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Sweet Jiminy
In the throes of a quarter-life crisis, Jiminy Davis abruptly quits law school and flees Chicago for her grandmother Willa's farm in rural Mississippi. In search of peace and quiet, Jiminy instead stumbles upon more trouble and turmoil than she could have imagined.
She is shocked to discover that there was once another Jiminy - the daughter of her grandmother's longtime housekeeper, Lyn, who was murdered along with Lyn's husband four decades earlier in a civil rights era hate crime. With the help of Lyn's nephew, Bo, Jiminy sets out to solve the cold case, to the dismay of those who would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
Beautifully written, and with a sure grip on the tensions and social mores of small towns in the South, Sweet Jiminy will captivate its readers, and fans of Kristin Gore's earlier novels will be intrigued and compelled by this new direction for her fiction.
She is shocked to discover that there was once another Jiminy - the daughter of her grandmother's longtime housekeeper, Lyn, who was murdered along with Lyn's husband four decades earlier in a civil rights era hate crime. With the help of Lyn's nephew, Bo, Jiminy sets out to solve the cold case, to the dismay of those who would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
Beautifully written, and with a sure grip on the tensions and social mores of small towns in the South, Sweet Jiminy will captivate its readers, and fans of Kristin Gore's earlier novels will be intrigued and compelled by this new direction for her fiction.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published April 26, 2011
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July 5, 2022
3,5⭐
Una novela corta que versa sobre el odio racial
Jiminy Davis, estudiante de derecho en Chicago, sufre un colapso nervioso. Para recuperarse se traslada a un pueblo de Missisipi en el que vive su abuela Willa. Lyn ha sido toda la vida la asistenta de Willa. En 1966, su marido y su hija, la primera Jiminy, fueron asesinados por un grupo afín al KKK. Será Jiminy quien saque este hecho a la luz.
Como he dicho, es una novela corta y la extensión no le da para profundizar en el tema. Con todo acongoja, no tanto porque contenga escenas duras, si no por como refleja el tema de la impunidad. Lyn convive, en el mismo pueblo, con los asesinos de su familia durante cuarenta años. Lo peor es que teme que pueda volver a pasar.
El final un poco apresurado.
Recomendable para los amantes de esta temática.
Una novela corta que versa sobre el odio racial
Jiminy Davis, estudiante de derecho en Chicago, sufre un colapso nervioso. Para recuperarse se traslada a un pueblo de Missisipi en el que vive su abuela Willa. Lyn ha sido toda la vida la asistenta de Willa. En 1966, su marido y su hija, la primera Jiminy, fueron asesinados por un grupo afín al KKK. Será Jiminy quien saque este hecho a la luz.
Como he dicho, es una novela corta y la extensión no le da para profundizar en el tema. Con todo acongoja, no tanto porque contenga escenas duras, si no por como refleja el tema de la impunidad. Lyn convive, en el mismo pueblo, con los asesinos de su familia durante cuarenta años. Lo peor es que teme que pueda volver a pasar.
El final un poco apresurado.
Recomendable para los amantes de esta temática.
April 9, 2017
I think the author may have bit more than she could chew, with this book. It was beautiful and thoughtful in many ways, but it didn't quite fit the subject matter. And the relationship between Jiminy and Bo was so strange - it felt like a summer hookup but the author was turning it into a sweeping love affair that came out of nowhere. Not to mention it felt totally one-sided. Kristin Gore did a good job relaying the subtle effects of racism, but the obvious racists were a bit over the top and obviously planted. (That old high school friend of Jiminy's for instance. Awkwardly placed greeting, a couple of chapters later she's at the pool making racist comments). I'll say that the car incident on the road made me legitimately mad and frustrated. I want to know more about Jiminy too, does she go back to school? Is her nervous breakdown healed? This book held a lot of beautiful introspective moments, but the plot points were a bit cliched and just... too much...
* I did enjoy Jiminy's rescue from the cows and how Willy and Lyn cried with laughter over that.
* Also, I will never be comfortable with stories of white people coming in to save the day.
* Story was rushed and it was confusing to see things fast forward'ed.
* I don't get why Bo had to break up with her in the first place. They weren't settling down there, they were both home on vacation and were going back to their 21st century lives in which interracial romances are okay. He says he's doing it to protect her, but, c'mon. Their stay there isn't forever.
* I did enjoy Jiminy's rescue from the cows and how Willy and Lyn cried with laughter over that.
* Also, I will never be comfortable with stories of white people coming in to save the day.
* Story was rushed and it was confusing to see things fast forward'ed.
* I don't get why Bo had to break up with her in the first place. They weren't settling down there, they were both home on vacation and were going back to their 21st century lives in which interracial romances are okay. He says he's doing it to protect her, but, c'mon. Their stay there isn't forever.
July 18, 2017
Gore achieves a simple elegance that is much the opposite of her previous two novels. Though the main characters are similar in their fragility, her pen lost its pension for elaborate frills. Leaving your imagination to do as little or as much as it wishes to add depth to the story, I wager this novel would be preferred by those readers who are seeking a low key, easy read that is ultimately filled with hope.
