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Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
"The Death of Sweet Mister" by Daniel Woodrell is a well-written, entertaining but gloomy book. In it we meet Shug Akins, a thirteen year old overweight young man. He and his mother, Glenda, live rent free in a mobile home for taking care of the cemetery next door. When not in jail, Red lives with them. He is a brutal, abusive man who hates Shug. Red forces Shug to break into the homes of dying people and steal their pain killers. Glenda is an attractive young woman; she dresses in provocative clothing. Glenda is the only one who has ever loved Shug. Jimmy Vin Pearce arrives in town driving a green T-bird; soon he and Glenda are having a sizzling affair.
I was quickly drawn into Shug’s life. The poor boy is blatantly abused, emotionally, mentally and physically, by Red. In a more elusive manner he is abused by his mother. Shug is at that special age where he isn’t a man and yet he isn’t a child. His mother dresses provocatively in front of him and doesn’t even try to hide her sexual exploitations from him. She gives him alcohol and allows him to drive her car. Although she knows Red hates the boy she allows the abusive man to take Shug “fishing.” This tale is cruel and bleak. Author Daniel Woodrell is a genius. I have never read a book that brought out such passionate anger in me. There is no happy ending to this story and yet it is a compelling read. This is a review of the audio version. The reader is Dennis LeHane. His voice is filled with passion in just the right places. This is a must read book.
