The Bark of the Dogwood - Review on The Unofficial Book Club Blotter
[Reprinted from The Unofficial Book Club Blotter]
I loved the beginning of this book as much as any book I’ve ever read: A man remembering himself as a young boy, treating in the worst possible way the one who loved him most ; the victim doing nothing, allowing the boy to remember and regret that moment forever--and teaching him a lesson. That moment sets the tone for The Bark of the Dogwood.
McCrae tells the story of an eccentric boy, Strekfus, growing up in the South with some messed up parents and a wonderful housekeeper, and creates some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments. That boy grows up to be a writer for a magazine that allows him to explore the events of his childhood and family history that had the most impact on him, many of them -- not so funny. Bark of the Dogwood is really two stories that could be read independently. One story (told as a series of magazine articles) takes place in the past, the other in the present, each told in distinctly different styles.
At times, it feels like a story about child abuse and neglect, but, for me, in the end it was a story about a very strong, loving woman who took great risks to protect and care for someone she loved.
One caveat: Bark contains one of the most graphic and disturbing scenes of infanticide that could ever be described. I would even rank it above the Dead-Baby Tree in Blood Meridian. McCrae goes too far.
If you liked Behind the Scenes at the Museum, you will probably like this book. My recommendation: Read this book while wearing your mother’s evening gown and high heels and standing on a stool in the kitchen.
posted by Jae