Review by edbutler17 -- The Fat Lady's Low, Sad Song

[edbutler17]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fat Lady's Low, Sad Song" by Brian Kaufman.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Parker Westfall is holding on to his dream. He is a ball player, hoping to make it to the major leagues after years of moving through the minor league system. However, no one is calling except an independent team in Colorado. They have no ties to a major league roster and rarely does a player move from this league to the majors, but the owner is offering Parker a chance to keep playing the game he loves. Of course there’s a catch, as the owner had also brought in the first female baseball player to pitch and he wants Parker to keep an eye on her. The owner needs Parker, as an elder statesman, to help her find her way in a male dominated sport.

While Parker Westfall is the main character, the author gives a glimpse into the other characters as the story advances. This helps bring life to the other characters. Most importantly it gives us a different point of view from Parker, allowing us to see how he is viewed by those around him.

Brian Kaufman does a wonderful job immersing the reader in the life of a minor league ball player. The book is filled with colorful characters that feel alive as you follow their journey from a collection of individuals to a team striving to make the best of their situation. The author does a spectacular job of showing the reader life of a minor league player, from their personal lives to the day to day activities of playing the game they love. The characters feel authentic, and although some lean towards the cliché, it is never enough to distract from the overall story. The author doesn’t shy away from the language found in any male dominated interaction and uses it to flavor the novel throughout.

If you are worried you won’t understand what is going on if you aren’t a baseball fan, don’t be. The author does an incredible job of explaining specifics of the sport without bogging down the story. His baseball action sequences flow naturally and feel like something you might hear listening to the game on the radio.

The Fat Lady’s Low, Sad Song is an easy read and I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It grabs you attention and lets you into the lives of the characters in a way that is both entertaining and moving. As in life, this story has all the ups and downs you would expect from people chasing their dreams and facing their mortality in a young man’s game. While not all the characters are likable and many you might root against, they all feel real and relatable.

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The Fat Lady's Low, Sad Song
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[Erin Painter Baker]

Nicely written review. I like the idea that the main character is also there to help a rookie out, and that this rookie faces challenges not faced by most rookies. I also think it's interesting that the book occasionally goes into other points of view so that the reader gets a fully rounded view of the main character.