Babylon Rolling
by Amanda Boyden
Published by Pantheon Books (July 22 release)
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Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann
The setting of this book is Orchid Street, New Orleans, over the course of almost a whole year, starting with the summer of 2004. Babylon Rolling focuses on the families that live on the block, and how their lives weave together with sometimes tragic and sometimes heartening consequences.
Ed and Ariel Flank and their two elementary-age children have moved from Minnesota. Ed is a typical liberal stay-at-home dad, Ariel works as the manager of a fancy French Quarter hotel. Across the street are Cerise and Roy Brown, an elderly black couple who love each other dearly. Next door to them is Sharon Harris, with her husband and children: several daughters with their babies, and two sons in serious trouble.
One day Michael Harris causes a catastrophic accident that brings them together in tragedy. Michael is hospitalized with a broken leg, and Cerise with seriously burned hands. Michael’s brother Daniel, a.k.a. Fearius, takes over his drug route, and Cerise’s bossy daughter takes over her mother’s home. Neighbor Philomenia de Bruges, an upright and uptight matron, and her husband Joe, bedridden with cancer, connect with the new neighbors, the Guptas, through Philomenia’s baking. Indira Gupta teaches at the university, her husband is an expert in reptiles and their children become friends with the Flank children.
The story is told from five points of view, or voices: Ariel, Philomenia, Cerise, Fearius, and Ed. The characters go through massive changes over the course of the year, due to their exposure to each other’s cultures and lives. While some of the characters are unpleasant, or exhibit poor judgment, you will eventually get hooked by this gritty and realistic tale. My favorite characters are Cerise and Indira, and my favorite scene is where Cerise asks Indira about courses for seniors at the university, and Cerise makes up some possible course titles, like “Cooking the elderly” or “Penguins vs. septuagenarians: a study of ground speed.”
Author Amanda Boyden was born in Minnesota, raised in Chicago and St. Louis, and now lives in New Orleans.
Armchair Interview says: A nice mix of messages about people and cultures.