Plum Springs

NOTE: I received an eBook copy from the author, in exchange for my honest review.

I could partially identify with the young protagonists in this story, having experienced a five-year period during my childhood where my mother and I were subjected to much the same type of treatment as the boys were, under the abusive hand of an alcoholic stepfather. I felt connection to, as well as sympathy for the lads, and Mr. Lawton fleshed out their characters efficiently, allowing us to feel their pain and isolation most personally.

The author really described the inner feelings of the younger boy, Rusty. By the second chapter, I felt quite connected to him and it was easy to invest myself in his life and story.

I had a few small problems with minute show more details of the story, though, such as, how could these two boys have lived in this much isolation, especially from school? The laws in Kentucky are similar to other states, whereby children must attend school until (at least) age 16, but there's hardly any reference to a school experience in the book.

Sheriff Cletus is meant to be, I suppose, a complicated character, but I thought he needed a bit more explanation and backstory - I really felt no connection at all with his enigmatic character in the story.

I would have given the book a full five stars, but it felt a bit 'cluttered' in a couple of parts, and I had trouble fully following the action.

Final Verdict: Quite affecting story, even if the reader has no experience with childhood abuse. Suitable for middle-teens to adult. show less

Plum Springs is an intense, gritty, fast-moving thriller focused mainly on the perspectives of three young siblings. The innocence and humanity of the children are stark contrasts to the cruel, uncaring actions of all the adults in the novel. Brothers Bo and Rusty, ages 11 and 9, toil in their father's tobacco field with little water and few rations allowed by Lenny, a father in name only.

It is a hard scrabble life on the outskirts of the small Kentucky town of Plum Springs, the only one that they know. Until a violent act toward their younger sister compels them to free themselves from a tyranny even more debilitating because their grandfather and mother, living in a nearby trailer, do nothing to change the children's circumstances. show more As many adults as children on the property, but none of their relations provides the young ones any compassion or protection, certainly not any love.

The first half of the novel presents the brothers and their relationship with their father. Moving between the thoughts of Bo and Rusty, the narrative is rendered in simple language, the vocabulary consistent with the boys' age and (lack of) education. Across the pages we take in the details of their lives and their love and regard for each other and for their little sister. The second half of the novel introduces a boy living in the nearby forest who befriends the brothers when they run away and helps them plan the rescue of six year old Ruby.

The most compelling aspect of the novel, for me, is the clarity of the personalities illuminated by the extensive detail of the children's thoughts, as well as the adults'. The lack of any adult support or kindness may be upsetting to some readers, but Plum Springs is an immersive dive into the minds of deplorable adults and young people who struggle to sustain their innocence. show less

This could have been ripped straight from the headlines. As a matter of fact we have seen stories like this in the news. We have the abuse of young children by their father. Bo and Rusty work long hours in the field. They have little food or water. They do everything they can to protect their youngest sister Ruby. Living next door are the family members who should do everything in their power to protect them but didn’t. I think as things got worse for the children and the mother and grandfather did nothing to help the children, I got angrier. No child should have to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves. I kept thinking the whole system had let them down. They were slipping through the cracks. This is not an easy show more book to read. The story of abuse will rip your heart out. What the children do to protect their sister will haunt you. The writing shows the strength of the characters and the love that bonds them together. Most importantly it shows that there is always hope. This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. show less

Rusty, Beau (or maybe it's Bo, I listened to the audiobook so I'm not sure), and Ruby are siblings who are growing up on a tobacco farm with their alcoholic and abusive father. The two boys work the farm and are beaten by their father regularly. We find out that their mother left their father after being abused and was forced to leave without the children, but she didn't go far. Although close by she never does intervene to stop the abuse of the children but once Lenny (the father) hits little Ruby for burning toast, the boys have to take matters into their own hands. What unravels next is a series of events seen through the shifting perspectives of Rusty, Ruby, and Earl (the grandpa). It's a good story about love, loyalty and show more resilience amongst siblings and the secrets, lies and immorality amongst the adults in their lives. Although it was unnecessarily crass, at times, it was a good read (well... listen). The narrator did amazing, he captured the time, the characters and the story in a masterful way. He made me very happy to listen to this story over reading it myself. It was unlike any story I've read before, in a good way. The children were a great, heartbreaking, and heartwarming story to follow

[Thank you LibraryThing and Dan Lawton for the free audiobook] show less

Abuse is always a difficult subject especially in the eyes of children. The author did a good job of displaying the relationship of the siblings and how they view adult relationships. The introduction of the 4th child at the end seemed odd and felt like it was added for dramatic flair which fell flat.

Plum Springs is a tale of horrible abuse 3 siblings lived through at the hands of their father. Their grandfather and mother lived next door, but let it happen. When the father starts abusing the boys' little sister, Ruby, the boys feel that it must end now and take matters into their own hands as the only option they feel they have and kill their dad. In the end, everyone gets justice-- the children for what they went through, the grandfather and mother for their inaction, and JT, a boy the boys met in the woods who had helped them.

A very intense story that was very hard to put down. The characters were well developed and realistic. An amazing story that I would highly recommend.