My Brother Michael

by Janis Owens

Winner of the Chatauqua South Award for Fiction Out of the shotgun houses and deep, shaded porches of a west Florida mill town comes this extraordinary novel of love and redemption as told by Gabriel Catts. On the eve of his fortieth birthday, Gabe attempts to reconcile a family shattered by his betrayal of his older brother, Michael. As Gabe contends with a host of personal demons, he recounts his lifelong love for his brother's wife, Myra, whose own demons threaten to overwhelm all three of them. Circumstance and passion push them beyond the moral boundaries of their close-knit community in this intimate view of a Southern family. The story told in My Brother Michael is retold in Myra Sims, Janis Owens second novel, from Myras point of view

Genres: Fiction

306 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1997

Reviews

[Sharman Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the best books I have ever read. Janis Owens is a truly gifted writer.

[Michelle Deroche · Rating 3 out of 5]

seems to drag on at some points, but glad I stuck with it until the end.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel was no angel, but he did care about his family. He tried, but like most things in life, there are different sides to every story. And this is his. He's not the most deplorable, likable, trustworthy character, but he certainly made me want to stick around, and see what was going to happen.

[Jacqui H. Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first-written novel by Janis Owens. Very knowledgeable about the geography and history of the mill country in the northern Florida panhandle, her story of families' tragedies, transgressions, and survival was beautifully written... a story of two brothers and the woman they both loved, written from the perspective of one of the brothers.
Her next book, MYRA OWENS, is next on my reading list, and is the same story, only told from the perspective of the woman at the center of the drama, Myra. Will be interesting to see the same story from different viewpoints of the people involved.
The author is a gifted writer, can't wait to read more of her books.

[Alyssa Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable book, the main character ruthlessly honest in his introspection. Just when I got sick of his obsession, he turned it around and got interesting again. Will read more by this author.

[Anne Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than a 4 maybe a 4.5

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Brother Michael is Janis Owens’ debut novel. She has crafted a moving tale of sibling rivalry, love, guilt and forgiveness set in the rural South.
Gabriel has loved his brother’s wife, Myra, since they were all children growing up in a poor neighborhood called Magnolia Hill. Gabriel leaves town to pursue a career in academics while steady and dependable Michael stays behind and becomes an important member of the community. Gabe, drawn repeatedly to home and to Myra is haunted by his inability to stay away from her. Meanwhile, she is visited with demons from her past. Consequently, events in the summer of 1974 threaten to tear this southern Baptist family apart.
Those readers who grew up in the rural south, like me, will find the sense of place she has created both true and familiar. I found the character, Myra Sims, with her unique combination of strength and vulnerability, especially intriguing.
If you enjoy Southern Fiction or character-driven novels, I highly recommend My Brother Michael.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Brother Michael by Janis Owen is a superb read! I didn't know when I got this book at the library that I would absolutely absorb myself in this story and ignore everything around me until I finished this book. This is the author's first novel, and she has the gift of storytelling. She lives in Florida, as do I, so I made a connection there. The family at the heart of this story lives in northern Florida and the father works at the local furniture mill. I loved the Baptist childhood that the children had and how that upbringing influenced their lives. The two brothers relationship is at the heart of this book, and it is full of surprises with one girl/woman the love for both of them. Delightful storytelling at its best! I salute this author!

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. I thought Gabriel, the main character, was very unlikable. He was self-centered and never grew up, and I found it hard to believe that he would obsess his whole life about a girl he "loved" when he was a child. I think his actions and words demonstrated an immature love, even when he was an adult. I also didn't like the way Myra was characterized--first as a schizophrenic, then as bipolar. Her symptoms seemed to be all over the place. It was like the author could not figure out what to do with her personality. While I liked the Florida vernacular, a lot of the dialogue was just plain unbelievable.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Brother Michael by Janis Owens (Pineapple Press 1997) (Fiction). This is the story of a Southern family, of love, and of redemption. Younger brother Gabe, a Civil War historian, tells the story of growing up in a West Florida mill town, of having loved his older brother Michael's wife Myra all of his life, and of how his love had betrayed the family and almost torn the family asunder. Myra's demons now are the biggest threat that the family has faced. My rating: 7/10, finished 2003.

[Bamboozlepig · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. As a child, Gabe falls in love with Myra, the little girl next door. The little girl is hiding plenty of dark secrets that basically turn her into one majorly fucked up human being. Gabe's brother, Michael, marries her, but Gabe still lusts for her as an adult. The plot itself wasn't bad, but I quickly tired of the hickish Southern accent used in the dialogue lines. It was as if Owens needed to constantly remind you that the story and characters were based in the south. Skimmed to the end and it was pretty meh. The prose was nice though.

[Tisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

September book choice for my bookclub. Story about Gabe who is in love with his brothers wife Myra. Starts when he was a child when he met Myra. Myra did not have a good childhood. Gabe loved her then, when she married his brother Michael and after Michael dies.
The author wrote another book called "Myra Sims" which tells this story but in her eyes. I would like to read that novel too.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable southern saga that takes place around the area that I'm am now living. The author gave a believable account of a family and how things can go turn their living into constant turmoil.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janis Owens was mentioned by one of my favorite authors. In reading this book, I am reminded of the writing style of Pat Conroy, but this book in a languid way, kept me from putting this book down.

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at the Friends of the Library Book Sale for 50 cents, One of the best choices I have ever made, This is a very well written book. I will recommend this book to all of my book reading friends. Its a great read.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got tired of the narrater and his whining. Now I'm reading the other two books of the same story from different characters point of view. I'm not sure it's worth it.

[Edible Tapestry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gut-wrenching from beginning to end. Simply can't believe a woman wrote this so well from a man's perspective and in 5 WEEKS!

[Karon]

I didn't really care for this book or the main character - He was whinny and immature, the true hero of the book is Michael.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a pretty good read. I will purchase the next book "Myra Simms" Same story from Myra's point of view.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this, went on to read the next two books she wrote. Then I went back and read it again.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

At Chapter 15, the tone of the book changed. Myra became a different person.

[Sandy Stephenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written for a first book.

[Susie Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much that I followed it with Myra Sims and The Schooling of Claybird Catts. I love the way this author writes.