Appalachian Alchemy

Love stories come in many flavors. This novella is not only about the love story of two youngsters growing up in the hardships of Appalachian country, but a tender love letter to Appalachia itself, with its hardscrabble life clawing at the characters, keeping them rooted in place. The characters are vividly drawn, and the setting comes alive - I felt I was there on the river, looking on the abandoned trucks that double as a kind of balcony for our Kentuckian Romeo and Juliet. The story made me smile, cringe, laugh and cry. It felt real and immediate, like a snapshot album sitting on the shelf next to the non-fiction writings of Joe Bageant (Deer Hunting with Jesus) and Vance (Hillbilly Elegy). Kudos to Mr. ADAMS for this beautifully written, well-realized novella. I highly recommend it, and look forward to his next books.