Countdown to midnight
High-quality writing makes a story of racism in the South more hopeful and humane than grim.
In Louisiana in 1943, Will, a young black man, and Grace, a young white girl, fell in love. Her father caught them together, and the court convicted Will of rape. At midnight, only a few hours from now, he will be put to death by electric chair, and no one is petitioning the Governor for a last-minute reprieve. In those hours, we follow nine characters, including Will, who all have their own stories and
We see the quiet strength in Eleanor Roosevelt, and how idealism can be turned to practical action.
reasons for being connected to his execution. THE MERCY SEAT
($34.99, Hachette), by Elizabeth H Winthrop, covers the familiar ground of racism in the Deep South. But the structure and high quality of Winthrop’s writing elevate it into a book more hopeful than grim, more intimate and humane than political. With the exception of a few obligatory good ol’ boys, it leaves stereotypes behind and gives us a moving, engrossing take on this shameful part of recent history. Olive is 12, and racing about with her young cousins on their rural Australian property, intent on gleaning the secrets of the adults around her, particularly her mother and her two aunts, three women who have so little in common it’s hard to see why they stick together. But when Olive finally uncovers the biggest secret of all – that she had a sister who died – her life becomes more confusing than ever, and possibly dangerous. As a portrait of childhood, LITTLE GODS ($32.99, Allen &
Unwin), by Jenny Ackland, is terrific. Olive is funny and brave, and her quick brain leaps to all the wrong conclusions, as kids do when adults won’t, or don’t know how to, communicate. But despite the glue provided by Olive, the narrative loses its way, and early dramatic promises fail to pay off. It’s an entertaining read that would have benefited from tighter plotting. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the 32nd US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a political force in her own right, had an enduring relationship with Lorena Hickok, known as Hick, a resolutely unpatrician journalist. In
WHITE HOUSES ($32.99, Granta), by Amy Bloom, Hick narrates the tale of their secret love, and of her own hardscrabble South Dakota upbringing, with an earthy turn of phrase and healthy cynicism. Through her, we see another side to the charismatic Franklin, a manipulative, callous womaniser, whom nonetheless Eleanor refuses to desert. Hick, of course, is biased, but we see the quiet strength in Eleanor herself, and how idealism can be carried out in practical ways by a woman determined never to give in or compromise. Bloom shows a sure grasp of the politics and scandals of the time, but it’s her portrayal of Hick that really shines. Hick’s distinctive voice and pithy observations make her a terrific guide through this slim but potent novel. Recommended.