By Leigh DeLozier (@cleanfictionre2 and @lbdelozier)
Smoking Flax by Jennifer Hallmark layers life in the Deep South during the 1970s with issues of that day, a teenager determined to be better than his father — and the space-time continuum.
Who is he — really?
Almost-19-year-old Reed Anderson wants to belong in a world where he hasn’t always fit. Three days after graduation, he decides to ride a bus back to Louisiana and deal with the events of his thirteenth summer once and for all. Back then, he’d stood up to his abusive Pa, protecting Momma and his sister, taking control of his life. But who was the faded image of the child he saw that day? Aunt Lula predicted his life would shift and change. Something about space-time-continuum and the fourth dimension? He tucks her words into his heart. If he survives the shift, this could be his chance to start over. But the ghost child haunts his dreams. Even though six years have passed, does he want to confront the lies he’s always believed?
My review of Smoking Flax:
The 1970s were full of societal issues that people across the U.S. grappled with, but some of those issues — such as racial discrimination — were even more pronounced in the Deep South. As if that wasn’t enough to create an interesting story background, Jennifer Hallmark adds another element to Smoking Flax: a bit of science fiction/fantasy related to the space-time continuum.
Reed is facing things common to many teenage boys (such as his first crush), but he’s also dealing with much more: a past with an abusive father, discrimination because of his Greek heritage, learning what it means to care for and protect the ones you love. He’s determined to build a fresh start, but pieces of his past keep getting in the way.
One of those pieces is the sight of a ghost child that seems to have followed Reed from his Louisiana hometown to his new life in Alabama. And cryptic messages from his Aunt Lula only confuse Reed more.
The story has a wide range of characters, from well-meaning relatives and a spiritual model to a bully, a lonely boy, and an eccentric aunt. Each one adds to the plot and helps teach Reed something.
Heavy topics such as abuse and discrimination are integral to the story. Hallmark handles them well, keeping things realistic within that era but writing in a way that I think wouldn’t be triggering for most readers.
Faith elements in Smoking Flax:
Spiritual themes and Christianity are sprinkled throughout the book. Some characters are strong in their faith and aren’t shy about expressing it. Others, like Reed, want to learn and do what’s right but struggle along the way. Still others don’t care at all about God and faith. In other words, the faith perspectives of the characters in Smoking Flax are very much like the people we encounter every day in real life.
Who should read Smoking Flax:
Smoking Flax is categorized as young adult fiction. I see it fitting there, but toward the younger end of the genre. Most of the story takes place when Reed is about 13, which is why I think it would have greater appeal for readers around that age or even slightly younger. Many of the coming-of-age issues Reed grapples with will resonate with that age group because they’re dealing with the same things themselves. The mix of science fiction with reality will be another draw for young adult readers.
Book details: Smoking Flax
Visit author Jennifer Hallmark’s website.
Genre: Young adult fantasy/science fiction
Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.
Publish date: January 2024
Smoking Flax by @JenniferHallmark layers life in the Deep South during the 1970s with issues of that day, a teenager determined to be better than his father — and the space-time continuum. #cleanfiction #bookreview
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