Book Review: Perish (OT)(a Texas family saga)

Perish, by Latoya Watkins (Penguin Random House, 2022, $27, 322 pp) Reviewed by Skye Anderson

At least the title of this book is understandable early on!

Perhaps the most creative, unique way of writing a book that I have ever seen but you have to read with pencil and paper handy. A family tree is diagrammed in the front and each chapter in a section is named for the major character who writes that chapter. Even the year it takes place is part of many chapter titles.

Even though this helps, I still needed pen and paper to keep just the major characters straight, let alone the minor ones. This would make a murder mystery story unforgettable! And as some are, clues are given early on but the real story is told more towards the end and not chronologically.

Whew!

An easy read, however, with lots of dialogue. Each chapter author (title, too) can almost be identified by the writing style, especially the educated tone of the police office.

Multi-Generational Saga, from 1955 to the 20-teens

Perish begins with an attempted abortion and ends with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a hospital no less! With a dying matriarch all the way through.

But that's not the real story! The real story of this multigenerational saga covers just about every incident known to man from banishing a 14-year-old boy to sleep in the shed to an attempted abortion in an outhouse to disciplining children with the stroke of a hand to a dog that is . . . well, I won't get into that. Another dog is chained up outside. But this is Texas with a moderate climate. Add close girl cousins, one of whom idolizes the other and several adult couples who speak of love. 

What more could you ask for in a book, a novel about family with the bad, the good and the ugly all rolled into one!

Love the cover illustration!