Judy Reene Singer

4.5 stars.

Alternating back and forth between the present and the early '40s, In the Shadow of Alabama by Judy Reene Singer is a heartrending novel of complex and difficult relationships, race relations in the South and the lingering effects of wartime.

Rachel Fleischer's relationships with her family are fraught with tension and the last place she wants to be is her father's bedside as he refuses medical treatment for his failing heart. Marty Fleischer has always been a hypercritical, bitter, show more angry and deeply dissatisfied man whose hateful words continue to haunt her. At the urging of her farm manager and friend Malachi Charge, Rachel reluctantly goes to see her father one last time before his death. At his funeral, stranger Rowena Jackson presents them with a puzzling package from her father, Willie Jackson. Intrigued and wanting to understand a shocking allegation against her father, Rachel later goes to Boston to meet Willie where he recounts his tangled history with Marty.

Rachel's dysfunctional childhood left an indelible mark on her and even as an adult, she cannot escape the legacy of her father's painful words and lack of love. The owner of a horse farm, she lives with her longtime partner, David, and Malachi. Emotionally closed off and protective of her heart, Rachel is unable to fully commit to David and she soon becomes aware there are deep fractures in their relationship. Reluctant to discuss her fears and concerns with him, she ignores the growing distance between them and instead makes the decision to go to Boston to meet Willie.

Rachel knows absolutely nothing of Marty's experiences in World War II and she is quite shocked to learn that he was in charge of a colored squadron in Alabama. Neither man lived in the South prior to their assignment at Gunter Field so they are ill prepared for the reality of segregation and the animosity directed towards Jews. Although both men are college educated, they are assigned to a squadron that cleans aircraft engines. Marty is a benevolent leader who looks out for the men serving under him although his efforts are not at all appreciated by the white soldiers on the base. Despite Willie's best efforts to remain under the radar, he and Marty form a friendship of sorts that comes to an abrupt end following Marty's well intentioned but misguided efforts to treat his men as equals. The two men eventually go back to their regular lives but neither of them are able to escape the tragedies of their shared history.

Based on the real life experiences of Judy Reene Singer and her father, In the Shadow of Alabama is a deeply affecting and rather poignant novel of reconciliation and healing. After learning of the events that shaped her father into the haunted man who raised her, Rachel has a better understanding of herself, her mother and her sister. With newfound awareness of the negative effects of her behavior, Rachel tries to repair her tattered relationships, but is it too late to salvage the one that means the most to her? show less

Started out strong. Loved the premise of the horse trainer who isn't good with humans, and falls in love with elephants. The stuff about animal body language was fascinating. Cast of characters (except for soon-to-be-ex-husband and his girlfriend) were reasonably appealing. Genuinely humorous dialogue.

And then the rich boyfriend who only wants to make Neelie happy shows up. And fixes everything.

Story went off the rails into soppiness for the last 60 pages.

Definitely didn't appreciate the show more digs at mental illnesses, whether of horses or human beings. show less

In the Shadow of Alabama
By Judy Reene Singer
Narrated By Carol Monda
Published 2017 by Recorded Books
10 hours and 56 minutes

I received a free audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Fleischer, a middle-aged woman with emotional baggage and a troubled love-life, returns home to see her estranged father who is on his deathbed. At her father’s funeral, a stranger brings an unusual gift and an apology which sparks the beginning of Rachel’s journey show more towards discovering the truth about her father.

I immediately connected with Rachel. She is a strong, independent woman who runs a horse farm and is a successful writer in spite of having left home at 16 with no familial support. Her internal struggle between the desire to be a good daughter that is worthy of love and the overwhelming need to protect her heart from additional pain and rejection is raw and real. Rachel is searching for excuses for her father’s behavior—reasons that might allow her to forgive and move on. The more she learns about her father’s past, the more sympathetic she becomes toward her father.

This story alternates between present day and flashbacks to her father’s time as Sergeant Fleisher in the Army Air Force during WWII. Sergeant Fleisher was a Jewish soldier in charge of a troop of all black soldiers in 1940s Alabama. It becomes obvious to Rachel that her father’s experiences during his time as a soldier are directly responsible for the hard man Rachel knew as her father. I don’t think this knowledge was able to excuse his behavior, but it did lend an understanding that eventually allowed Rachel to move on with hope towards her future.

This book is a glowing example of literary fiction. The complex, well-developed characters made this story one to remember. My favorite character was Malachi, the 80-something farm manager. Everything about Malachi tugged on my heartstrings. I would love to see him get a book of his own to learn his backstory and what made him into the man he was. The writing style was also noteworthy and there were several profound ideas that made me wish for a highlighter and a physical copy to mark up.

This book was narrated by the talented Carol Monda. I will be adding her to my auto-buy narrator list. Her voice has a maturity and heaviness that complemented the serious subject matter. I really appreciated the inflections and emotion that she conveyed through her reading. Not only was she the perfect choice to tell Rachel’s story, but the multi-character performance of the soldiers was extraordinary. show less

A young widow, a wounded Navy Seal, and a battered Pit Bull make up the heart of this novel. Set in a small coastal village on Cape Cod, where Aila, the widow, runs the towns general store; one that has been in her family for generations. As she opens the store one morning she sees a starving Pit Bull and feeling sorry for him she gives him some food, but doesn’t want to keep him. Then she meets Sam, the Ex Navy Seal who is as emotionally messed up as she is and she cautiously becomes his show more friend. As the 3 of them navigate the mine field of their hurtful pasts, they also have to deal with small town gossip, prejudice, and hostility that could destroy them or lead them to healing and forgiveness. A powerful story that could be taken out of today’s headlines, and is a microcosm of life in America today. 4 stars. show less