Set in the home state of my parents and other ancestors, this book held a special appeal for me. Kentucky culture is quite starkly divided between the eastern and western parts of the state, and Country Dark is set firmly in eastern Kentucky. People are fiercely independent and loyal to their own. When life deals them hardship, they are likely to deal with it on their own, and definitely don't trust "the state" to help them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it a quick and satisfying read. ( )

Set in the backwoods of Kentucky, 1954 - 1971, Tucker has returned from the Korean War. He meets his future wife in difficult circumstances, and they settle into a country cabin and start a family. He gets a job running moonshine for the local bootlegger. He makes a critical decision, which he hopes will help improve his family’s manner of living. This decision generates severe unintended repercussions.

I very much enjoyed the way the author establishes a sense of place. He conveys mood effectively: “Tucker had missed the sheer expanse of sky at night, the tiny cluster of seven sisters, Orion’s sword, and the drinking gourd that aimed north. The moon was a gibbous, barely there, as if chewed away. The sky stretched black in every direction. Clouds blocked the stars, lending an unfathomable depth to the air. The tree line was gone and hilltops blended with the black tapestry of night. It was country dark. He closed his eyes, feeling safe.”

Offutt has created a wonderfully complex character in Tucker. He is fiercely protective of his family and wants to improve their living conditions. His interactions with his children portray his kindness, while his dealings with those that try to harm his family bring out his violent side. There is an epilogue, which I could have done without, but will please those who want to know what happens to the characters.

It will appeal to fans of Southern Gothic and those that enjoy character studies with a darker edge. Offutt is obviously a skilled writer. I need to investigate his back catalogue.
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I somewhat have mixed feelings about this book. It was well-written and informative, about people and places few of us have ever been exposed to. In fact, I'd probably be pretty safe in saying most of us would avoid people and places like this. They are the very definition of dirt poor and ignorant - although I'm using that word to mean uneducated, naive in the ways of the modern world, etc. but not necessarily stupid (although a lot of them are pretty dumb).

The main character, Tucker, is not really a very likable person in many ways, but in the context of his life and culture, he does stand out as a decent, upright man. He's a killer, but not indiscriminately. He kills to protect himself and his family because he doesn't know any other way. Not much comfort to the people he kills, of course, but perhaps they are at least somewhat to blame. When not protecting himself or his family, he would not harm any living thing, it seems. When his son was getting bit by hornets nearby, he moved the nest away from his house rather than kill them.

I do wish there had been some explanation for why so many of his kids were "not right". There was no reason given, most reasons were eliminated, and it was admittedly very unusual. Perhaps it was something simple like nutrition or prenatal care, but we never find out.

Anyway, it was an interesting read, and I'd recommend it as a change of pace for most people.
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Excellent gritty, lyrical story of the hills. ( )

A southern noir gem. The writing is laconic, indelible, and beautiful. It is a story about devotion and honor in the hills and hollers of Kentucky that transcends law and religion. It displays unique blend of lyricism and southern grit. I think it would work well as a film. ( )