Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress Review and GIVEAWAY

Georgia Bottoms: A NovelGeorgia Bottoms: A Novel by Mark Childress

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can't figure out why I enjoyed this book. I just did. It's against all that I hold near and dear to my heart. I think it was simply the storytelling.

Had Georgia been born a few generations back, she's be known as Georgia Ethel Butts. Fortunately, one of her ancestors had the good sense to make a name change. Somehow Bottoms is not exactly the best but it's an improvement. The thing about Georgia is she is the "Other Woman." She believes she is doing a service by providing men in her southern church's congregation a sexual outlet. She's pretty self-centered but at the same time, a decent person considering she is the one who takes care of her ailing mother and brother who is interesting at best, a domestic terrorist at worst.

She lives in the old family home that used to be quite majestic. Without a steady income, she simply has arrangements with a few of the men in town. It's not love or really "business." It's simply offering gifts (sexual) for gifts freely given (they support their mistress). There's a man for every night of the week except Monday. They all believe they are the only one. Georgia has rules that can not be breached. Things have been going smoothly for years. She keeps the secrets and keeps the men separated by nights of the week and all in the shadows to keep the facade. When one strokes out she has another to take his place. When one starts talking about leaving his wife and marrying her, she has a contingency plan. Truth is, she's too self-centered to make room for anybody that might tie her down.

But then complications arise. In her carefully ordered world, she keeps up appearances and goes to church on Sunday where she carefully studies her latest manicure or dreams of a new dress she wants to buy while Mr. Saturday Night drones on. Except Mr. Saturday Night found his guilty conscience and confessed to his wife last night and is ready to confess his sins to the entire congregation which would upset Georgia's carefully ordered world. She averts the tragedy and hastens Eugene's exit from her small town. She is clearly a girl who does not wish change in her schedule.

The little charades continue but complications are constantly arising. She puts out fires and adjusts to small changes like her increasingly forgetful mother or her alcoholic brother who just can't seem to keep his nose clean. Still, the small town continues and she handles it all with aplomb. But then things get really dicey. Georgia does have a secret son and he eventually ends up on her front porch. This is much more complicated than one might first admit. Think deep South and he has dark skin. Oh, yeah. She's fair skinned and blond.

I honestly had no idea where this story was heading. It just kept telling itself and there was nothing particularly predictable about it except I suspected that all of her secrets would eventually unravel. How this occurs, however, is really the journey and it is incredibly entertaining.

How do you cheer for the Other Woman? I honestly couldn't. I liked her and she stayed true to her character throughout the book but I certainly didn't wish for her to get off without consequences. At the same time, besides her little sexual forays, she was a good person, albeit self-centered. The ending is satisfying, although I want to say more. It is surprising and I liked Georgia's resilience and acceptance of change.

Thanks to Brad at Hatchette, I have 1 copy to offer.
Contest Ends March 12, 2011
Enter by clicking HERE. 

+1 entry by adding comment.  
Don't know what to say?  
Give me an empty compliment.  
Yes, yes.  I am that shallow.

36 comments:

Unknown said...

It sounds like an interesting book especially since the often-despised Other Woman is the "heroine" but not something I would pick up in a store after reading the back cover. I assume that after the secrets unraveled, there was a bit of "punishment" right? She didn't get off scot free?

DarcyO said...

Sounds intriguing. I'm putting it on my TBR list.

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I really liked One Mississippi by Childress so I'm not surprised to hear his new book is good!

debbie said...

I would love to read this book, it sounds really fun.

Lisa (Lisa's World of Books) said...

Shallow compliments - I will take them too! But now I want to say that you are doing a great job. I enjoy your reviews and I am learning from you.

Susan O'Bryant said...

Your reviews are the best - I love reading them! And that's not a shallow compliment. ;)

Thanks for the giveaway.

Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) said...

I like your honest, frank reviews. In fact, I trust your opinions more than a lot of other reviewers. This isn't an empty compliment either. I would never use words to do that.

Thanks for another great review!

Amy

PoCoKat said...

Great review...would love to win this book!!!

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your review and would love to read Georgia Bottoms :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I want this book! I've read two reviews about it and both were good.

Your blog is great btw and I enjoy seeing what you're reading over on goodreads as well.

litendeavors@gmail.com

Vivien said...

Well thought out review. I hadn't heard of this one before. Sounds great!

pmj said...

I liked reading your review-now I want to read the book!
pjames330 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

From one shallow reviewer to another....You's AWESOME!!lol No...seriously...great review. Makes me wanna read it NOW!

karenk said...

great review...please count me in...thansk :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Martha Lawson said...

Love your blog, it is totally awesome!!

Qandthebooks said...

Those are some pointy shoes on the cover..I'd imagine them to be very uncomfortable.

Oh, and to stroke your ego. I LOVE YOUR BLOG <3

Meredith said...

I've seen a couple reviews for this book and it looks good! Thanks for the giveaway!

Amy DM said...

Your reviews are the only ones I read--they're that good!

Unknown said...

I enjoyed your review. I am partial to this book from the get go because I tend to enjoy southern fiction. Georgia sounds like an entertaining and interesting character and her story like one readers can just sit back and enjoy, as you did!

Gwendolyn B. said...

I wouldn't want to be the Other Woman and I wouldn't want to have to deal with one either but, in real life, people do make bad choices and sometime learna great deal from their mistakes. I'd like to read about Georgia. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Carol N Wong said...

I would not cheer the other woman, ever! But I would like to read this funny book!


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

I have been wanting to read this book.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Ruth said...

I don't think this would normally be my kind of book, but for some reason, I am intrigued.
ruthaw_1974@yahoo.com

Christi said...

Great review! This book seems great but not something that would've caught my eye otherwise, so thanks!!

Anita Yancey said...

Loved the review. Sounds like a wonderful book, one I would love to read. I really like the cover.

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Tiffany Drew said...

Great review and great giveaway! I have been wanting to read this :)

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Lindsay Cummings author said...

hi! just hoppin by! new follower!! love the blog! found it on the YA book blog directory! =] follow me too?!

http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/

Sarah E said...

I have heard such great things about this book! Thanks for the giveaway.

bookloversarah at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Ginia said...

I may or may not read this. It's the title that makes me want to...

www.virginiawashere.blogspot.com

Laura H. said...

Love your sense of humor! And that's not intended to be a "shallow" compliment. :-)

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

melydia said...

Great review - thanks!

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

Great review I posted the giveaway to my blog to give others the opportunity to win the book if I don't. ~ : )
Maybe you'll become a follower of mine, I'm a follower on yours!

http://dancealertreads.blogspot.com/2011/03/amusing-reviews-is-giving-away-georgia.html

dancealert at aol dot com

Norma said...

You're looking lovely today
bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com

LAMusing said...

I do tend to like "southern" fiction. Thanks for the terrific review.
adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

Looks like a good book - hope I'm not too late to enter!
Thanks for the giveaway~
megalon22 at yahoo dot com

YWLiang said...

Thanks for the giveaways! Looks like an awesome book :D

yiliang0124[at]hotmail.com