The Bequest of Big Daddy
by JoAnn Costa
About THE BEQUEST OF BIG DADDY
Ratio Janson is the crusty patriarch with an infamous
background and a hair-trigger temper, reverently referred to as Big Daddy by
his family clan. His feisty great-granddaughter, Jo-Dee, overhears shocking
gossip at Big Daddy's funeral and is determined to plumb his murky past,
spanning the Civil War, Reconstruction and forging head-on into the twentieth
century.
From a vast turpentine industry to the ruins of a decaying
plantation with its feudal order a memory, Jo-Dee explores the complex nature
of family and self, only to make a startling discovery. Will she betray her
great-grandfather and disgrace the family name, or will she preserve his
shameful secret? And on the ancient grounds of the family mansion destroyed in
the Civil War, will Big Daddy's spirit claim her even from the grave?
Praise for THE BEQUEST OF BIG DADDY
“Costa’s expressive voice effortlessly guides the compelling
story… Costa’s debut novel tells the engaging story of a man whose tumultuous
life provides an even greater tale than the grand myths that surround him.” —
Kirkus Reviews
“Anyone who enjoys
Southern fiction or picaresque novels will love this one!” — Lisa Alther,
Author of four New York Times bestsellers
“All families have
secrets, some darker than others. In her richly imagined debut novel, Jo-Ann
Costa explores the impact of one family’s secret down through the decades and
generations. The Bequest of Big Daddy marks the arrival of a fresh new voice in
Southern literature.” — Will Allison, Author of the New York Times bestseller
Long Drive Home.
“Ms. Costa writes like she was born to the craft. Wonderful
storytelling and memorable characters you won’t soon forget. Big Daddy is not
just any character—he gets into your head and refuses to budge.” — Hillel
Black, former Publishing Executive and Editor of twenty New York Times
bestsellers
Jo-Ann Costa’s Bequest is part gothic, part adventure, part
mystery and wholly satisfying. Move over Tennessee Williams, there is a new Big
Daddy in town.” — Claire Matturro, Award-winning author of three bestsellers
“Costa is a skilled storyteller who draws the reader into
the Southern world.” — The Durango Herald
“On a scale of one to
five I would easily give this one a six, because it’s just that good!” — WV
Stitcher, Blogger
About the Author
Jo-Ann Costa studied her craft at the knees of her clannish
Alabama kin, who are among the most accomplished at fabricating outlandish
tales. Thus trained as a storyteller, Ms. Costa honed her compelling voice
while serving in executive roles for a mega-corporation founded by the late
Howard Hughes.
Along with the wildlife, Ms. Costa now makes her home at the
edge of Colorado's Weminuche wilderness, where she writes historical fiction
and mysteries. She is a graduate of California State University, the University
of Southern California's Managerial Policy Institute, Leadership Southern
California and the Public Affairs Institute. She also studied at the UCLA
Writers’ Extension Program.
The Bequest of Big Daddy is the first book in her epic saga,
Longleaf Legacy.
My thoughts:
The Bequest of Big Daddy offers the reader a magnificent
peek into the workings of a Southern family patriarch. Big Daddy is one of those swearing, fear
inspiring relatives many of us who have been raised in the South remember with
both nostalgia and regret. Big Daddy was
born Horatio “Ratio” Janson and lives many more lives than one. He experiences parental neglect, is
wrongfully charged with a heinous crime, experiences the love of a good wife
but ultimately does the unforgiveable.
While Big Daddy is inspirational as a survivor of many tempests he is
certainly not without horrible faults.
I appreciated Costa’s ability to create characters so human
and yet so complex. I suppose the
ultimate compliment would be that several of the characters found within The
Bequest of Big Daddy truly brought to mind several members of my family as I
remembered them from childhood. Costa
vividly brings to life the tension, turmoil, triumph and tragedy of the Deep
South from Reconstruction to the present day.
I found The Bequest of Big Daddy an engaging read and
enjoyed the novel initially as a look into the history of the South but
primarily as an exquisitely crafted character study. I would recommend The Bequest of Big Daddy
without hesitation.
In full compliance with FTC Guidelines, I received a free
trade paperback edition of this book from the author and Historical Fiction
Virtual Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was in no way compensated for this post,
and the thoughts are my own.
