Summary

From a magnificent new literary voice, an intimate and irresistible novel about a woman who lives by her own rules and the small town that struggles to understand her. 

Azalea “Knot” Centre is determined to live life as she pleases. Let the people of West Mills say what they will; the neighbor’s gossip won’t keep Knot from what she loves best: cheap moonshine, nineteenth-century literature, and the company of men. And yet, Knot is starting to learn that her freedom comes at a high price. Alone in her two-room shack, ostracized from her relatives and cut off from her hometown, Knot turns to her closest neighbor, Otis Lee Loving, in search of some semblance of family and home. 

Otis is eager to help. A lifelong fixer, he is determined to steer his friends and family away from decisions that will cause them heartache and ridicule. After his failed attempt as a teenager to help his older sister, Otis Lee discovers a possible path to redemption in the chaos Knot brings to his doorstep. But while he’s busy trying to fix Knot’s life, Otis Lee finds himself powerless to repair many problems within his own family, as the long-buried secrets of his troubled past begin to come to light.

Set in an African American community in rural North Carolina and spanning from 1941 to 1987, In West Mills is a bighearted small-town story about family, friendship, storytelling, and the redemptive power of love. 

Why I chose to read this book
The summary pulled my sensitive side in; a misunderstood young woman who likes to play by her own rules. We’ve all known someone like that or maybe you are that young lady. I wanted to know more, and witness “Knot’s” journey through life. I know we should never judge a book by its cover, but I have to admit that the cover art (illustrated by Anne Bentley) also drew me in; it’s simple, yet beautiful. 

Thoughts & Opinions
I admire authors who create characters who are not entirely likable, it makes them so much more human. We are nuanced, imperfect, and at times frustrating. Azalea “Knot” Centre is exactly that; frustrating. I just wanted her to wake up and realize her potential. She is an intelligent, witty woman who unfortunately fell prey to the bottle. At times, it felt like alcohol was the main character. Knot could have thrived and lived a fulfilling life. She might think her life is fulfilling since she is doing as she pleases, she’s carefree and answers to no one. But she also got a glimpse of what could have been, much later in life, and I’m sure that made her wonder how different life could have been for her. She made some incredibly difficult decisions you might not agree with. Although Otis Lee, her friend and neighbor, tried numerous times to steer her in the right direction, there comes a point where you cannot help someone who does not want to be helped. When Knot’s mind is made up, there’s no overcoming her stubbornness.