Mary Mejlholm

As a Canadian, I found Iles’s many references to Mississippian politics and political history in the first chapters of “Southern Man” unfathomable, over the top. I found myself thinking “why does he think readers from anywhere but Mississippi would find this relatable or interesting?”. But as always, Iles’s superb writing kept me going, hoping I would find my way into the heart of the novel. And boy, did I ever! The novel builds magnificently in the depth of characters, the candid and searing exposé of blind racism, political corruption, harrowing health issues, and delves deeply into the generational repercussions of Black slavery in the South. As well, Iles lays bare his personal feelings for the current political climate in the US, his open anti-Trumpism, his disgust of the GOP, and provides brilliant insight to understanding his fears for his country’s political future. But the heart and soul of “Southern Man” is Greg Iles’s ability to help us, the Reader, understand the cavernous racial divide that exists in the US, particularly the South, through the eyes of the Black characters in his novel. I don’t know that I’ve ever been made more aware of of such a critically important and complex issue as I have by reading this un-put-downable book. It was certainly worth the wait, as the author struggled with life challenging health issues while writing what could be his final book. I hope and pray not.