Reunion
James Kennedy George Jr.
BlueInk
AuthorHouse, 301 pages, (paperback) $19.95, 978-1-4685-2968-5
(Reviewed: June, 2012)
The novel Reunion mostly details the experiences of a teenage boy growing up in
Princeton, West Virginia, in the late 1950s. It’s largely an autobiographical tale, with
narrator Jimmy Jackson acting as proxy for the author. The story highlights Jimmy’s
high school experiences, which include assisting a rock ‘n roll band, working as a
manager for the football team, engaging his interests in radio, and dating. The book also
explores more dramatic elements, particularly segregation in Princeton and Jimmy’s
alcoholic father.
Reunion has a number of strong points. The author weaves in rich detail about life in
Princeton, just enough to put the reader there without slowing down the story.
Characters and dialogue ring true throughout, and George convincingly mines suspense
from a drag racing incident and pathos from Jimmy’s relationship with his father.
These sorts of issues illustrate the need to employ dramatic license in a novel. While
the events of Reunion clearly reflect the author’s real-life experiences, just because
something happened doesn’t mean it needs to be in the story—especially if it doesn’t
play an important role in crafting a satisfying and complete narrative arc. George does
have talent, and one hopes he’ll let his creative juices flow on a future novel.
Also available in hardcover and eBook.
