Author Under the Age of 25 - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Wow.  Such an interesting novel, from such an interesting time in history.  I thought I really didn't like this book, and kind of forced myself through it.  But I've been thinking about The Heart is a Lonely Hunter all week, since I read the last page.  It's stayed on my mind for a few distinct reasons.

One, it definitely framed my thinking that this is by an author under the age of 25.  The writing style, the development of such a wide array of characters, the themes she explores (loneliness, spirituality, otherness) all shock me coming from someone who was 23 at the time of publication.  Read any biography of her, however, and you can glean that the troubled characters in her novels, this included, had something of herself in them.

Then, I've been thinking a lot about the characters.  Character development is a real highlight in this book.  I noticed it a bit while reading, and then I went on Goodreads to rate and shelve the book quickly when I glanced at the first review.  And the reviewer said "Mick Kelley, the main character..." and that simply blew my mind - as the main character is John Singer, and Mick Kelley is simply one of the revolving characters that inexplicably (?) opens up their life to him during the course of the novel.  I realized then that the power in this book andin John Singer himself lies in that fact - that depending on the person reading this book there is a depth to each character that can really sing to you.

While the prose can be a little dreary and a bit Southern Gothic, I pushed through and my reward was lots of deep thinking to accompany into whatever novel I end up with next!