Focuses on the seemingly idyllic relationship between two brothers, Jerome and Charles, that, over a period of more than twenty years, takes on growing overtones of competitiveness, buried sexuality, and self-destruction.
This novel, it must be said, is not quite as good as Wiowode's finest, 'Beyond the Bedroom Wall.' But Wiowode's second best is anyone else's excellent. As North Dakota's poet, Wiowode uses prose in stark, image-packed lines to tell the story of two brothers, their respective roads through triumph and tragedy. Though Wiowode is a Christian (Presbyterian), he doesn't flinch as his characters grapple with homosexuality and even sibling experimentation. Alchoholism, a factor in Wiowode's own life, also plays a role, as does the uncharacteristic (for a modern novel) love of parents found almost solely in Wiowode. This is a beautifully-crafted book, a story about faith, sin, lostness, and love. Redemptive, yes. But not cheaply so. Highest recommendation.
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