Weedeater

by Robert Gipe

Finalist, 2019 Weatherford Award (Fiction)

A finalist for the 2019 Weatherford Award in Fiction, Weedeater  is a contemporary story of love and loss told by a pair of eastern Kentucky mountaineers: Gene, the lovelorn landscaper who bears witness to the misadventures of a family entangled in drugs, artmaking, and politics, a family beset by both environmental and self-destruction; and Dawn Jewell, a young mother  searching—for lost family members, lost youth, lost community, and lost heart.

Picking up six years after the end of Robert Gipe’s acclaimed first novel, Trampoline, in Weedeater,  the reader finds Canard County living through the last hurrah of the coal industry and the most turbulent and deadly phase of the community’s battle with opioid abuse. The events Gipe chronicles are frantic. They are told through a voice by turns taciturn and angry, yet also balanced with humor and stoic grace. Weedeater  is a story about how we put our lives back together when we lose the things we thought we couldn’t bear losing, how we find new purpose in what we thought were scraps and trash caught in the weeds.

Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novels, Adult Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published February 18, 2020

Reviews

[Travis Rountree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed this one. The narrative is a bit more complicated than Trampoline, but still gives an honest, truthful, and realistic glimpse into Appalachia. Depictions of mountain top removal, drug abuse, and family dynamics thrive through the novel. Loved seeing how Dawn from Trampoline grew up and the introduction to new characters. Really enjoyed it and HIGHLY recommend!

[Joshua Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this book or its author until I ran across it at my local library in their feature on the opioid epidemic. The story sucked me right in and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, the fact that I grew up in rural Kentucky may have something to do with that. Some readers might not appreciate the wealth of cultural references embedded in the characters' dialogue, but I loved them. To this day, my wife is still trying to get me to quit saying "Do what?" whenever I fail to comprehend something she said.

[Jeffd134 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I jumped to pre-order Weedeater, I expected a wonderful and much-awaited sequel to Gipe's Trampoline. What I got was a book which was so much more as it took Trampoline's characters to the next level with a fresh new perspective thanks to the antiphonal voices of Dawn and Gene. The two characters weave the story from their different positions into a rich tapestry of sorrow and triumph against adversity.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book featuring Dawn Jewell and her family. again an easy five star book for me. Everything about this book is five star, setting, sense of place, characters, and writing style all come together for a great reading experience. then throw in the graphics throughout the book, loved it!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed Trampoline, I appreciated this novel even more. I appreciate Gipe’s portrayal of the complexity of contemporary Appalachian life, and that there are no easy answers.

[Raegen Rasnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you fancy yourself a fan of Appalachian literature, and you have not read this book, and its predecessor Trampoline, put down whatever you are reading and pick them up now. Robert Gipe writes dialogue like no one else. No smarm, no sepia tone, no cornpone.

[Kate Woodworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is really hard for Dawn, and I think that is a large part of the authenticity of this book. Be prepared for a lot of death. Drug use and poverty perpetuate tragic circumstances for many families, and it takes a great deal of strength and determination to break out of those circumstances. There are some serious systemic and economic problems that need to be addressed. While individuals are sometimes able to find opportunities and have better outcomes, these issues cannot be left for each individual to solve on their own. The underlying socioeconomic system needs to be changed to properly address these issues. Dawn and the other characters provide human faces for bigger issues, and the story is crafted with consideration for these lived experiences. I’m eager to see how this trilogy ends.

[Clay Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weedeater takes place in Canard County, Kentucky. The story is told by two characters, with the main role being Dawn. Weedeater tells the story of an old coal town that is battling the lasting effects of drugs. These drugs have taken over many lives throughout this community, which ultimately affects the lives of the rest of the characters, which is sadly a realistic example of explaining the modern-day problems in our communities. My favorite character from this story would be Aunt June. Aunt June is a woman who Dawn looks to for guidance. She is the local college’s art teacher who takes on a project with her students. “...what Canard needed was a big old sign on the ridge looked down over town, and that sign would be like that big Hollywood sign they got out there in Hollywood, except our sign instead of saying ‘HOLLYWOOD’ would say ‘COALTOWN!’ with an exclamation point at the end of it, which would show everybody how proud we was to be a town pretty much made out of coal” (Gipe 67). I gave this story a 4-star rating because overall it was a good book that had very interesting characters in it that made me laugh. However, there were moments that were dragged out and not necessary to include in the story.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Gipe is a league of his own as far as storytellers go. Such humor and complexity in his characters. There's a layer of poetry over the deep tale of sorrow that the opioid epidemic has been to this region. For those of us raised in Appalachia, his books also feel like coming home - the dialect, word choices, and mannerisms.

