Jerkwater

Jerkwater by Jamie Zerndt is the a standalone contemporary novel, told in a multiple POV.
Meet Shawna, a young native woman; Kay O'Brian her 64 year old neighbor who's still grieving the death of her husband, looking for numbness in a glass and her son Douglas, who was persuaded more or lee to manage the family's business while dealing with his own demons.
Jerwater is told in a third POV and first I had getting used to this rare POV. To be honest it took me some time to get into the story, I prefer a first POV.
But once a few chapters in I was all into the story. The storyline is great and I liked the characters and the writing. 4 Stars.

Years ago I read Zerndt’s Cloud Seeders and enjoyed it quite a lot. Enough to remember the author’s admittedly memorable name, certainly. So when his latest book popped up on Netgalley I requested it without a second thought and ended up enjoying that one also. Guess that makes me a fan. Zerndt’s fiction seems to have that certain kind of quiet beauty. You know, the slice of life stories driven much more by characters than action. In fact, there does have to be that much of a plot to it, really, when it’s done well. And this was definitely done well. A story of a small Wisconsin town with a significant Native American population and the racial tensions escalating nominally over fishing rights, but really, of course, it’s the same old us and them politics, tale as old as time. Racial politics being what they are obviously makes this a very timely story, albeit one presented on a micro scale. Told through three alternating perspectives through three equally compelling characters, it’s a lovely story that engages almost immediately and maintains that engagement throughout. Fans of more action driven plots might be left wanting, but if you’re in a mood for quietly charming, character driven story…this’ll certainly do the trick. I really enjoyed spending time with Zerndt’s protagonists, even if the ending seemed almost too, I don’t know, conveniently cozy. This was just a very nice book in the best least condescending meaning of the word. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

"Fishing rights was just something they could cover their hate up with."

Kay and her son, Douglas, have lived next to Shawna, a member of the Ojibwa tribe, and time has not soften relations between certain elements in the town and the native Americans who came first to this land. All three main characters are carrying a great deal of grief and guilt, but also hope, and Kay is harboring the secret of a diagnosis of dementia. I loved these characters, but felt the execution was one-sided, and that there were only degrees of black and white and no shadings of gray. Some shocking things occur, but some of the transitions are vague. I believe Jamime Zerndt has a future great novel in him.

Jamie Zerndt is a bright new voice in storytelling. This book is a fine example of narrative and, most notably, of character.

Jerkwater is both enjoyable and reflective. It does what good literature should do, and Zerndt plays these notes well.