Prayers and Lies

October 11, 2010
Emmons makes a strong debut with the story of Bethany Wylie, whose coming-of-age is rocked by revelations that could up-end her family. Bethany cherishes summers spent in West Virginia's Coal River Valley with her cousin Reana Mae, who is closer to her than her real sisters. Her childhood is innocent, despite the alcoholism, violence, and secrets swirling just out of her grasp, but as she grows up, she becomes more attuned to the cracks in her family's idyllic facade. Reana Mae, meanwhile, grows up faster than Bethany could imagine, and the dark secrets of their family's past, once revealed, could rip them apart. Emmons has a rich voice that pairs well with the earthy setting, and she handles Bethany's education with an easy hand. Though the plot could use some shaking up—its reliance on stereotypically unsavory redneck doings is the book's biggest flaw—the characters are wonderfully drawn and reason enough to stick with it.

December 1, 2010

This debut coming-of-age novel revolves around two young girls and the secret that entwines their families. Every summer, narrator Bethany and her family travel from Indianapolis to West Virginia, where she develops a friendship with her cousin Reana Mae. The book details Reana Mae's horrible childhood as well as oddities in Bethany's sister, Tracy. An inexplicably evil girl with "bad blood," Tracy emotionally tortures Reana Mae. While the plot is rich, there is a little too much exposition without action, lending a slow start, and some characters, particularly Tracy and Reana Mae's mother, are so despicable that reading the book becomes difficult. It is impressive that Emmons is able to portray characters with such vitriol that the reader can instantly hate them, but the problem also lies in so many bad things happening to these characters in such a relatively short time. VERDICT It's a bit like a West Virginia version of the 1998 Todd Solondz film Happiness--technically good, but everyone will need a quick jolt of antidepressants afterward. Readable, but only for those with a penchant for realistic, dark stories.--Shalini Miskelly, Seattle

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