What we thought: Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson

Afternoon Readers Book Club

May 2016

Between, Georgia

Joshilyn Jackson

The discussion began with the author’s name. Was it pronounced Josh Lynn or Jocelyn? This led to a further discussion of alternative spellings of children’s names, Michelle with one l, Jaime pronounced with a Spanish inflection, and other unusual names which have become more common these days. The discussion went on about raising children and family dynamics resulting from conflicts between biological and adoptive parents. Between, Georgia was an extreme example of children caught in the middle of feuding families and alternative lifestyles. Readers decided that characters were very well drawn and situations realistic in their portrayal, especially about loving relationships and acceptance in the community of adults with disabilities.

Readers were very concerned about one of the most sympathetic characters in the book, Fisher and what might have happened to her in the end. There was an unexpected catastrophe and she may have been caught up in it. Some said that they wanted to stop reading before they found out what they were certain was going to happen. They did finish and were able to talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The discussion ended with book recommendations. Readers were enthusiastic about what they read and how Jackson’s book made them think of favorite southern fiction titles. High on the list was Fannie Flagg’s The All Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion and Baby Girl. Other choices were Necessary Lies and The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain, The One –in- a- Million Boy by Monica Wood, The Deep End of the Ocean and A Theory of Relativity by Jacqueline Mitchard, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Joshilyn Jackson’s Gods in Alabama was recommended by some who had already read it and encouraged the rest of the group to read it as well.

“Recommends it for any lover of southern lit. Talk about a book full of quirky characters! Reading Between, Georgia made we want to hop in my car and travel down to Georgia in search of this little town and it’s cast of characters so I could slap a few of them and hug a few of them. I’d especially like to hug that moody and adorable little Fisher. There were a couple little shockers in the book, but I have to say the ending was worth it.”

     A blogger.

Have you read Between, Georgia?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in comments.