Ash Wednesday–A Novel

Ash Wednesday, J. R. Mabry (Apocryphile, Hannacroix, NY, 2022).

Grief is a rare topic in a work of fiction. This probably shouldn’t be a surprise. Grief is an uncomfortable topic in general conversation. It is a difficult emotion for us to face as individuals and as communities. When confronted with grief, it is common for us to ignore, avoid, or repress the emotion. Our unwillingness or inability to address grief wreaks havoc in our lives—emotionally, physically, and mentally.

Mabry is aware of our struggles with grief, especially those of us who are living in the United States. His book, Ash Wednesday, takes place in a small California town named Karlstadt. In his book, Marbry describes how this community and people of the community face their grief. In doing so, Mabry exposes grief—he lays it bare. Readers can see how the members of Karlstadt effectively and ineffectively deal with their grief. They can identify with the characters and relate to their struggles.

Ash Wednesday, is not a primer on grief, nor a how to manual. It offers the reader a rich panorama of life and death, gallantry and pettiness, inclusion and rejection, along with hope and despair. One thing I really like about this book is its kaleidoscope of characters. There are Native Americans, Blacks, Asians, Whites and even a stereotypical Swedish American couple. Some characters are gay, or transgender, while the majority are straight. There are progressives and conservatives, and even a white hate group. Religious beliefs run from mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic, to Native American spirituality, to the occult. All faith expressions are treated with respect. The characters are wrapped up in a strong story line with enough plot twists to keep any reader turning the pages.

I enjoyed reading Ash Wednesday. But the book was more than a fun read. I found myself pausing frequently while reading to give thought to several of the lessons the characters were learning. When I came to the end and put the book down, I found myself reflecting on the topic of grief, in my life. I was able see it in the new light cast by the book. I think you might find this a good summer read to include in your reading list.

I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.