Official Review: Aunt Sookie & Me

[jwalker73]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Aunt Sookie & Me" by Michael Scott Garvin.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Aunt Sookie & Me by Michael Scott Garvin is a novel that falls into the Other Fiction genre. It contains humour and satire while providing a light, yet thought-provoking, read.

Set in 1968 in Savannah, Georgia, this novel centres around Poppy Wainwright, a thirteen-year-old, who has just arrived in town to live with her Great Aunt Sookie. She had previously been living with her Grandma Lainey in Mountain Home, Arkansas, until her grandmother’s recent death. Poppy views this move as an opportunity to make a fresh start and is eager to make friends and explore her new community. Her Aunt Sookie, however, is determined to keep Poppy away from the community for as long as possible, telling her the community is not ready for a girl with her ‘peculiarities’. The knowledge of Poppy’s arrival quickly spreads through the town and her invisible presence soon sparks both interest and rumours.

While out in the garden one day, Poppy meets Pearl over the garden fence. Their friendship soon blossoms. Aunt Sookie eventually relaxes her rules and allows Poppy to explore her surroundings, although initially restricting her to the main street. This newly gained freedom provides Poppy with the social interaction she had been yearning for. She soon builds up a circle of friends and begins to enjoy life in the town. Poppy even develops her first crush. Life is good, or so it seems.

The characters in this novel are colourful and diverse, and the author introduces them in a way that makes the reader feel like they know each one personally. There is Aunt Sookie, who calls a spade a spade. She is quick-witted, crude, sarcastic and ready to give insults to anyone who nears her home. Despite her brash front, Sookie has a caring heart and protects those who need it most. Miss Loretta, Poppy’s mother, is a drug addict and alcoholic. She flits in and out of Poppy’s life as she chooses, and spends her life looking for love in all the wrong men’s arms. Other notable characters include Dixie McAllister, a member of the Society for the Beautification of Savannah and local busybody; Daryl Turnbull, the homosexual ice-cream man; and Annabelle, the live-in goat. Several of the characters also have hidden secrets, which come to light as the book progresses. There is Pearl, who is a victim of her mother’s emotional abuse; Donita Pendergast, who hides the bruises she receives from her husband’s hand; and then there is Poppy, who has the biggest secret of them all.

Most of this story is told in the first person, through the eyes of Poppy. The few chapters told in the third person are focused on the Pendergasts, and can be identified by the addition of an italicised location at the start of these chapters. The only exception to this is the first chapter, which has an italicised location to set the scene for the entire book. The book flows at a steady pace and appears professionally edited. The dialogue between the characters is predominantly Southern drawl. There is occasional strong language throughout the book, but this is not excessive.

This book contains many themes including friendship, adolescence, acceptance, sexuality, relationships, honesty, the pressure to conform, and the treatment of those who choose not to. Even though the book was set in 1968, many of the issues raised are still relevant today.

There were many aspects of this book that I liked. Having spent most of my life living in small rural towns, I found the community really resonated with me. Everybody knew everyone else’s business, gossip spread like wildfire and anyone who was ‘different’ stuck out like a sore thumb. The anonymity, so often found in large cities, was certainly lacking in this town.

Another aspect I particularly enjoyed was the author's unique way of describing the characters’ appearances, for example, ‘Her pink and blistered scalp was sparsely covered with thin patches of gray and black hair, like some molting chicken’ and ‘Yellow cataracts blanketed her eyes, like two blue marbles coated by lemon custard’. Such eloquent descriptions enabled the reader to visualise exactly what the author wanted to portray.

I found the range of themes in the novel both realistic and entertaining. I also appreciated the fact that, while some of the topics may be controversial, they were presented in a way that did not weigh the reader down. This enabled the story to maintain its light-hearted feel. For me, personally, one of the most powerful messages in this book was the true meaning of friendship - people who can see past your quirks and love you for who you are, not what you are or where you have come from.

The only potential issue I can see with this novel is that all the blurbs and reviews I have read do not give any indication about what Poppy’s secret is. While this did not pose any issues for me, I am mindful that her secret may make some readers uncomfortable. I also realise that divulging her secret would be a spoiler, hence the lack of detail surrounding it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I rated it 4 out of 4 stars. It was a feel-good novel and provided a refreshing change from the more intense stories I read, while also raising some interesting and complex topics. I initially thought of giving this book three stars, as it did not leave me with that overwhelming ‘wow’ factor, but then I considered the genre of this book and realised it did not need to be a heart-stopping read. I reassessed the book, taking into account its genre, and found it definitely ticked all the boxes. It was an engaging read, flowed well, appeared professionally edited and left me thinking about what I had read long after I finished the book. In my view, this means it deserves the four stars I have given.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a heart-warming story, or for a lighter read between more intense novels. It would also be suitable for teenagers or young adults. People seeking a fast-paced, action-packed novel full of suspense would be better giving this book a miss.

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Aunt Sookie & Me
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Like jwalker73's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Tatafornow]

I wonder what Poppy's secret is? It makes me want to read the book and find out. Thanks for the review.

[jwalker73]

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my review. It is very much appreciated!

[The Researcher]

Very Nice review! You made me curious about the book. Going to add this to my reading list.

[kandscreeley]

Well, you definitely have me curious about what her secret is as well! Great review! Thanks!

[Vickie Noel]

Thank you for this intricate review. I especially subscribe to the fact that a book have themes that correlate and are intertwined. I also appreciate the frankness and honesty you displayed with your rating and the reasons behind it. Definitely learned a thing or two from that. Thanks for being conscious of spoilers.

[Lest92]

Definitely curious to know what the secret is - and I enjoy visual books like this. Thank you for your thorough review:)

[Nthabeleng]

Wonderful review, I can't wait to read this book. I feel like I know Poppy and I want to know her secret

[MrsCatInTheHat]

Like other posters, I want to know the hidden secret!

[Kelebogile Mbangi]

Curiosity is killing me over what Poppy's secret is and why her aunt initially restricted her interactions with the townsfolk. Your review is really helpful, I know what to expect and I'm curious enough to wasn't to read this book. Thank you!

[kislany]

Great review! A light, positive and heart-warming story, sounds like a fun beach read! Although now that summer is over, maybe reading by the fire while sitting on your favorite couch munching on icecream

[Eardog]

Ok I’m new to this forum. I Loved this book too! Thank you! That was a very shocking secret!! Had I known her secret, I may not have even given it a chance, but I’m thrilled I did!! In fact it’s my favorite book of the year.

[jwalker73]

Ok I’m new to this forum. I Loved this book too! Thank you! That was a very shocking secret!! Had I known her secret, I may not have even given it a chance, but I’m thrilled I did!! In fact it’s my favorite book of the year.

Welcome! I think you are the first person I have come across who has also read this book. I agree with you, I probably wouldn't have chosen to read it if 'the secret' had been revealed in the blurb, but it was a great story and well worth the read. I really enjoyed it and I'm pleased to hear you did too. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review

[jonaya]

poppy and Sarah in strong heart have almost similar characters. am very eager to know if her mum will ever consider taking care of her daughter as time goes by. Her aunt is also another funny character with full of rules and at times failing to implement them .lovely review and I would like to explore more in this

[Espie]

You've made this book seem so multi-faceted, unique, and interesting although each one of its parts would have been ordinary if each considered on its own merits. Also quite notable is the way you've piqued curiosity and correlated your own experiences with the piece's details, making it more relatable and realistic than mere fiction. Thank you for your well-written and comprehensive review.