Kristin Levine’s debut novel, The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, takes place in Moundville, AL in 1917. 12-year old Dit can’t wait for the new postmaster to arrive in his small town because he hopes the postmaster will have a son about his age. Instead, 12-year old Emma arrives and even more of a surprise to the town is the family’s skin color. At first Dit is disappointed and wants nothing to do with Emma, but his mama’s rule “be nice to everyone” soon helps himaccept Emma and her family, even if some in the town do not. Their friendship makes Dit think about why things are the way they are, and why people act the way they do. It’s a brave and poingnant friendship in a time and place where such things just weren’t done.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is truthful and although the language and word choices may strike against modern readers’ sensibilities, it’s important that we be honest about our nation’s scarred past. We can’t pretend that Jim Crow didn’t exist and we should not hide from distasteful language and names out of fear of upsetting someone today; doing so dishonors the actual events in our past and the struggles that real people fought to move us all forward to where we stand today. Through this fictional story, we are able to examine and talk about a place and time when people were expected, conditioned, and forced out of fear (or hate) to think and behave a certain way. Instead of being trapped in the cage of prejudice and fear, Dit and Emma thoughtfully question the world around them and then choose who they want to be and what they want to stand for.
- Posted by Cori