Review – Crossing Day by William A. Glass
Synopsis
CROSSING DAY
It’s been one hundred and sixty years since the Confederacy won its independence at the Battle of Altamaha Crossing. Slaves of African descent still perform most of the work in the South. This seems normal to Ryan Walters and his friends who attend high school in Huntsville, Alabama. Like teens everywhere, they enjoy sharing videos, playing sports, and hanging out with friends.
Jaybird’s Drive-In is a favorite gathering place for the teenagers. There, they befriend Mish, a slave girl who works as a server. When the restaurant’s owner sells Mish to a dirty old man, Ryan and his friends awaken to the injustice around them. Despite the danger, they decide to help Mish escape. Will they succeed?
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Excerpt
Melanie wanders into the dining room and finds her parents already seated at the table with their personal slaves standing behind them. Her mother, Dorothy, takes a sip of orange juice and replaces the glass on the lace tablecloth. Her servant, Natty, immediately gets a pitcher from the sideboard and refills the glass. Meanwhile, James is smiling at Melanie. “Morning, Miss,” he says. The white-haired Black man pulls out her chair. Once she’s seated, he spreads a cloth napkin over her lap.
“What was all the ruckus at Jaybird’s last night?” Dan Montgomery asks. He’s the mayor of Huntsville and knows everything.
“A German boy started it,” Melanie says defensively.
“Yes, and his father already called me to complain. He’s a big wheel at The Space Flight Complex.”
“Sorry!”
Montgomery points to the syrup. His slave, Parker, reaches for it and then pours. “Enough,” Montgomery snaps. He turns back to Melanie. “You and all the others will have a week of detention.”
Melanie gasps. “What about cheerleading practice?”
“You should have thought of that before you went to the drive-in. That’s where all the delinquents hang out and you with them.”
“I won’t go anymore. Please.” Melanie bats her baby blues at her father. His expression melts. “Go to detention after school today, and maybe we’ll see about tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Montgomery cuts off a bite of pancake and pops it into his mouth. That reminds Melanie to eat as well. It’s almost time for the bus.
Review
What if the Confederate War separated the United States, and the Germans won WWII? The results might be this book.
I consider this a YA novel because the majority of the main characters are high school students. I appreciated their viewpoint of the world they were living in and realized that maybe there is a better way. However, the old guard won’t change how things are handled. There are too many on a power trip who have lived with this for so long that they do not see it as an injustice to those in that position.
I will admit I was a little confused when I first started reading this book because I didn’t understand the role the Germans played. However, I quickly got up to speed and appreciated this alternative historical view of our country. This band of teenagers showed a lot of mettle trying to right a wrong. They endured hardships, imprisonment, and harsh conditions, just trying to do what they thought was right. It was easy to see their maturity and immaturity at the same time. They haven’t had a chance to experience more, so their actions and reactions were based on their short lives.
There is so much that could have been written in this book. In fact, I think this book would have made a great series. It made me think about how I would feel if the United States was split into two, the South still holding onto ways that are what we have moved away from. Slavery, for example. Or the German influence with work camps for those of a certain religion. I felt like more could have been said at the end and what might have happened next for this group of teens.
I enjoyed this book and considering the “what ifs” had some wars turned out differently. We give this book 4 paws up.
About the Author
Bill Glass is a retired business executive, now coaching soccer at a small college in rural South Carolina. He began writing to pass the time on road trips.
Bill is married to Bettina Linden, a retired high school German teacher. They have three grown sons who have all moved away to pursue careers. Now, several rescued dogs and cats keep them company.
