Review: The Last Ballad

The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1929, the south was home to a growing movement of protest for workers' rights. Told from rotating perspectives as Wiley likes to do (including at least one character from forgotten history), the author tells the stories surrounding the Loray Mill in Gastonia, NC. I live in a former mill town in the south, also mentioned in the book, so this was of particular interest to me.

I've read several books by Wiley Cash at this point and have seen him speak a few times at conferences and the like. I see that this rotating perspectives approach works for him, but I'm hopeful that he will make an attempt to write a novel without it at some point. I'd really like to get to know one central character in a deeper way. Something about this rotating perspective makes me feel like I'm kept at arm's length from truly connecting as a reader.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The book came out in October 2017; I'm playing catch up!

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