September 19, 2018
Good interesting read that is part mystery, part southern gothic.
dnf
January 23, 2022DNF at 53%
I just... cannot anymore. Between Jiminy being so blatantly ignorant about racism (so much that I contemplated she's actually an alien randomly dropped on earth) and just the blunt simplicity of how the author attempts to tackle racism, I can't finish this book.
There's was definite potential with this book, solving a cold case murder (which was probably a hate crime), seeing an idyllic small town Jiminy loved become tainted by the harsh reality of hatred consuming the townspeople; but no, it's a surface level attempt (and miss) at discussing the racist past of the American South. My first major issue was the fact that Jiminy was so shocked that the murders of two black people in the deep South during the mid-60s was just pushed under the rug. She's apparently smart enough to make it to law school, but was completely ignorant to the fact that racism existed in the 60s, during the Civil Rights Movement (I know in the South, history classes sugar coat things when it came to slavery, but even if she wasn't taught in public school, at some point in some history class she took, the Civil Rights Movement had to have been at least vaguely mentioned. It's also hasn't been stated where she lived when she lived with her mother since it's stated she lived with her grandma for about four months- which given her ignorance her being four months old makes more sense her being a TWENTY-FIVE YEAR OLD LAW STUDENT).
Then there's the deal with the racism in the town. I'm not saying that being this blatantly racist isn't a thing, I know people are this stupid- I've seen it, but to make every racist so blatantly obvious is detrimental. There are no subtleties in it, which is much more the norm. It's much easier to call someone a racist when they're shouting "Go back to your country" or using the n-word or anything outright like that, but maybe not so obvious when discussing crime rates and incarceration. And I'm not gonna even mention the toxic, fragile masculinity in this either.
This book makes the world seem so simply black and white when that's far from the case.
I just... cannot anymore. Between Jiminy being so blatantly ignorant about racism (so much that I contemplated she's actually an alien randomly dropped on earth) and just the blunt simplicity of how the author attempts to tackle racism, I can't finish this book.
There's was definite potential with this book, solving a cold case murder (which was probably a hate crime), seeing an idyllic small town Jiminy loved become tainted by the harsh reality of hatred consuming the townspeople; but no, it's a surface level attempt (and miss) at discussing the racist past of the American South. My first major issue was the fact that Jiminy was so shocked that the murders of two black people in the deep South during the mid-60s was just pushed under the rug. She's apparently smart enough to make it to law school, but was completely ignorant to the fact that racism existed in the 60s, during the Civil Rights Movement (I know in the South, history classes sugar coat things when it came to slavery, but even if she wasn't taught in public school, at some point in some history class she took, the Civil Rights Movement had to have been at least vaguely mentioned. It's also hasn't been stated where she lived when she lived with her mother since it's stated she lived with her grandma for about four months- which given her ignorance her being four months old makes more sense her being a TWENTY-FIVE YEAR OLD LAW STUDENT).
Then there's the deal with the racism in the town. I'm not saying that being this blatantly racist isn't a thing, I know people are this stupid- I've seen it, but to make every racist so blatantly obvious is detrimental. There are no subtleties in it, which is much more the norm. It's much easier to call someone a racist when they're shouting "Go back to your country" or using the n-word or anything outright like that, but maybe not so obvious when discussing crime rates and incarceration. And I'm not gonna even mention the toxic, fragile masculinity in this either.
This book makes the world seem so simply black and white when that's far from the case.
December 23, 2012
This is the first book I`ve read by Kristin Gore. Having read a review of it I thought I would love it, however this book deals lightly with a very important part of history. It is about Jiminy, a 25 year old woman who visits her grandmother Willa in the deep south and comes across the story of Willa`s cleaner Lyn whose husband and daughter were killed by klansmen in the 60s. Jiminy delves into the story and finds that racism is still present in the small town. She determines to bring justice, and in this short book of 250 pages, she sets about to do that.
September 18, 2018
I enjoyed this book for the most part. Starting out it went a little slow and I wasn't sure if I would like it or not.
February 2, 2019
Pretty straightforward and predictable story. The protagonist is rather insipid.
June 11, 2018
After suffering increasingly crippling anxiety, depression and extreme exhaustion, twenty-five year old Jiminy Davis decides to drop out of her Chicago law school and return to her grandmother Willa's farm in rural Fayeville, Mississippi. Once settled in, she stumbles upon a family mystery / unsolved crime from the 1960s featuring a different Jiminy. This other Jiminy was the daughter of Willa's black housekeeper, Lyn. Lyn's daughter and husband were murdered in a hate crime, but the killer was never brought forward. The local police instead decided to label the deaths as "accidental drowning".
Though law school might have proven to be too much, modern day Jiminy can't resist trying to solve this cold case, hopefully bringing justice to her namesake. Enlisting the help of Lyn's nephew, medical student Bo, Jiminy hits up the library's newspaper archives and jumps right in to interviewing the older citizens of Fayeville who knew and remembered 1960s Jiminy and her father.
