‘House of Cotton’ opens at the funeral of Mama Brown, late grandmother to Magnolia, who is realizing just how vastly alone she is. Almost immediately she finds herself having to deny the advances of her slimy old landlord while simultaneously worrying about how she’s going to eat her next meal let alone pay her rent. While working the night shift of her dead-end job she meets a sketchy man with blood on his hands (literally) who offers her a modeling job, which she is hesitant to take, let alone believe is real. After her landlord enters her home uninvited and sexually assaults her, Magnolia decides to take matters into her own hands. She locates the mysterious man, Cotton and his aunt Eden at a funeral home, accepts the job, and subsequently sets out on a journey of poor decision making and increasing self destruction.
My personal opinion on this one is not great. Never mind the constant grammatical errors, but I just could not wrap my head around why she chose to do the things she did. I’ll acknowledge the character and I have very different circumstances, and I understand she had a terribly rough childhood, but why make it worse? Wouldn’t she want to dig herself out of poverty? Especially with such a rare, albeit unusual, opportunity with the well-paying gig at the funeral home? Granted that situation was far from awesome. But why stick around when she knew they were using her? Then letting a clearly unstable stranger stay in her house KNOWING her landlord would find him. Continuing to have unprotected sex almost immediately after having an abortion. Keeping the spirit of Mama Brown in limbo and not letting her soul rest. (which by the way was a weird twist to the story.. I’m all for the supernatural but perhaps a little more back story on that?) Idk, this one just wasn’t for me and therefore do not recommend. 2 Stars.
<!> An enormous Thank You to Goodreads, Flatiron Books, and Monica Brashears for allowing me the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest review. <!>