Book Review: Kenn Bivins’ PIOUS
Rating: 
PIOUS
A Novel by Kenn Bivins
2010 / 264 Pages
The Setup: Those who know Carpious Mightson would probably describe him as friendly, hard-working, and God-fearing. Little do his neighbors, co-workers, and girlfriend know that almost two decades ago… (from GoodReads: The description continues on, but gives too much away.)
PIOUS: n: marked by sham or hypocrisy
I’m a sucker for stories that shine a light on the inner workings of the lives of those living in safe and secure, small-town suburbia. Call it the voyeur in me, but I love peeking behind the curtain at the intimate details that make up the every day lives of characters that could very well be my next-door neighbors. Let’s face it; from time to time we all get envious of what the next guy has. Perhaps it’s a bigger car, or maybe a bigger home, or even a glamorous, high paying job. Whatever it may be, the truth is, no matter how great our lives look from the outside, we’re all a bit fragile, we’re all damaged in some way, and we’re all desperately aching to heal some broken piece.
I’m also a sucker for hidden meanings, subtext, and symbolism. I love novels where nothing is as it originally appears and the first impressions you make of the characters you meet, that initial bond that form with them, changes and evolves over the course of the story being told. There’s nothing better than reading a character that keeps me guessing, constantly changing my opinions about him, and at the same time questioning my own motivations and wondering how I would react if faced with similar circumstances.
Luckily for me, PIOUS is a novel that contains both of these elements in spades.
Meet Carpious Mightson, a well-respected, middle-aged man living in the idyll community of Mechi Lane. His neighbors all look up to him as leader. He’s an active member of the community and church, trusted to safeguard the well being of the local children. He’s got a wonderful girlfriend and an amazing job. He’s had a rough past, but through hard work and with perseverance he’s rebuilt his life. He’s carrying the weight of a dark secret his neighbors know nothing about, and when his ex-wife arrives on the scene threatening to expose his past, Carpious’ perfect existence becomes in danger of unraveling.
Meet Carpious’ next-door neighbors Drew and Lela Janson. They have one daughter together and another child on the way. Lela thinks they’re a happy family, but Drew has his doubts. He expresses his concerns to Lela and as a result the two begin to slowly drift further and futher apart. Drew also has a secret, and it’s one that could spell the end of the family’s happy lives together.
Finally, meet Ian Kaplan. He’s the new guy on the block. He recently bought a home in the neighborhood. He also recently finished serving a sentence for the statutory rape of a minor. He claims he was a victim of naivety and never meant anyone harm. Regardless, the locals are none too happy to have a registered sex offender living in their midst.
Secrets and lies can destroy a person and shatter a community’s faith. After these characters world’s collide in strange and unexpected ways life on Mechi Lane will never be the same again.
PIOUS is a novel full of hard questions that makes the reader turn a magnifying glass toward their own self to take stock of their own beliefs. It’s an entertaining, thought provoking read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last sentence. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it’s a universally relatable tale about how quickly things can spin out of control when we’re quick to judge others and refuse to acknowledge and take responsibility for our own actions and way those actions affect others.
You think you know a person? Think again.
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Tags: Kenn Bivins, secrets, suburbia