It won't take long for the reader to see modern day Jiminy going into her investigation with a cringe-inducing naivety. It seems that she just can't honestly fathom that racism would still exist in this day... I mean, we've progressed SO much, right?! Girl gets the shock of her life when she tries to start up something romantic with Bo and not even a full day of official coupledom passes between them before Bo & Jiminy come face-to-face with death threats from local KKK members (posing as "concerned citizens"). Jiminy also seems shocked that virtually no one in town, even now, wants to come forward with the truth. Why is everyone encouraging her to just leave the past in the past?
This is a pretty short novel, less than 300 pages. While it touches upon an important topic -- that racism is still very much a real issue in the world today -- for much of the novel Gore still treads pretty lightly around the issue, tiptoeing where you'd expect or hope to have her characters stomp in combat-ready. The plot itself also takes time to heat up. Much of this book just felt like it was left on simmer a little too long.
That said, the character development is actually decently done (if you're a patient reader), lyrical descriptions in parts, and there are some honestly moving scenes and truly great, memorable lines within the dialogue. This is one of those stories I'd recommend sticking with til the end (especially since it's a short read anyway) because the plot intensity definitely delivers in the closing chapters.
Though law school might have proven to be too much, modern day Jiminy can't resist trying to solve this cold case, hopefully bringing justice to her namesake. Enlisting the help of Lyn's nephew, medical student Bo, Jiminy hits up the library's newspaper archives and jumps right in to interviewing the older citizens of Fayeville who knew and remembered 1960s Jiminy and her father.
It won't take long for the reader to see modern day Jiminy going into her investigation with a cringe-inducing naivety. It seems that she just can't honestly fathom that racism would still exist in this day... I mean, we've progressed SO much, right?! Girl gets the shock of her life when she tries to start up something romantic with Bo and not even a full day of official coupledom passes between them before Bo & Jiminy come face-to-face with death threats from local KKK members (posing as "concerned citizens"). Jiminy also seems shocked that virtually no one in town, even now, wants to come forward with the truth. Why is everyone encouraging her to just leave the past in the past?
This is a pretty short novel, less than 300 pages. While it touches upon an important topic -- that racism is still very much a real issue in the world today -- for much of the novel Gore still treads pretty lightly around the issue, tiptoeing where you'd expect or hope to have her characters stomp in combat-ready. The plot itself also takes time to heat up. Much of this book just felt like it was left on simmer a little too long.
That said, the character development is actually decently done (if you're a patient reader), lyrical descriptions in parts, and there are some honestly moving scenes and truly great, memorable lines within the dialogue. This is one of those stories I'd recommend sticking with til the end (especially since it's a short read anyway) because the plot intensity definitely delivers in the closing chapters.
June 17, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Jiminy Davis returns to her Grandmother's house in the deep south to escape dropping out of law school. She soon discovers that this small town is hiding a deep dark secret from forty years ago. Jiminy embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about two murders that happened years ago. I think Jiminy is an amazing character that changes over the course of time as everthing unfold's. Buried secrets, two unsolved murders, racism and healing are what you will read within the pages of this wonderful story.
June 29, 2017
Meh. I feel like I didn't really care about the characters because there wasn't much of their development. Interesting story, and important to tell these kinds of stories, but I was disappointed in the execution. I know I really liked her first two books.
October 18, 2017
Gore delivers a subtle but elegant handling of deep-rooted Southern racism. We are rooting for a character having a quarter life crisis, though I never saw her as weak. Jiminy digs into a 30-year old murder in her mother's southern hometown, where racism reigns and everyone is complicit.
July 16, 2017
Read half of it and dnf... I couldn't have been less interested in the characters if I wanted to!!! Very boring and absolutely did not care about anyone or anything happening in this book!!!
August 16, 2023
El libro me gustó bastante, no obstante, no aporta nada novedoso se trata de una novela de misterio más ambientada en la América rural.
April 20, 2024
very good
June 18, 2025
Well written, well narrated. Not good that a story like this needs to still be told.....
April 11, 2022
See my review at : https://topplingbookpile.wordpress.co...
May 9, 2011
I have really struggled with rating this one. It's more of a 3 1/2 than a 4 but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and rated it a 4.
This was a nice little book with a bit of mystery and a bit of romance. This appears to be Kristin Gore's effort to move away from the more 'fluffy' writing of her earlier book. This one is much more serious and really focuses on social issues.
Overall, I think this was a nice little book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I really liked the main character, Jiminy. She was a very likeable and genuine character that I enjoyed spending time with while reading. The novel was VERY readable. It had the feeling of a lighter book but really focused on heavier material. I think that Gore did a great job of showing the reader the different mindsets of different generations about social injustice.
I've read more than one reviewer mention how its similar in some respects to The Help. I'm not sure that the two are anything like one another except that they both focus on issues of race and injustice. The tone of each book is VERY different. The execution of The Help is much more effective.
My primary issue with this novel is that it often felt rushed. The pacing felt off in some way and I felt that Gore raced through each and every thing to the point that she lost some of the narrative effectiveness along the way. In addition, the mystery itself wasn't particularly difficult to figure out which made the overall novel less effective. I knew very quickly what had happened and it bothered me a bit. I was hoping for a few more twists and turns. The romance was nice but it could have been great had Gore spent a bit more time fleshing it out. It felt rushed and unsatisfying to me. Overall, I felt that the novel could have been so much more than it ultimately was. I found myself a bit disappointed ... there was so much potential in the material but I felt Gore raced through the novel so quickly that much of that potential was squandered.
