Review: Ginny Gall by Charlie Smith

Delvin Walker was just five years old when he and his siblings were abandoned by their mother after she was accused of killing a white man.  Cornelius Oliver, owner of the town's Negro funeral home, takes Delvin in under his wing.  Delvin, already witness to death, learns the ability to comfort those in distress and to see hope life despite all the turmoil around him.

The mounting violence surrounding Delvin, including a church burning and a lynching, reaches an apex when he fears being accused of killing a white boy. Though still haunted by his own mother's disappearance, Delvin embarks on a journey of his own, riding trains through a country on the cusp of the Great Depression.  He finds love, but just before he is able to fully accept his life is on the mend, he is accused of raping two white women. Finding imprisonment to be just as unjust and cruel as enslavement, he struggles with a desire to escape.  Given the chance to choose his own fate, Delvin is once again forced to see through the dark to the light.

 

Reading the premise, you can surmise that this novel has a dark and foreboding tone. Rising above all this, however, is one individual’s determination and refusal to relinquish to a fate that is pre-determined based on his skin color and of life-altering situations beyond his control.

Chilling, however, are the similarities between Delvin’s life in the 1930s South aren’t much different than what his life would be had he lived in more modern times.  Had he not been as determined and headstrong as he was, Delvin would have become a society’s preconceived notions, all based on his skin-tone alone.

This is a simultaneously powerful and daunting read.  The prose is poetic and profuse; I stopped and read several passages aloud.  It would make for the perfect audio listen.

That said, this characteristic, a deeply detailed read, might seal the fate for some readers. This isn’t one of those novels that you read in a few sittings. Instead, it’s one that you pick up between others, for you’ll need a bit of levity and simplicity.

All in all, however, I highly recommend this read. Delvin, with his hope and determination, will have a lasting impact on my heart and soul.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this tour!