I am a major fan of truman capote. and this, his first novel, was no exception. it is a wonderful story, sort of southern gothic in flavour. the child whose eyes the reader looks through is charming. he is at once naive and wise for his young age. to escape in order to find one's place in the world is one of the major themes of the book. it is a coming of age story in a way, although much darker and convoluted. most the characters are extremely eccentric, and rather sad. there is a notion of the dark that runs through this novel, mainly around the issue of trust, and the dark side of human nature when it comes to love. in this sense it is southern gothic, as it constantly juxtaposes good and evil in the setting of the american south and its stagnant, oppressive heat. and yet within this climate, there is a lush beauty, and captivating rain storms, symbolizing rebirth and renewal. in a sense, the novel is a ghost story. an attempt to expose the ghosts in us all, the shadows, the dark spaces we hide from.

i thought it was exceptional for capote's first novel.
i believe he wrote it in his early 20's.
impressive.

enjoy!

RELEASE NOTES:

i will place it at starbuck's, inside, at college and euclid. hope someone finds it and loves it as much as i did!