Reviewed
by: BigAl
Genre: Memoir
Approximate
word count: 85-90,000
words
Availability
Click on a YES above to
go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
A resident
of the mountains of Eastern Utah where he lives with his wife and three
children, this is Matthew Deane’s first book.
For more,
visit Deane’s blog.
Description:
“West of
Independence is the story of two brothers on distinct but inseparable journeys.
Raised in a large Mormon family, the brothers find themselves at odds with
their upbringing; Jared because he is gay, Matthew because he is too much like
his father. As Jared fights to find happiness in a lifestyle he was raised to
detest, Matthew struggles to become the man he wants to be without losing his
faith. Overwhelmed by sadness, Jared decides to end his life by driving over
the edge of the Grand Canyon. He makes it all the way from New Hampshire to
Independence, Missouri, where his trip ends with a suicide attempt in a lonely
motel room. Several months later, Matthew and Connor (their youngest brother)
set out to complete Jared's trip to the Grand Canyon with him. Heading West
from Independence, they pick cotton, take a walk on Mars, chase windmills, and
meet a plastic eating cow, while at the same time repairing a relationship that
has suffered from Matthew’s self-righteous attitude. West of Independence is an
affecting tale of family conflict, the need to be loved, and the capacity for
change.”
Appraisal:
Unfortunately,
many people from a Mormon family (or, to be fair, families raised in many other
conservative religions) that include a gay or lesbian sibling are going to
recognize many elements of Matthew Deane’s story. Those who don’t either have
families much more enlighted than the norm, or aren’t being honest with
themselves.
Deane’s story is well told and realistic (just
because a story is true, doesn’t always mean it rings true). As I was thinking
about the kind of reader who would benefit from reading West of Independence I realized that the appeal might be
broader than I first thought. Many memoir readers choose to read stories from
people unlike themselves to better understand views, thought processes, and
experiences that are foreign to their world. Most people who fit this category
would find this an interesting read. However, this story should especially
appeal to anyone who has already been through a struggle like Deane’s (knowing
you aren’t alone is always a positive). Those who need to go through the
transformation that Deane experienced, but haven’t, might be the least likely
to give this book a chance, but are the group who could benefit from it most of
all.
Format/Typo
Issues:
A small
number of typos and other proofing errors.
Rating:
**** Four stars
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