When the coal miners of West Virginia attempt to unionize for better working conditions, the resulting conflict escalates close to the level of civil war – and a Lebanese-American doctor caught in between must choose where his allegiance lies.
I’ve read about the Battle of Blair Mountain and the West Virginia Mine Wars before, but only in vague detail in high school history courses. Now, of course, I know a lot more – indeed, feel as though I saw it with my own eyes.
Though we are plunged into the middle of the story without much warning, I found my footing easily and became invested in the diverse cast of characters – the strong-willed Doc Moo, miner’s revolt leader Frank and his grandmother Beulah, and historical figures like “Smilin'” Sid Hatfield (yes, those Hatfields) and Mother Jones, among plenty of others. The stakes are high, the conflict fierce, and not everyone will make it out alive.
And the writing! Brown’s turn of is really lovely, and this comes from someone who is quite content with workmanlike prose – even a week after finishing this book, I can call up to my mind pistols that are discharged ‘like the barking mouths of dogs,’ among plenty of others. Brown walks the fine line between poetic and purple easily, and did a wonderful job of evoking the places in which the coal miners lived and fought and died.
I did think the second half became a bit tough to follow at times as the pace escalates into breathless conflict, especially once the bombs start dropping. The ending is somewhat abrupt, coming to a swift halt in a still moment, but leaving things somewhat unresolved. Yes, the historical note tells us how things end, but after following the characters throughout the story I wish we’d got more of a glimpse of how that fallout affected them specifically.