- Hardcover: 511 pages
- Publisher: Thorndike Press; Large type edition edition (Aug 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0786227540
- ISBN-13: 978-0786227549
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.2 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,540,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Back Roads
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Not since SE Hinton (The Outsiders) has a female novelist penned such a tough and titillating portrait of lower-class, crime-ridden manhood than Tawni O'Dell in Back Roads. Set in "beautiful, ruined" western Pennsylvania, amid Eat n' Parks and Lick n' Putts, the novel follows Harley Altmyer as he walks a raging, self-conscious line between crime and innocence. Why is he being held by the authorities, and what's he so mad about? In the recent past, it's his mother, who murdered his father and went to jail for life. In the far past, it's Dad himself: an abusive, hopeless man. In the present, it's the responsibility for h is three younger sisters, which makes him fantasize about smashing their faces in until they "spit up bloody macaroni and cheese".
This first novel opens well. O'Dell does an impeccable job of making Harley both brutal and forgivable but Back Roads risks becoming an overabundant affair, pitched high, with a roller-coaster trajectory. Harley' s anger metamorphoses into an almost bloodthirsty lust for his sexy, middle-aged neighbour, which stirs up myriad forbidden family secrets. Misty, it turns out, has been hiding something. Amber revolts. And even Jody's scribbles turn malevolent. While the writing is good throughout, the tension and plotting assume an unpleasant adolescent posture--bodice-ripping passion and mordant gloom combined. Nonetheless, O'Dell's assured and touching portrait of her protagonist emerges unscathed. You will likely remember luckless, fated Harley Altmyer long after his tsunamic tale has receded. --Jean Lenihan, Amazon.com --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
"* 'Tense...Involving...deftly captures the voice of a teenage boy who's in trouble' New York Times Book Review. * 'Poignant...achingly beautiful prose...remarkable' San Diego Union. * 'A page-turner...gritty, funny, sexy' Chicago Sun-Times. * 'An intense story of family, frailty, and dysfunction, set in the coal mining towns of western Pennsylvania...captivatingly told' Chicago Tribune. * 'O'Dell has tackled the real stuff of stories and she's done it with compassion and a unique voice...a writer of promise' New York Newsday. * 'Do not miss this one' Mademoiselle.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a stunning,challenging book. It tells the story of Harley, a teenager who brings up his three sisters singlehandedly, after his mother is imprisoned for killing their father. Harley not only struggles to support his family, but also grapples with a legacy of abuse, which we learn about gradually. Harley is one of the most complex characters in modern fiction. He is simultaneously heroic, pathetic, frightening, sympathetic and abhorrent. The increasingly tragic events in his life and the overwhelming responsibilities he faces demand our sympathy.
The novel explores difficult issues: child abuse, adultery, incest. Nevertheless, O'Dell is a compelling storyteller and does an excellent job of making you care about the characters, as they develop and grow. O'Dell's book is dark and raw, but contains much gritty humour. The end is satisfying, compelling and redemptive. Readers who liked White Oleander, by Janet Fitch, which also deals with a child left to fend alone after their sole parent is imprisoned, will love this book too. Incredibly well written, don't miss this one!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The main Character in Mrs O'Dell's story is Harley Altmyer, an 18 year-old boy living in the small town of Laurel Falls. He has to look after his younger sisters, Jody, Misty and Amber, because their mother is serving a life sentence in prison since she killed their father. He works at a Shop Rite with two incompetent work mates, Bud and Church, under the command of the useless boss Rick. And he has a second part-time job at Barklay's Appliances. Their house is a permanent chaos and it is very difficult for Harley to make both ends meet. He is assigned a social worker and a psychoanalyst whom he both loathes. But he has no choice since he doesn't want his sisters to be officially declared orphans and be sent to foster families.
The strength of this novel is the fact that the events are seen through Harley's young mind. He is often confused because he is not mature enough to have two jobs and educate his younger sisters at the same time. They in turn consider him more as a brother than a father and as a result there are frequent rows between them, especially between Harley and the elder girl Amber who strives for independence. But Harley is very much concerned by the well being of the girls and his worries even once make him have a hallucinatory vision of finding them dead at home, piled up in a pool of blood.
At the same time he is looking for a girlfriend and wonders if it is possible to love someone without getting personally involved, without any mutual feeling or judgement. His first relationship is a confused one with a neighbour, Callie Mercer, wife of a bank manager and mother of two children. And Harley often recalls his father and how he used to ill treat his children.
His struggle in life is all the more impressive since he gets no support at all from any adult, not even his uncle Mike.
The strength of this novel is the fact that the events are seen through Harley's young mind. He is often confused because he is not mature enough to have two jobs and educate his younger sisters at the same time. They in turn consider him more as a brother than a father and as a result there are frequent rows between them, especially between Harley and the elder girl Amber who strives for independence. But Harley is very much concerned by the well being of the girls and his worries even once make him have a hallucinatory vision of finding them dead at home, piled up in a pool of blood.
At the same time he is looking for a girlfriend and wonders if it is possible to love someone without getting personally involved, without any mutual feeling or judgement. His first relationship is a confused one with a neighbour, Callie Mercer, wife of a bank manager and mother of two children. And Harley often recalls his father and how he used to ill treat his children.
His struggle in life is all the more impressive since he gets no support at all from any adult, not even his uncle Mike.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is truly unique! Despite the numerous tragic events, the text is somehow not depressing. It is full of suspense and is truly well written. It also invites the reader to probe his/her thoughts on murder, incest and family relationships.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An accomplished first novel of a family's tragedy, narrated by a...
My eldest sister recommended this to me, and I was grabbed by her reference to The Catcher in the Rye, as she felt that Harley Altmyer, the 19-year-old who narrates the story in... Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. G. White
One word: Wow!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!
I love how Harley makes you feel sorry for him but the next minuite you hate him with your soul. Read more
I love how Harley makes you feel sorry for him but the next minuite you hate him with your soul. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2005 by Before-bed-book
Intense and Emotional
There were many hard hitting and harrowing storylines running through this novel. It didn't guard you from the horrors of these terrible things, but somehow it was touching and... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2004 by E. Deerin
Harrowing, but worth it.
This is a great read in a pretty short book. It deals with the aftermath of the death of one parent and the improsonment of another, on a youth who then has care of his three... Read more
Published on 24 Feb 2003 by E. Foley
Frighteningly real, raunchy and very moving
I bought this book purely because it was on Oprah's Book Club, and I'm glad I did.
This is certainly not for the faint-hearted or the easily offended. Read more
This is certainly not for the faint-hearted or the easily offended. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2001
A book with EVERYTHING
I first heard of this book in March 2000 on Oprah Winfrey's Book Club. Having enjoyed others in her book club series - and having seen an interview with the author i felt i HAD to... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2001
This book will put your personal problems into perspective!
Brilliant book! It is well thought and written beautifully. Once you start, it is difficult to put down. Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2000
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