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Bayou Jesus
Frank Potter, a black Christ-like figure, and Samson Boudreaux, a white man of great power and greater weakness, live in a house of haunted women. And when the possibilities of miracle surrounding Frank become all too real, the inevitable tragedy of Christ’s Passion unfolds in 1930’s Louisiana. Bayou Jesus is the winner of the Oklahoma Writers’ competition for best mainstream novel, a Deep South Writers prize from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and an Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award. “M.G. Miller is in a class of artisans whose prose will someday sit on august library shelves alongside Steinbeck and Faulkner. He is destined to become a force in American fiction. The new voice of the Deep South, Miller creates wondrous pages of allusion. His prose has the timing and rhythm of a ballad, which some writers in their entire lifetime never achieve. His efforts are outstanding.”
—Dusty Richards, author of Noble’s Way “M.G. Miller is indeed a rare talent. His words are exquisite, compassionate, and reveal a depth of understanding, which excels that of many writers, no matter their age or experience. The significance of his works has had a great influence on my thinking and concepts, and opened windows I did not know were closed. In my estimation, he may well be one of the finest upcoming writers today.”
—Velda Brotherton, author of Wandering in the Shadows of Time
—Dusty Richards, author of Noble’s Way “M.G. Miller is indeed a rare talent. His words are exquisite, compassionate, and reveal a depth of understanding, which excels that of many writers, no matter their age or experience. The significance of his works has had a great influence on my thinking and concepts, and opened windows I did not know were closed. In my estimation, he may well be one of the finest upcoming writers today.”
—Velda Brotherton, author of Wandering in the Shadows of Time
- GenresFiction
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 23, 2011
5 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
M.G. Miller
7 books13 followersM.G. Miller is the author of numerous Southern Gothic novels ranging from literary fiction to psychological thrillers and horror. His work has received Best Novel awards from Arkansas and Oklahoma states, a Deep South Prize from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and an Arkansas Governor’s Award for Literature. His latest novel, 'A Fire in Canaan', will be released spring 2016 by Liffey Press.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 30, 2012
A southern gothic tale about a boy named Frank who becomes a preacher known as Bayou Jesus, and the two families black and white who are haunted by his legacy.
Frank's mother Zassy tells the story, looking back on her son's life in 'present day' sections. The book is divided into three eras - Father, Son, and Ghost they are called adding to the overall theme of the book.
The disturbing conclusion of the story is a bit too abrupt- I would have liked to have seen more build to it, and more of the aftermath of what occurred. But overall a good read with some interesting characters.
I borrowed it from the Kindle Lending Library, but it'd be worth purchasing - it's a good read.
Frank's mother Zassy tells the story, looking back on her son's life in 'present day' sections. The book is divided into three eras - Father, Son, and Ghost they are called adding to the overall theme of the book.
The disturbing conclusion of the story is a bit too abrupt- I would have liked to have seen more build to it, and more of the aftermath of what occurred. But overall a good read with some interesting characters.
I borrowed it from the Kindle Lending Library, but it'd be worth purchasing - it's a good read.
March 13, 2014
Meaning to start a chapter or two, I sat down with this book and it had other thoughts for me. I couldn't put it down until it was finished. This story is both tragic and beautiful. M.G. Miller writes in such a way his reader is right there with his characters. I could see and smell the bayou though I have never physically been there. I felt what it was like growing up a sexually and spiritually confused black woman in times of slavery, as well as the love and purity that poured from Frank's soul.
I truly did not just read this book - I lived it. Kudos to Mr. Miller!
I truly did not just read this book - I lived it. Kudos to Mr. Miller!
April 24, 2012
This was an interesting, thought-provoking read. There were many times I had to put the book down but wished I could run on no sleep so I could have kept reading until I finished it. The only reason it took me as long as it did to read the whole thing is because I only get blocks of a few minutes at a time to read, otherwise I would probably have read it all in one weekend.
April 2, 2013
The characters in this story are captivating from the beginning. The turmoil of post slavery Louisiana comes through in the struggles of Zazzy and Jolene to raise Frank. I think the end of the story was a bit abrupt but overall it was a good read.
