"One thing needs clearing up right off: Reverend King was not the father. That was a rumor started by crazy people and repeated by heathens. Reverend King had nothing to do with it. I only met the man once, and it wasn't that kind of meeting."
I bet the opening sentences of Mia McKenzie's These Heathens piqued your interest. They were what kept me from returning the book unread to the Orono Public Library. Adult historical fiction is one of the genres I tend to avoid like COVID. But those lines lured me into finishing the first paragraph and moving to the second which hooked me on the narrative.
Doris, McKenzie's protagonist, after sixty years of silence, is going to deny the rumors and tell the truth about that long ago summer when she was seventeen and one unforgettable weekend changed the entire course of her life.
She was not in a good place that summer. She'd had to drop out of school when she was only fifteen. Her mother was seriously sick. She was needed at home to tend to the family: her parents and younger brothers. One day she realizes that she's pregnant.
"I thought about God's will. I thought about my own. And I decided. I have to get rid of it."
It's not going to be easy for her to terminate her pregnancy. Not only is abortion illegal, but her fundamentalist family, best friend, and small town town consider it to be a cardinal sin.
In desperation she turns to her favorite high school teacher (Mrs. Lucas) who comes up with a solution. An old friend of hers (Mrs. Roussard) who lives in a wealthy Atlanta suburb knows a Black doctor who performs abortions and is willing to bankroll the procedure. They are to come up early and spend the weekend at her house. Doris has to agree to not tell anyone what they're up to. That's fine with her. She most definitely doesn't want her parents or her best friend finding out.
In Atlanta Doris is like Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) when she realizes she's not in Kansas any more. She's chosen an abortion because of all things she doesn't want: being tied down by yet another needy human being and being restricted to being a wife and mother--the only roles available to girls in her rural town. But she has no idea what she wants for herself. She knows what she's running from but not what she's running towards...
...and she finally has a chance to find out.
What I like best about These Heathens is the uniqueness and authenticity of Doris's voice and how it combines with selected places and events to totally engage the resder. Adult historical fiction affecianados will really enjoy it. Heck, even a non fan of the genre can fall under its spell.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a really great morning. My sister-in-law, Cheryl, had given me a Books A Million gift card. Eugene gave me a ride over. I really needed a planner. I found an awesome one featuring cats, of course. It was half price so I could also get a book I haven't read by one of my favorite YA authors. Next we went to Walmart where Eugene got food and a pair of Hello Kitty pajamas. Finally we went to Goodwill without my even asking. I got onesie pajamas and a grab bag with two tagged happy meal Squishmallows, a cat and a dog, and some other stuff. Eugene paid for them.
A great big shout out goes out to Cheryl for giving me the gift card and Eugene for being so generous and the love of my life.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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