Home to Holly Springs: The First of the Father Tim Novels by Jan Karon
Karon in this novel takes Father Tim on a journey to his hometown of Holly Springs, Mississippi. A host of fascinating encounters with people along the way ensure that the trip is colorful, though as Father Tim arrives in response to a mysterious summons, he may discover that home is where the heart is but also where secrets are hidden.
Hm - "the First of ... " this is kind of weird. I mean, this is just another Fr. Tim novel, isn't it? Weren't all the Mitford novels "Father Tim" novels, too?
Eh - no matter. This is a change - I'd say an improvement - in that the story seems far deeper, and darker, than previous entries. It occured to me that all the previous ones - if they'd been graphic novels, might have just seemed misplaced Mary Worth comic strips. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy all those other ones - but they had a 2 dimensional quality to them.
This story is interesting in the style, with an interleaved quality going back and forth between Fr. Tim's memories and the present. It will be interesting to see if she can continue the stories she's begun here (and if she has any more improbable coincidences to reveal).
