I don't recall how Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane landed on my reading radar, but I'm glad it did. I anticipated lots of humor and was pleasantly surprised that it had far more depth than I expected.
Chrissy leads a quiet Catholic life running a small Louisiana farm called Polite Society Ranch. She deeply misses her deceased husband and her adult son/only child Barnett who lives in California. When Barnett announces he's coming home, Chrissy is sure he plans to move home to the farm, perhaps start a family, and take over caring for its collection of quirky animals. However, Barnett simply plans to visit the farm to introduce his mother to Ezra, the man he plans to marry.
What ensues is shock, disappointment, a crisis of faith, bigotry, vandalism, growth, acceptance, and a plan to hold the wedding at the farm which grows from a simple service to a celebrity-packed extravaganza thanks to Ezra's flamboyant mother and sister. Each chapter begins with a "countdown to damnation" as well as excerpts from a (fictional) society guide to Southern weddings from the early 1900s. The themes of love, loss, and grief are also illustrated through an aging sheep named Elaine.
The cast of this novel is fabulous, from the key players to the considerable number of secondary characters. Each is filled with personality, most positive others negative, so they are memorable and easy to track. The humor and positive emotions certainly outweigh the prejudiced reactions of some, but they could be difficult to read for people who have personally experienced this ignorance.
I've read criticism about Chrissy needing time to accept Barnett and Ezra's relationship, but I'm going to defend her. She and her son obviously didn't discuss really important life issues - such as his sexuality and the long-term plan for the farm - and both are guilty of avoiding these conversations. Given my age, I related most to Chrissy and was impressed by the speed with which she adapted long-held beliefs.
This was a great summer read and gave me much to ponder.
Chrissy leads a quiet Catholic life running a small Louisiana farm called Polite Society Ranch. She deeply misses her deceased husband and her adult son/only child Barnett who lives in California. When Barnett announces he's coming home, Chrissy is sure he plans to move home to the farm, perhaps start a family, and take over caring for its collection of quirky animals. However, Barnett simply plans to visit the farm to introduce his mother to Ezra, the man he plans to marry.
What ensues is shock, disappointment, a crisis of faith, bigotry, vandalism, growth, acceptance, and a plan to hold the wedding at the farm which grows from a simple service to a celebrity-packed extravaganza thanks to Ezra's flamboyant mother and sister. Each chapter begins with a "countdown to damnation" as well as excerpts from a (fictional) society guide to Southern weddings from the early 1900s. The themes of love, loss, and grief are also illustrated through an aging sheep named Elaine.
The cast of this novel is fabulous, from the key players to the considerable number of secondary characters. Each is filled with personality, most positive others negative, so they are memorable and easy to track. The humor and positive emotions certainly outweigh the prejudiced reactions of some, but they could be difficult to read for people who have personally experienced this ignorance.
I've read criticism about Chrissy needing time to accept Barnett and Ezra's relationship, but I'm going to defend her. She and her son obviously didn't discuss really important life issues - such as his sexuality and the long-term plan for the farm - and both are guilty of avoiding these conversations. Given my age, I related most to Chrissy and was impressed by the speed with which she adapted long-held beliefs.
This was a great summer read and gave me much to ponder.
