The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains
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Wow. I didn't see that coming.
While I found The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains a solid story throughout, it wasn't until the ending that I realized what a terrific novel this really is. At first it was difficult to get into the swing of the dialogue. Murfree opted to use the vernacular language of the mountain residents; however, once I got into the rhythm of the speech, it was obvious that there was no other way that she could have told an authentic story.
The book is set amidst the detailed and beautiful descriptions of the Great Smokies, and the mountains serve as a silent character, watching all that happens on her soil. The story centers around the Cayce family and Parson Kelsey who get entangled in the politics that surround the hunt for a fugitive. What is justice? Who has the authority to take justice into his or her hands? The Cayce's live by the unwritten law of the mountains while Parson Kelsey - called "the prophet" for his sudden flashes about the future - believes in a higher authority. Or at least that is what he portrays to the outside world. Inwardly, he is tortured by his past and wonders how he can ever redeem himself.
The narrative winds through twists and turns, some you see coming, others that come to you out of nowhere. And that's what makes this novel so darn good. When I finished the book, I sat breathless for a few moments. Justice, indeed.
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Excellent review! I feel like reading this now. Sometimes you need someone to tell you, "It's going to get really good at a certain point," to urge you on in your reading. That helped me recently with Villette.