I was excited to follow Junior Bledsoe’s journey in the second novel in the Baker Mountain series, Blue. Junior does not have as large a role in this novel as he does in the series’ previous novel, Aim, but his character is crucial because he helps his friend and neighbor, Ann Fay Honeycutt, who is the protagonist and first-person narrator of Blue.
The beginning is very moving—Ann Fay’s father is going off to war and leaves her as the “man of the house” while he is away (11). He also instructs Junior to keep an eye on the family in exchange for the privilege of driving his truck, which, as Ann Fay states, “Junior would do anyhow, on account of that’s just how he is. He’s got a big heart” (15). Similarly, Ann Fay describes Junior as “the definition of a true friend—someone who knows you might be dangerous to be around and they stick by you anyhow” (63). Thus, Junior’s character has developed much from the selfish, bitter teenager he was in Aim.
The plot pace is moderately fast and suspenseful, and the story flows very well. The story’s many conflicts keep the plot moving. World War II presents one conflict in Blue, but another conflict, the polio epidemic, affected the home front just as strongly. The Honeycutt family faces many trials during Ann Fay’s father’s absence, and Ann Fay’s character develops immensely throughout the novel. She describes her father’s departure as “the beginning of a journey for me. I didn’t go anywhere, really. But I was never in the same place after that either” (14). Ann Fay develops spiritually as well. On her “journey,” Ann Fay befriends a black girl, Imogene. Imogene’s testimony of how God has helped her get through some trials inspires Ann Fay to trust God more.
As with Aim, the title of Blue is perfect and very fitting, but its meaning is not as explicit as that of Aim. The word “blue” serves a dual meaning for Ann Fay. The color blue is very important to her. Her favorite flower, the wisteria, is blue. The wisteria links Ann Fay to her father; they often argued over whether the wisteria blooms are blue or purple. Ann Fay believes they are blue, and every time she looks at them, she is reminded of her father. On the other hand, “blue” represents Ann Fay’s sadness. Ann Fay has many reasons to be sad and describes her mood as “blue” (101). Also, as with Aim, the novel reads as if Ann Fay wrote it herself. The rich dialect and elements of the time period make Blue realistic and thus appealing to me.
The ending is a wonderful surprise; the story ends happily but leaves room for more character development and growth to follow in the subsequent novels. While I enjoyed Aim, I enjoyed Blue even more. The story is much deeper, more involved, and full of rich details and metaphors. Any story that evokes a reader’s emotions as well as Blue does is certainly well-written. I recommend Blue to teenagers and young adults, and as with Aim, I think almost any age reader will enjoy it. I look forward to seeing how Ann Fay’s “journey” continues in the next book, Comfort
Kathryn Dover lives in South Carolina with her family including three cats (and counting!), a dog, two fish, and many house plants. She will be attending Presbyterian College in the fall and wants to study Math and Creative Writing. She enjoys playing the piano, reading, and writing plays.
GIVEAWAY
Boyds Mills and Kane have generously provided a copy of each of Joyce Hostetter’s books to give away in conjunction with Kathryn Dover’s reviews. To enter the giveaway for Blue, please leave a comment by 9 AM on July 3 We’ll enter your name for each time you share it on a social media site; just make sure to tell us in the comment what you did. continental United States addresses only.
MASTER CLASS
Joyce will be presenting on writing fiction at our first master class on September 19. There is a $20 Early Bird discount if you register by August 1. If you come–bring your book so she can autograph it! PLUS we will be giving away a set of four books to give as a door prize!
