Official Review: Jesse by Glen Alan Burke
Posted: 30 May 2015, 23:20
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jesse" by Glen Alan Burke.]
3 out of 4 stars
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If you’re looking for a fresh, original read, then Glen Alan Burke’s novel Jesse might just be the book for you. However, if you would prefer to avoid controversial topics, particularly those related to racism and slavery in the American South, padded with strong Christian teachings, then you should probably look somewhere else.
Set predominately in the 1960s in the rural northern Alabama town of Jess Rulam, with a few flashbacks to prior decades as far back as the days of slavery, Jesse tells the story of one town’s evolution over the years, thanks to a single boy. Jessup Christopher Savoiriè, Jesse for short, sticks out from the moment he shows up on the first day of school. He’s poor and dirty, and he just stands around smiling at everyone. He’s also the only black child in an all-white school; though he’s actually mixed-race, hatred toward non-whites is still alive and well in the present setting. However, as the years pass and desegregation is put into action, Jesse begins to change into a man that the town-folk respect, and it doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that there is something more supernatural, even miraculous, about having Jesse in their lives.
I feel like I can best explain my thoughts on this book by breaking it down into three sections. The first section takes up about half of the book, introduces the characters and setting, and sets up the plot of the story. This was easily my favorite section of the book. We get a nice look at the author’s ability to tell a good story, and he really proves himself excellent at such a task, with almost poetic prose that could easily compare with classic American novels such as To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is told through the point of view (POV) of Matt, one of Jesse’s classmates, who also serves as the all-knowing, third-person narrator during flashbacks to previous events. While there is potential for this type of POV-jumping to cause confusion, the author manages to pull it off effortlessly.
Then there is the second section of the book. More supernatural events begin to occur, and I couldn’t help feeling that the story had just “jumped the shark” and veered off in a completely absurd direction. Without giving away spoilers, I will just point out the obvious -- Jesse’s full name is “coincidentally” similar to the words “Jesus Christ Savior.” Keeping that in mind, you can imagine what kind of “miracles” occur, with slightly over-the-top religious messages revolving around promiscuity, pedophilia, and abortion. I must admit that I almost gave up on the book during this section. However, in the third section of the book, the story comes back around to the original plot involving overcoming racism in the small town. This last section really saved the book for me.
Jesse definitely opens a lot of door for discussion, and I could picture this book being read as part of the curriculum in high school or university classrooms. The controversial subject matter alone can stem a lot of conversation, but the symbolism can add even further depth to such discussions. I personally found myself drawn to the way the author represents the characters in the story. It’s almost like there are only two main characters: Jesse and the town.
I give Jesse a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The content of the book might be offensive to many readers, and I personally didn’t care for a large chunk of the book that just seemed too outlandish in comparison with the rest of the story. However, the author’s writing style and story-telling ability are just too good to give a rating any lower. This is not a book to easily forget, and I’ll certainly remember this story for years to come.
******
Jesse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Barnes and Noble
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
If you’re looking for a fresh, original read, then Glen Alan Burke’s novel Jesse might just be the book for you. However, if you would prefer to avoid controversial topics, particularly those related to racism and slavery in the American South, padded with strong Christian teachings, then you should probably look somewhere else.
Set predominately in the 1960s in the rural northern Alabama town of Jess Rulam, with a few flashbacks to prior decades as far back as the days of slavery, Jesse tells the story of one town’s evolution over the years, thanks to a single boy. Jessup Christopher Savoiriè, Jesse for short, sticks out from the moment he shows up on the first day of school. He’s poor and dirty, and he just stands around smiling at everyone. He’s also the only black child in an all-white school; though he’s actually mixed-race, hatred toward non-whites is still alive and well in the present setting. However, as the years pass and desegregation is put into action, Jesse begins to change into a man that the town-folk respect, and it doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that there is something more supernatural, even miraculous, about having Jesse in their lives.
I feel like I can best explain my thoughts on this book by breaking it down into three sections. The first section takes up about half of the book, introduces the characters and setting, and sets up the plot of the story. This was easily my favorite section of the book. We get a nice look at the author’s ability to tell a good story, and he really proves himself excellent at such a task, with almost poetic prose that could easily compare with classic American novels such as To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is told through the point of view (POV) of Matt, one of Jesse’s classmates, who also serves as the all-knowing, third-person narrator during flashbacks to previous events. While there is potential for this type of POV-jumping to cause confusion, the author manages to pull it off effortlessly.
Then there is the second section of the book. More supernatural events begin to occur, and I couldn’t help feeling that the story had just “jumped the shark” and veered off in a completely absurd direction. Without giving away spoilers, I will just point out the obvious -- Jesse’s full name is “coincidentally” similar to the words “Jesus Christ Savior.” Keeping that in mind, you can imagine what kind of “miracles” occur, with slightly over-the-top religious messages revolving around promiscuity, pedophilia, and abortion. I must admit that I almost gave up on the book during this section. However, in the third section of the book, the story comes back around to the original plot involving overcoming racism in the small town. This last section really saved the book for me.
Jesse definitely opens a lot of door for discussion, and I could picture this book being read as part of the curriculum in high school or university classrooms. The controversial subject matter alone can stem a lot of conversation, but the symbolism can add even further depth to such discussions. I personally found myself drawn to the way the author represents the characters in the story. It’s almost like there are only two main characters: Jesse and the town.
I give Jesse a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The content of the book might be offensive to many readers, and I personally didn’t care for a large chunk of the book that just seemed too outlandish in comparison with the rest of the story. However, the author’s writing style and story-telling ability are just too good to give a rating any lower. This is not a book to easily forget, and I’ll certainly remember this story for years to come.
******
Jesse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Barnes and Noble
Like ALynnPowers's review? Post a comment saying so!
I've been there, where the writing is so good that you can forgive some of the flaws in the plot.
