tugged as Mam struggled with cancer, Pop told stories of prison life, Leonie grappled with visitations from her brother's spirit, and Jojo grew into a man. The writing was the most outstanding aspect of the book, by far. The prose, like poetry, with each word chosen with precision, brought all the senses to life in its descriptions. There were many times when I wished to copy down passages for their beauty, but I couldn't take the time. Author Ann Patchett offered fine praise, indeed, saying, "The connection between the injustice of the past and the desperation of the present are clearly drawn in Sing, Unburied, Sing, a book that charts the lines between the living and the dead, the loving and the broken." I would happily attempt another book from this author, but in hardback form (the audio version was highly frustrating because the tracks lasted from thirty to forty minutes long and with a player that will not pick up right where you left off, I had to stand and listen for quite a while after I was done with my time on the treadmill).