The Poison Flood by Jordon Farmer is a 2020 G.P. Putnam’s Son’s publication.

Disjointed, by very innovative…

The premise of this book intrigued me because I thought the story would primarily focus on environmental issues.

However, the plot is mostly centered around Hollis Bragg, a musician whose ghostwritten songs have provided his childhood friend, Angela, with a successful and lucrative music career.

Hollis, however, is isolated, living off the beaten path in West Virginia. His hunchback is a source of great physical pain and mental anguish at times, and is a major factor in his decision to stay in the background and avoid taking credit for his music.

But, when a combination of events take place, almost simultaneously, one being a massive chemical spill, and the other being recognized by a fan, which leads to even further complications, Hollis’ quiet life is suddenly upended.

Despite the stress of the upheaval, which forces Hollis out of his protective bubble, he finally receives long overdue liberation and confidence.

The story is offbeat, original, and truly shines in some ways, but is often uneven and fails to connect the various themes in a solid cohesive manner.

Still, at the end of the day, Hollis’ journey is a wonder to behold. He battles demons from his past, copes with romantic entanglements, and dubious characters out to use his talent to their advantage.

As Hollis takes stock of his life, he steps outside of his comfort zone and learns to take up for himself and forge his own little place in the world with a stronger sense of self worth.

This is a quick read, somewhat erratic and unstable with all the subplots and eccentric characters, but despite some rough edges it works for the most part. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it was a rewarding read, overall.

3.5 stars ( )

Hollis Bragg, a severely hunchbacked musician and composer, lives a secluded life in a cabin in rural West Virginia. His fire-and-brimstone preacher father is dead, and his mother was long gone early in his childhood. He makes a meager living supplying new songs to a well-known band whose lead singer grew up near him and who was briefly his girlfriend. Hollis's composition of the band's songs has long been hidden from the public, who believes the lead singer writes them, but he's ready to end the arrangement and concentrate on the music he hears now, a new type for him that doesn't fit into the band's repertoire.

As the story opens, several events which will spur a major change in Holls's future occur within days of each other. He's approached by Russell Watson, a wealthy young local who realizes who Hollis is and wants to get him writing for his own band, one of those groups that dress like zombies and scream and shout their anger. He offers to buy one of Hollis's collectible guitars and the new music he's writing. His sidekick is a rabble-rouser who's trying to get the locals interested in fighting the powers that be over the pollution caused, primarily, by a plant owned by Russell's family. Russell is all in, except he doesn't realize the sacrifices that will be demanded by his friend. Then there's a breach in a chemical holding tank at the Watson facility and it poisons the local river and aquifer, giving immediacy to the protests. Meanwhile, a woman who claims to be writing a photo book on malformed bodies approaches Hollis, although she doesn't tell him who hired her and it makes a huge difference. Hollis's backstory is interspersed throughout the book so we get a clear idea of how he feels about his body and the monstrous father who "raised" him but wouldn't let him enter the church because of his deformed back. We also see how Hollis relates to his music and how his new song cycle is forming day-to-day.

I couldn't put the book down, but it did seem sometimes that too much was happening in too short a timespan. I imagined more of a character study, which is part of what it is, but the action was sometimes overwhelming. However, I do highly recommend the book for all parts various parts, even if they don't always quite gell. An unusual protagonist and setting, that's for sure. ( )