When the
Mockingbird Sings, by Billy Coffey, 2013 Thomas Nelson
The tells of Leah
who sees and speaks to the Rainbow-man. She first sees him on her ninth birthday
when the whole town is invited to the Leah’s house scarcely months after their
father had moved the family from Camden to a dilapidated old Victorian mansion
in the rural south. Another nine-year-old befriends shy, stuttering Leah and
though no one else can see the Rainbow-Man, this friend, Allie, struggles to
believe in the vision and likens him to Jesus, going so far as to Baptize the
un-washed Leah in in an inflatable pool in Leah’s backyard late one summer night.
It was one of the most charming scenes of the book and caused me to appreciate
this author’s boldness and wit in a new light.
The Rainbow-Man
coaches Leah to paint beautiful renderings far beyond her talent that
illustrate glory, and then, warn Mattingly of a terrible fate. One of the
paintings magically bears the winning lottery numbers which ultimately
disappear from the painting. A former town patron who is under extreme
financial strain, plays the numbers and wins, but the money will not save is
dying wife. The ruckus further divides the town.
I have a weakness
for well-defined setting where a town or community takes on a character. In
this novel, Coffey turns the rural community of Mattingly into a single body, a
flawed congregation with strict attention to doctrinal recipes, lovable in a
way that a stubborn warrior is lovable when he cannot win but clings
intractably to a bit of high ground – the cow standing on the manure pile.
Mattingly shines as an allegory for the church and I couldn’t help but love her
as the main character of this book, human scared and undiscerning.
Coffey also draws
vivid characters and does not force them into a personal agenda. The characters
speak for themselves, each an ‘everyman’ with a recognizable traits and
troubles. While the characters show their fears and weaknesses, the author’s
hand is never so heavy as to mock his own creations.
I’ve rated this
book three stars because it is good, but just shy of an absolute keeper,
meaning I probably won’t re-read it. While the language is occasionally poetic,
the narrative voice is too harsh and the poetry is insufficient for this reader
to make me we want to return to it. Overall the individual characters are so
removed that I had trouble establishing a bond with anyone in the book. Most
strongly I felt little for Rainbow-Man whom I so wanted to walk with.
This brings me to
my final point, that of the Rainbow-Man as Jesus. Rainbow-Man is so enigmatic
and cryptic that I couldn’t relate. I never grasped the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit in any character in the book and certainly never in the character of
Mattingly the town. I understand the concept of prophetic vision and God’s sovereign
use of the weakest among us in enacting His plans. The author seems to suggest
that Leah is such a prophet, but I never quite reached the same conclusion. I
would add that the cryptic portrayal of Rainbow-Man did cause me several hours
of contemplation on how much we take for granted in our Sovereign, and how we
often choose to dwell on His capacity as Comforter and Perfect Father rather
than His almighty power.
Pick up When the
Mockingbird Sings for a refreshed take on corporate character in the town of
Mattingly. Delve into it for an engaging story.
Thank you for
reading, Bev.
