Friday, March 16, 2012

The Dropper-Ron McLarty

The Dropper


Ron McLarty

Cemetery Dance, Apr 2012, $25.00

ISBN: 9781587672750



In 1922 in Barrow-in-Furness, England, Albert “Shoe” Horn finds himself left as the caregiver to his younger special needs brother Bobby following the death of their mom three years ago. She knows their alcoholic abusive dad could not care less about his offspring especially the retarded one. Shoe insures his sibling is fed, clean and away from their dad’s brutal fists.



He watches out for the welfare of his childish sibling by taking their dad’s fists. Additionally Shoe works as an apprentice to repugnant Lowden the plumber and a boxer whose nose has taken too many hits in bare knuckle bouts. As Shoe cares for his brother, he ignores his odious role models with an obsessive need to never lose his integrity. Friends like McAvey the giant encourage him to be more than his pathetic father, but opportunity in America and his desire for the love of a woman (who would need to care for Bobby too) causes a schism between the best buddy brothers.



This is a super historical family drama that focuses on the emotional costs to the caregiver. The brothers are fully developed so that readers will believe they are on coast of the Irish Sea just after WWII. With a nod to Rain Man, this character driven tale is a super early twentieth century tale that still resonates today.



Harriet Klausner

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