Sweet River Fool is the story of a homeless man named Snody (pronounced “Snow-dee”) who begs and scavenges for a living in the small north-Georgia town of Sweet River. Despairing over his alcoholism and poverty, Snody tries to take his own life but botches the attempt. In the wake of this failure, he discovers a book about Saint Francis of Assisi and is captivated by the medieval saint’s life. What fascinates him most is the paradox that allowed Francis to experience sublime joy in the midst of complete poverty. Inspired by admiration for Francis and a desire to understand the mystery of his joy, Snody begins to model his own life on the saint’s. In the course of doing so, he befriends Clare, a teenage girl who, in spite of being an avowed atheist, is drawn to Snody’s simple faith and gentle humor. By the novel’s end, both Snody and Clare find their lives paralleling that of Francis in ways that they never imagined possible.
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By Julie Powell
Jun 15, 2010
An intriguing idea and a story at once seen as character based. It's always good to be taken straight into the action and it is extremely well written. Lines like, "He smelled the vagrant before he saw him..." made me smile, and the description of Snody is exceptionally good. "The man's hair...a tangled mass of grey, stiff looking as straw and a splotchy beard patched itself across his face and neck..." I particularly like phrases such as, "...a liquid snore..." Excellent. Julie Elizabeth Powell, author of Gone, Slings & Arrows, Knowing Jack, The Star Realm and Invasion
