Black Mountain Breakdown is Lee Smith’s first novel and chronicles the life of Crystal Spangler from teenager-hood through young adult-hood. Crystal is the youngest of her family and the love of her mother’s life because she was a late baby and her older brothers had “left” in one sense or another by the time she was in her early teens.
Crystal is beautiful, emotional, and hard to catch. She also reflects back what others give her so that they love her without really knowing why or who she is. Crystal’s father Grant is dying at the beginning of the novel—simply sitting in a chair in the front parlor of the house waiting for death to take him. It’s a sad existence, but he and Crystal have a connection that foreshadows Crystal’s own mental health issues throughout the rest of her life.
After her father’s death Crystal turns to anyone to give her life substance and meaning, but only turns to herself once and that is when she is teaching junior high—a vocation she seems to have a knack for.
Her friend Agnes stays with her throughout her life and the two of them mirror one another in life experiences. While Crystal’s seems to be living high and happy, Agnes is miserable, but as Crystal begins her decline, Agnes begins her climb to becoming quite the entrepreneur.
BMB is a good book even if it is about a very depressing and tragic life. The mental illness isn’t surprising considering the family history and experiences Crystal has, but it is sad nonetheless.
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