I absolutely adored Jim Fergus' One Thousand White Women. I remember thinking, after I turned the last page, that there was just no feasible way that a man had written that story. The female voice was just so resonant, so organic; I was wholly impressed. So, naturally, I held very high expectations for this follow-up to his exquisite novel.
First off, I was kicking myself, that I probably should have reread his first installment, as there were infinite references to it, and I initially found myself having to look many of them up to make sense of it all. Once I was recalled the history of his characters, it started to flow a bit better.
Secondly, the bar was set so high that it would be nearly impossible for any author to meet such expectations for his readers, which probably explains the reason it took him nearly twenty years to write the second installment.
However, Mr. Fergus did not embarrass himself. The Vengeance of Mothers, though not as transcendent as the prequel, was still a wonderful adventure. Molly McGill was no May Dodd, but she was a formidable character, nonetheless. I was happy he picked the Kelly sisters to write journal entries opposite Molly, as they were the most boisterous and unrestrained brides, and were the perfect choice to relay Fergus' theme of vengeance, with no remorse.
I particularly enjoyed the end of the novel, as it was certainly unexpected, and quite literally, a "cliffhanger"! So, if you're up for a raucous, unrestrained, high-spirited adventure, this would be a great pick... though make sure to read the prequel first, as it will serve you well.
Read 3/15/18
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