I'm glad that I read it and I do think it was an enjoyable book. I just wish it had lived up to its potential a bit more!
NOTE: I received the galley proof of this novel from the publisher for review consideration.
This was a nice little book with a bit of mystery and a bit of romance. This appears to be Kristin Gore's effort to move away from the more 'fluffy' writing of her earlier book. This one is much more serious and really focuses on social issues.
Overall, I think this was a nice little book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I really liked the main character, Jiminy. She was a very likeable and genuine character that I enjoyed spending time with while reading. The novel was VERY readable. It had the feeling of a lighter book but really focused on heavier material. I think that Gore did a great job of showing the reader the different mindsets of different generations about social injustice.
I've read more than one reviewer mention how its similar in some respects to The Help. I'm not sure that the two are anything like one another except that they both focus on issues of race and injustice. The tone of each book is VERY different. The execution of The Help is much more effective.
My primary issue with this novel is that it often felt rushed. The pacing felt off in some way and I felt that Gore raced through each and every thing to the point that she lost some of the narrative effectiveness along the way. In addition, the mystery itself wasn't particularly difficult to figure out which made the overall novel less effective. I knew very quickly what had happened and it bothered me a bit. I was hoping for a few more twists and turns. The romance was nice but it could have been great had Gore spent a bit more time fleshing it out. It felt rushed and unsatisfying to me. Overall, I felt that the novel could have been so much more than it ultimately was. I found myself a bit disappointed ... there was so much potential in the material but I felt Gore raced through the novel so quickly that much of that potential was squandered.
I'm glad that I read it and I do think it was an enjoyable book. I just wish it had lived up to its potential a bit more!
NOTE: I received the galley proof of this novel from the publisher for review consideration.
February 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I have read two other books that Kristin Gore has written and I enjoyed them both. Sweet Jiminy had a very different vibe and loaded with racial injustice topics from past and present. It was a short read, but one that I am glad I checked out!
March 8, 2014
This was a random book that I picked up after judging the cover (very pretty). I didn't recognize the author and didn't realize this was her third novel. The name Kristin Gore made me think of a former professor I had who happened to be Al Gore's aunt. After reading the book I discovered that Kristin was Al and Tipper's daughter. I guess if your mom's name is Tipper you might come up with a character named Jiminy.
Jiminy is a young law school drop-out who goes to spend sometime with her grandmother Willa in Fayetteville, Mississippi. This rural town held secrets of another girl Jiminy finds out that she was named for.
Another Jiminy whose murder was covered up during the height of the Civil Rights Era. The brutal crime also took the life of Edward, Jiminy's Father. Edward and Jiminy were the husband and daughter of Willa's housemaid Lyn. Curious to know more about what happened to the girl she was named for Jiminy begins investigating things and uncovers the mystery and crime behind their deaths. In the end justice is finally served.
While reading this I learned what KSO meant ... Knights of the Southern Order, an offshoot of the KKK. Two parts of the story that were probably very realistic did bother me. The part when one of the murderers relived how he felt powerful and satisfied after shooting Jiminy and her father. The description of their death was truly terrifying and very sad. The other part was when Lyn walked herself into the river at the end of the story and drowned. When she was taking off her clothes to walk into the water Lyn describes the sound of crickets that seemed to be her daughter's voice calling to her. Jiminy Cricket!! I wish her conscience would have stopped her right then, but she had spent her entire life in agony over the death of her child and husband and I guess the conviction of the killers finally released her enough to end her own life.
After learning who Kristin Gore was and knowing she was probably familiar with racial hatred .... her father was raised not two hours away from Pulaski, TN (a big KKK town)and then learning that her first two novels(classified as chick lit) feature a young Capitol Hill staffer it made sense to me how her experiences could have influenced her writing.
Jiminy is a young law school drop-out who goes to spend sometime with her grandmother Willa in Fayetteville, Mississippi. This rural town held secrets of another girl Jiminy finds out that she was named for.
Another Jiminy whose murder was covered up during the height of the Civil Rights Era. The brutal crime also took the life of Edward, Jiminy's Father. Edward and Jiminy were the husband and daughter of Willa's housemaid Lyn. Curious to know more about what happened to the girl she was named for Jiminy begins investigating things and uncovers the mystery and crime behind their deaths. In the end justice is finally served.
While reading this I learned what KSO meant ... Knights of the Southern Order, an offshoot of the KKK. Two parts of the story that were probably very realistic did bother me. The part when one of the murderers relived how he felt powerful and satisfied after shooting Jiminy and her father. The description of their death was truly terrifying and very sad. The other part was when Lyn walked herself into the river at the end of the story and drowned. When she was taking off her clothes to walk into the water Lyn describes the sound of crickets that seemed to be her daughter's voice calling to her. Jiminy Cricket!! I wish her conscience would have stopped her right then, but she had spent her entire life in agony over the death of her child and husband and I guess the conviction of the killers finally released her enough to end her own life.
