There are many things I liked about this novel: the prose, the voice, the southern gothic setting. Garish and grotesque characters reminded me of Flannery O'Connor's sinners, and the small-town atmosphere was reminiscent of To Kill A Mockingbird. The story rambles and meanders, sort of like talking to an aged Southern relative whose reminiscences of time immemorial flow forth with languid ease.

Read The Barrowfields if you're into Southern gothic settings, grotesque characters, and that indelible southern voice that speaks of iced tea glasses sweating in the heat of a Sunday afternoon.



I received an ARC from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

“Up behind the creek at the edge of town lay the Barrowfields, where by some mystery nothing of natural origin will grow except a creeping gray moss which climbs over mounds of rock and petrified stumps that the more credulous locals believe are grave markers from an age before time.” – Phillip Lewis, The Barrowfields

Beautifully written story of Henry Aster, a young man growing up in the mountains of Old Buckram, North Carolina. Henry tells of his longing to be close to his aloof father, also named Henry. The elder Henry is an intelligent man who reads, drinks, writes his novel, and plays the piano into the wee hours of the morning. He forms close bonds with his much younger sister. The narrative follows the younger Henry as he experiences family tragedy, leaves home for college, falls in love, and eventually makes his way back to Old Buckram. Themes include time, memories, and abandonment.

I loved the many literary and musical references that are woven seamlessly into the narrative. It contains vivid descriptions of natural landmarks and scenery that surrounds the family’s imposing “vulture house.” There are many layers of meaning conveyed in this novel. The characters feel authentic. The only place where it did not quite gel is when it changes direction in the middle, following a newly introduced character. It portrays people the reader can easily relate to as they navigate life’s challenges – sometimes failing, other times succeeding. It is an impressive debut.

“There is something extraordinary about standing on the shore at night under such circumstances. It is the closest one can come to feeling immortal—or to recognizing the euphoria of insignificance at the edge of an immortal sea. On clear nights the effect is more pronounced, for the stars burn numberless in the sky and remind us that time is beyond our understanding and that the universe is indeed indifferent to us—yet hardly benign.”

4.5
( )

Set in a rural town in the Appalachian Mountains,The Barrowfields is a melancholy yet interesting debut by Phillip Lewis.

After tragedy strikes their family, young Henry Aster reminisces about his father, also named Henry, who managed to leave his rural roots only to return with his pregnant wife, Eleonore, when his mother's health begins to fail. Henry Sr is a prodigious reader with dreams of writing of his own novel and works as a lawyer to support his family. After winning a lucrative case, he purchases a rather spooky house that overlooks the town where he works on his novel while drinking heavily. Following a tragic loss, young Henry eventually follows in his father's footsteps as he leaves for college only to eventually return to his birthplace where he must finally come to terms with the events that occurred before striking out on his own.

The flashbacks from Henry Jr about his childhood offer a somewhat bleak portrait of his rather dysfunctional family. Henry Sr spends night after night writing his novel and drinking which leaves Henry Jr. taking on paternal duties with his much younger sister Threnody. Most of Henry's reminiscences focus on his dad with only passing mention of his mom, Eleonore, who is apparently quite devoted to her husband. After Henry's paternal grandmother passes away, Henry's family undergoes a few changes that end in tragedy and culminate with Henry Sr.'s continued downward spiral.

The pacing of the novel picks up when Henry Jr goes to college where he also goes on to law school. He spends a lot of his time drinking and mooning over Story, the young woman who has stolen his heart. However, Story has her own drama to contend with but Henry is a willing participant in her quest to attain answers that no one is willing to give. It is not until Henry returns to face his own past that he figures out the truth she has searching for. In the process of coming to terms with his family's history, Henry attempts to repair his long fractured relationship with Threnody.

Although a bit slow paced, The Barrowfields is an imaginative debut novel. Phillip Lewis brings the setting vibrantly to life and it is quite easy to visualize the rural town and its inhabitants. The characters are richly developed and life-like with all too human frailties and foibles. An atmospheric coming of age novel that leaves readers hopeful Henry Jr and Threnody will find a way to avoid repeating the mistakes that took their father down a somewhat dark path. ( )

Un enfant nous raconte l'histoire de son père. Venant d'un village de montagne en Caroline du nord, il se démarque vite de sa famille et de l'environnement général par son goût pour la lecture. A tout dévorer dans la bibliothèque, à faire des études et tenter d'écrire un roman qui renouvellerait l'écriture. Tout bascule lorsque sa mère, la grand-mère du narrateur s'affaiblie. Avec l'accord de sa femme (bibliothécaire) le père décide de retourner au village qui l'a vu grandir. Il tombe bientôt amoureux d'une maison gothique biscornue et effrayante abritant une fabuleuse bibliothèque. C'est dans cette maison que naîtront trois enfants, dans une ambiance étrange et peu rassurante. Le narrateur partira dès que possible pour faire ses études, peu après la "disparition" du père, la mort de la grand-mère et de la petite sœur. L'auteur nous décrit là une famille très cultivée, luttant contre la censure. On compatit aux désillusions du père sur sa capacité d'écrivain et sur l'histoire de la copine du narrateur (histoire de famille très prenante). ( )

I was attracted to Lewis’ debut novel for two reasons. First, I read that someone thought this is the kind of novel “you’d get if you crossed Shirley Jackson and Pat Conroy; a southern Gothic haunted house tale with a coming of age story.” Jackson, Conroy, Southern, Gothic, haunted house. I admit it, there wasn’t much that could stop me from reading this one.

I had, wrongly, assumed, that Barrowfields was either a) the family name, b) the name of the house, or c) the name of a town. Actually, Barrowfields is a barren wasteland in North Carolina. I “think” it’s near the coast, but I can’t remember right now.

The story centers around the Aster family. They are typical Appalachian folk: poor, hard-working, honest. Helton and Madeline do their best. Their “children were well cared for even if food and clothes were hard to come by.”

The couple has one son, Henry. He is different than other kids; he loves to read (another reason I was drawn to this story). He leaves the mountains, desperate to make it as writer, but gets a law degree, for college, but ultimately returns with a pregnant wife in tow. They settle down to make a life, purchasing a gothic house high on the hill.

They have a son, Henry, Jr., who narrates the novel. They settle into life. And that’s the problem with this novel. While the writing is beautiful, the plot just moseys along, It’s like reading about a bunch of people sitting around thinking. I think it’s the long sentences and the slow pace that made this such a chore. I wasn’t pulled into the story; I couldn’t find an arc that really enticed me to read.

Little to no plot in a beautifully written novel are the reasons that The Barrowfields receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. ( )