Customer Reviews

With

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I actually had another book in my hands when I spotted this new novel by Donald Harington. My heart literally jumped for joy. A new novel by one of my most favorite writers! Immediately, I put the other book back and picked up this one. Later that same evening, I began to read...

And I was not disappointed. Although I have enjoyed all of his recent novels, I could not help but compare them with The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks, Some Other Place. The Right Place., and my personal favorite, Let Us Build Us A City. To my mind, those recent novels simply did not to the same degree elicit the same response (that wonderful glorious feeling!) in me as did those earlier titles.

But now, with WITH...I am beside myself with joy.

I cannot bear to relate the plot. There are too many surprises, too many narrative twists, too much...joy (there it is again!); to spoil any part of this with plot recitation is at the very least, a venal sin.

Audaciously written in a style and technique befitting the best the postmodern has to offer, WITH is a novel so rewarding, no reader can go wrong both reading it and pushing it into the hands of their friends. Those friends will thank you...over and over again.

At the tender age of 8 years, Robin Kerr had to learn how to fend for herself on a remote, inaccessible, mountain-top in the wilds of the Ozark mountain range. Until she was 18, Robin had no human company but she did not lack for animal companionship and the company of the"live ghost" of a young boy who had himself once lived on the mountain. With is a major, 491-page novel that is written by author Donald Harington (a professor and lecturer of art and art history) with a feeling for language enriched with southern idioms and an almost lyrical sense of expression. Very strongly endorsed and recommended, With is one of those original and finely crafted novels that will be discovered with appreciation over and over by generations of future readers.

This review may contain general spoiler information, as I have mixed feelings about this book and to explain requires some plot disclosure. The book was wonderfully original and well written. I loved Hreapha, and giving a dog a voice to start the book was clever and inventive. The story at the beginning of the book was suspenseful and scary. Sexual abuse is a frightening reality, and the subject can easily make the reader uncomfortable. And I did find it sadly realistic. Predators are out in our society, plotting and fantasizing. Maybe this is where I have the most trouble with this book. There is an odd juxtaposition between the reality of the abduction and the complete whimsy of the anthropomorphizing of all the animals. Putting both together in one book was an odd choice.

The in-habit was an inspiring idea. The survival aspect was very interesting. How do you eat, drink, or stay warm? Nevertheless, I have some smaller problems with the book, also. If a cow could make it up, how could the path be unusable? Why didn't Robin have more of an interest in the outside world once she had met Latha?

Please don't misunderstand, I am glad I read this book, because it made me think about life, growing up, and even literature. It made me very curious about this author. This is the first Donald Harington book I have read, and I may read another to see if others show the same bend in his view of sexuality. I don't often read books about old men lusting after children and young girls curious about sex. The author explored Robin's burgeoning sexuality in the same way he handled the whole book - told with a mix of reality and myth. She explored masturbation, and yet thought she was experiencing real sex with an `in-habit'. Throughout the last half of the book the fantastical elements overwhelmed any reality.

Does this review bother your sensibilities? If so, don't read the book. If you are intrigued, then by all means pick up a copy. A very elderly woman recommended this book to me by claiming it to be the best book she had ever read. It is interesting, compelling, thought-provoking, and creative. But it is a very odd book, indeed.

I stayed in a cabin last weekend in Newton County, Arkansas. Browsing through a bookcase, I found a copy of With. There couldn't have been a better way to spend my Saturday than perched on the lip of the Arkansas Grand Canyon, looking out on the layers of hills and valleys as I read one of Harington's final tales.

I'm not an unbiased reviewer; I live just one county north of the Parthenon area, and Harington was a guest speaker in my freshman comp class at the University of Arkansas. Influenced in part by his novels, I've developed an enduring fascination with Ozark history and the wilderness of Newton County.

There are plenty of other reviews here to glean from, so I'll give a few tidbits that I didn't see mentioned:

I'd hesitated to read this particular novel because of the sexual predator aspect of the story. It is not as graphic as I'd feared and does not glorify the predator's motives or actions. It's not exactly comfortable to be inside a predator's head as he kidnaps a little girl, but it was not pornographic either. (Neither is it lily-white, however.)

As a resident of Harrison, where part of the novel takes place, I was startled by the accuracy of many details about the area. Schools, locations, buildings, even historic family names are often extremely accurate. Harington knows his subject matter and obviously does his research. I found myself trying to remember if the balcony was really there on the old skating rink (now a car dealership) and wondering which house in town he imagined to be Robin's.

As usual, the supernatural is a steady underlying (and plot-assisting) theme in Harington's writing. The concept of the in-habit, a spiritual leaving-behind of oneself at a beloved spot, particularly startled and delighted me. Anyone who has had to unwillingly move from a beloved home will understand the torn spirit of Adam Madewell. Animals communicate with the spirits, spirits communicate with the people, and things come together at precisely the right time in a hundred ways in Harington's world. If this idealism is cloying or offensive to you, you likely won't care much for these novels.

Those who can suspend their disbelief have a wonderful journey awaiting. Enjoy.