After learning who Kristin Gore was and knowing she was probably familiar with racial hatred .... her father was raised not two hours away from Pulaski, TN (a big KKK town)and then learning that her first two novels(classified as chick lit) feature a young Capitol Hill staffer it made sense to me how her experiences could have influenced her writing.
August 17, 2011
This is the second book that I have read in the last couple of months that takes place in Mississippi and deals with racial prejudice issues. This novel brings us pretty close to the subject as characters are discriminated against today and others are dealing with crimes of discrimination from years ago.
Although Jiminy is the main character of the novel she isn't necessarily the narrator. We seem to learn the most about Jiminy and her life as she takes it upon herself to look into an unsolved crime that took place back in the 60's. Lyn is a close friend and housekeeper of Jiminy's grandmother and she is appalled to learn that Lyn's husband and only daughter, also named Jiminy, were found murdered in the 60's. The worst fact is that the authorities really did not attempt to find who was responsible, but claimed the brutal murders were an accident.
Through Jiminy's investigation we learn a lot about what life was like back then. Since Lyn and her family were African Americans they were obviously outcasts because of the time period. Jiminy's grandmother, Willa, hired Lyn as a housekeeper but soon became close friends and the two families bonded in a way that was unacceptable to the rest of society.
Lyn's nephew Bo, who is also an African American, arrives in town and Jiminy and Bo start to develop a relationship that is frowned upon. Most of the finger-pointing seems to come from older folks who weren't keen on inter-racial relationships during the 60's. With the help of Willa, Lyn, Bo, and a journalist, Jiminy uncovers not only the secret of the murders of Lyn's family, but also family secrets, and the meaning of K.S.O.
This was a very interesting novel and it made me realize that I should read more about the time of segregation and the end of it. It seemed to have a third party narration, which I am not really fond of, but the author seemed to switch timelines on me without notification. It was a bit hard to follow because of this. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and I can tell you that I didn't want to put it down once I got a chance to sit and read. I ended up with a sunburn sitting on my deck one afternoon!
Although Jiminy is the main character of the novel she isn't necessarily the narrator. We seem to learn the most about Jiminy and her life as she takes it upon herself to look into an unsolved crime that took place back in the 60's. Lyn is a close friend and housekeeper of Jiminy's grandmother and she is appalled to learn that Lyn's husband and only daughter, also named Jiminy, were found murdered in the 60's. The worst fact is that the authorities really did not attempt to find who was responsible, but claimed the brutal murders were an accident.
Through Jiminy's investigation we learn a lot about what life was like back then. Since Lyn and her family were African Americans they were obviously outcasts because of the time period. Jiminy's grandmother, Willa, hired Lyn as a housekeeper but soon became close friends and the two families bonded in a way that was unacceptable to the rest of society.
Lyn's nephew Bo, who is also an African American, arrives in town and Jiminy and Bo start to develop a relationship that is frowned upon. Most of the finger-pointing seems to come from older folks who weren't keen on inter-racial relationships during the 60's. With the help of Willa, Lyn, Bo, and a journalist, Jiminy uncovers not only the secret of the murders of Lyn's family, but also family secrets, and the meaning of K.S.O.
This was a very interesting novel and it made me realize that I should read more about the time of segregation and the end of it. It seemed to have a third party narration, which I am not really fond of, but the author seemed to switch timelines on me without notification. It was a bit hard to follow because of this. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and I can tell you that I didn't want to put it down once I got a chance to sit and read. I ended up with a sunburn sitting on my deck one afternoon!
July 1, 2011
Sweet Jiminy is Kristin Gore's third novel and is entirely different from her humorous Capitol Hill novels featuring heroine Sammy Joyce -- as it addresses matters of civil rights in our own beloved rural Mississippi.
Jiminy Davis is twenty-five years old, but already feels the strain of her law school studies that seem to be cramping her lifestyle. Seeking a break and a change of pace, Jiminy flees law school to visit her grandmother in Mississippi for the summer. Shortly after her arrival, she begins poking around in old family journals and learns of another person named Jiminy that lived and died before her time. Driven by her family's tight-lipped behavior when the late Jiminy is mentioned, our present-day Jiminy takes it upon herself to learn all about this past Jiminy and why she is such a big secret. She then learns about unsolved mysteries in her grandmother's small town that concern major matters of civil rights, and sets out to gain the ultimate atonement.
Kristin Gore is an excellent novelist and I'm pleased to see her versatility extends to writing emotional, serious novels in addition to comedy. Sweet Jiminy is fairly short at under 250 pages, but is well-crafted and very complete. The novel is easy to read in one sitting without any dull moments and is surprisingly, pleasingly suspenseful given the content matter. As is the continuing pattern with present-day novels taking place in the rural South, Sweet Jiminy brings to light how civil rights is still evolving in some areas of the country. Jiminy brings her urban, big-city mentality to a small Mississippi town and sets out to make things right. Readers can't help but be seduced and impacted by the genuineness of Gore's characters.
If you liked Sweet Jiminy, I highly recommend reading Catfish Alley by Lynne Bryant, which has a similar plot. Both novels are very well written and worth the read. Kristin Gore's other novels are also extremely entertaining and hilarious though quite different from Sweet Jiminy -- called Sammy's Hill(2004) and Sammy's House (2007).
