Book Review: Sing, Unburied, Singby Jesmyn Ward
3***
I'm conflicted about this one. On the one hand, the writing is beautiful, almost poetic at times and Ward clearly possesses a talent for language. On the other, I felt the actual plot of the book got lost in the lyrical language. It wasn't boring, but it wasn't as engrossing as I thought it would be. The book was so reliant on descriptiveness that it felt as though crafting an engaging story sort of fell by the wayside. I did like the multiple POVs, especially Jojo's. Leonie is not likable at all, though I think we are supposed to feel for her, but Jojo is gentle and thoughtful and caught in a life and a family in which he has to take on roles a child should not have to take on. There were scenes in which I was quite angry with Leonie and felt so sorry for Jojo, having to contend with such a selfish mother, even if she was struggling, too. I didn't really feel Richie's perspective moved the story along and could have almost been omitted. Sing, Unburied, Sing a slow paced, character and language driven book and I can appreciate is as that, but all in all, I was a little disappointed.
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