Official Review: Jerkwater by Jamie Zerndt

Post by **Mallory Porshnev** » 06 Sep 2019, 09:07

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jerkwater" by Jamie Zerndt.]

4 out of 4 stars

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In a little town called Mercer, in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin, lives a group of troubled individuals. There is Douglas who is struggling with the recent death of his father and his new responsibility of taking over the family business. Douglas's mom, Kay, is battling her oncoming Alzheimer's and current alcoholism. Shawna, Douglas's friend, is one of the town's Ojibwa tribe members who constantly faces the town's criticism and hatred over her native people. Douglas's other friend Marty has his own inner turmoil over whether to side with Shawna and her cultural beliefs or with the rest of the townspeople and their bigotry.

Jerkwater by Jamie Zerndt is a dramatic tale of the everyday lives of a group of broken people. It's a story about friendship, racism, death, and family. In some ways, it is also a coming-of-age story. This is a character-driven novel with a bleak setting that allows for the character interactions to really carry the story.

This is a great book for so many reasons. It is both heartfelt and meaningful. It explores issues that most of us experience in our lives like feeling lost, lonely, or outcast. Yet, it also examines these issues on a more specific level in regard to Native Americans. I really enjoyed reading this novel. I developed a connection with the characters, and I truly felt for them during their experiences.

My favorite part of this novel was the character development. All of the characters interacted well with each other, and I felt like I really got to know this little community of people. The only thing I disliked about this book was that it got a little too dark for me at times. While I understand the depression people were experiencing and the dark circumstances of their lives, it was a bit overwhelming to read at times.

I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was extremely well-written with almost no editing errors. The dialogue flowed well, and it was easy to read. It made me feel for the characters which is a difficult thing for a novel to do. I would recommend this book for fans of drama and general life fiction. It is very emotion-based and not really full of action. So, if action is what you seek in a novel, this is probably not the best choice. I would also beware of a few gruesome scenes. Overall, it is a great book and definitely worth reading.

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Jerkwater
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kendallcurrier · Post by **kendallcurrier** » 08 Sep 2019, 01:31

Wow, this book looks great! Character driven books are my absolute favorite. I particularly like that the book tackles racism and injustice towards indigenous peoples as well. Thanks so much for your review!

Ben Moore · Post by **Ben Moore** » 08 Sep 2019, 02:23

Sounds really interesting! I like books that explore big issues on a small scale. It does sound heavy but exploring things like racism with a small group of people always seems more effective to me than attempting to portray it on a massive scale!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 11 Sep 2019, 15:32

I can't wait to read this book! I love that it includes well developed characters and brings to light many issues that the Indigenous people face. Great review!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 16 Sep 2019, 14:59

This sounds like an emotional read that would be well-suited to my enjoyment of emotionally driven novels that shine light on life's realities and emotional turmoil amongst well-developed characters and communities. I very much appreciate your concise summary and honest review of this book. Plan to add it to my "Want to Read" shelf!