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
Jiminy Davis is twenty-five years old, but already feels the strain of her law school studies that seem to be cramping her lifestyle. Seeking a break and a change of pace, Jiminy flees law school to visit her grandmother in Mississippi for the summer. Shortly after her arrival, she begins poking around in old family journals and learns of another person named Jiminy that lived and died before her time. Driven by her family's tight-lipped behavior when the late Jiminy is mentioned, our present-day Jiminy takes it upon herself to learn all about this past Jiminy and why she is such a big secret. She then learns about unsolved mysteries in her grandmother's small town that concern major matters of civil rights, and sets out to gain the ultimate atonement.
Kristin Gore is an excellent novelist and I'm pleased to see her versatility extends to writing emotional, serious novels in addition to comedy. Sweet Jiminy is fairly short at under 250 pages, but is well-crafted and very complete. The novel is easy to read in one sitting without any dull moments and is surprisingly, pleasingly suspenseful given the content matter. As is the continuing pattern with present-day novels taking place in the rural South, Sweet Jiminy brings to light how civil rights is still evolving in some areas of the country. Jiminy brings her urban, big-city mentality to a small Mississippi town and sets out to make things right. Readers can't help but be seduced and impacted by the genuineness of Gore's characters.
If you liked Sweet Jiminy, I highly recommend reading Catfish Alley by Lynne Bryant, which has a similar plot. Both novels are very well written and worth the read. Kristin Gore's other novels are also extremely entertaining and hilarious though quite different from Sweet Jiminy -- called Sammy's Hill(2004) and Sammy's House (2007).
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
May 10, 2011
I really liked this book because I absolutely love Jiminy. Jiminy is one of those characters who changes thoroughly throughout the book, but she doesn't change over night. The change happens a little bit each page and it just sort of sneaks up on you. :)
Sweet Jiminy deals with a lot of controversial issues, racism being one of them. This book mostly takes place in the south, Mississippi, to be exact. From history we all know that there were some harsh feelings and in this book, those feelings haven't been resolved in the tiny town where Jiminy's grandmother lives and people have some negative feelings toward each other. Then there is a kind of forbidden love between Jiminy and Bo, because of these harsh feelings.
I loved how in a way this was a crime novel, and you followed Jiminy, through the motions of finding out and then trying to solving the 40 year old murders, of the first Jiminy and Lyn's husband. I don't usually find crime or mystery novels too exciting, but there was just something about this book that made the mystery part of it alright. :)
I really liked Bo and Lyn and all of the other characters from the little town. They all pretty much summed up the traditions of what the South really is with the gossiping and talking and such. For some reason, I have always been connected to the South. I love the idea of living in a tiny town, and have everyone know you since you were five, for me it's a comforting feeling.
The writing in this book was really something. The words made you feel what all of the characters are feeling, and the reactions they were feeling.
OVERALL: I was really moved by this book and really liked it. :)
With Love and Fishes,
Aryelle. :)
Sweet Jiminy deals with a lot of controversial issues, racism being one of them. This book mostly takes place in the south, Mississippi, to be exact. From history we all know that there were some harsh feelings and in this book, those feelings haven't been resolved in the tiny town where Jiminy's grandmother lives and people have some negative feelings toward each other. Then there is a kind of forbidden love between Jiminy and Bo, because of these harsh feelings.
I loved how in a way this was a crime novel, and you followed Jiminy, through the motions of finding out and then trying to solving the 40 year old murders, of the first Jiminy and Lyn's husband. I don't usually find crime or mystery novels too exciting, but there was just something about this book that made the mystery part of it alright. :)
I really liked Bo and Lyn and all of the other characters from the little town. They all pretty much summed up the traditions of what the South really is with the gossiping and talking and such. For some reason, I have always been connected to the South. I love the idea of living in a tiny town, and have everyone know you since you were five, for me it's a comforting feeling.
The writing in this book was really something. The words made you feel what all of the characters are feeling, and the reactions they were feeling.
OVERALL: I was really moved by this book and really liked it. :)
With Love and Fishes,
Aryelle. :)
July 13, 2011
I think what really drew me into this tale were the characters themselves. Jiminy Davis is 25 and not really sure she likes the direction that her life has taken. She goes home to Mississippi to try to figure out what to do next. There she uncovers a mystery that has been hidden by the town for years. In her determination to find out what really happened, she finds that she is stronger and more courageous than she ever thought she could be. Jiminy is a realistic and relatable character. She has irrational fears like most of us do. For instance, she is afraid of cows. That had me laughing. I loved her relationship with Bo and was rooting for them. I was saddened by lingering racial tensions of the town that were preventing them from being together. As the story progresses, it was nice to see how Jiminy's quiet acceptance of those around her helps change some attitudes in the town.
Racial issues dominate this book and are at the core of the mystery surrounding the deaths of "Sweet Jiminy" and her father. There were times I felt ill by the comments of some of the towns people. There was one scene that struck me as ironic. Two white women are discussing the relationship between Bo and Jiminy with disgust because he is black. Yet, they are slathering on tanning oil to make their skin darker. I had to shake my head at that.
