Chasing Fireflies: A Novel of Discovery is another novel by Charles Martin set in the south with engrossing characters, frequent shifts in time and character and characters who are deeply mistreated but maintain grace throughout. In Chasing Fireflies we have three stories: Chase, who desperately wants to know who he is and whose he is, Sketch, an abused boy who is mute but communicates via drawing, Unc, who was framed and looted by his high-rolling brother Jack.
Chase narrates and seamlessly brings us between his memories growing up as Unc’s foster child and his current-day work investigating Sketch and his relationship with Unc and Unc’s niece Tommye who is dying of Aids. I admired how Martin flipped between times and character focus.
Martin has a gift for making his characters come to life. Unc is the most developed but we get a solid taste of Sketch. Chase develops himself partly through his narration – some of which is self-pitying – and partly by his actions and observations of Unc and others. We also see side characters like Jack, Unc’s wife Lorna, Chase’s friend Mandy. Tommye tells her own story but it was the weakest of the bunch. Her motives were unclear.
Chasing Fireflies has a very complex plot with lots of side journeys, some of which seemed a bit too much. I did not understand why Unc, portrayed as a Christian man with deep grace, would have tossed a body into the river. That seemed out of character and unnecessary. We also heard at the beginning and near the end that evil brother Jack was after the last thing Unc owned, the Sanctuary in the middle of the 26,000 acres of swamp and timberland that Jack already extorted from Unc, but we never heard the pretext for the seizure.
The plot is melodramatic but still manages to be excellent. I read this very fast one evening, then thought I may have missed something that would have clarified Tommye or Jack, so re-read it. I hadn’t missed anything but the second time through I noticed a few plot and character false notes that hadn’t struck me as off kilter the the first time.
Chase’s constant refrain about wanting his Dad (no mention of Mom) and the aching hole he had as a foundling got a little tiresome. The point of the book is family and belonging, but at some point we all have to face what is, good or bad. Even those of us who grew up in loving families have aches in our hearts, it is part of life.
We see that Chase and Mandy are falling in love but their romance is a side conversation. Martin could have explored that a little more, perhaps having someone to love would help heal Chase’s broken heart.
Overall I loved the book and will continue to look for books by this author.
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