The Ones You Do

I'm a huge fan of Woodrell and this is my second favorite of all of his books, my favorite being "Winter's Bone". If you have read any of Woodrell's books I don't have to sell you on him. If you haven't this would be a good place to start. Do yourself a favor and start right away.

Woodrell is a master of dark humor, peopleing his novels with characters who have yet to be housebroken. But with Woodrell the rough, rowdy and savage characters are very human - embracing both the good life and destructive fate with humor. Although the cover blurb leads one to expect Rene Shade as a major character, he is a sideline. His father John X. and ten-year-old half sister Etta are at the center of the story. Etta keeps her aged father going, getting him his first drink of the morning, serving sandwiches and beer at his poker games, and reading his every move ... sassing him back with his own words. This is a kid who cons her Dad into believing school starts November 9 for public school students, thus avoiding school. She is a memorable survivor.Two love interests assist in creating a coherent image of the Shade family. Rene has fallen for a basketball player who is as unsure as he as to what future she wants. Tip has fallen for Gretel who is currently living in a home for pregnant women putting children up for adoption. Gretel is the product of a hippie couple surviving in the back woods on the standard government property cash crop and proud of their lack of conveniences. While she understands marriage to be a kind of death, living in a house with plumbing is a major life goal.The plot would be predictable if it were not for humorous turns of fate. John X. is on the lam - his pursuer attempts to increase his capital by scamming a tourist couple who are scam artists themselves. A cockolded husband who's held a grudge for 40 years, goes to kill the agressor only to die of a heart attack ...The writing is good quality - with turns of phrases here and there that are pleasant, memorable and believable surprises in the otherwise harsh environment.So if you want to kick back, turn your mind off and read for sheer pleasure, Daniel Woodrell has again fit the bill.