Aunt Beck

By Roland D. Mullins

Subjects: Poverty, Romans, nouvelles, Mental illness, Maladies mentales, Fiction

Description: "Sometimes subtly funny, sometimes heartbreakingly sad, this Southern Gothic story weaves the twisted relationship between Aunt Beck, her niece, Old Carl, Freddie, and a host of other caricatures with the staff of mental health providers who, as they treat patients, struggle with their own demons. Much of the main and secondary plots moves along with dialogue and involves the classic conflict of good versus evil. The author's concern for the wearing thin of the social fabric, especially in Kentucky's Appalachian region, emerges as details of the wasted lives of Deidra, Freddie, Buddy Mustang, the twins and Louie are painted for the reader. Old Carl's influence and that of the professional staff at the Behavioral Health Care Rehabilitation Center sway the pendulum somewhat to the "right" as events play out in this novel of hard scrabble existence."--Back cover.