Harington has written a multi-layered, mystical tale about love and relationships, and the coming of age of a young girl, surviving alone in a mountain cabin. But this, as all his novels, is so much more than a simple narrative. An intellectual masterpiece,it is best enjoyed slowly, in sips, as the tale unfolds and the language enfolds. If you have not yet discovered Harington, you will be delighted with this book, and happier still to know that it is only one of a series about the people and events of Stay More, Arkansas.

This is a brilliant novel from Donald Harington, but it is difficult to read. The subject matter is hard to connect with, and even his usual humorous storytelling seems distant to you as a reader. I think it's just the shock of what's happening. Over time, I've come to think the novel is very well-written and I would recommend it as a great literary novel. But the child-character and the details of her story are hard to digest. I love Donald Harington, and I will probably re-read this novel down the road, but it isn't for everyone. After everything our main character goes through, you are utterly devastated. And the "triumph" she has at the end is quiet and sad. Appropriate for the subject matter, beautifully written as always, but difficult to read.

In order to fully appreciate and enjoy Donald Harington's "With," you must be prepared and willing to suspend your perception of reality. Further, you should be able to allow the characters to react, not as rational beings would, but as the novel's direction requires in order for the plot to advance. If you can do those things, then you are in for an enjoyable read.

A brief summary of the novel is contained in this paragraph. Narrated by Hreapha, a dog, and by the "in habit" of Adam Madewell, "With" tells the story of Robin Kerr, a beautiful seven-year old girl who is kidnapped by a would-be pedophile, Sugrue "Sog" Alan. A former member of the state highway patrol, Sog has visions of an idyllic life with his "true love" as they make a home on the abandoned and isolated Madewell property. Sog dies and Robin is left alone to fend for herself and the animals who occupy the remote property with her. Guided by an old book and the spirit of Adam Madewell, his "in habit," Robin creates a life for herself. Only as she matures and her sexuality exerts a strong influence over her actions does Robin attempt leaving the homestead and making her way over a treacherous path to the nearby town.

The characters who inhabit "With" are interesting and develop in unexpected ways. Sog moves from a reprehensible individual to one who makes an effort to remedy the wrongs he has perpetrated. Robin matures from a spoiled, self-centered brat to a thoughtful, resourceful individual. Adam Madewell's "in habit" recognizes his place in Robin's survival and aids her as he is able. Hreapha remains the voice of reason and sanity throughout the novel.

Harington's dialog adds to the portrait he draws of each character and to the realism of the novel's setting. Further strengthening this, the characteristics of syntax and rhythm reflect the speech patterns of individuals native to the Ozarks. Small town life and events also lend an air of realism to the overall tone of "With."

The realism reflected by characters' speech and the small town setting are counteracted by the very unrealistic actions and reactions of the principles. A pampered, beloved child becomes a skilled outdoorsman and homesteader at the age of eight. A single mother gives up searching for her missing child. A former FBI agent, who was the lead investigator and who marries that mother, does not pursue the case. A helicopter crew witnesses a naked, shapely young woman cavorting in a remote meadow, yet does not investigate the situation. These are only a few of the situations that are less than realistic and require that the reader, in order to enjoy "With," suspend his or her grasp of reality.

Donald Harington's "With" is a solid 5-star read; it is both imaginative and entertaining. The action did slow in parts, but I was never tempted to out the book down because of its pace. If you are looking for a well-written novel that allows you to escape everyday cares, I recommend you read "With."

From the beginning, Harrington's novel captivated my interest with it's rather unique storyline. Even better constructed, however, is the clever placement of literary elements to produce fascination and facilitate wonder in the reader. Switching between characters during a third person limited perspective changes to third person omniscient, then to first person OMNISCIENT: a never before explored style of writing. Similarly, there is a steady yet subtle change of tenses, from past to present to future, barely noticeable except by the observant eye until Harrington brings it to the reader's attention. The psychology of the characters is fully believable and extremely in-depth. For an excellently written story that thrills yet is also intellectually well thought, With gets my full recommendation.

This has to be one of the best books I have ever read. This is my 1st Amazon review. I have given copies to everyone who is dear to me. Very different. Very hard to put down. I found myself reading it every spare second that I had. This is a story written by a "master" story teller. I have already purchased half of his other books and plan to purchase them all. I was very sad when it was over. If you love to read... make this a present to yourself. You won't regret it and may have to buy it for all of your friends/family.

This novel is one of the best books I have read. I hadn't heard of Donald Harington, whom poet Fred Chappell described as "not an underappreciated novelist; he is an undiscovered continent," until I read about him in Garrison Keillor's _The Writer's Almanac_ ([...]).

If you're a Kindle reader looking for an update on the formatting of this edition, you'll recall that I had emailed Toby Press, publishers of Mr. Harington's work, to inform them of the erratic formatting to be found in the previous Kindle edition of _With_. A representative responded within minutes, apologized, and assured me that Toby Press would upload a revised version.

After I informed Amazon, they "pushed" an updated copy into my Kindle, and I'm glad to report that the formatting is excellent.

Thank you Toby Press, for publishing the "obscure" Donald Harington; thank you Amazon, for updating my edition; and thank you, Mr. Harington--wherever you are--for writing a book that enriches everyone who reads it.