Freddie Owens

Orbie: an outspoken, angry nine-year-old. He knew there would be problems coming the moment his widowed momma, Ruby, remarried Victor, but he was just a kid; no one asked his opinion. When Victor got mad, Orbie described his eyes as “slimy red worms turning over … twisting around on sharp glass, cutting themselves in there and getting mean.” On their trip from Detroit to Florida in the late 1950’s, it was Victor who insisted Orbie would stay with his maternal grandparents in Kentucky. Victor, his mom, and his five-year-old sister, Missy, continued on to Florida where Victor had a job opportunity waiting.

Harlan’s crossroads, KY was located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. People there had their own way of life and except for a few of the elites, they were a close-knit bunch. While Orbie was afraid of ‘colored’ kids in Detroit, he came to realize the blacks in Harlan’s Crossroads were much different and his Granny was close friends with Alma, who reminded Orbie of Aunt Jemima. He grew close to his Granny almost immediately, but it took some getting used to his eccentric Granpaw.

The dialog is so well done. I’ve read many where the words of hillbillies or backwoods people were so mutilated, you couldn’t even understand them. That is not the case here. The author also did well staying true to the mind of a nine-year-old boy. The story is his first person account. It’s Orbie’s coming-of-age story with some mystery and justice mixed in. That said, it is not a book for children’s reading. There are language and some situations that would not suit a younger reading level. Freddie Owen skillfully created many wonderful and true-to-life characters in his debut historical fiction novel. Rating: 4 out of 5.… (mere)

Then Like the Blind Man: Orbie's Story by Freddie Owens sets up for a strong, emotional coming of age story with possibly a powerful statement about equality. Orbie is a sympathetic main character, a little boy with a tough guy exterior who you want to reach out and protect. Unfortunately, the story gets lost in the book's effort to establish authenticity through its use of language.

Read my complete review at: rel="nofollow" target="_top">http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/02/then-like-blind-man-orbies-story.html

Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through Edelweiss… (mere)

Orbie is a young boy growing up in Detroit. He is often bullied and he has very prejudiced ideas.
Orbie's father is killed. A short time later Orbie's mom marries the man who was his father's boss. Orbie doesn't like him. He has good reason. Orbie's new stepfather Victor is very abusive. He is physically abusive and molesting Orbie's sister. Victor doesn't like Orbie. He decides they are moving to Florida and he doesn't want to take Orbie with them. They drop him off at his mother's parent's house. Orbie feels deserted for good reason. He soon learns how prejudiced he was raised and that his grandparents truly do want the best for him. This is a realistic look at life in the early 1950's. The pacing is great. You don' t have a problem and then a sudden solution. It moves gradually so that everything flows smoothly and naturally. I would recommend this to people who love those coming of age stories set in a time period before most of us were born. I would warn that because of the time period there is the use of the "n" word, as well as other coarse language. The author did a great job with bringing everything to a VERY satisfying ending.… (mere)