For the complete tour schedule CLICK HERE
Twitter Hashtag: #BigDaddyTour
This review qualifies for the following challenges:
Historical Fiction Book Review #29
The Bequest of Big Daddy
by JoAnn Costa
About THE BEQUEST OF BIG DADDY
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Koehler Books
Paperback; 280p
ISBN:
978-1-938467-27-1
Ratio Janson is the crusty patriarch with an infamous
background and a hair-trigger temper, reverently referred to as Big Daddy by
his family clan. His feisty great-granddaughter, Jo-Dee, overhears shocking
gossip at Big Daddy's funeral and is determined to plumb his murky past,
spanning the Civil War, Reconstruction and forging head-on into the twentieth
century.
From a vast turpentine industry to the ruins of a decaying
plantation with its feudal order a memory, Jo-Dee explores the complex nature
of family and self, only to make a startling discovery. Will she betray her
great-grandfather and disgrace the family name, or will she preserve his
shameful secret? And on the ancient grounds of the family mansion destroyed in
the Civil War, will Big Daddy's spirit claim her even from the grave?
Praise for THE BEQUEST OF BIG DADDY
“Costa’s expressive voice effortlessly guides the compelling
story… Costa’s debut novel tells the engaging story of a man whose tumultuous
life provides an even greater tale than the grand myths that surround him.” —
Kirkus Reviews
“Anyone who enjoys
Southern fiction or picaresque novels will love this one!” — Lisa Alther,
Author of four New York Times bestsellers
“All families have
secrets, some darker than others. In her richly imagined debut novel, Jo-Ann
Costa explores the impact of one family’s secret down through the decades and
generations. The Bequest of Big Daddy marks the arrival of a fresh new voice in
Southern literature.” — Will Allison, Author of the New York Times bestseller
Long Drive Home.
“Ms. Costa writes like she was born to the craft. Wonderful
storytelling and memorable characters you won’t soon forget. Big Daddy is not
just any character—he gets into your head and refuses to budge.” — Hillel
Black, former Publishing Executive and Editor of twenty New York Times
bestsellers
Jo-Ann Costa’s Bequest is part gothic, part adventure, part
mystery and wholly satisfying. Move over Tennessee Williams, there is a new Big
Daddy in town.” — Claire Matturro, Award-winning author of three bestsellers
“Costa is a skilled storyteller who draws the reader into
the Southern world.” — The Durango Herald
“On a scale of one to
five I would easily give this one a six, because it’s just that good!” — WV
Stitcher, Blogger
About the Author
Jo-Ann Costa studied her craft at the knees of her clannish
Alabama kin, who are among the most accomplished at fabricating outlandish
tales. Thus trained as a storyteller, Ms. Costa honed her compelling voice
while serving in executive roles for a mega-corporation founded by the late
Howard Hughes.
Along with the wildlife, Ms. Costa now makes her home at the
edge of Colorado's Weminuche wilderness, where she writes historical fiction
and mysteries. She is a graduate of California State University, the University
of Southern California's Managerial Policy Institute, Leadership Southern
California and the Public Affairs Institute. She also studied at the UCLA
Writers’ Extension Program.
The Bequest of Big Daddy is the first book in her epic saga,
Longleaf Legacy.
My thoughts:
The Bequest of Big Daddy offers the reader a magnificent
peek into the workings of a Southern family patriarch. Big Daddy is one of those swearing, fear
inspiring relatives many of us who have been raised in the South remember with
both nostalgia and regret. Big Daddy was
born Horatio “Ratio” Janson and lives many more lives than one. He experiences parental neglect, is
wrongfully charged with a heinous crime, experiences the love of a good wife
but ultimately does the unforgiveable.
While Big Daddy is inspirational as a survivor of many tempests he is
certainly not without horrible faults.
I appreciated Costa’s ability to create characters so human
and yet so complex. I suppose the
ultimate compliment would be that several of the characters found within The
Bequest of Big Daddy truly brought to mind several members of my family as I
remembered them from childhood. Costa
vividly brings to life the tension, turmoil, triumph and tragedy of the Deep
South from Reconstruction to the present day.
I found The Bequest of Big Daddy an engaging read and
enjoyed the novel initially as a look into the history of the South but
primarily as an exquisitely crafted character study. I would recommend The Bequest of Big Daddy
without hesitation.
In full compliance with FTC Guidelines, I received a free
trade paperback edition of this book from the author and Historical Fiction
Virtual Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was in no way compensated for this post,
and the thoughts are my own.
This review qualifies for the following challenges:
Historical Fiction Book Review #29
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