March 5, 2015
Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...
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My Thoughts:
What do I even start?
I suppose at the beginning, as most people do. 150 years ago, our great nation was in the midst of a terrible war. The great divide in our nation, pitting brothers against brothers, friends against friends, neighbors against neighbors. While the American Civil War was about so much more than slavery, we all know how important a role it played in the course of events leading up to this dark era of our history. Even after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slavery wasn't over. Even after the North had won the war, slavery wasn't over. The legal ownership of man may have ended, but the ownership of his rights persisted nearly a century after. For 100 years the African American community struggled. Struggled for work, struggled for food, struggled for home, struggled for God.
Right in the midst of this bleak century, we can find M.G. Miller's incredible, ground-breaking novel, Bayou Jesus. Many may criticize a white man's ability to portray African American life. As a white man, I may not be able to say much myself, but as a scholar who dedicated his (short) academic career to nineteenth century American history and African American history, I believe I know a bit about the topic. A topic that our author, M.G. Miller has portrayed in a beautifully harsh, yet truthful light.
If you are looking for a feel good read that'll make you happy on the inside, stop reading. No seriously, go on. You won't be finding that here. If you're looking for a life changing read that will completely tear you apart piece, by piece and leave you more broken than you've been in ages, this, my friends, is the read for you. And I promise, you'll come out of it a better person.
Let's get started!
The characters in this novel were among the best written I've seen in some time. As the novel is broken into three different parts, we get to learn a bit about different characters in each part. Beginning with part one, The Father, we learn all about Zassy and Jolene, two young girls in small town Louisiana with a lot on their minds. Jolene has never fit in and finds herself a kind of outcast from their community. Harboring a secret that could possibly condemn her from God and community. Zassy, future mother to "Bayou Jesus" is a bright young girl, with a future ahead of her. Zassy falls victim to the whims of life and runs away from home bearing a child. An unwed mother in the early twentieth century was a bad idea, regardless of race. Zassy and Jolene find one another and leave together, to start a life of their own and raise Zassy's son. While their relationship wasn't as clear as I would have hoped, we do get glimpses into their lives as the story continues. With Zassy's child, we get out main character, Frank Christian Porter, "Bayou Jesus".
Frank is an incredibly well-written character. He feels, he grows, he is intelligent, but above all, Frank is spiritual. Depending on what you so choose to believe, Frank may or may not be blessed by the Holy Spirit. Believer or not, no one can deny that Frank Porter is a gifted boy, who would grow into a very talented and charismatic man. The Louisiana bayou wasn't ready for a black man like Frank. To be honest, I'm not sure we're still yet ready for a man like Frank.
The other characters, 'the white ones', as I have labeled them, were all incredible well-rounded folks. They all had their stereotypes and views which I was very much expecting in a novel of this genre, but it wasn't redundant as I was expecting. Each character brought something magical to this novel and Miller wrote each to perfection. While I won't go into any spoilers here, I can assure you that every character in this novel has one hell of a story line. It was incredible how much story Miller could fit into 200 pages!
In terms of plot, I thought this novel was great. While this wasn't a completely new-to-me topic, this was the first time I have read a novel centered around it. Life for the average African American in Louisiana after the turn of the century was a lot like Miller describes! I can only imagine the research he put into writing this novel. It was like taking a step into the pages of history and watching the mistakes of the past unfold. Kudos to you for capturing that moment, Miller! This plot had me all over the place. Scared, confused, motivated, scared again, and then... broken. OH THE FEELS! Let me warn you guys of a few things here. This novel deals with race issues, rape, and strong language; much like life in the early 1900s, please take that into consideration when checking this one out. I've read a few reviews who critiqued the novel for those reasons, but if one wants a truly plausible historical novel, one must be willing to accept all the truths about history. Thankfully for me, Miller did just that. I will say right now that after I finished this novel, I had to sit back and take a moment to reflect. It was that touching people.
