It's Gravy, Baby

Review of Gravy In The Pie by J. H. HAYES

by Bill Kieffer            

This story has heart but there are some flinch worthy moments in the first fifth of the book. Carl Jr. is hamming it enough to make a drag queen blush and it served more exposition than comedy. The cast of family members that account for Carl’s bitterness and distrust are just too thick with too similar names to take or to fully recall after the failed elopement to Ireland. Carl Jr and Bubba Gene bloom once Carl Jr. put aside chasing his glory days and begins investigating and experimenting with the pie recipe. Carl’s business mind is impressive and I enjoyed watching him pursuing all the variables. Bubba Gene has a minor supporting role, guiding Carl with well placed revelations and support. It was not comedy gold, but it was wonderful writing. This seems more like a lighthearted memoir than the promised humorous satire on fundamentalism. Sure, there’s the obvious Christian hypocrisy you find in the bible belt. That’s funny in the sense that it’s the 21st Century and we still have to deal with this shit. And getting past the middle age hump is always good for a laugh no matter the orientation, but I wanted more. plot in any way.