The Cutting Season: A Novel

"For a lot of people .... it's complicated," says Caren Grey, a Southern African-American woman who manages the sugar plantation in Louisiana where her ancestors were slaves and then free laborers. For years, the place has been a living-history museum, complete with slave quarters and school tours and Gone-with-the-Wind weddings.

The fields are still worked, mostly by Latinos (some illegal) employed by a giant agribusiness, and one of these laborers has been murdered in the sugarcane. There are family problems, racial realities, and political shenanigans (all with historical context) that Caren must deal with in trying to figure out the layers of this mystery in the present and another death (parallel in several ways) that emerges from the distant past.

The suspense is palpable -- sometimes even spooky -- as is the sense of geographical and historical atmosphere. The characters live and breathe, and I cared greatly about their outcomes. Despite a somewhat improbable ending to this puzzle, I think Locke is a very promising young author, and I look forward to more from her. The narrator is just perfect for this listen.

I found "The Cutting Season" to be an entertaining and often moving look into the main character's (and all of our) very complicated relationship with America's past and present and the changes which inevitably come.

If you enjoyed The Help you will have to read this. Caren Gray, an African American woman along with her daughter (Morgan) returns to Caren's home of her youth, Belle Vie. Belle Vie is antebellum Louisiana plantation preserved as both historical location — even down to its slave cabins — and high-end banquet site
Caren returns to her childhood home (where her mother was a cook) and childhood friends (the heirs to Belle Vie) as the banquet manager. She is surrounded with her family legacy where her ancestors were slaves.
When the body of a young woman is found on the edge of Belle Vie property mysteries of the past and present collide.
While being concern for her and Morgan's safety on 18 acres of isolated land, Caren must face her personal issues (baby daddy, first boy crush and, what to do with her life), solve a murder from the past and present.

Attica Locke’s “The Cutting Season” is one of those rare books which enfolds the reader into the everyday life of Belle Vie Plantation. The protagonist was a hardworking single mother whose ancestral roots traced back several generations on Belle Vie. The author weaves an intricate story line, revealing a familial mystery spanning several generations. Though it seems that previous relatives possessed clues, it took the intelligence, curiosity, and bravery of Caryn Gray to solve the puzzle. Locke’s style cajoles even the most reluctant reader into understanding and appreciating her modern-day life at Belle Vie Plantation. This is a story of connections among diverse individuals to a shared past. It is also a story illustrating the importance of knowing when it’s time to move on leaving the past behind. Caryn Gray aptly demonstrates the key to overcoming trauma – acknowledging personal mistakes , picking up what’s left, and moving on. The protagonist earned our confidence and respect, which assures us that wherever she ends up, she will succeed. The narrator, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, instilled a New Orleans flavor and was largely responsible for making this reader feel at home.

This is probably a reasonably good book. Unfortunately, the audio version was made difficult to listen to because of the quirks of the narrator. Couldn't wait to finish -- actually I did finish only because I'm so cheap. I spent the credit on this thing, I thought I should listen to the end -- which means, of course, I paid for it twice. Once in cash, the second time in wasted time.

This is one of those that when you start to notice the puffing, the strange phrasing and way-too-dramatic cadence the narrator employed, it's all you can focus on. Parts of the book grabbed me, and I listened intently for short periods, but then once the literary crisis was over, my mind reverted to concentrating on the weird narration again.

It could be that the producers wanted this kind of narration -- that's possible. Quincy Tyler Bernstine uses the cant of the professional storyteller, you know, the elderly crone who sits by the fireside and spins ethnic tales of old, folklore, using a sing-song cadence. That kind of narration might work if it comes in eight minute segments, when you're sitting on the library floor with all the other nice little boys and girls. But to listen to it for over 12 hours is painful, not to mention seriously annoying.

Very disappointing. I thought the blurb about the book sounded interesting. Maybe it was, in the printed version. But now I know to stay away from this narrator in the future.

Quincy Tyler Bernstine's voice is a little too squeaky for me. It took me awhile to get used to it enough that I didn't want to constantly turn the book off.

I got this book because I heard an interview with the author on NPR. I love it when you can get the background story of a book straight from the author. Attica Locke explained how she was addressing the issue of a successful black woman moving up to the big house and the guilt that comes with her success.

The story was a bit contrived, but well told. I rolled my eyes a couple of times, but never lost interest.

3.75 stars. I really liked this book. I think the author did a good job intertwining the slave/plantation history without making the book solely about that. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I didn't want to stop. I also liked that she steered clear of some overused story lines . I'd definitely read another by this author.

The summary of the book sounded good so I thought I would give this book a try. Honestly, I think the summary sounded more appealing than the story proved to be. There wasn't a whole lot of depth in the characters. I spent most of the time waiting for the climax and when that finally arrived...flat. That's the best word I can use to describe it. The mother/daughter bond didn't seem particularly strong. She tries to help one of her employees and although we know this person is important, I don't know if he was important to her, the historical property she takes care of or simply someone to save. Either way, I felt like I wasn't able to care about these people since the author doesn't give you enough to care about them.
And again, the climax was rather confusing. She has no phone, we assume she needs some help and when she was able to get to a phone, she starts talking about information! (I don't want to give away too much.) She doesn't say call 911, she doesn't say she is worried about her daughter and her ex-husband or boyfriend, I can't recall.

And unfortunately, the end of the book was frustrating! You think its going to go one way, you assume, hope it's going to go one way and yet again, this falls flat.

I'm aggravated with the author and the book. It was a true disappointment. I know everyone sees things differently and I'm sure there are others who will love the book. This is just my opinion which in the overall scheme of things, probably doesn't matter very much at all.

It failed my test for novels, especially murder mysteries, namely that it keep me curious and the characters have to seem real enough that I care what happens to them. Also the reviews kept talking about atmosphere--well the author kept talking about atmosphere too but Rebecca this is not.

There was never much question about the story-- you knew who did it and why and the big political behind-the-scenes stuff was right out in full view and the only real mystery was why the main character was so excited about her child's father's wedding to someone else. Maybe it was explained and I missed it. My mind wandered a lot.

The most annoying thing was the reader. Not always, but often she made this little gasp just before starting a sentence. You'd think the sound engineer could have caught it. It's the kind of thing that really grates on the nerves after about the 40th pre-sentence gasp.

This was pretty expensive. I was disappointed.

Complex plot and characters. Part mystery part social commentary on race relations in the American south. Tight story (until the very end when it stretches the imagination). Excellent narrator.

Authenic, gripping, well performed.

The story begins a little slow, but the listener is well rewarded for sticking with the story. One of the best audio books that I have listened to this year.