The Bingo Queens of Paradise

Other than the dance barn and the drive-in, the only entertainment available in Paradise, Okla., a one-traffic-light town where the bank and movie house have long been boarded up, is Big Bucks Bingo. Darla Moon, 28, a seamstress and designer of Darling Darla Creations, dreams of escaping to New York City, but she's trapped in her hometown by her zany, sharp-tongued and often pathetic family. She has a special bond to her chronically troubled younger sister, Rhonda, whose third marriage has tied her to an abusive man, and whose two children are Darla's delight. This supple, snappy first novel introduces Darla in 1976 as an eight-year-old left in charge of six-year-old Rhonda and their sometimes senile and occasionally brilliant grandmother, Sophie, who receives ""divine messages"" from the Planet of Headbreakers, while their mother, Roxie, the town prostitute, goes out ""dancing."" The girls have no idea who their father is, and the many ""uncles"" who traipse through their house can be as cruel to them as Roxie is. But love and comfort can always be found at the home of Elijah, a black man about their granny's age, who's Darla's best friend. And under extraordinary circumstances, Darla's guardian angel, Shamir, sometimes appears to her. Grown-up Darla copes with guilt over an abortion and haunting memories of her mother's activities; she also falls in love with Reverend Spirit E. Jackson, the new preacher in town. Love makes Darla stronger but ties her all the more firmly to the place she longs to leave. When Rhonda's husband goes on a rampage and Rhonda herself becomes seriously ill, it seems Darla will never be free to pursue her dream, but readers can be sure that this resilient, clever protagonist will find a way to take control of her life. Park's characters form a colorful ensemble, from the brave and wily homespun heroine to the defensive, insensitive Roxie. This strange and involving tale sparkles with a sharp humor that ignites its richly textured setting. (June)