Ohio by Stephen Markley
I grew up in Ohio, you know, round on the ends, hi in the middle. Although I moved away a long time ago, lots of family and friends still live there. On a recent visit back for my high school reunion, I realized that Ohio will never leave me. It's who I am and where I will always be from. It is my heart.
When I heard about this novel, Ohio, I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. It's about the opiod crisis that is gripping our nation and especially small rural towns. I didn't want to believe that was true. I wanted my memories of a safe, serene place with fresh air and a Dairy Queen to remain intact. During my trip back I learned those precious things were no longer reality. Doors are locked now to keep out those looking for money to fuel a drug habit.
Ohio tells the story of several teenagers growing up in a small, rural Ohio town and the trajectories of their lives as they moved to adulthood. Some went off to college at Bowling Green, where I got my degree and Wittenberg, where my brother and sister both got degrees. The author also threw in Cedar Point amid some civil war Ohio history. Alcohol and drug use started early in this tiny enclave and impacted how each one of their story lines evolved.
This book is long and dark and highlights the Iraq war and diverse political views on top of the already heavy weight of alcohol and drug use. Often I thought the story dragged on but I was kept interested in how each of these kids turned out. For all of them their lives weren't pretty, loaded with past baggage they couldn't seem to shake. I connected with the characters maybe because they were Ohioans and I'd driven the same roads and been to a lot of the same places in my life. But they broke my heart because they are navigating a world I know nothing about.
If you have the time, Ohio is worth the investment.
I grew up in Ohio, you know, round on the ends, hi in the middle. Although I moved away a long time ago, lots of family and friends still live there. On a recent visit back for my high school reunion, I realized that Ohio will never leave me. It's who I am and where I will always be from. It is my heart.
When I heard about this novel, Ohio, I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. It's about the opiod crisis that is gripping our nation and especially small rural towns. I didn't want to believe that was true. I wanted my memories of a safe, serene place with fresh air and a Dairy Queen to remain intact. During my trip back I learned those precious things were no longer reality. Doors are locked now to keep out those looking for money to fuel a drug habit.
Ohio tells the story of several teenagers growing up in a small, rural Ohio town and the trajectories of their lives as they moved to adulthood. Some went off to college at Bowling Green, where I got my degree and Wittenberg, where my brother and sister both got degrees. The author also threw in Cedar Point amid some civil war Ohio history. Alcohol and drug use started early in this tiny enclave and impacted how each one of their story lines evolved.
This book is long and dark and highlights the Iraq war and diverse political views on top of the already heavy weight of alcohol and drug use. Often I thought the story dragged on but I was kept interested in how each of these kids turned out. For all of them their lives weren't pretty, loaded with past baggage they couldn't seem to shake. I connected with the characters maybe because they were Ohioans and I'd driven the same roads and been to a lot of the same places in my life. But they broke my heart because they are navigating a world I know nothing about.
If you have the time, Ohio is worth the investment.
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