SALVAGE the BONES.... (continued)

I actually got pretty far in Jesmyn Ward's Salvage the Bones. It kind of feels like a diary-like story, where the story follows the character's day to day lives with no real definite plot or rising action, climax or resolution. Sometimes this can make something a little painful to read because it feels so unproductive, like you're not getting anywhere. This is how I started to feel, but I'm a little more than half way through the book and things are starting to move along. But the book covers 14 days and I guess not a lot can happen in that amount of time. But now finally things got "saucy". China (the dog) is getting sick, the father got three of fingers cut of in an accident involving a tractor and chicken pen (don't ask), and Hurricane Katrina has finally been referenced.
Esch, the main character who is newly pregnant, is still desperately trying to gain the affection of the much older Manny who got her pregnant in the first place. Manny has another girlfriend but sees Esch in secret. Well they don't really "see" each other anymore because Manny is just taking advantage of Esch and doesn't show her any affection and once she shows her affection he pushes her away. Wow, I just realized that this really isn't a school book. Anyway, as a reader you really want to shake Esch, and show her the reality of her relationship with Manny, because she somehow thinks they will be together. She hasn't told him she's pregnant. She hasn't told anyone. I can't stand female characters who mope over guys that clearly don't care for them in return, or weak female characters in general. But I've learnt to give some characters a pass depending on the setting, especially time period and country. Esch often compares herself to the Mythology character Medea. And after researching the story, I'm able to understand the book better. She compares Jason to Manny. In the Story of Jason and the Golden Fleece I'm pretty sure Jason ultimately leaves Medea for another wife despite all Medea has done for him. I'm not sure if Esch gets that if her life and the Golden Fleece are running parallel, that Manny will not be with her in the end.
Some parts of this book is really graphic and some a little bloody. But the description literally pulls the readers into the story and allows you to feel the raw emotions of the characters. Even though half the time Esch annoys me half-to-death, I can't  help feeling bad for her. In the book the fear she projects everyday she wakes up because of her pregnancy, wishing it was just a bad dream. But she just can't wake up from her nightmare (excuse the cliche). I'm the same age and I would absolutely freak out if I was in that situation. I think I would be more afraid of the wrath of my parents than anything. But she doesn't really have the tradition family system like I do. And I'm sure how her alcoholic father would react. But her dread to accept her predicament is really painful to read.
If this book interests you, other books you might like are Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon which is a little less graphic than STB. There is a book called Bronxwood by Coe Booth. I read that in seventh grade which probably wasn't a good idea. It's far worse than STB, and covers more gang violence and how the selling of drugs work. It also follows independent teens who are pretty much raising themselves. Again, NOT recommended. Sometimes I think I shouldn't look too deeply in the dark sketchy corners of the library.