Bound South: A Novel [Paperback]

Susan Rebecca White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2009

By turns hilarious and poignant, the lives of three vibrant and unique Southern women -- a proper Atlanta matron, her rebellious teenage daughter, and their housekeeper's young daughter -- intersect in unexpected and extraordinary ways in this richly compelling debut novel of family, friendship, and folly.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

White's wonderful debut charts the clash of Southern tradition with present-day issues from the perspective of three white females over the years of 1998–2008: Louise Parker, a frustrated, pampered matron living in an affluent Atlanta neighborhood; Caroline, her rebellious teenage daughter; and Missy Meadows, the young daughter of Louise's impoverished housekeeper, Faye. While Missy yearns to reconnect with her father who abandoned the family to become a preacher and Christian TV soap star, Caroline embarks on a scandalous affair during her senior year with Frederick Staunton, her high school drama teacher, and they run off to San Francisco. The relationship fizzles, but Caroline chooses not to come home; back in Georgia, Missy and Charles, Louise's gay son, make a fateful journey to Durham, N.C., to surprise Missy's father. White's wit and graceful prose yield sharp insights about family, friendship and faith in the ever-changing South. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Louise Parker is a classic southern belle. Well-dressed and well-mannered, she can’t help but be frustrated by her daughter. Wild Caroline goes to a strict Christian prep school where she cheats in math class and can only focus on becoming an actress, until she has to leave after she’s discovered in flagrante delicto with her drama teacher. In the meantime Louise is distracted by Missy, the daughter of her housekeeper, a born-again evangelical who assists her mother in between trying to convert Louise’s gay son. Despite the consequences of Caroline’s behavior, Louise finds herself wishing she could be as careless and wondering how her life would have turned out had she chosen a different path. Even with their differences, Louise’s thoughts eventually lead her to believe that Caroline may be more of a southern dame and Louise more of a rebel than either of them thought. An elaborate, generation-spanning southern tale of family life in the vein of Rebecca Wells. --Hilary Hatton

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Product Details

• Paperback: 345 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416558675
• ISBN-13: 978-1416558675
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #683,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Susan Rebecca White was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She is agraduate of Brown University and holds a master of fine arts in creative writing from Hollins University. Now at work on her second novel, she lives with her husband in Atlanta.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars compelling, January 29, 2009

By 

constant reader (Atlanta GA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Bound South: A Novel (Paperback)

From the surprising twist that made me laugh out loud at the end of the first chapter, I knew that "Bound South" was about subverting the South's stereotypes. Here's a book that reveals the realities obscured by the carefully polished surfaces--the family secrets and scandals, the suppressed yearnings and emotions, the confidences trusted only to best friends. And yet this novel's characters feel "bound" by their Southern upbringings, which create a fascinating tension as they strive for greater possibilities in their lives.

The story switches back and forth between the first-person voices of three women: Louise Parker's creativity and individuality are hindered by the expectations of her as an affluent Southern matron. Louise quietly envies the greater freedom and opportunities open to her teenage daughter, Caroline, who seems overwhelmed by it all. And Louise's unexpected involvement in the life of Missy, her housekeeper's evangelical daughter, adds an "Upstairs, Downstairs" element to the tale.

"Bound South" is funny and charming, a compelling page-turner that's surprisingly moving towards the end. While it subverts the south's old pretenses, it also celebrates what's best in its changing culture.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read but ended suddenly, April 28, 2009

By 

Denise Holland "Southern Belle" (Knightdale, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bound South (Kindle Edition)

Like the other reviewers, I did enjoy the book. The characters evolve over time and the author has a great grasp of what it is like to live in the South - the good and the improving. My only complaint (and it is a big one for me) is that the book ended abruptly. I was reading, waiting for some sort of denouement, and it just ended. I will read this author's next book, but I may read the end first. :)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am Bound South, February 2, 2009

By 

S. Enders (Decatur, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bound South: A Novel (Paperback)

I loved this book!I really didn't want it to end. It was so fun and playful at times and at other's very real and meaningful. I laughed with Louise and Tiny and felt deep in my heart the struggles of Caroline to find herself. I felt like I had met some of the characters before and longed to know some of the others in real life. I loved the different looks at the women in this novel, each attempting to find herself in different stages of her life. You learn something about yourself, your mother and even your grandmother through watching these women evolve. I will share this book with the people that I care about; to share the beautiful complex picture of the South and the families in it that Susan White has so accurately reflected and enhanced for our enjoyment.