She Rain By Michael Cogdill - A Beautiful Book

In A Nutshell: Amazing! Simply amazing. The beauty of the words force you to read them aloud. There aren't many books that do that to me. I felt the same way when I read White Orleander by Janet Finch. Michael write with such poetic prose that you must hear the words you are reading. At times, in the beginning chapters I had to remind myself that the main character is male because with the beautiful words and southern music I heard Dakota Fanning in character. It took me longer to read this book than most others that I review. I actually reviewed 3 others in between She Rain. I wanted to savor it, understand it, make it last and not rush through like the books I can devour in 2-3 days and barely remember it 3 books later.

The story centers around Frank Jr. who lives with his povertiy stricken parents including his abusive father. He has watched his father bloody his mother and has endured countless beatings. One day as a teenager his mother send him to town to pick his father up from jail. On the way home, he brings his father to an out of the way, abandoned area and points out a tombstone he made for him. It reads very simply; NOBODY where the name would be. As for the dates it simply says, Born: Somebody - Died - Manure.  His father never touches them again.

The story takes a turn when Frank and his Uncle "Useless" start fighting and his mother bludgeons Useless to death. Frank refuses to have his mother take the fall for the death so he runs taking the blame with him. While on the run he tries to jump a train and ends thrown into the water. It is the hands of Elizabeth, an african-american women who save him and bring him back to the mansion she lives with several other servants.

Frank is torn between Mary his first love and Elizabeth.

The book reads like one long poem, simply stunning.

What I Can Tell You: I do not have any copies to give away. I am so sorry about that. But, I do feel that you should head to your library or local book store and find a copy for yourself.