Egrets to the Flames

by: Barbara Anton

Published by: Overview Publishing

Reviewed by Beth Cummings

I had high hopes when I began reading Egrets to the Flames. The press release claimed it was a “riveting, beautifully-written novel of family tension and high drama.” What a disappointment.

According to the book, sugar cane fields are burned before cutting to rid the plants of extraneous foliage prior to harvesting. Also, according to the book, egrets are drawn to the flames of the burning fields and swoop in and out amid the smoke and fire – somewhat like moths are drawn to a light on a dark night. This book should have had some of its excesses removed before heading to the publisher.

Barbara Anton died in May 2007 after a short illness. Perhaps she was not in the best health as she wrote this book. The characters – five members of the Hampton family plus spouses, household help, pets, friends, lovers and illegitimate offspring – are unfortunately shallow and two-dimensional. The story follows approximately one year, but the author tries to fill it with a lifetime of problems.

James Henry Hampton III loves his wife but cheats on her every chance he gets with his best friend’s wife–and the friend is well aware of the situation. For a while the book follows the youngest son, Henny (presumably a nickname for James Henry IV), but once he is forced to give up his high-school sweetheart and turns to drinking and cocaine, he is basically ignored for the rest of the novel. Only occasionally does his mother worry about his whereabouts. Other characters file in and out of the book in the same wa, and it is really hard to care about any of them.

While I normally enjoy a good family saga, I am sorry to say that Egrets to the Flames did nothing for me. I wouldn’t recommend spending time reading it.

Armchair Interviews says: Heed the reviewer’s comments.