The second part of the Snopes family trilogy could very well be read as a book on its own. Written in the form of a narrative, "The Town" is divided into equal parts, separating the moments among character-narratives.

It is extremely interesting how each of these reflects its condition in the way they are written: Age and pronunciation vary. It is as if each of the chapters insinuates itself into an independent vignette.

A novel of customs, love, betrayal, and greed; it ranges from the narrative to the subjective, sometimes getting you lost in the intellectual tangle.

The detailed descriptions and the complex relationships between the characters make this book a captivating read. It delves deep into the human psyche and explores the various emotions and motives that drive people.

Whether you are a fan of Faulkner's works or simply enjoy a well-written novel, "The Town" is sure to keep you engaged from start to finish.

Great southern literature has always been a captivating and influential genre.

In chapter 16, the story takes an interesting turn with the introduction of Mrs. Hait and the mules. Mrs. Hait is a character full of charm and mystery, and her presence adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

The mules, on the other hand, bring a touch of the rural and the practical to the story. They are an important part of the southern landscape and way of life, and their role in the chapter is both symbolic and significant.

Together, Mrs. Hait and the mules create a vivid and engaging scene that draws the reader in and makes them eager to learn more about what will happen next.

This chapter is a prime example of the power and beauty of great southern literature, with its rich characters, vivid descriptions, and engaging storylines.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in the southern literary tradition or in simply enjoying a good story.

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"And it don't take no especial coward to not want to walk into that store and up to old man Will Varner and tell him his daughter ain't reformed even yet, that she's been sleeping around again for 18 years now, with a feller she ain't married to, and that her husband ain't got guts enough to know what do do about it," writes Faulkner of the central plot of this work.

One could argue that lots of characters in "The Town" (and other Faulkner works) need reforming. However, they won't, and they never will. After all, we're in Faulkner's Southern Goth world, which is a hurtful place and usually gives us painful reads.

Some might think that this kind of harsh and unforgiving portrayal of human nature is a thing of the past. But think again. That's precisely why we still read Faulkner. His works force us to confront the darker aspects of ourselves and society, making us uncomfortable but also challenging us to think more deeply about the human condition.

It has been a rather long time since I last delved into The Hamlet, the first installment in this trilogy. However, it didn't seem to hold overly significant importance.

As I continued to read The Town, it became increasingly captivating. The ongoing saga of Flem Snopes, his Marilyn Monroe-like wife Eula, her daughter Linda, and the county attorney, "Lawyer Stephens," along with the recurring characters V.I. Ratliff and the boy Charles Mallison, nephew of Stephens, kept me hooked.

The roving narrators not only present us with the main story but also numerous side stories along the way. Some of these side stories are hilariously funny, capable of making one burst out laughing, while others are tragic, tugging at the heartstrings.

This book has truly piqued my interest and will undoubtedly prompt me to pick up the third book, The Mansion, in the very near future. I can't wait to see how the story continues to unfold and what new adventures and revelations await me.

Book 2 is truly filled with the Snopes family, and the town of "Jefferson" in Mississippi, along with their doings in the wider world.

We see the Snopes characters involved in various escapades. For instance, in WWI France, they are up to no good, providing loose women and then bringing those naughty postcards back home.

It's not just limited to Mississippi and France; even Greenwich Village gets a mention.

The story seems to unfold in multiple locations, adding a rich tapestry of settings and events.

The Snopes family's actions and their impact on different places and people are sure to make for an interesting and engaging read.

As we follow their adventures, we get a sense of the different cultures and social norms of the times.

Overall, Book 2 promises to be a captivating exploration of the Snopes family and their far-reaching influence.

I was on vacation and in need of a paperback to pass the time. So, I picked up this book and started reading. I managed to get through half of it. However, I have to say that it has been a lot of work for very little payback.

The character of Flem Snopes just doesn't do it for me. I find myself not really caring about what happens to him. If only the book were more focused on lawyer Gavin Stevens. I think he has more depth and potential for an interesting story.

I'm hoping that as I continue reading the second half of the book, it will become more engaging and start to pay off for all the effort I've put in so far. Maybe there will be some unexpected twists and turns that will make me change my opinion about the book. Only time will tell.

I have very mixed feelings about this novel.

Faulkner is truly a master when it comes to writing brilliant sentences. His words have the power to paint vivid pictures and evoke strong emotions.

The overall scheme for the Snopes trilogy is both ambitious and adventurous. It shows his creative vision and willingness to explore complex themes and characters.

However, I must admit that I got bogged down at some stages in this particular installment. The plot at times became convoluted and difficult to follow.

There were also some characters that I found less engaging than others.

Despite these drawbacks, I still appreciate Faulkner's talent and the effort he put into creating this trilogy.

I will continue to read the remaining books in the hope of uncovering more of the hidden gems within.

I have a profound affection for this second novel of The Snopes trilogy. It can be read independently, and I find it far more engaging than the first one, The Hamlet.

Although it is partly a retelling of the first, with the first third mainly consisting of flashbacks presented through different voices, a characteristic of Faulkner's. However, a significant portion of it is a continuation, told from three viewpoints, serving as a sampling of the community.