While the mystery wasn't too hard to figure out, I still enjoyed it. It was the heart-wrenching journey to the truth that made the book for me. Ms. Gore has produced a beautifully written story that I know readers will enjoy. The ending was just and satisfying. I know this will be one of my recommended books of 2011.
*this was an ARC courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley **
Racial issues dominate this book and are at the core of the mystery surrounding the deaths of "Sweet Jiminy" and her father. There were times I felt ill by the comments of some of the towns people. There was one scene that struck me as ironic. Two white women are discussing the relationship between Bo and Jiminy with disgust because he is black. Yet, they are slathering on tanning oil to make their skin darker. I had to shake my head at that.
While the mystery wasn't too hard to figure out, I still enjoyed it. It was the heart-wrenching journey to the truth that made the book for me. Ms. Gore has produced a beautifully written story that I know readers will enjoy. The ending was just and satisfying. I know this will be one of my recommended books of 2011.
*this was an ARC courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley **
March 13, 2011
This is a story about a town in the Deep South and how the world can change, but it doesn't mean the people do. Jiminy and Bo each find themselves back in Fayeville, both in their twenties, looking for themselves. Lyn, Bo's aunt, works for Willa, Jiminy's grandmother. We meet them and then we find out a lot more about how intertwined their families really are (because of course there's a mystery!). The story is unfolded slowly, but I was never bored reading.
(Again, I'm in readalike mode) I really think that fans of The Help or Saving Ceecee Honeycutt will totally dig this book. While it's got a little more mystery (like The Secret Life of Bees) it's still a wonderful book that makes you think a little more about those unspoken mysteries that everyone knows about (esp in Southern families), but refuse to talk about.
If you were a fan of Gore's previous work, like I was, you're in for a surprise. This is NOT Sammy's Hill, but it is a great read!
(Again, I'm in readalike mode) I really think that fans of The Help or Saving Ceecee Honeycutt will totally dig this book. While it's got a little more mystery (like The Secret Life of Bees) it's still a wonderful book that makes you think a little more about those unspoken mysteries that everyone knows about (esp in Southern families), but refuse to talk about.
If you were a fan of Gore's previous work, like I was, you're in for a surprise. This is NOT Sammy's Hill, but it is a great read!
April 27, 2011
I love Southern Fiction as a genre but add in a murder mystery and I am sold! This novel really took me back in time - even though it was not set in the past. The racial tension, and ethnic tension too, was so thick and alive – I was heartbroken and disgusted. I realize places like this still exist in the United States but I hate it!
I loved Jiminy’s character – lost, confused but also desperate to find herself. She didn’t run from law school because she gave up hope but more because she needed to ground herself. To find out what Jiminy really wanted out of her life. This is not only a story of justice finally served, but one of self-discovery and love. Jiminy’s heart falls for a man and that one action starts her on a path she never expected to travel down. In this Southern town a white woman still doesn’t spend time with anyone that has darker skin so when Jiminy connects with the only individual near her age – an uprising begins. In the midst of this turmoil a long buried double murder is brought to life, one that is connected to Jiminy in more ways that one.
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this story, even if it was a little superficial. I suspected the murderer from about mid way through but that didn’t really distract from the remaining pages. I still got caught up in the suspense of the legal takedown of the guilty party.
I loved Jiminy’s character – lost, confused but also desperate to find herself. She didn’t run from law school because she gave up hope but more because she needed to ground herself. To find out what Jiminy really wanted out of her life. This is not only a story of justice finally served, but one of self-discovery and love. Jiminy’s heart falls for a man and that one action starts her on a path she never expected to travel down. In this Southern town a white woman still doesn’t spend time with anyone that has darker skin so when Jiminy connects with the only individual near her age – an uprising begins. In the midst of this turmoil a long buried double murder is brought to life, one that is connected to Jiminy in more ways that one.
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this story, even if it was a little superficial. I suspected the murderer from about mid way through but that didn’t really distract from the remaining pages. I still got caught up in the suspense of the legal takedown of the guilty party.
November 1, 2011
Jiminy Davis's life is spinning out of control. She decides to drop out of the rat race of her present reality and back into a familiar past--her grandmother's home in Mississippi where she spent a summer as a child. However, the past isn't quite as sweet as she remembered it.
While Jiminy is trying to take a break from the stresses of life, she uncovers a 40-year old secret concerning a namesake she didn't even know existed. She latches on to the mystery like a pit bull and won't let go, hoping this new focus will allow her to forget her problems. Instead, she ends up riling up an entire town and a family that would rather just let the dead stay buried.
I truly enjoyed this story. It had likable characters and was full of surprises. I wasn't sure what to expect and this one had twists and turns at every corner. This was no formulaic fiction story and didn't follow typical patterns. I was able to relax with this story and just allow it to sweep me away from my cares--much like the main character wanted!
In addition to the great story, there was a striking message underneath it all that really resonated with today's current news and culture. The obvious parallels between the Blacks from the 1950's and 1960's and the way that Hispanics are treated today is so very disturbing. Overall, a great read with some great messages.
