I’m very much liking my re-read of Jan Karon’s delightful ‘Mitford’ series. They’re set in the fictional small town of Mitford, which is apparently set in the hills of North Carolina, on the East coast of the United States. I’m re-reading the books in chronological order, which means that ‘These High Green Hills’ is the fourth of the series. I last read it in 2006 and didn’t remember anything much about it.
Father Tim Kavanagh, the Anglican priest, has been married for a few months to his wife Cynthia when this novel opens - the detail of their engagement and wedding was covered in ‘A Common Life’, which I re-read back in February. Tim still can’t quite believe the incredible change in his life, after over sixty years as a bachelor, but he’s liking it very much.
There are several different threads in this book, some of them quite poignant and emotional. Dooley, Tim’s foster son, is away at a private school where he seems to be thriving - but inevitably he’s starting to grow away from his foster parents. And that hurts. Tim is determined to let Dooley know how much they care for him, which leads to a rather stressful and unexpected journey to the school to hear him singing.
Another thread involves Miss Sadie, the town’s oldest resident. Everyone wants to celebrate her upcoming 90th birthday and plans are made for a feast… but Louella, her devoted maid (and best friend) isn’t sure that Sadie wants a party. And she’s not well. Miss Sadie’s driving has become erratic, and she’s decidedly frail.
Then there’s Lace, a young teenage girl who lives in ‘The Creek’, a place for the homeless, in abandoned hovels and temporary buildings. Lace is cynical and angry, with a drunken abusive father; but she cares for her invalid mother, so is unable to leave.
There’s also a battle in the church office, where the diocese has installed a new computer. Neither Tim nor his secretary Emma know anything about computers, but a helpful young man called Dave is determined to teach them…
These subplots weave gently through the book, which follows the lives of these and other people who were introduced in the earlier book. There are light-hearted scenes, such as discussions about an unexpected burgeoning romance between two rather unromantic people, or the dilemma of where to get a haircut. And there are shocking scenes, for instance involving a woman whose body has been badly - and deliberately - burned.
The author manages to show the contrast between the wealthy - Miss Sadie is a millionaire - and the destitute, with a warmth and compassion that neither condemns nor divides. Money can help to feed the hungry, and provide a home for the elderly… but it can’t fix the negative attitudes or violent tendencies of some of the angriest people in The Creek.
Of course it’s character-based, charting primarily Father Tim’s growth as a person - there’s a quite tense scene where he and Cynthia are lost in a cave, where he starts rethinking his priorities, and realises where some of his hangups have come from.
There’s a very strong Christian ethos underlying the whole series, and many conversations include quotations from the Bible, or short prayers. But they’re all set in realistic conversations, between fallible, ordinary people, and they’re not pushy at all. God’s grace shines through in many ways, but not the kind of cliche that is so common in some other Christian fiction.
I loved re-reading this book, and am already looking forward to the next book, which I expect to read in about a month’s time.
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