Miller does a fantastic job of incorporating multiple themes into this novel, but I'll only speak of one. Spirituality. While I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a 'religious' read by any means, it definitely leave you thinking. The power of religion is a strong motivator for this novel. Whether is be physical manifestation, or verbal/mental/emotional uplifting, this novel is full of spirituality. Every character has to deal with their own fate in terms of spirituality, and I had a great time trying to decipher what was going to happen next! Karma is a great thing and some of these characters have loads of it coming their way!
M.G. Miller did an absolutely fantastic job with the setting of this novel. It was everything I pictured in backwoods bayou Louisiana. One of those settings where the author writes with such description that you could fell the humid air and smell the moss growing on the nearest cypress tree. If you don't hear the cicadas and the croaking of the bullfrogs, you're reading this wrong. End of story. Few authors have been able to capture this feeling in literature for me, and Miller definitely did not disappoint!
I know like it feels like I haven't said much pertaining to the content or plot of Bayou Jesus, but I fear it would be one huge spoiler alert if I did. If anything I have said so far strikes your interest, I highly recommend that you check out this absolutely incredible novel. No surprises here, I am granting Bayou Jesus a well-deserved 5-star review! I cannot wait to read more from this author. You guys will definitely want to add this life-changing read to your TBRs!
*********************************************************************************
*********************************************************************************
My Thoughts:
What do I even start?
I suppose at the beginning, as most people do. 150 years ago, our great nation was in the midst of a terrible war. The great divide in our nation, pitting brothers against brothers, friends against friends, neighbors against neighbors. While the American Civil War was about so much more than slavery, we all know how important a role it played in the course of events leading up to this dark era of our history. Even after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slavery wasn't over. Even after the North had won the war, slavery wasn't over. The legal ownership of man may have ended, but the ownership of his rights persisted nearly a century after. For 100 years the African American community struggled. Struggled for work, struggled for food, struggled for home, struggled for God.
Right in the midst of this bleak century, we can find M.G. Miller's incredible, ground-breaking novel, Bayou Jesus. Many may criticize a white man's ability to portray African American life. As a white man, I may not be able to say much myself, but as a scholar who dedicated his (short) academic career to nineteenth century American history and African American history, I believe I know a bit about the topic. A topic that our author, M.G. Miller has portrayed in a beautifully harsh, yet truthful light.
If you are looking for a feel good read that'll make you happy on the inside, stop reading. No seriously, go on. You won't be finding that here. If you're looking for a life changing read that will completely tear you apart piece, by piece and leave you more broken than you've been in ages, this, my friends, is the read for you. And I promise, you'll come out of it a better person.
Let's get started!
The characters in this novel were among the best written I've seen in some time. As the novel is broken into three different parts, we get to learn a bit about different characters in each part. Beginning with part one, The Father, we learn all about Zassy and Jolene, two young girls in small town Louisiana with a lot on their minds. Jolene has never fit in and finds herself a kind of outcast from their community. Harboring a secret that could possibly condemn her from God and community. Zassy, future mother to "Bayou Jesus" is a bright young girl, with a future ahead of her. Zassy falls victim to the whims of life and runs away from home bearing a child. An unwed mother in the early twentieth century was a bad idea, regardless of race. Zassy and Jolene find one another and leave together, to start a life of their own and raise Zassy's son. While their relationship wasn't as clear as I would have hoped, we do get glimpses into their lives as the story continues. With Zassy's child, we get out main character, Frank Christian Porter, "Bayou Jesus".
Frank is an incredibly well-written character. He feels, he grows, he is intelligent, but above all, Frank is spiritual. Depending on what you so choose to believe, Frank may or may not be blessed by the Holy Spirit. Believer or not, no one can deny that Frank Porter is a gifted boy, who would grow into a very talented and charismatic man. The Louisiana bayou wasn't ready for a black man like Frank. To be honest, I'm not sure we're still yet ready for a man like Frank.
The other characters, 'the white ones', as I have labeled them, were all incredible well-rounded folks. They all had their stereotypes and views which I was very much expecting in a novel of this genre, but it wasn't redundant as I was expecting. Each character brought something magical to this novel and Miller wrote each to perfection. While I won't go into any spoilers here, I can assure you that every character in this novel has one hell of a story line. It was incredible how much story Miller could fit into 200 pages!
