SNAKE EYES

In Jons’ novel, a U.S. Marine, returning home after a long absence, finds healing and romance.

Melanie “Mel” Manley’s plan to be a career Marine was derailed when, while serving in Afghanistan, a snake bite, treated by a too-tight tourniquet, resulted in her left leg being amputated. When she enlisted, her father had “all but disowned her,” causing a 15-year estrangement. After learning that her father has died, Mel returns to the farm where she grew up near Tappahannock, Virginia. She’s dealing with PTSD stemming from her service, during which she was also raped: “She is no longer the girl she was when she left, and different from the soldier she became, something completely different now.” Psychological treatment through the Veterans Administration proves unhelpful, and she doesn’t expect any support from her family. Once home, however, she’s surprised to be warmly welcomed. Her mother reveals something about Mel’s father that provides clarity regarding his violent reaction to Mel’s enlistment. Mel also rekindles a romance with Ozzie, a high school crush who’s now the handsome local fire chief; he makes her feel safe and secure. Other townspeople also have her back, especially when she encounters unexpected danger. Over the course of Jons’ novel, Mel’s story draws on often-untold experiences of harassment and sexual assault in the military. Many readers will find comfort in the fact that her estranged family and friends welcome her home and help her on her journey to recovery, as when an important person in Mel’s life “believes her story. No question, no checking, not needing the whole tale.” Overall, it’s an alternately heartwarming and gritty story that asserts that one can go home again.

An engaging character study featuring a love story and mild thriller elements.