A Shout in the Ruins

Violence. The first time I visited Richmond, Virginia, a friend living there gave me the right context for understanding the place: the past jumps out from every corner and pokes you. Kevin Powers writes about the past in Virginia in his novel titled, A Shout in the Ruins. The book is set in two time periods: the civil war and its aftermath; and in the 1950s. Powers writes about violence and war with a blend of immediacy and distance: you are there in the gore and you are detached from it. The horrors of slavery and war are presented with unblinking calmness. Readers who enjoy literary fiction are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase A Shout in the Ruins from amazon.com.