
What would you do if you woke up one morning only to discover that everyone (or almost everyone) in the world had disappeared while you were sleeping? This is the dilemma faced by Magnolia (or Maggie, as she prefers to be called) in Bringing Magnolia Home, by Kitt Hill. When Maggie prepared herself for work that morning, she had no idea that today would change her entire life forever. It wasn’t until she was sitting at the bus stop and she met Grayson, that the reality of the situation began to dawn on her. Where was everyone? What had happened to the world whilst she was sleeping? So began an epic journey across country as Maggie and Grayson seek answers to what had befallen the world, as well as looking for other survivors. I mean, if two ordinary people like Maggie and Grayson had survived, surely there had to be other ordinary people, like them, who survived also?
Without giving any of the plot away, it is fair to say that Bringing Magnolia Home by Kitt Hill is not everything it initially seems to be. There is a hidden depth to this story that only reveals itself as the tale continues. I liked the character of Maggie. She represented, for me, the bulk of us ordinary people who live in their own little bubbles, taking little or no notice of who or what was happening around them. Until, that it, something momentous happens and suddenly they have to be more aware, more outgoing and more understanding of others. The cast of characters that surround Maggie in this story are, if not caricatures, very strongly drawn to represent the different factions in society. We have the lesbians, the black doctor and the racist redneck, showing us both sides of the human character. I found Bringing Magnolia Home, a good solid read, with an interesting twist.
