This weeks book was one I probably wouldn’t have read if not for a class. Not because it was bad, but because I don’t know that I would’ve ever stumbled across it. This book deals with heavy topics like death, racism, and the complicated history of the south.

The Cutting Season by Attica Locke was published in 2012. The story follows Caren Grey in 2009 as she lives and cares for her daughter on Belle Vie. Belle Vie is a plantation from the Antebellum era that stands as a wedding venue, hosts a play, and provides touring groups of the land. Again, complicated history. Caren is a general manager who grew up on the Belle Vie, where her mother was a cook. Her family history there goes back generations. Her life was steady for the past 4 years until it got turned upside down when a body is found on the plantation.

There’s a lot to love about this book. There’s mystery, dynamic relationships, old and new romances, agriculture/environment, supernatural, and most importantly history. You can’t read this book and not talk about the history of Belle Vie. Belle Vie was a plantation where sugar cane was grown and has a long history of slavery. The Grey family goes back generations to a man named Jason who suddenly disappeared one day. This little bit of information seems unimportant at first but slowly ties into the bigger picture. Caren works for the Clancy’s, who have been there almost just as long her family.

Many of the buildings on Belle Vie have been preserved from the original state. Things such as the house or primary venue have been updated to more modern times, but still have the antebellum era look on the outside. New Orleans isn’t too far from Belle Vie and the closest town, maybe 20-30 minutes away, is a wealthy one. The Clancy’s are a complicated family who manipulate and lie across the story. One of the many things Locke does so well is write each character so distinctly that there isn’t a way to confuse or blur them together.

Locke also wonderfully blends romance into the background of the story. It doesn’t need to be front and center because it’s a crime novel that layers history to be its’ alluring factor. When romance is in the background it adds a layer of reprieve from the primary plot and allows the readers mind to wonder where things will go between two characters, even if we are never explicitly told. Caren isn’t with her daughters father, but when he comes down out of fear for her daughters safety everything gets messy again. I really enjoyed how while things got real complicated (like reaaall complicated y’all) these characters always had their daughter, Morgan age 9, in mind. Morgan becomes a key clue to the mystery and her protective parents have to determine how much they’re willing to share with the police for her safety.

I’m not one to read historical novels, whether they’re fiction or nonfiction, very often. I don’t think I’ve given them a fair change though. I flew through this book, reading it in just 3 days (with classes y’all, with classes). There’s a lot to learn, to understand, and to enjoy from this novel. So, while I might’ve never read it without this class assigning it, I really really enjoyed it!

If you need more reasons to read this book, here’s a little information about Attica Locke. Locke has written and produced for the shows: Empire, Little Fires Everywhere, and When They See Us. She has also written four other books and won 6 different awards for her writing. What I’m saying is, she’s extremely talented.

Happy reading y’all!

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