Jefferson Country by L.T. Kuhlman Book Review: A Tale of Love and Revolution
You would be forgiven to think that physical books are losing their place in an era of OTT, smartphones, tablets, and Kindle. However, a recent report revealed that traditional books are still the most popular reading format.
I have believed that good things always come to you, and you need not go looking for them. The same is true for good books. If you love to read, you’ll find good reads whether or not you’re looking for them. Something similar happened last weekend with me.
As I was walking down the aisles of the nearest Barnes & Noble to my place, I remembered that world book day was approaching, and I couldn’t remember when was the last time I read a physical book. I do read a lot of books on my Kindle. But that is when I decided to read at least one physical book a month.
Fortunately, the first interesting book I came across in the store was Jefferson Country: A Story of Love and Revolution in the Oncoming Age of Aquarius by L.T. Kuhlman. The interesting cover of the book and the use of a pseudonym by the author piqued my interest. And sure enough, I wasn’t able to put it down for the next two days.
It is a book that I think everyone should read once, and here’s my review of the book to encourage you to pick it up.
What’s the Book About?
Like most other famous works of fiction, Jefferson Country is a roman a clef. For the uninitiated, roman a clef is a novel in which the author talks about a real-life event but overlays it with a facade of fiction. Simply put, it’s a novel in which real people or events appear with fictional names.
Set in 1975 in Charlottesville, Virginia, this particular roman a clef uses fictitious characters and real people to tell the story.
The author toes the parallel plots of the narrative together through Roberta Wiley’s murder, and Henry Tilghman is the suspect. Tilghman finds himself in a romantic relationship with Claire Fox. Claire then helps him escape gallows by deciphering a bizarre pictogram on Wiley’s body and unraveling the mystery behind her murder.
While investigating the murder, Tilghman and Fox get to know about the age of Aquarius that’s about to dawn and the need for cosmic cleaning. And to top it all, there are people wearing medallions with the pictogram from Wiley’s body gathered around Thomas Jefferson’s historic residence.
Who are these people? What’s the Age of Aquarius? What cosmic cleaning is required and why? Did Tilghman and Fox find out the connection between these strange people and the murder? These are the questions that form the plot of this roman a clef.
What Makes the Book Different?
What makes Jefferson Country stand out is that it doesn’t fit into one genre. The book has nuances of a political drama and murder mystery simultaneously. And then the author throws you off by adding the element of social reordering and cosmic cleaning to the mix.
There’s also a separate romantic side-plot between the two main characters – Henry Tilghman and Claire Fox. The book, which starts as a murder mystery, transitions into a romance novel and becomes a dystopian thriller. The very fact that the author does not restrict himself to any one genre but explores several of them and ties them all together brilliantly at the end.
Saying any more about the book would be revealing a little too much too soon for those who have not read the book. And believe me, you would want to experience the rush and thrill of the book yourself. I never thought a book could give you the edge-of-the-seat rush like that. I hope someone makes it into a feature film with Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise.
Should You Read It or Not?
Jefferson Country is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and excitement, which anyone would love. The book reflects upon the complex modern society, how a relationship works, and a dystopian world that could become a possibility in the near future.
If you like to read fast paced and fictional books with secondary plotlines that let you delve into real-life complexities, the Jefferson Country is a must-read. The genre-defying storyline, interesting characters, and curious conflicts are the name of the game here.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
