The book “The Clock of Life” by Nancy Klann-Moren is the powerful story of a boy, Jason Lee, growing up in the South where racism was still very common.
Jason Lee, a strong-minded White boy, never conformed to the ideas which prevailed in Mississippi throughout his upbringing. He always looked for answers about why things were the way they were. He also developed a deep friendship with Samson, a Black boy, who later on ended up being his best friend. This friendship led him to numerous adventures and discoveries. Most important of all, it led him to unveil a past that was not clearly disclosed during his childhood: the story of J.L. Rainey, Jason Lee´s father, who was part of the civil rights movement and fought during the Vietnam War. The more Jason Lee dug down, the more he was able to connect the pieces of the puzzle and link to what was happening to him in the present. When he thought he was getting all the answers he wanted, an incident happened making him determined to change the course of his life forever.
I consider “The Clock of Life” a youth masterpiece. Nancy Klann-Moren made the story and the characters reflect the life in the South during the 70´s. It felt I was immersed in the lives of those who lived during the Civil Rights Movement. The descriptions, Southern regionalism and folktale used in the story made it delightful and powerful. Without going deep into the Civil Rights Movement, Klann-Moren brought up glimpses of what happened in the March from Selma to Montgomery. She gives a true history lesson, and her inclusion of historical events in her novel made the book more vivid. I personally loved it and recommend it to anyone looking for a light, fresh, and cultural (historical) reading. Reviewed by Kelly Santana for Readers’ Favorite
