Daniel Woodrell outdoes himself in this tale of a sadder-than-hell dysfunctional Missouri Ozark family. Thirteen year-old Shug, or Sweet Mister, lives with his flirtatious, alcoholic mother, Glenda, and her long-time boyfriend Red. They live in the caretaker's house on the local cemetery grounds, in exchange for Shug's minimal labor. All there other needs depend on Red's mood, and his willingness to part with some of his ill-gotten cash.
Red might be Shug's father, but both of them hope that is not the case. Red hates everything about Shug, and abuses him and his mother. He's a psychopath, a drug abuser and a constant petty criminal. There is still hope for Glenda and Shug as the story opens, but it all fades as the story continues. By the end, jeez, you find yourself hoping for the ending you had dreaded a chapter or two earlier. Woodrell is a masterful storyteller with lovingly drawn characters and a relentless and unflinching style.
Nicholas Tecosky does an excellent job of narrating the audio.
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