Slow Way Home
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Book Club Picks: Slow Way Home

Brandon Willard's young life has been fraught with heartache at his own mama's hands. He doesn't know who his daddy might be and his mama's string of horrible boyfriends have done more than their fair share of abusing him.

Thank goodness that Sophie decides to leave Brandon with Nana and Poppy where he gets a chance at a real life with real family. Of course, as is every thing that seems to good to be true, it's not long before Sophie blazes back into town demanding she get her son back. A court battle ensues which Nana and Poppy somehow lose.

So when the three of them - Nana, Poppy and Brandon - head off to Florida Brandon knows it's not just for a vacation. They end up in Abbeville, a small fishing town with "the smallest police station in the country."

A very colorful cast of characters enters their lives in Abbeville. From Sister Delores, the preacher at God's Hospital, to Beau Riley, the coolest kid in town, it seems like Brandon has finally found a home.

Don't be fooled though, as Brandon has learned already in his life, a thing that seems too good to be true often is.

Book Club Picks: Slow Way Home Opinion

Brandon Willard/Davidson is the kind of character that steals your heart away right from the starting line and never gives it back.

He's thoughtful, intelligent, caring and world-wise beyond his years. With a mother like he has how could he be any different? I think writing from the point of a child is an extremely hard task and Morris does it beautifully. He never loses Brandon's voice in "grown-up speak" like so many other authors and it the way Brandon tells the story seems just right for a kid in his situation. Truly, Brandon jumps off the page and takes seat on the couch next to you while you're turning pages.

Often a book with this many characters ends up falling flat, not able to give life to each and every one, but not in Slow Way Home. Whether it's Aunt Lorraine and her too-teased hair or Mama Rose and her 40% off table, each personality is firmly rooted in reality. So much so that you feel you've known them all personally.

There are some very serious themes running underlying the story. The most prominent two being family relationships and who is "fit" to raise a child; and racism in the deep south. Morris tackles these serious issues with grace and although he probably could have delved deeper into the influence of the KKK in rural areas, he manages to let us know that it's been out there and always will be unless we open our eyes.

Overall a great read for book clubs and especially for any grandparent.

Book Club Picks: Slow Way Home Discussion Questions

1. Is Sophie a really bad mom or is she just a lost soul that doesn't know how to raise a child?
2. Were Nana and Poppy in the wrong?
3. Which secondary character makes the biggest difference in Brandon's life?

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