Flags in the Dust

Rating:
Summary: Yoknapatawpha's worst
Review: The two stars is just for his brilliant language and incredible games with words. If you're going to read "Flags," please do wait until you've already read "The Sound and The Fury," "Absalom Absalom," "Sanctuary," and some of his other stars, but don't read this one first. You'll miss out on the beauty of his other works because you won't want to read him again. The sentences go on for days and are just incredibly rambling, even for Faulkner. The story doesn't live up to many of his other ones. One of the aspects of the plot is, is that southern male is troubled somewhat by his sister's sexuality. That usually juices up the rest of Faulkner but it's just kind of voyeuristic, gross and boring here. The copy I read had wisteria on the cover, and that is what this book reminds me of....faded wisteria, with a lingering sticky-sweet smell, but having lost its vibrant color and its potency.

Rating:
Summary: Good Writing
Review: Though not as complex and difficult as some of his more famous works, Flags in the Dust provides some outstanding writing. It may benefit some to read The Unvanquished prior to this book as it gives some background on the Sartoris family, the main focus of Flags. Many of Faulkner's descriptions in this book are uncanny. I would have only given this book four stars, but his two-page description of the mule was alone worth one more star.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Faulkner
Review: Three-and-a-half-stars. "Flags in the Dust" is the first of Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha novels; it is a must-read for all potential Faulkner fans. It's not his best, by any means--the storyline is at times skittish (perhaps owing to the fact that "Flags" is the uncut, unedited version of what was originally published under the title "Sartoris"), and the characterizations are neither as deep nor as unique as those found in his later works. But "Flags" has charm and importance nonetheless. First, it is a crash course in the Sartoris family, whose many "John"s and "Bayard"s (not to menion the indomitable Granny Millard and Aunt Jenny) comprise a hefty chunk of Faulkner's later novels and short stories. Second, it is absolutely *amazing* (and I can't underscore that enough) to see Faulkner's great novels just beginning to poke through the surface of Jefferson, MS soil: the Snopes family, V.K. Ratliff (here named V.K. Suratt), the McCaslins, the Compsons (I think reference is made even to Thomas Sutpen) all make appearances in the novel. Therefore, I recommend reading "Flags" *after* you've read most of the other Yoknapatawpha novels--the breadth and depth of Faulkner's vision (anticipating or laying the foundation for novels he would write 20 or 30 years later) is truly remarkable, and is half the joy of reading it. (But whenever you read "Flags," at least make sure you've read "The Unvanquished" first--the characters will make far more sense if you do.) As for the story itself: it's convoluted and not always engrossing--though the angst of young Bayard (silently mourning the wartime death of his brother John) is portrayed achingly well, and Aunt Jenny remains one of Faulkner's most powerful leading ladies.

Rating:
Summary: Faulkner Bootcamp
Review: While excessively verbose (though one its outstanding features) 'Flags in the Dust' is a requisite early read for the serious Faulkner reader. If you must, read 'Sartoris' which is 'Flags in the Dust' with 80 or so pages edited out. If you just want a taste of Faulkner and aren't too serious, go for some of the more well-known works. If you want to understand Faulkner, you must familiarize yourself with him through such works as 'Flags in the Dust', 'Sanctuary', and 'Unvanquished'. If you jump right to 'The Mansion', or 'The Sound and the Fury' or 'Absalom, Absalom!' you will miss much.