Mudbound

by: Hillary Jordan

Published by: Algonquin Books

Reviewed by Lauren Segelbaum

I am a new fan of Hillary Jordan, winner of the Bellwether Prize for Mudbound.
I cheer for debut novels. I applaud a new author’s ability to capture new readers.

I can’t really tell you what this book is about–but who it is about. I can tell you is it told in the voices of six distinct characters. First is Laura, a woman who grew up in Memphis and being the dutiful wife follows her husband to a remote cotton farm in the Mississippi Delta.

This farm, which is named Mudbound, is the dream of her husband Henry. While Henry struggles to build this farm he loves, Laura struggles to raise their two girls and at the same time take care of Henry’s father, who is called Pappy throughout the book.

Jamie, Henry’s brother, returns home after WWII and moves in with the family. He is charming, sensitive and an alcoholic haunted by his memories of combat. His time there is short but full of intense drama. Ronsel, an African American war hero returns to his family and the horrible racism in the South. His suffering at the end of the book will shock and sicken you. Hap, Ronsel’s father and Henry’s sharecropper struggles for financial freedom and is constantly faced with overwhelming physical obstacles among other things. Then there is Hap’s wife Florence, a woman who at times seems so strong and so useful to the condition of Laura’s family. At other times she must surrender to the conditions brought on by the segregated South. Pappy is the only character in the book that has no voice. He is a despicable, mean-spirited character determined to make every person he comes in contact, black or white, miserable.

These characters are so rich with emotion and tension. The friendship between Ronsel and Jamie will engage your heart. At times while reading this novel I saw similarities between author Jordan and John Steinbeck. If you are drawn to this novel because of the relationships between blacks and whites in the South post World War II, I suggest you also read The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star debut novel filled with strong characters with strong emotions.

Author’s Web site: http://HillaryJordan.com