Book Review: Wakulla Springs by Andy Duncan, Ellen Klages (five stars)
“Do you believe everything your Mama tells you?” “Not by half. But she did raise me to have respect for the traditions other folks hold store in.”
Outstanding mix of history, art, consciousness, and a touch of fantasy. Florida’s massive freshwater springs and the adjacent tourist lodge serve as the backdrop for a series of related stories about residents. Hollywood, invasive species, and human rights contribute to the mix.
“The thin cotton of her dress sticking to her back, damp as if she was laundering it from the inside out.” “so hot and heavy with pride that he might have burned through the boards and dropped into the river hissing and steaming.” “Wasn’t really a whisper, more like a breath with a thought inside it.”
Duncan voices sparkling turns of phrase to describe the setting and people. Dialects are emphasized for a reason.
‘“Sorry, suh. I didn’ mean nothin’ by it.” Daniel had gone to the A&M for two years … but he could sure talk field-hand mushmouth when he had to.’
As a Matter of Fancy 