Bastard Out of Carolina

Very late to the party with this modern classic. At first, I was annoyed by the “white trash” angle–a term I really hate, but seems to apply here–which is just drilled into the reader. The extended family is a bunch of drunkards and ruffians who have a hard time holding down a job and they all behave badly. But eventually the emotional intensity of the story and the first person narration are overwhelming and too strong to categorize. What happens isn't because this is a poor southern family but instead happens because of the circumstances this particular family finds itself in, and that could happen anywhere.