COUNTRY PEOPLE

COUNTRY PEOPLE by Daniel Mason

YELLOW LIGHT with CAUTION

AGES: ADULT

At first I was really slogging through this book for two reasons. First, it follows a man who is struggling in life to know what his purpose is juxtaposed next to his successful wife. Second, I live in the country, and this book didn't describe the type of people that I live around at all. Granted, there are a lot of different types of country people, but I struggled to relate. Several times, even up to half way through, I considered throwing the book away due to the fact that it felt like nothing was happening except continual character and situational development, but no real action. However, the last quarter of the book redeemed itself in a lot of ways. While it mainly deals with serious topics, there are some laugh-out-loud hilarious parts. I don't laugh out loud a lot when I'm reading, but I did with this one.

Miles Krzelewski relocates with his wife, 2 children, and dog from California to Greensbury, Vermont, a rural, New England town, for his wife's new professorship at the local college. A literary genius, she is immediately swept up into the fanfare of friends and events surrounding her new position in academia. Meanwhile, Miles struggles to fit in. He's been working on his dissertation for his PhD for 14 years now, but who's counting?

When he receives an odd invitation to join a secretive meeting, Miles jumps at the chance. Here's his opportunity to make connections outside of the college world that he doesn't fit in. Driving to a deserted-looking restaurant, he wonders if anyone is even in the place or if this is just one great big joke at his expense. Tentatively entering the building, he finds a group of unique characters that he's met at different places around town. These people don't fit the typical mold of a prestigious college town either. Joining in the Jeremiah Wylkes Society meeting, he learns that the group is trying to solve a local legend about a man who was supposedly able to access a hidden, inner-earth world, Galbalor, through a hole in a local cave. Miles grows to love these meetings and these people, but hides the fact that he's attending the meetings from his wife because he knows it would be one more layer of disappointment to her.

Everything comes to a head when one snowy day, Miles' daughter disappears in the woods. Now it's time to find out if there's any truth to the legend of Jeremiah Wylkes and discover the importance of true friends in life even if they are a little on the quirky side.

I'm going to throw something in here that doesn't make sense unless you're reading the book.. Take the time to read the scripts of the local radio call-in show.

HEADS UP- There is a sprinkling of profanity and a handful of f-bombs.

-There is a peripheral lesbian couple. No details are given about their relationship, but it is mentioned that they have some explicit artwork on the walls of their house. They show up a couple of times.

-When Miles thinks about having the "girl talk" with his son, he realizes that his son could be interested in boys, and Miles is okay with that. His son isn't interested in boys.

-It is thought that at one point, Mile's wife is having an affair with the local sky instructor that all the women hang over. Miles thinks about having an affair because of this, but it makes him consider what this would do to his family. (**Spoiler alert- she isn't having an affair)

-You know that Miles and his wife had sex together while in college. No intimate details given.

-One of the eccentric people is Candy, a social media influencer known for her farm and fix-it styled videos. It is common knowledge that the reason for her success is that she is blessed in the chest area.

-There are a few crass, sexual remarks made.