Saturday Review: “Fading Into Reflection” a review by Sharon E.
Colley of Spencer K.M. Brown 2019 novel Move Over Mountain in the upcoming NCLR 2023 Winter Online issue
The main character, John Underwood, is in the midst of his wife dying. As Colley points out, “Reflecting on the past and meditating on the meaning of life are understandable responses to a present crisis.”
Spencer K.M. Brown‘s debut novel, like much of his writing, focuses on these intimate relationships. Underwood is on his own journey of finding meaning in life. Colley writes, “While he finds meaning in his relationship with his wife, he is estranged from his daughter and seems to have difficulty connecting with those around him. This detachment makes his wife’s impending death even more terrifying, and Underwood spends much of the novel reflecting on his past familial and romantic relationships.”
Colley also points out that “By utilizing a Southern setting reminiscent of many American spaces, the novel somewhat radically stresses the similarities rather than the differences between the South and a broader culture.” In so doing, the book becomes accessible to everyone.
Read the rest of the review now (from the online issue coming in February!) and buy the book at your local independent bookstore.