The Unicorn Woman

A Black WWII veteran becomes enraptured by a carnival performer in the sometimes glimmering but mostly plodding latest from Jones (The Birdcatcher). Buddy Ray Guy, who fought in France as a teenager, travels across Kentucky and Tennessee for tractor repair jobs. During a visit to a traveling carnival, he’s bewitched by the well-manicured and curiously horned Unicorn Woman. He makes it a point to attend every sideshow attraction he can in hopes of seeing the elusive creature once again. In the process, he becomes increasingly fascinated, even visiting a biology professor to ask about the Unicorn Woman’s otherworldly anatomy. The core theme of the Unicorn Woman’s mystery and allure is enticing, but Buddy’s obsessive gaze tends to wear on the reader as the woman's own story remains underdeveloped. Still, Jones’s rich characterizations and wit are on display elsewhere, including in Buddy’s memories of his parents’ concern after he attracted criticism from teachers for growing his hair out like his hero Frederick Douglass (“I know they had barber shops in Mr. Douglass’s days and times,” says his mother). This has its moments, but it doesn’t quite hang together. (Aug.)