Prayers the Devil Answers

March 14, 2016
A prophetic mountain game rooted in age-old superstitions about how to find a husband sets the stage for McCrumb’s (The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter) ponderous morality tale, the latest in the Ballad series. Ellie and Albert are unassuming mountain folk trying to survive in a sleepy Tennessee town after the end of the first World War. After coming down from the mountain settlement, away from their families, at the promise of steady work, Albert quickly finds himself elected sheriff of their small hamlet—a position of respect and a path to acceptance. Ellie is proud of him, but she’s not used to the town folk and maintains her mountain ways. Unfortunately, she has to make do and get used to town quickly after Albert dies of pneumonia and she is appointed to finish his term as sheriff. Though captivating in its scope and detail, a distinct wordiness and repetition may pull readers out of McCrumb’s richly textured world. An abundance of background material burdens what is an otherwise excellent exploration of one woman’s journey to save her family and find herself. Agent: Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Ellie Robbins is a shy wife and mother in the Appalachian Mountains in 1930s Tennessee, where the locals cling to their superstitions, folklore, and traditions. Narrator Candace Thaxton deftly portrays the hill country atmosphere and unique characters of the Depression era. When Ellie's husband dies suddenly, she becomes sheriff to finish out his term, a role she is not prepared for and doesn't want. Thaxton imbues the story with Ellie's emotions as she recounts events at a comfortable pace. Especially well portrayed are Ellie's conflicted feelings as she's torn between society's expectations of her as a woman and her new obligations as sheriff, which include executing a convicted prisoner. Listeners will enjoy the musical quality of the prose as captured in Thaxton's reading. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine