Almost Innocent

by Sheila Bosworth

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Genres: Fiction, Southern, Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction

268 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[ANNA fayard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flipped through this one while standing in our library carriage house book sale last December. The front cover has a review by the greatest of the greatest/best of the best Walker Percy, whereby he compares Sheila Bosworth’s use of innocence as a reflection of evil to the likes of Henry James. Honestly, I’ll probably read and love nearly anything reviewed by Walker Percy or set in New Orleans to some degree, but here’s the deal: I fell head over heels absolutely in love with these little squiggly smiley faces drawn in a fine black pen that the previous owner put next to any passage that he or she found (perhaps, profoundly?) interesting. Like seriously!! They’re little works of art!! The title page has also been decked out with a phone number for some “gourmet” lobster stew, a few movie recommendations starring Sophia Loren, and a few science fiction book titles. I had a grand old time reading this one and stumbling upon whatever fine black pen notes the previous owner decided to leave. A Southern Masterpiece all in itself.
Anways Sheila Bosworth’s writing was absolutely stunning. Most of it felt like it could’ve been written as a screenplay because I could picture it all so well. The places, characters, dialogue, and action all felt incredibly real. Absolutely splendid.
Oh! And there’s a character with my last name which is also a call for celebration all in itself.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Innocent is a book I never hear about, but it has stuck with me for years as one of the finest books I've ever read. With Bosworth, the reader is in the hands of a professional who knows how to convey a sense of place, a genuine voice (how can you not love Clay-Lee?), and a creeping sense of something not-so-great to come. I first read this book years ago after my mother handed me her copy; I still consider it one of the top 5 fiction books I have had the pleasure of experiencing. I would give it 6 stars if possible.

[Rahul Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a rare and unexpected find in a bookshop. Published in 1984, this novel follows a family based in the American South. Told in first-person narrative and then third person through memories, we listen to Clay-lee Calvert who looks back at the memories she has of her mother. Her mother, Constance, uppity, flighty, ambitious, and chic feels she has wronged her life by falling in love too soon and marrying a man who is complacent with a mediocre life. Born to a well-to-do family and marrying someone despite her father's resistance makes her want to throw up at life now. Constance makes every move to save her family for the awaiting hell but things go haywire in pursuit to right her life. Bosworth has written only 2 novels and I wonder why. This is her debut and I absolutely loved it. It was everything I want from a novel. Engrossing, complex story. Funny to the core. Heartbreaking beyond imagination. Characters that truly amaze me. And a beautiful writing. It was a stunner in every aspect. What more could I have expected?! Nonetheless, I am aware why she isn't as popular as she should have been. The whole novel moves ambiguously around its Black characters. Set in New Orleans and Louisiana where the black-white tensions are more stringent and at display especially back in 50s-60s when the novel in set, the story represented the tensions. However, the constant use of 'Negro' even when no dialogues were involved made it distasteful to read. But the space she accords to the black characters, and the empathetic ways in which she writes about, say the governess Sis Honorine, can make one think differently. As I said, it is nebulous and it is in this ambiguity we find ourselves between this bizarre, and funny family. I would heartily recommend this book to you. Yes the race angle is problematic but it is in reading and acknowledging problems that one grows as a reader. I can't wait to read her second book!

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading Shelia Bosworth for an article on New Orleans authors I'm working on. As a first novel it's not bad, but it is an awfully romantic vision of the problems of old, white New Orleans becoming cash poor. It's not my favorite.

[Doris Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Orleans

I love any book with New Orleans in the background. The main characters are sweet, but this book does drag on a bit. Great storyline. A bit hard to keep up with the years going by.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautifully written, full of interesting, quirky and funny characters. I would even go so far as to call New Orleans a character. This certainly captures the spirit of New Orleans and the "old money" from New Orleans. Beautiful, sad, funny, just an all-around great read.

[Virginia Stapleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book so much. Read it when I first moved to New Orleans in the late 80s. Became one of my favorite favorite books of all time. Immediately waited for her second book. I loved it just as much and then nothing. She stopped writing. I read this book over every five years? And it gets better and better. It’s an incredible slice of life for New Orleans. one of the all-time best. And in my top five overall.

[Laurean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in New Orleans

As a longtime resident of New Orleans, I loved this book and felt connected to the characters and place. It is a heartbreaking story, told by a child, of her parent's marriage---- money, love, family, and desire. It truly depicts life in the upper class of uptown New Orleans in the 1950s, never to be again.

[Sally Loper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a wonderful book -- in-depth characters and quite moving plot. Really literary fiction.

[Esmé · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me a month to finish because it was so pointless and boring. I would not recommend.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much a Southern tale. Having lived on the north shore of lake Pontchartrain I found the southern Louisiana culture depicted by Ms Bosworth rang true.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know that I loved this story, but the writing was very good. The chapters are set up a little strangely and it took me a while to catch on to the timeline. The story is told from Clay-Lee's point of view. For most of the book she is recalling events from her childhood. The story is filled with a mix quintessential Southern charm and the spector-ridden tradition of the old South. Character names like Lamb, Honey, and Sis Honorine give it a "Gone with the Wind" feel, while Clay-Lee's unidentifiable age (both physically and spiritually) reads like a modern piece. As I was reading, I kept thinking, this is what happens when a woman whose maturity level is that of a spoiled sixteen-year-old calls the shots. The books is written well and the dramatic twists and turns can be riveting. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy Southern literature.

[Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Almost Innocent” is an intimate family drama in the best tradition of Southern novels. The lush, evocative language transported me to 1950’s New Orleans and I became deeply involved in the lives of the characters. A powerful and thought-provoking book.

Thank you to Open Road Integrated Media and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Susan Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in New Orleans, this novel is steeped in the world of the Southern
gentry and especially the virtues of Southern women. Watching a family
fall apart through the eyes of the only child, Clay-Lee Calvert, is both charming and tragic. A great read before heading to the Big Easy.

[Heatherly Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved traveling with Clay-Lee and she sought to uncover the mysteries of her mother's life and her own heritage. Relying on her late mother's friend and her own memory, the protagonist takes us through the tangled world of New Orleans wealth and privilege.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by this author.

[Kristin Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple writing (in a good way) of a predictable storyline set in 1950s New Orleans.
A pleasant read.
(BUT I think Ms. Bosworth swipped the last paragraph from The Great Gatsby.)

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a sad and funny well written book that is set in New Orleans in the 1950's, this is the book for you!