The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

In 1917 a brave friendship between a white farm boy and an African American city girl sends ripples through a small town in rural Alabama.

My editor sent me an ARC of this book, and I cannot say enough good things about it, but I’ll try! First off, I just love the really short chapters. They’re kind of like vignettes and yet, you just know they’re all building into something really big. And of course, because of the topic of the book, it’s a little unnerving too. I mean, what is this BIG thing that these little chapters are leading to? Well, I’m not going to tell you, that’s for sure! But I will tell you that you will love this book. And you should probably just set aside a winter’s evening to read it because you’re not going to want to put it down (or a few evenings if you’re a reader who likes to take his/her time).

This is the kind of book that makes you laugh out loud and want to read bits and pieces to whoever might be in the room with you. My husband heard some of the best bits, but only things that wouldn’t give the story away because I know he’s going to want to read this too.

I think the author has struck a nice balance in regards to dealing with the racism issues. I have lived in the South myself, and while racism still exists, southerners are like people everywhere and seem to take everything on a case by case basis. What I mean is, you might hear someone make a blanket racist statement, but then be friends with their African American neighbours because they know them and like them. I think that Levine did a great job of showing this in her novel. And what better way to illustrate that it’s actually a lot harder to live by racist beliefs when you’re faced with actual people instead of “ideas” of people. It’s one of those brilliant opportunities to teach without giving a “lesson” and I think she does an excellent job of it.

The only downside to this book is unlike me, you don’t have an ARC, so you’re going to have to wait until January to read it! However, I suggest you pre-order it now, so on a gloomy, overcast day, you go out to get the mail, and SURPRISE! There it is in your mailbox.