Bound South

Holy pickles, what a fabulous book. Oh, I'm getting all teary just thinking about it, it was that good. AND it made me giggle out loud, earning me some funny looks on the airplane. But what's life without funny looks? Even more to the point: what's life without wonderful books? Fortunately for all of us, we won't have to find out as long as Susan R. White keeps writing. Susan--write MORE!!!!!!

Susan Rebecca White has instantly leapt to the top of the list of my favorite contemporary authors, and I eagerly await what gifts she may bring us in the future. What a wonderfully well written story of family, growth and life in the South by a strong new Southern voice that could easily belong to the lovechild of Clyde Edgerton and Anne Rivers Siddons! By bringing us Bound South, Susan Rebecca White joins the ranks of a wonderful company of witty, honest Southern writers. From the opening pages of the book, I found myself at times deep in thought and at others in stitches. The characters are ALL so superbly developed and the story zips along so much that I found myself yearning for more at the close of the final chapter. The Parker family puts the "fun" back in dysfunctional, and Susan Rebecca White delivers a riotously funny, tenderly sincere first novel.

I purchased Bound South because the cover was appealing and seemed to promise a light-hearted,entertaining read. The book is indeed entertaining and has its light-hearted moments, but the big surprise is the absolute brilliance of its structure,its interwoven stories, and its satiric comedy.Each chapter can be read as an independent story, but after you have read them all, you realize that they all relate and make real ten years in the lives of Louise,John Henry,Caroline,and Charles Parker, and Missy Meadows and her family. There are unexpected occurrences and connections along the way and laugh-out-loud surprises,such as the revelation to Nanny Rose at the end of chapter one. In addition to the great characters and stories,Ms White manages to sneak in social commentary that in spite of being somewhat subversive is hilarious.All in all, Bound South gave me far more than I expected and I highly recommend it to all readers who like a good story blended with some serious issues and a lot of humor.

I loved this book!I really didn't want it to end. It was so fun and playful at times and at other's very real and meaningful. I laughed with Louise and Tiny and felt deep in my heart the struggles of Caroline to find herself. I felt like I had met some of the characters before and longed to know some of the others in real life. I loved the different looks at the women in this novel, each attempting to find herself in different stages of her life. You learn something about yourself, your mother and even your grandmother through watching these women evolve. I will share this book with the people that I care about; to share the beautiful complex picture of the South and the families in it that Susan White has so accurately reflected and enhanced for our enjoyment.

From the surprising twist that made me laugh out loud at the end of the first chapter, I knew that "Bound South" was about subverting the South's stereotypes. Here's a book that reveals the realities obscured by the carefully polished surfaces--the family secrets and scandals, the suppressed yearnings and emotions, the confidences trusted only to best friends. And yet this novel's characters feel "bound" by their Southern upbringings, which create a fascinating tension as they strive for greater possibilities in their lives. The story switches back and forth between the first-person voices of three women: Louise Parker's creativity and individuality are hindered by the expectations of her as an affluent Southern matron. Louise quietly envies the greater freedom and opportunities open to her teenage daughter, Caroline, who seems overwhelmed by it all. And Louise's unexpected involvement in the life of Missy, her housekeeper's evangelical daughter, adds an "Upstairs, Downstairs" element to the tale. "Bound South" is funny and charming, a compelling page-turner that's surprisingly moving towards the end. While it subverts the south's old pretenses, it also celebrates what's best in its changing culture.