LitPick Review
Loosely based on a true story, and developed as an exposition on cultural tensions in the nineteenth century, Alligator Bayou traces the journey of a fourteen year old Sicilian migrant who is thrust into a milieu hostile to his very existence. The story revolves around Calogero, the fourteen year old migrant, and the experiences and occurrences in the racially-charged town of Tallulah, Louisiana. During the course of the novel, Calogero attempts to gain new friends, expire racial and cultural boundaries, secure his budding love with an African-American girl, and gradually ease into his transposed town. However, despite these peaceful pastimes, he is also held beholden to the violence present in Southern towns toward those of varying heritage. This violence is visible almost immediately after the exposition, and dramatically conducts the occurrences of the preponderance of the novel. In the conclusion of the novel, Calogero is forced to concede the town he has come to love in spite of its flaws, and seek a destiny discrete.
Opinion:
It is clear from Donna Jo Napoli's prose and style in Alligator Bayou that she intended to compose a counterpart or sibling to To Kill a Mockingbird, or even Uncle Tom's Cabin, in terms of illuminating racial conflicts typically ignored in the face of larger calamities. All three novels hold a surprisingly satisfying plot, richly detailed characters, and a vividly created medium of venue through which they are transmitted. It is also clear from Alligator Bayou that Napoli invested a large sum of time in painstakingly recreating and archiving the cultural syntax of Sicilians in America. The novel proves both historically accurate and emotionally subversive. The plot is compiled of a multiplicity of domains, ranging from romance and drama to action, allowing access and enjoyment to fans of all genres. However, as with all novels, Alligator Bayou retains a number of blemishes which mark the otherwise vibrant taste. Although slower early on, the novel increases in pace dramatically toward the end, creating what some readers might find an uncomfortable channel which prevents the attainment of full achievement. Although it is possible this change in pace was intentional, it still serves as a detraction from the overall gridiron of the story. Likewise, certain elements of the novel feel half-baked and clunky toward the end, as if they offer only superfluous enjoyment and serve no genuine objective in the storyline. Again, while this may be intentional to result in a more acute finale and to sharpen the key themes of the novel, it serves to disenchant the reader. However, while the novel does preserve some weakness, it offers overall a wholly gratifying experience for those willing to ignore the grain and chuff in search of the diamonds at its heart.
