GOD BLESS THE CHILD: JAMES WADE'S NARROW THE ROAD

Whether he meant to or not, James Wade's Narrow The Road takes the setting of his previous novel, Hollow Out the Dark and looks at it through the prism of another generation. In that book, he looked at men with dark pasts dealing with the rough side of crime in Depression era East Texas. Here, our protagonists are in their mid teens, learning the world won't treat them much better than it does their elders.

The odds play against young William Carter, who toils the family cotton farm, caring for hs sick mother. Both hit dire straits when the bank threatens to foreclose. His only shot is to locate his father who went wandering, organizing with fellow war veterans to get their bonus early.

There is word that he was spotted a few towns away. He and buddy Ollie, a mortician's apprentice, go on a Tom-Sawyer-Huck=Finn style journey through East Texas' Big Thicket full of bandits, conman, and a few other dangerous creatures They meet up with Lena when she tries to rob them. However, she is pursued by the owner of the medicine show she was sold into, increasing the risk in William's quest.

Much like one of his influences, Joe Lansdale, Wade depicts the harshness of The Depression dealt out to the young. While there is a romantic appeal of the journey with young love, engaging with a real life notorious bank robber, and a fighting ape, the book grounds it in hardship and darkness. We see what's left of their youthful outlook thin out While most stories have kids going on trips like this to escape, for three it's about survival.

As usual, Wade uses his top notch prose style to paint this vivid setting. He uses the place and time as as a base to weave a very grim Grimm's fairy tale. Danger is at every turn, particularly from adults. The writing engages the reader's senses for tactile feel. We feel the cold dampness of the woods or the comforting warmth of a fire.

Wade delivers this world with heartbreak, humor, and humanity. You root for our three not only to live through the events, but not to be crushed by them. In Hollow Out the Dark, the characters where hardened by The Great War. The kids in Narrow The Road will be ready for the next one.