Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.
This month's title takes place in southeast Missouri. The author doesn't pull any punches about the grinding poverty and violence among members of the clannish community in the Ozark hills whose economy centers around making the illegal drug known as Meth. Woodrell depicts a grim and gritty world from which few escape. Ree Dolly, the central character of this sparse drama, dreams of joining the army but wonders who will take care of her younger brothers if she leaves. Their psychologically traumatized mother has abandoned the family in all but body, and their father has disappeared after putting the family home up as surety for his bail, giving Ree thirty days to either find her father or face eviction. How Ree, still a teenager, functions in this loveless environment is a stark and compelling story.
Despite the bleak tone of this narrative, almost all the members thought is was a worthwhile read. While one member said she would not recommend it to anyone because of the strong language, other members said they would recommend it to those who would not be offended by the content. The discussion centered on the effects of poverty and addiction and the difficulty of escaping from such an environment. The social code engendered by blood and isolation also generated a lot of comment, and several members compared that theme with past selections, including "The Ballad of Frankie Silver."
