from description: Jack draws Stony into his fantasy of being a private detective, and the two boys start hanging around the county sheriff’s office. Accepted as sources of amusement and free labor, the aspiring gumshoes land their first case after the district attorney’s house is burglarized. Later, the boys hatch an ingenious scheme to help the deputies raid an illegal speakeasy and brothel. All the intrigue feels like fun and games to Jack and Stony until a gunfight with a hillbilly boy almost gets them killed. The stakes rise even higher when the boys find themselves facing off against the Ku Klux Klan.
I really liked this one: the writing, the characters, and the plot. Stony and Jack are friends with completely different personalities, but who complement each other in this story of growing up in the late 1950's in the small town of Early. There are many episodes that illustrate the different time frame yet evoke timeless situations and there is a current of suspense that works with the overall theme.
Reading like a memoir, The Boys Who Woke Up Early is an engaging novel that captivated my interest early and held it throughout.
Read in January; review scheduled for Feb. 19.
NetGalley/Imbriflex Books
Coming of Age. March 3, 2019. Print length: 256 pages.
Sounds like this one is a winner. And what's so interesting is it read like a memoir.
ReplyDeleteI really liked it :)
DeleteI like the sound of this book too. Interesting premise. I can see how some of the situations would indeed have a timeless quality. Many events seem to have that 'it is ever thus' feel. Will check my library for it soon.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the "it is ever thus" feeling. The boys "woke up early" in the 50's and woke up the town as well.
DeleteThis one sounds fun and different. That description made of think of Ray Bradbury. Glad to know about this book. I'm going to add it to my list. :)
ReplyDeleteBecause the issues never go away, the plot has relevance to today, but the setting in the mountain town of the the 1950's also makes us aware of societal changes. Time and place are recreated beautifully, and although I didn't think about, that was one of Bradbury's strengths in books like Dandelion Wine. I heard him speak once years ago, and he was so down to earth and relatable.
DeleteAw! Not entirely sure if this is my cup of tea, but it sounds *fun* !
ReplyDeleteSome of the adventures were humorous, but given the setting the threat of violence is always there, especially in regards to race. The author was able to evoke a sense of innocence and menace that was typical of many small towns back then.
DeleteThe Virginia mountain setting appeals to me, no surprise there. I'm disappointed the author and former journalist lives in Las Vegas now! Looking at his photograph, he could be a relative of mine, just saying he resembles one of my great uncles who was a printer and typesetter at our county paper in Virginia way back in the day!
ReplyDeleteYes, you may recognize the settings in the Virginia mountains and maybe some of the character types. The novel mixes amusing and serious, but the themes of race, feuds, small town politics, and coming of age in the Jim Crow South feel genuine, warts and all.
DeleteThis sounds really great! I don't know why but when I read your review, I thought of the Hardy Boys. :D I guess just the idea of boys solving mysteries.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that it reads like a memoir. That kind of feel really makes me turn the pages.
Maybe the Hardy Boys in real life. Guns, violence, and prejudice are as much a part of the novel as the detective adventures. Hopkins has done a great job creating setting, characters, and plot!
DeleteI like it when a book set in the past is still relevant today. This sounds really good, Jenclair, and has all the elements that make a good book. I am definitely adding this to my wish list.
ReplyDeleteAll the main themes are still relevant. I loved the 1950's setting--no internet, no cell phones.
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