While Jiminy is trying to take a break from the stresses of life, she uncovers a 40-year old secret concerning a namesake she didn't even know existed. She latches on to the mystery like a pit bull and won't let go, hoping this new focus will allow her to forget her problems. Instead, she ends up riling up an entire town and a family that would rather just let the dead stay buried.
I truly enjoyed this story. It had likable characters and was full of surprises. I wasn't sure what to expect and this one had twists and turns at every corner. This was no formulaic fiction story and didn't follow typical patterns. I was able to relax with this story and just allow it to sweep me away from my cares--much like the main character wanted!
In addition to the great story, there was a striking message underneath it all that really resonated with today's current news and culture. The obvious parallels between the Blacks from the 1950's and 1960's and the way that Hispanics are treated today is so very disturbing. Overall, a great read with some great messages.
February 15, 2011
Kristin Gore sold me a Blackberry. When I read Sammy's House I wanted a Blackberry more than anything else: Blackberry was the word in connectedness, front-line communication, and edginess. You could even use it to extend your lovemaking! Washington never looked so interesting.
Sweet Jiminy is a different type of book altogether. Although Washington doesn't feature prominently, the main character is training to be a lawyer, and the person of interest in her love life is training to be a doctor. But these two aspiring professionals have a problem: they live in the south and they are a mixed-race couple. When Jiminy uncovers an old, unsolved murder involving her boyfriend's relatives, the townspeople have different reactions. Some want to suppress the knowledge, some want to reveal it. No matter what, it is painful for all.
Readers who liked Stockett's The Help may like to take another walk in similar territory. The author doesn't solve the problems of race in the south, but she illuminates some corner of the issues while telling us of the love which overcomes hate.
Sweet Jiminy is a different type of book altogether. Although Washington doesn't feature prominently, the main character is training to be a lawyer, and the person of interest in her love life is training to be a doctor. But these two aspiring professionals have a problem: they live in the south and they are a mixed-race couple. When Jiminy uncovers an old, unsolved murder involving her boyfriend's relatives, the townspeople have different reactions. Some want to suppress the knowledge, some want to reveal it. No matter what, it is painful for all.
Readers who liked Stockett's The Help may like to take another walk in similar territory. The author doesn't solve the problems of race in the south, but she illuminates some corner of the issues while telling us of the love which overcomes hate.
March 21, 2011
I absolutely loved the writing of Kristin Gore's first two books and not even three pages into her latest, Sweet Jiminy, I was hooked on a different subgenre of chick lit for her, one that tackled a murder mystery set in a little Southern town in the US. In a very rural town in the South, although much time has passed, the culture and prejudices of the people of Fayeville has stayed pretty much the same as if it were forty years ago. Jiminy, a young woman trying to find her way in the world has just recently dropped out of Law School; not sure what to do with herself but something inside her said to return to the town she grew up in so back to Fayeville where her Grandma Willa and caretaker Lyn Waters still lived. Without even meaning to, Jiminy stumbles upon her own law case of her own and begins to reopen the mystery of the disappearance and murder of Lyn's daughter, (the first) Jiminy and husband, Edward, setting Jiminy off on a hunt to seek justive for Lyn and the town of Fayeville once and for all. However, as the town is still very much divided between its black and white inhabitants, Jiminy is met with much resistance from a group of people who wish she would let the past stay in the past. Great mysterious, chick lit book with a little southern charm to it.
April 19, 2011
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I really did enjoy Sweet Jiminy. Jiminy's idealistic sweetness did really radiate through the pages and made her a very likable character. I thought her reactions to the attitudes she encountered was very genuine. And aided her in growing up just a little. She was forced to face harsh realities when she realized that people in Fayeville really HATED her for who she was spending her time with. At the same time though, with her working so hard to solve the mystery of what happened to Edward and Jiminy all those years ago, she DOES change the attitude of some people who had spent their entire lives looking the other way. It was a very enlightening situation for people on both sides of the issue.
Kristin Gore has written a great novel about social injustice wrapped up in the mystery genre. She has done a fabulous job at illustrating the different mindsets of the different generations and how environment DOES contribute to a persons outlook on things such as biracial relationships. I think in the right circles, Sweet Jiminy will spark a lot of necessary dialogue about old social wounds and how to heal them. Sweet Jiminy is on sale tomorrow.
I really did enjoy Sweet Jiminy. Jiminy's idealistic sweetness did really radiate through the pages and made her a very likable character. I thought her reactions to the attitudes she encountered was very genuine. And aided her in growing up just a little. She was forced to face harsh realities when she realized that people in Fayeville really HATED her for who she was spending her time with. At the same time though, with her working so hard to solve the mystery of what happened to Edward and Jiminy all those years ago, she DOES change the attitude of some people who had spent their entire lives looking the other way. It was a very enlightening situation for people on both sides of the issue.
Kristin Gore has written a great novel about social injustice wrapped up in the mystery genre. She has done a fabulous job at illustrating the different mindsets of the different generations and how environment DOES contribute to a persons outlook on things such as biracial relationships. I think in the right circles, Sweet Jiminy will spark a lot of necessary dialogue about old social wounds and how to heal them. Sweet Jiminy is on sale tomorrow.
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