There is a popular timeless idiom which suggests that “lightning does not strike twice”. If it happened to you once then it probably won’t happen again. That stated, I was first introduced to K.A. Minton by way of his first novel, Moonlight Over Paris, a wonderfully sensual novel modestly composed of a fresh writing style and graceful prose. Minton is back with a new novel titled By their Fruits, hoping to whet our literary appetites for a second time around.
By Their Fruits is a coming-of-age story of two best friends who try to cope with differences and struggles amidst a vibrant backdrop of life’s colorful and dramatic landscape of family issues, demanding friendships, and lover’s upsets. Both men deal with inner turmoil and life-strife as they try to navigate through the complexity of their problems to find solace and resolve. At the core of Minton’s tale is the age old Shakespearean question, to be or not to be. Thus, Josh and Moses (an interesting name) try figure out what’s going on.
Minton’s book title is a reference to the biblical Matthew 7:16 verse which states, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” It is from this creative vantage point that Minton attempts to construct moral and meaning, and to give this novel purpose, and make his characters meaningful. Minton barely achieves this difficult mission because oftentimes during the course of the novel he is unable to think outside of the often limiting confines of religious solutions to real-world problems. As a result, Minton’s vertical characters are often situated in contradictory contexts with diagonal dialogue that never moves forward.
On the other hand, all hope is not lost on this talented new novelist, and I think we should keep our eye on him. Minton is
still a good writer. Unfortunately, we do not get to experience with this novel the thoughtfully written narrative, the well-constructed characters, nor the colorful imageries that set his first novel in good light. Yet, there is still something about Minton’s writing that is fresh and alluring. Although he is not as delicate and sensual with this novel as with the first, perhaps it is because these characters are male whereas Moonlight Over Paris moreso dealt with women. I don’t know what that means in the sense of the types of characters Minton may be more comfortable writing about, but there is certainly a difference. Nonetheless, I recommend this book for anyone interested in something new and fresh. (And definitely get the first novel!)
3/5
what about the kennedys 