Some thoughts on Jesmyn's Ward's narration

Jesmyn Ward's novel Sing, Unburied, Sing, settles more into the somewhat conventional mode of "road story" as it moves through the first 5 chapters, as it becomes clear that the 10 chapters will alternate between two narrators, the young boy JoJo, who shoulders much of the responsibility for caring for his younger sister (Michaela or Kayla) and his irresponsible and drug-addled mother, as they head north through Mississippi to pick father/husband, Michael, on his release from prison. The journey to the prison includes a harrowing stop at a backwoods compound of a meth dealer - not exactly clear why they make this risky purchase, especially heading to a prison w/ all the risk that entails, but perhaps it's to pay the fee for Michael's lawyer, whom they meet w/ in chapter 5. The magic realism seems somewhat toned down by the midpoint of the book, except that JoJo's mother has an affinity for natural healing and herbs, although w/out the real touch that her mother brought to herbalism. Most of all, though, Ward's writing holds up its power through the first half of the novel, both in re her attention to detail and in her ability to weave various narrative strands together so that the narrative is rich and complex but still easy to follow, almost seamless. For ex., JoJo's grandfather (Pop) tells the story of his own stay in prison and his relationship to a much younger and more vulnerable inmate, Richie; he starts the story at one point but gets distracted or interrupted, and the story resumes later in the narrative - it's like a running commentary on the forthcoming visit to the prison. As noted yesterday, the characters are vivid and we feel sorry for them, in their struggles against poverty, racism, addiction, and prejudice - but they're no angels, either: the mistreatment of the youngest child, Kayla, who becomes pretty seriously ill during the journey to the prison, disgraceful and you have to wonder about any family that would expose their children so openly to the purchase, use, and sale of drugs - especially travelling for from home, en route to a prison no less. This double capacity - building both contempt and sympathy for the characters - is a rare accomplishment in narrative.