Blood Kin Paperback – February 25, 2014

Gotta admit the cover caught my eye, the bold color and perspective, like some old hunger creeping up out of the soil. Don't judge a book by its cover, they say, but here the story holds true, as does the language, gathering force and meaning as if hatched from Appalachian stone and root, as well as the people hidden in the hollows and hills. Few writers capture this voice so well. And the characters take vivid shape -- live, breathe, and die. No, this doesn't read like a film script, though spare, it maintains the depth and scope of a novel, an engrossing one easily read in a few evenings. I'll not reveal the plot twining like kudzu to a horrid climax, but two characters I'll never forget, the young girl Sadie and her starkly grim uncle the Preacher -- a villian to rival the Judge in Blood Meridian or any other you'd rather not cross paths with. Settle in and let this heat the coals of your psyche and feel it crawl up your spine and enter your blood. It may even nourish something near to your heart.

A very interesting read, a bit heavy on stereotypes, i am from appalachia in the area this takes place in, so i was curious. Frankly, the ending came too suddenly. It just sort of stopped with no real satisfying ending. This is not a slick novel or literature, it's a rather roughly written story with tons of atmosphere and suspense, but i liked most of it.

I was reluctant when first viewing this book, only two reviews, what gives? I thought it sounded promising so gave it a go. I happen to love southern gothic's and this one delivered. Beautifully creepy, written in that slow southern style it made me feel like warm mollasse melting down my back, sticky yet oddly satisfying. A little disjointed like too many mojito's on a hot summer day, head spinning, napping under a willow tree only to dicover you may have fell down the rabbits hole. Backwoods magic, snake handling, crazy preacher man, poverty & strife, moonshine, and A dark legacy. I've got my eye on this author and am craving more.

I will always remember the preacher and his snakes from this book. But that's it; everything else is quite forgettable, including the plot, which was strange (and not in a good way). It won a Bram Stoker award and I'm not sure why. Maybe because those at HWA were tired of giving it to Stephen King.

I enjoyed it's southern/appalchian gothic setting and everything and it's colorful characters and different eras, didn't quite sink it's teeth in like it should have

OK

It seemed like a very interesting story...very creepy, but i just could not get into it.

creepy and a real page turner. If you've never been to Appalachia, get a taste of this kuzdu encrusted beauty.

This novel is even greater than it thinks itself to be. It just needs others to convince it.The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.