Assessment:

Plot: Centering a novel upon this period of American history is a commendable undertaking, yet Pfeiffer's story proves uneven. The horrific tragedies and violence suffered by the main characters dominate the narrative; there's little true joy or triumph, especially with the growth of the main character's love story taking place off the page. Plot points regarding unsavory characters who "become" good, and good characters who seem to take a turn for the worse, do add dimension to the novel, yet these instances of character growth feel too quick and unearned.

Prose/Style: While Pfeiffer has worked hard to be authentic with language and dialect, including the slurs of the time period of her novel, the repetition of them is overdone and, ultimately, off-putting. The modern context of this type of language can't help but be felt by the reader and, when used so often on the page, takes their attention away from the narrative of historical fiction. The descriptive prose is vivid and expansive.

Originality: Pfeiffer should be commended for tackling such a challenging time period and subject matter. Still, an overall narrative focus on tragedy, the more nefarious side of human nature, and a heavy-handedness of messaging create a story that lacks the complexity of a sophisticated historical fiction novel.

Character Development/Execution: The two main characters are strong and complex, and readers won't be able to resist rooting for them as they suffer both from external forces and the harsh realities of the time. The supporting characters are portrayed, especially through language, as rather one-note. One supporting character, in particular, does a swift about-face in personality halfway through the novel that comes out of nowhere and feels inauthentic.

Date Submitted: July 02, 2021