Lion Country

Rating:
Summary: Ignore the next three, read this one!
Review: While the later novels in the Book of Bebb series certainly contain moments of greatness, it is in Lion Country and here only that Frederick Buechner really achieved true perfection.

His characters, from the charismatic preacher Bebb to the hilariously vulgar Indiana chief, all come out at you like a pop-up book. The narrator, Antonio Parr, seems to be the only sane person in the whole book, who describes his adventure in the way a poet would, admiring every detail of his journey with wonder and interest. His interlude with Bebb's daughter is one of the greatest sex scenes I have ever read, perfectly capturing the nature and eroticism of the fleeting moment.

Lion Country is pure escapism. If you're not the type who can sit down and enjoy a story for what is is, maybe this isn't the book for you. But for those who would like to get to know some of the most entertaining characters this side of Salinger, enjoy!