In terms of plot, I thought this novel was great. While this wasn't a completely new-to-me topic, this was the first time I have read a novel centered around it. Life for the average African American in Louisiana after the turn of the century was a lot like Miller describes! I can only imagine the research he put into writing this novel. It was like taking a step into the pages of history and watching the mistakes of the past unfold. Kudos to you for capturing that moment, Miller! This plot had me all over the place. Scared, confused, motivated, scared again, and then... broken. OH THE FEELS! Let me warn you guys of a few things here. This novel deals with race issues, rape, and strong language; much like life in the early 1900s, please take that into consideration when checking this one out. I've read a few reviews who critiqued the novel for those reasons, but if one wants a truly plausible historical novel, one must be willing to accept all the truths about history. Thankfully for me, Miller did just that. I will say right now that after I finished this novel, I had to sit back and take a moment to reflect. It was that touching people.
Miller does a fantastic job of incorporating multiple themes into this novel, but I'll only speak of one. Spirituality. While I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a 'religious' read by any means, it definitely leave you thinking. The power of religion is a strong motivator for this novel. Whether is be physical manifestation, or verbal/mental/emotional uplifting, this novel is full of spirituality. Every character has to deal with their own fate in terms of spirituality, and I had a great time trying to decipher what was going to happen next! Karma is a great thing and some of these characters have loads of it coming their way!
M.G. Miller did an absolutely fantastic job with the setting of this novel. It was everything I pictured in backwoods bayou Louisiana. One of those settings where the author writes with such description that you could fell the humid air and smell the moss growing on the nearest cypress tree. If you don't hear the cicadas and the croaking of the bullfrogs, you're reading this wrong. End of story. Few authors have been able to capture this feeling in literature for me, and Miller definitely did not disappoint!
I know like it feels like I haven't said much pertaining to the content or plot of Bayou Jesus, but I fear it would be one huge spoiler alert if I did. If anything I have said so far strikes your interest, I highly recommend that you check out this absolutely incredible novel. No surprises here, I am granting Bayou Jesus a well-deserved 5-star review! I cannot wait to read more from this author. You guys will definitely want to add this life-changing read to your TBRs!
*********************************************************************************
March 28, 2018
Great
This was definitely different than my usual read by far. But was enjoyable from the start, it was a bit confusing here and there, but all came together nicely.
This was definitely different than my usual read by far. But was enjoyable from the start, it was a bit confusing here and there, but all came together nicely.
May 6, 2012
I downloaded this to my Kindle as the settings in my native Louisiana piqued my curiosity. I've read at least one review that likens it to "The Help". To an extent, I can come to agreement here. This is the Old Deep South, set in the early 1960's. The text contains plenty of multicultural references and religious undertones. So many issues that were prominent at that time are evident here. The storyline does leave more to be desired, but the references to geographic locations and climates and general, along with the highly outspoken characters help pace the reading along.
I would recommend for fans of Southern Historical Fiction. It would be supportive of a Louisiana Fiction library collection.
I would recommend for fans of Southern Historical Fiction. It would be supportive of a Louisiana Fiction library collection.
July 19, 2012
First off, this book was not at all what I thought it would be. I somehow thought it was a non-fiction book, and it is not. That being said, it was an interesting read, however I must warn others that it contained course language (with the occasional F bomb), regular use of the "N" word, and other adult content.
Initially as I started to read the book and realize that it was not what I thought it would be, I was going to simply not continue reading the book. But I did.
It turned out to be an interesting story. I don't know that I'd recommend it to anyone per se, as I have "issues" with the book and how it handled several topics. I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who wishes to read it, but do know that it includes a LOT of adult content, language and ideas.
Initially as I started to read the book and realize that it was not what I thought it would be, I was going to simply not continue reading the book. But I did.