The story is told through the eyes of Dawn who like many Appalachians is tied to her people and place in ways she doesn't completely understand and by Gene who is generally underestimated by all but is the most empathetic character in the entire tale. At the end, some aspects of Gene's story feel jarring given absolutely everything we know about the character but alas, it’s still an excellent read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is the perfect companion to Trampoline, Gipe’s first novel. Both are illustrated novels, which help create the wonderful blend of humor and sarcasm needed to face all of the adversity that Dawn, the main character, faces. I thought that bringing in the character Weedeater as a second narrator would detract from the novel, but it doesn’t at all. Gipe also captures the accent of folks from central Appalachia, Kentucky specifically, perfectly, and explores the issues and problems some folks in central Appalachia (and everywhere) face on daily bases. Like Trampoline, it’s a brilliant novel.

[Glenda York · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read Gipe's first book, Trampoline, so this was my first experience with Canard County and its unforgettable characters in a place broken by addiction and the coal industry, but also a place of beauty and kindness and resistance. The dialogue was hilarious, even among all the dissolution and pain and dysfunction. The story was/is heartbreaking, of course. As Glenn Taylor says, this book sings the truth of a place where everything bends. Not your typical read...but worth the effort.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably a 4.5 Star book for me. I loved it, and was crying in the second chapter. But the thing keeping it from 5 stars for me is that the ending of Gene’s story goes too far off the rails for me. I love the voices of these characters, but recognize that the language may be a barrier for someone unfamiliar with the region.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story covered over both books is beautiful and painful and small town America all over. It makes me both long and hurt for my drained-swamp home (Midwestern, but a kissing cousin of Appalachia). I love Dawn so much and if Robert Gipe sees fit, I’d sure like to get to know Nicolette better, as well. Thanks for the second book.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this immediately after Trampoline, also by Robert Gipe. Any fan of Ann Pancake (or Breece Pancake for that matter) will love these. Read them all at once-they are easily digested but lasting. If you have any bit of Appalachia in you, read these.

[Allyson Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so great! I did the sheer imagery of so many of the stories told is so detail oriented you could almost paint a picture as you read. I feel like the main characters are family. I truly love these books!

[Janet Cline · Rating 1 out of 5]

read over a third of this and had to quit.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book. It was confusing because it jumped from character to character. Also, it was depressing.

[Diana Mielecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sad. Reads like a James Joyce of Appalachia.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in Gipe's Canard County trilogy, this is a sweet, offbeat book about the many ways you can't save the folks you love—and also the shifting currents of motherhood and friendship, whether art or politics can redeem a body, class, drugs, community—the book is set in early 2000s Appalachia—and unrequited love. Along with the story itself, Gipe does a fantastic job with both the dialogue/dialect—no easy thing to do well, and he nails it—and the wonderful, fourth-wall-breaking, deadpan illustrations that help move the story along. This is way different from anything else I've read lately, compassionate and quirky without ever being cute, and I liked it a lot.

[Ariana Mohr]

the turns of phases that Gipe uses make this book such a funny read

[Ray Hovis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthy sequel, possibly even better than Trampoline. Robert Gipe is the goat.

[Ted Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads like an Appalachian fever dream adding a touch of comedy to the despair of the regional crises. Highly recommend

[Diane Cantrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really did not like this one!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really think R. Gipe is one of the best living writers. I hate to be sycophantic but I've had some mimosas for dinner, and I've never felt more immersed in a town and culture than I have in this Appalachian-based series. Pop just arrived in the mail yesterday and it reminded me to go back and review the first two. I promise you, you will learn something and you will feel something from this series.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part 2 of a trilogy, I understand. Terrific writing, great characters. I'll buy the next one soon as it's written.