De'Shawn Charles Winslow's In West Mills is widely praised for its vivid, character-driven storytelling and rich depiction of African American life in a small Southern town. Some critics appreciate its nuanced exploration of community and identity, though a few mention a slower pace in parts. Overall, it’s considered a compelling and poignant debut.

Readers who enjoyed The Color Purple by Alice Walker or The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd will appreciate In West Mills. Those interested in richly woven, character-driven stories exploring themes of community, resilience, and identity in the rural South will find this novel captivating.

In West Mills by De'Shawn Charles Winslow follows Azalea "Knot" Centre, an independent and alcoholic woman navigating life in the fictional town of West Mills, North Carolina, from 1941 to 1987. After rejecting a marriage proposal, Knot deals with two secret pregnancies, complicated relationships, and the revelation of family secrets, culminating in a lifelong struggle interwoven with the journeys of her friends and neighbors.

Gritty / Nostalgic / Emotional / Contemplative / Bittersweet

- In West Mills marks the debut novel of De'Shawn Charles Winslow, earning him recognition with a 2020 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.
- The novel is set in a fictional small community in North Carolina, showcasing Winslow's attention to cultural and regional detail that brings the setting vibrantly to life.
- De'Shawn Charles Winslow's storytelling in In West Mills draws inspiration from his own upbringing in a small Southern town, which informs the novel's rich sense of place and authentic portrayal of community dynamics.

**Azalea “Knot” Centre**  
A strong-willed woman known for her independence and humorous disposition, who grows from a small child with a tenacious spirit into a mother of two, grappling with her desires for both freedom and familial connection.

**Otis Lee Loving**  
Knot’s short and devoted neighbor, whose strong convictions and advice can come across as bossy, but who consistently supports Knot and works as a manual laborer at Pennington Farm.

**Penelope “Pep” Loving**  
Otis Lee’s wife, a heavyset midwife who has strong views on social and familial responsibility and occasionally conflicts with Knot over these values while remaining a supportive presence.

**Valor / “Valley”**  
Knot’s closest confidante and a construction worker, who is open and accepting, supported by his background of being adopted by Otis Lee’s aunt and his experiences as a gay man in a conservative community.

**Pratt Shepherd**  
A tall pianist with a limp who asks Knot to marry him, representing a more traditional life choice, but whose relationship with Knot evolves over time despite initial rejection.

**The Centre Family**  
A source of sadness for Knot, consisting of her humble dentist father who introduces her to literature, and a cold, critical mother, whose arranged marriage influences Knot’s relationship with her sisters, Mary and Iris.

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