Bumpy Oak Books

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Actual rating: 2.5

Genevieve Hudson’s Boys of Alabama is part coming-of-age, part magical realism and a strangely unique experience to read. Readers follow Max, a German boy who has recently moved to Alabama. Max has the power to consume death, therein restoring things to life. In addition, Max is introduced to religion, a new school, the culture of the American South, struggling to fit in, and navigating his queerness.

This book is written in a way that is beautifully lyrical. I wish I had the opportunity to read it as an audiobook, as I feel it would have been more impactful that way. I did find it a little off-putting that there were no quotation marks and no separation of chapters. It made the book come across as dream-like and very stream of consciousness.

I don’t think that this style of book is something that I particularly enjoy, but can absolutely appreciate what it did and can understand why people would love it.