Chanticleer

by Cornelius Mathews

[annieb123]

Offensive on just about every level imaginable from a modern perspective. It's not written well enough for its redeeming qualities to give it 'classic' status and cover over the horrific racism in this book. (I've never seen the word 'darkie' used so often and so shamefully, including in Uncle Tom's Cabin, which at least has the benefit of being written to a purpose and written well). It also included some black-on-black racism that made me even sadder.

Additionally, the plot was so thin and full of holes it made my head hurt.

Roughly, a family of really annoying racist @sshats convene to celebrate a sad Thanksgiving. One of the sons of the family has disappeared after supposedly murdering his friend, a preacher(!!??), with whom he has no quarrel, no motive and no evidence of the 'crime' was ever found.

He leaves his family, his putative fiance, his mother, his clothing, his property in short, -everything- and just disappears without a trace. Of course this means he's guilty of murder (even though everyone knows everyone's business and no body or evidence a crime was committed was ever found).

The whole plot annoyed the bejeebers out of me.

Little kid of the family declares that big brother is innocent, long and loudly. His reasoning? Because the rooster didn't crow from the time big brother disappeared until the family were sitting on the porch discussing the scoundrel... then the rooster crowed.

I don't understand either, unless it was a weird nod to the biblical Peter denying Jesus three times before the cock crowed.

Can't recommend this to anyone. I finished it and would rather have submitted to a root canal, hold the novocaine. At least it was free (kindle version).