The Jealous Kind

A Novel

De: James Lee Burke

Narrado por: Will Patton

New York Times bestselling author and “the reigning champ of nostalgia noir” (The New York Times Book Review) James Lee Burke returns with a powerful novel in the Holland Family series set in 1950s Texas, as the specter of the Korean War looms.

On its surface, life in 1950s Houston is as you’d expect: stoic fathers, restless teens, drive-in movies, and souped-up Cadillacs. But underneath that surface lies a world shifting under high school junior Aaron Holland Broussard’s feet. The underlying class war between the haves and have nots is growing steadily, along with the menace of conflict overseas in Korea, providing a harrowing backdrop to his growth to manhood. But when Aaron spots the beautiful Valerie Epstein at a drive-in, he steps in when he sees her fighting with her boyfriend, Grady Harrelson. Aaron’s newfound confidence helps catch Valerie’s eye, and the two begin dating. Grady is a live wire though, and presents a looming problem for Aaron.

You will recall the feelings and inspirational power of your first love, and empathize with Aaron’s extraordinary challenges to protect himself and the ones he loves in “this dark, atmospheric story” (Publishers Weekly). The Jealous Kind illustrates how first loves, friendship, violence, and power can alter what traditional America means for the people trying to find their way in a changing world.

A Deeper Darker Burke (Patton--You're Awesome!)

For us fans that have read every Burke/Patton collaboration, ratings don't hold all the weight. We know by this point in this prolific author's career that at his worst, Burke might obfuscate his story with extravagant prose and his poetic sensibility, sending the reader sailing blissfully into the atmosphere of the novel while Patton drawls in your ear that whisper-y voice like a meditation. At his best, he's immortal; Patton, hypnotic, even sensual. Burke makes me forget I wasn't born on the bayou in the 40's, and wish that I had a porte-cochère with a PeeCan tree next to the sleeping porch. I love stepping into wherever he's taking me -- as long as it's à trois -- me, Burke, and Patton.

From Burke's pen, family honor is almost genetic and time usually has an anachronistic hiccup -- the morals and traditions of one generation trying to keep their footing under the weight of a burgeoning next generation. The Jealous Kind seems to have one foot in American Graffiti, and the other in The Godfather. Set in 1952 Houston, the country was trying to re-define itself. Men had returned from wars and were raising children after missing much of their own youth. Subcultures blossomed in place of the collective war-effort patriotism, and the Mafia had spread from the east coast to the western states where they met some resistance from the Mexican crime gangs that already had a strong foothold on drug trafficking into the U.S. This backdrop is a far cry from Arnold's Drive-In for this tale of boyhood to manhood. High schoolers Richie, Potsie, and Ralph-Malph didn't worry much about the Mafia and Fonzi didn't carry guns or switchblades (unless you count his flip-out comb, which could be bought in any border town for a buck).

While any of Burke's novels can be picked up and read independent from each other, several are written in groupings, ie the Robicheaux novels, the Holland (Hackberry) novels. The Jealous Kind is loosely tied to the Holland/Hackberry novels, the 17 yr. old protagonist (Aaron Holland Broussard) is the grandson of Hackberry Holland (city marshal Texas Ranger that captured the infamous John Wesley Hardin). All of Burke's novels tend to fall into white hats vs. black hats with no shortage of violence in the defense of good triumphs over the evil doers. This is probably one of the darkest of Burke's novels, and much of that is due simply to the serious adult issues being carried by a 17 yr. old young man. Always aware of his proud and noble lineage, Aaron has a knack for sticking his nose in where he thinks there is unfair play. When he comes to the aid of beautiful damsel Valerie in distress at the drive-in, he tangles with the son of a mob boss and unleashes hell in Houston. He's out-manned and out-gunned, and very wet behind the ears for this kind of trouble. You can almost hear "When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way..." from West Side Story as Aaron battles the collection of unsavory characters that show up for their cut of the prize...a stolen car stuffed with drug money and gold bars.

The Texas town feels like the dumping ground for budding criminals with the left-over anti semitic Nazi sympathizers from the war, the Mexican drug runners, *pederasts,* Greasers, Italian hit men, mini-mob bosses, rodeo bull riding champions, cruisin' hot rods...and young lovers (cue "Maria...I just met a girl named Valerie.."). It's dark, deep and very entertaining. The characters are richly defined and fun, topped off by Patton's incredible (voice) portrayals. They seem oddly out of place in Houston, but that is half the value of the whole show, the naïve, half-cocked bravado from a high school boy and his crazy best friend. When the action gets deadly, Aaron turns to his father, a war hero and Holland descendant, for the right-vs-might kind of muscle needed to do the job.

Good reading, maybe great, but it's still a hard-sell; I've known a lot of 17/18 yr. old boys, raised a few myself, and you don't find the kind of thought process and zealousness it takes to go single-handedly into such a hornet's nest of professional killers--even for love. And Aaron's *spells* ? I couldn't buy it, but it didn't matter. Burke's world is inhabited by villains and heroes, and I love it when I get to visit. Wish he wrote faster.

*Let me explain *darker*...that should probably read *heavier,* with a lot of crass sexual content at the beginning, which is not routine Burke. I was a little put-off (which happens rarely). But, turns out it's just some *boy-talk* that gives way to a story. It's not the tone carried throughout the novel.

The magic combination of Burke and Patton

The Jealous Kind, a novel of over eleven hours, could just as easily have been a short story: the narrative takes place among divergent small groups of teenagers and adults over a few summer weeks in early 1950s Houston. Instead, James Lee Burke has graced us with this beautifully constructed and worded full-length work. Because Burke is one of my two favorite authors (the other, not coincidentally, being Larry McMurtry), I have to admit to bias, but all I can say is that this is not only Burke at his best, but novel-writing itself at its best. I frequently found myself repeating sentences and passages just to take pleasure in the wonderful prose.
On top of this, we also experience Will Paton at his best. He doesn't just read the characters' words, or even just acts them -- he _becomes_ the characters. After listening to many of his previous narrations, I thought he couldn't get any better, but he has, and sets the bar at a new high.

Burke's prose are literary jazz!

Burke's coming of age novel is hauntingly sad yet hypnotically captivating. The story describes a place and time I found interesting. Burke's language and description is unique and unusual. His command of emotional description is rare and detailed. The characters are wonderfully interesting.
A book I would commit to anyone who enjoys a great read.

Brutality Redeemed in Poetry

This supremely brilliant spellbinder marks a new high water mark for genius author James Lee Burke Jr. the book touches a new depth of depravity and a new mountain top of idealistic beauty. The characters cover this full spectrum, from the 17-year-old beauty who is goodness itself all the way down to the distorted trickster pal of the hero and the mentally impaired sadist villain. Oddly the villain is the indelibly memorable figure here, as profoundly rich as Shakespeare’s Richard III. This is especially true in the brilliant audio performance of this character. It will give me nightmares for a long time to come. Beautifully done, Mr. Burke.

unusual for JLB

I have read every JLB novel. This is the first one that dragged on without much depth to the story.