Cynthia Ulmer's novel "Todd, The Cedar Cove Chronicles, Book One," if it does nothing else, it should make you think. It is a novel about violence: domestic, social, and cultural, against the backdrop of war. I did not see this work so much as a Christian novel as I did a novel about human frailty.
The story is related through the engaging voice of Todd Jansan, a ten-year-old boy living in rural North Carolina with his farming family. Being a "southern" novel it has the ubiquitous southern quirky character, Grandma Cal, who keeps a gun with her at all times in order to shoot whatever she feels to be a threat, i.e., snakes and bears. She's not a good shot, but that's part of the quirkiness.
The novel takes place during the early forties, during the time of the Second World War. Todd's Uncle Clyde returns home from the European Front after having been severely wounded. His return is problematic as is nearly everything for this family, but that is understandable. Times are hard. The family lives next door to a most hateful man whose idea of punishing children is brutal.
After an incident involving the hateful neighbor and the youngest Jansan child, Lillie Jean, the novel develops a beguiling theme of the meaningless bullying evil family versus the hardworking, deserving good family. But I would suggest, it isn't so simple.
There is a sub-text in the novel which comes to us via Todd, the son of James Jansan. James, the father, is shown to be a church-going man who believes in discipline and respect, and this belief system allows him to whip his children, including the little girl, with a belt. Toward the end of the novel, Todd receives a "rough whipping" with a leather strap. These "whippings" occur throughout the novel, and I couldn't rationalize the violence of the whippings as being any better than the violence directed toward children by the evil neighbor. In that sense, the novel takes on a strange and disturbing undertone: the idea that it's evil when a bad man abuses children, but it's okay when a good man abuses children. The question boils down to the issue of abuse? Todd, in one scene, begs (his own words) his father not to hit him again with the belt. The father does so anyway. And all of this is underscored by Grandma Cal who on occasion shoots a rifle regardless of human life. She becomes an unconscious force of destruction driven by "fear" of animals, in ironic oppostion to the father who consciously whips his children out of "fear" that they will grow up without a sense of right or wrong, even though whipping does not seem to work...he has to keep doing it.
We are living now in times where we see what the results can be when it comes to the use of overwhelming force to restrain a human. I consider Ulmer's novel, published in 2012, to be of intense interest because of the notion that it's proper to painfully whip children if it's done within some moral framework or belief system.
I do not for one minute believe that Ulmer's intention is to promote the whipping of children. I do believe that she would invite a discussion regarding the efficacy of child whipping, especially now in the midst of the 2020 pandemic. It may well be that she develops this theme in later Cove Chronicle novels. This is my first novel of the series to read.
I gave it four stars because I do think certain parts are overwritten. But I will be quick to add that Ulmer did an excellent job creating believable characters. The lengthy trial scene is one of the best I've read in years. It's well done.
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An Enjoyable Read ...
Todd is my first introduction to Ulmer's work and now understand why it became a fantastic award-winner. I look forward to reading the whole series of 'The Ceder Cove Chronicles' after reading Todd as it holds your interest in what is to come next being a family saga and unique enjoyable book! The story of a fictional family set in the 1940s - 1950s when times were much more straightforward. The Jansan family goes through many trials and storms but holds steadfast to their Christian faith and beliefs as they learn they can endure any storm together as a loving caring family. I am not a big fan of heavy religious reads, but this story has just the right amount as not to be overbearing. Todd is well written, well-developed characters. Watch out for Grandma Cal, a vibrant ole coot! The story overall pulls you in with family drama, surprises, and a lot of love. Even as you learn about their neighbor, who is a very nasty mean drunk and is a constant that made me feel lucky I don't live next door to Horace! (I'm not too fond of spoilers) ... I was, however, privy to know that the author had woven in some of her cherished childhood and family memories of family living in the south, which I feel. made this book even more special to read. It has a historical feel to a fictional novel that has you engaged with only an area or two where the flow could have picked up a bit. While reading Todd, be ready to experience more love, some laughs, a tear or two, and feelings of loss of old fashioned family values and discipline that many of us grew up within like 'Old Southern Americana.' I highly recommend it and such an enjoyable read.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2020
Todd is my first introduction to Ulmer's work and now understand why it became a fantastic award-winner. I look forward to reading the whole series of 'The Ceder Cove Chronicles' after reading Todd as it holds your interest in what is to come next being a family saga and unique enjoyable book!
The story of a fictional family set in the 1940s - 1950s when times were much more straightforward. The Jansan family goes through many trials and storms but holds steadfast to their Christian faith and beliefs as they learn they can endure any storm together as a loving caring family. I am not a big fan of heavy religious reads, but this story has just the right amount as not to be overbearing. Todd is well written, well-developed characters. Watch out for Grandma Cal, a vibrant ole coot!
The story overall pulls you in with family drama, surprises, and a lot of love. Even as you learn about their neighbor, who is a very nasty mean drunk and is a constant that made me feel lucky I don't live next door to Horace! (I'm not too fond of spoilers) ...
I was, however, privy to know that the author had woven in some of her cherished childhood and family memories of family living in the south, which I feel. made this book even more special to read. It has a historical feel to a fictional novel that has you engaged with only an area or two where the flow could have picked up a bit.
While reading Todd, be ready to experience more love, some laughs, a tear or two, and feelings of loss of old fashioned family values and discipline that many of us grew up within like 'Old Southern Americana.'
I highly recommend it and such an enjoyable read.
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2020