Within the narration of these three perspectives, there is an abundance of humor, at least in the first three-fourths of the book. Perhaps this was what was lacking for me in The Hamlet, which I know is supposed to have its own brand of humor, but for me, it felt ponderous and laborious.

Sarcasm and ludicrousness are sprinkled throughout, eliciting chuckles of recognition. In the middle, there is a hilarious set-piece, also published as the short story 'Mule in the Yard'. It begins with a mule trespassing on the handkerchief-sized yard of Mrs. Hait, immediately reminding me of Betsey Trotwood and the donkeys on her own patch of green in David Copperfield. Mrs. Hait even has her own Janet, named old Het. But with Faulkner, the premise runs wild, involving fog, a cow, chickens, and more. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. The ending of this piece is dark but perfect.

I suppose I could have given this novel one more star, except that it is not among the best of Faulkner. For instance, although I understand that Eula's story is filtered through one of the narrators, when she spoke at the end, it was exactly as if Stevens was speaking, which completely took me out of the story.

The ending of the novel, a great set-piece on its own, almost feels tacked-on and has a different tone than the rest of the novel. While I don't think this is a problem for the theme, in a way, it seemed forced and might have fit better with the first novel.

This, the second novel in the Snopes trilogy, presents the entertaining Ratliff, the traveling sewing-machine salesman. He analyzes the state of news in the Trump era. TV viewers, he observes, "already want to believe (Fox)" and thus don't listen. The first novel in the trilogy was The Hamlet, and the last one may be the greatest in terms of moral impact on this reader. I have taught The Mansion a couple of times.

Ratliff, the shrewd yet ungrammatical talker, offers insights that are relevant to our understanding of the media in 2017. He can't tell the lawyer Gavin Stevens what he knows because "he wouldn't believe me. This here is the kind of thing a man has to know his—himself." Ratliff corrects himself in front of Mallison, Jr., who has been to Harvard. He explains that when someone else tells you something, you only half believe it, unless it's something you already wanted to believe. In that case, you don't even listen because you've already agreed. This is a pretty good analysis of Fox News or, alternatively, the NYT if it didn't get the facts right so often.

Then, regarding our US President, Ratliff says that a man who just wants money for the sake of money will stop at certain things. But a man who comes from where he did, if there's to be any meaning in his life, there's nothing he won't do to get it, including respectability. This novel is filled with humor and Ratliff's irony, although I'm mostly quoting his serious insights directly. One major theme is how criminals gain control of banks. Here, Flem Snopes, the worst of the worst, robs his entire family of their lands and wealth and eventually heads the bank without risking his own money.

Gavin Stevens, the lawyer, sums it up by saying that Flem not only knew that banks could be looted but believed that they were constantly looted. The normal state of a bank, according to Flem, is a steady and decorous embezzlement, with its solvency being an impregnable illusion. The bank thief moves to Texas, has four kids with an Indian woman (maybe from Mexico), and they are sent back to Mexico. The kids grow up self-sufficient and very aggressive, impossible to care for. The novel ends with them being lured into town and shipped back to Texas on the train, with tags reading "Byron Snopes, El Paso, Texas." Ratliff brings a box of oranges, apples, and candy bars and approaches to offer them, saying to Chick Mallison, "Come on; you ain't quite growed so they may not snap at you."

I firmly believe that I have a great liking for this book. However, I am fully aware that in order to truly understand and appreciate all its nuances and subtleties, I will have to peruse it more than just once. Reading it only once might not provide me with a comprehensive understanding of its depth and value. Therefore, for the present moment, I have decided that I will refrain from giving it a rating. I want to take my time, engage with the text multiple times, and allow my thoughts and impressions to fully develop. Only then will I feel confident enough to assign a rating that accurately reflects my assessment of this book.

The second novel of Faulkner's "Snopes Trilogy" commences in a rather promising manner. In the initial half, it bears resemblance to the brilliance exhibited in the first Snopes novel, _The Hamlet_. Faulkner focuses intently on narrating the tales of the "Snopes invasion" of Jefferson and the subsequent events. Notably, the rivalry (or perhaps a triangle) among Flem Snopes, Manfred de Spain, and Gavin Stevens is presented, with the narrative unfolding from three distinct viewpoints. The writing style is direct and uncomplicated, and the stories prove to be highly engaging.

However, as the novel reaches its middle part, a significant shift occurs in the tone. It transitions from the comic (or satiric) mode to a more serious one. A younger Faulkner might have been able to manage this transition effectively and make it succeed. But here, Faulkner starts to encounter difficulties in differentiating the voices of the three narrators. In effect, they all seem to merge into Faulkner himself. Consequently, the narrative becomes more abstract, with Faulkner merely informing us of what occurs rather than vividly showing us. This shift to the abstract creates a distance that diminishes the emotional impact of the story of Eula (Varner) Snopes and her daughter Linda, which surely was not Faulkner's original intention.

Nevertheless, despite these flaws, this remains a fine novel. It is, however, a novel that is marred to some extent.