Billy Dead

It’s all very oddly compelling. Normally such themes leave me feeling like the novels excuse reprehensible behavior. This one doesn’t. I actually got into the characters, including the dead Billy. Unlike the novel Death of a Nationalist where the character’s bastardness kept me from getting into the character, much less like him for what he was, this one does a much better job of putting you into the character’s point of view. Something to be said for 1st person when trying to get over such characters I guess.

Billy Dead is definitely on my recommended list.

Billy and Ray Johnson were brothers that had the usual brotherly spats but also suffered abuse. The description of their life and the things that Billy does at a young age are uncomfortable to read.
When Billy's body is found, the reader assumes that it was by someone who watched him crawl down the road by Ray's house. The misery is described but Ray's reaction seems cold and matter of fact.
This sorrowful picture and writing style reminded me of Erskine Caldwell's "God's Little Acre." That book chronicles an impoverished family in rural Georgia. "Billy Dead" takes place in the country back roads of small town Michigan.
The Johnson family are unsympathetic to read about their comings and goings. They were hellions and were disliked.
Ray show more continues with his life as sheriff Keith McCutcheon investigates the murder. We see the reaction of other family members to Billy's death but there isn't any display of sorrow. show less

This is an incredibly beautiful book about an incredibly abhorrent subject. I couldn't put it down.