Tournament of Books: The Good Lord Bird v. The Tuner of Silences

I'm playing along with the Tournament of Books! 

Today's book match:

The Good Lord Bird v. The Tuner of Silences

vs.

This is difficult to call.  Okay, okay, I never even cracked the cover of The Good Lord Bird.  I just have no interest in the subject material.  I know I should give it a chance, after all baseball didn't ruin The Brothers K for me, but I never found the motivation.

The Tuner of Silences, on the other hand, was awful. Probably the worst book I've finished in years. I should have given myself permission to abandon it, but it wasn't very long.  The author was obsessed with the father-donkey relationship, the world is confusing, and I found it to be pretty misogynist. 

The Good Lord Bird won the National Book Award.  People must like it! I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and let it win this round without having read a single word.  Spoiler alert: it won't win the next.

Winner, by default and lack of interest: The Good Lord Bird

If you think I should read it, tell me why in the comments.  I'm willing to be proven wrong.

ETA: The official judge did not convince me I should read either book, but she did have to pick a winner at the Tournament of Books site.