Salvage The Bones by Jesmyn Ward

I am from a small town outside of Mobile, Alabama called Mt. Vernon, Alabama. One of the colleges in that area is the University of South Alabama. Now, I know that there are scholars who work for The University of South Alabama, but I have not heard of any until I heard about Jesmyn Ward.

My sister, Dorothy, who is one my sources for intellectual stimulation, sent me a link about a professor at the University of Alabama who won the 2011 National Book Award Winner for fiction. Also, my nephew, Vance, sent me a link to an article about this same book. His motive was a little bit different than Dot's; he really wanted me to know that a cute girl had written a book who just happens to live in Mobile, the same place where he lives. However, he also let me know that he was waiting for me to write my book. (You got to love Vance Lang.)

I downloaded Salvage the Bone and another book by Jesmyn Ward: Where the Lines Bleed. Before I give my thoughts about this book, let me say that I will not rip a part a writer who teaches in my home state, but I have to state the truth as I know it: I disliked this book a whole bunch. (Ok, I said it. Now, I can breathe.)

This book is about a girl named Esch, her dad, her three brothers, and a dog named China and her pups. The story is not very cohesive. I definitely get what Jesmyn is trying to do: parallel the life of a dog with  puppies with the life of a fifteen year old girl who is pregnant? (I guess!)

To be honest, I went into the reading of this book with a lot of high hopes, but it failed to delivery. If I had to sum this book up in a few lines, I really couldn't do it. Something was missing.......

I just can't give up on a writer who teaches in my own home state. So, I will read her other book: Where The Lines Bleed. (Pray for me!)

Salvage the Bone is definitely not on my list of books to read again, but you should try it and enlighten me, and I just might try it again.

However, Vance Lang is right. She is cute!