Giveaway - The Lower Quarter - Elise Blackwell

“Blackwell has created a vibrant amalgamation of mystery, classic noir, erotica . . . . An artful, gritty love story, eulogy, and survivor narrative for the city of New Orleans post-Katrina.” Kirkus (Starred review)

Did that quick review of Elise Blackwell's just released novel, The Lower Quarter, grab your interest?

Here's more from the publisher, Unbridled Books:

"As residents begin to return to New Orleans after Katrina, the discovery of a mysterious body reopens the investigation into a long-missing European painting, leading four lives to intersect and be forever altered.

In her studio in the Lower Quarter, Johanna restores paintings by aspiring artists and even those rare, valuable pieces by the famous. The work restores her, too. She needs to believe in reinvention, having escaped the brutal world of sex trafficking, from which she was saved by Clay Fontenot, a disreputable, massively wealthy young man from an old New Orleans family. Marion bartends to pay the bills. If times are rough, she hires herself out as a dominatrix, which introduces her to Clay. She’s had disappointments in her young life, and loss, so she doesn’t let herself think much about her situation. But she does think about her love of painting, about possible futures.

Elizam, an art thief, is out of prison on a fancy work release program. His employer asks him to find a missing painting that they believe is in New Orleans. In this hot, fragile, broken city, he sets out to return a painting because he must. No way is he going back to jail. And so begins The Lower Quarter, a page-turner about crime, art, violence, and renewal—of a city, of hearts, of paintings, of hope."

"The Lower Quarter is a beautifully written book. Elise Blackwell’s work has always been intelligent, nuanced, and finely wrought, but The Lower Quarter is her best novel yet: a mesmerizing story of art, resilience, and life after catastrophe." — Emily St. John Mandel

"Elise Blackwell is the author of five novels: Hunger, The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish, Grub, An Unfinished Score, and The Lower Quarter. Her work has been translated into several languages, and her books have been named to numerous best-of-the-year lists, adapted for the stage, and served as the inspiration for a Decemberists’ song. Originally from southern Louisiana, Elise has lived in assorted far-flung places and currently resides in South Carolina with her husband, the novelist David Bajo, and their daughter, Esme. New Orleans remains her favorite city in the world." You can connect with Elise Blackwell on Twitter as well as on Facebook.

If your interest is piqued, I have a copy of The Lower Quarter to giveaway, courtesy of Unbridled Books. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Oct. 10/15. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

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Freeman Walker - David Allan Cates

"When I was a boy I had little interest in freedom, but my father did, so when I was seven years old he freed me, and I was sent across the sea with a change of clothing in a little black maw and a rolled-up copy of the Declaration of Independence that I could not read".

I was hooked by this opening line in David Allan Cate's third novel from Unbridled Books.

Jimmy Gates is sent to England for an education and to escape the racial constraints of the States. However when his father dies, he is sent to the workhouse. He passes some years in the company of thieves and prostitutes. He listens to the speeches of an Irish revolutionary named O'Keefe and dreams of returning to the States as a warrior himself, to find and rescue his mother.

The young Jimmy Gates is an innocent, completely unaware of slavery and what the colour of his skin means to some. He is a gentle, thoughtful boy. As he grows into a young man, his personality changes and he displays a violent, calculating, angry demeanour. At this point I didn't like him very much.

Upon his arrival back in the States, he is surprised to find himself held in such low regard, even though he is a free man. Violence, anger and intolerance is visited upon him. He ends up 'enlisted' in the Civil War, still hoping to find his mother.

He crosses paths with the Irishman O'Keefe again. Their futures seem to be inextricably intertwined. Jimmy Gates renames himself Freeman Walker.

I had expected this novel to be more historical in tone. Although it certainly uses historical events and attitudes, they are simply the vehicle. It is the characters and their dreams, ideas and passions that drive the novel. Freeman Walker is a memorable protagonist, discovering the harsh price paid for freedom.

However, I found my interest waning in the latter part of the novel. An element of magic, faeires and ghost armies is introduced which I felt detracted from what I had already read. I was looking for more about the search for his mother. This is reduced to almost a footnote at the end of a chapter.

The ending is satisfying though.

"Yet out here there was nobody left to see me, nobody left to name me but me."