November 19, 2007
A troika of African-American misfits—father, son and grandson—fuel Woodward's raw, eclectic first novel. Teo Toak, one of eight brothers, is a crooked deal maker in fictional Johnsonville, Fla. An unscrupulous bail bondsman by day, Teo moonlights as a slumlord while keeping close tabs on his errant embarrassment of a son, Feddy, a drifter who lives on one of his father's properties and dates Sharon, a white unlicensed day-care provider with a penchant for black men. Feddy's 22-year-old son, Jesmond, repossesses rental furniture with an iron fist and finds himself in a compromising situation with sexy Peaches Richmond, a wanton woman married to a malevolent military policeman nicknamed “Special Ed.” Joining them is Medgar Coots, Feddy's psychiatrist, anxious to make a shady cemetery land deal with Teo, and Bayonne, the local pastor's gay son who becomes implicated in the death of “Big Boy,” his 500-pound, HIV-positive partner. An act of God forces the whole sordid cast to sort out their own personal demons. As the plot sputters on, so do the crude vernacular and raw imagery, and Woodward, a Harvard and Mayo Clinic–trained physician, ultimately leans too heavily on shock tactics instead of solid storytelling and plot development.
Starred review from March 31, 2008
Dion Graham brings Woodward's unorthodox tale to life in this inspired reading so realistic and enjoyable it makes listeners feel as if they're eavesdropping on the Toaks family of Johnsonville, Fla. Graham masters Southern dialect with a profound narrative tone and offers slight variations with each character, creating a variety of believable and original personalities. Each disc opens with a brief, banjo riff that helps create an atmosphere rife with conflict and emotion. Graham is brilliant: a stunning performance so simple yet incredibly detailed. Simultaneous release with the Free Press hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 19, 2007).