It turned out to be an interesting story. I don't know that I'd recommend it to anyone per se, as I have "issues" with the book and how it handled several topics. I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who wishes to read it, but do know that it includes a LOT of adult content, language and ideas.
February 12, 2014
Wow! I really do not know what to say about the story. I thought it was going in one direction, but it completely turned in another. It was original and very haunting.
The story begins with Zassy as an older woman, reflecting back to her life as a girl of 13, with her mama and friend Jolene. It progresses into how Zassy and Jolene find themselves as part of a new and troubled family. At the center of it are Zassy, Jolene, Frank, and Alice. There are the extremes of light and dark in this book, not only in skin color, but in the spirits of the characters. It is beautifully written, but also shocking and haunting. It will remain burned in my mind for a long time.
This story is too haunting for my teens to read.
The story begins with Zassy as an older woman, reflecting back to her life as a girl of 13, with her mama and friend Jolene. It progresses into how Zassy and Jolene find themselves as part of a new and troubled family. At the center of it are Zassy, Jolene, Frank, and Alice. There are the extremes of light and dark in this book, not only in skin color, but in the spirits of the characters. It is beautifully written, but also shocking and haunting. It will remain burned in my mind for a long time.
This story is too haunting for my teens to read.
February 28, 2013
This book captivated me from the very first word with the voices of each of the characters. I felt as though I had been transported back to the racial discrimination of 1917 through 1963. Viewing that discrimination, and the attitudes of each of the characters, made their actions seem real. I figured out quickly where this novel would head given my knowledge of the history of the civil rights movement and, sadly, this book brought that to life as well. This book will transport you back to that time, those tragedies, and leave you haunted.
November 8, 2014
Bayou Jesus by M.G. Miller is an epic tale of the south from the early 1900s to the American Civil Rights era. Zazzy was a young girl when she met the preacher. She bore his son and lost her family at the same time. However, there are all kinds of family. Her son Frank would become the one they called Bayou Jesus and would stir the south like it hadn’t been stirred in many years. Secrets will be revealed and promises broken. But Zazzy will survive.
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October 2, 2020This is a hauntingly beautiful story. I’ll admit this isn’t my usual type of read, but right from page one M.G. Miller had me hooked. His writing is mesmerizing. I couldn’t wait to pick the book up each day. Although the subject matter can be disturbing, I found it to delivered brilliantly. This is one of those stories that will touch you deep down and you’ll never forget it.
April 18, 2012
I'm not sure what kind of magic M.G. Miller used but he drew me completely into this story from the first page. This isn't normally the type of book I would read, but I didn't want to put it down. I stayed up reading it late into the night because I couldn't stop. His writing style is mesmerizing and the storyline was quite compelling.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
February 15, 2012
Great writing. I do not usually gravitate to books in the gothic category, but the title intrigued me. I read this on my trip to New Orleans. I actually read the Kindle edition(that choice was not given).
December 4, 2012
"Bayou Jesus" is one of the most beautiful, captivating, un-put-downable books I've read. M.G. Miller is an artist's artist with a profound gift for cultivating characters and stories that touch hearts, challenge beliefs, haunt and entertain. I can't wait for more (and more) from him.
March 26, 2013
Bayou Jesus is disturbing, but in a good way. The characters in this book will follow you for days, if not weeks. M.G.Miller paints a vivid scene and captures emotions like no other. He's truly a brilliant author and I will read all his books.
November 15, 2011
This is one of the most thought provoking, disturbing books I've read in a long time. Brilliant. Beautifully written. Riveting read.
February 9, 2012
Strong themes. Another reviewer used the words I would choose: disturbing, thought-provoking. This is a story that haunts you. A true Southern Gothic.
April 14, 2012
Intersting insight to the South in the 30s. Brutal and real.
April 19, 2012
Good read, although it got a bit strange at the end...which is okay by me! Enjoyed it.
January 28, 2016
In spite of its title, this is not Christian fiction. Southern Gothic fiction at its finest, literary and compelling. LOVED IT!
March 20, 2016
Enthralling, but ultimately not my kind of book. I enjoyed the first part, but the last third fell flat for me.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews