Julia and Maud

In Julia and Maud, author Joyce Faulkner presents a compelling

tale told by Archie Biggs, the "steadfast," yet conflicted Huck Finntype

narrator. Biggs, often at the center of the action, whether he

wants to be or not, reveals his own bias, while also showing the

perspectives of complicated citizens during an evolutionary 1890s

Fort Smith. The ebb and flow of popular opinion and the sixdegrees

of separation which connect characters throughout

parallels many political stories and the ambitions throughout

Arkansas history to the present. Readers are empathetic to the

narrator, whose dialectal perspective, youth, and honor, are clear

throughout. Some readers may find empathy for Maud, as

reminded by Faulkner, this story has many sides.