Covenant by Ann McMan is the fourth installment in the Jericho series. While you could probably read this as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the other three books first because they’re excellent and you’ll enjoy Covenant more if you’re invested in the characters.
Covenant opens six weeks after the end of Goldenrod, when Gerald Watson was found dead on the 4th of July. Given how awful Jericho’s bigoted, divisive mayor was, everyone is relieved he’s gone. Local police are investigating and there’s no shortage of murder suspects.
Meanwhile, Maddie and Syd (the original centre of the series) are planning their wedding. Roma Jean and Charlie are settling into their relationship and an unwelcome person from Charlie’s past returns. Lizzy has a big decision to make about her future in Jericho. Dorothy is finding her new normal as she lives with Celine. David is the new interim Mayor and no one who loves him can get more than five minutes with him at a time.
Change is the name of the game for everyone in Jericho. It’s up to them to figure out how they’re going to manage it.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Of all the books in the Jericho series, Covenant is most like Goldenrod (it sure isn’t a romance like Jericho or more comedic like Aftermath). But where Goldenrod and its social message left me feeling fired up, reading Covenant was cathartic.
Following Watson’s death, the people of Jericho are divided. All the characters we’ve grown to love are just trying to live their lives in peace, whether they’re queer or allies to the LGBTQ community. But, much like in real life, the area’s holy rollers are spewing homophobic rhetoric because they’ve been emboldened by Watson to speak the quiet part out loud. It’s a clear portrait of the division and regression that’s happening in America and other countries. I appreciated the way this was ultimately handled, because it feels realistic and right. It’s hard to address without spoilers, so I’ll just say this: it showed accountability without overpromising, which was very satisfying for me.
Another major theme in Covenant is relationships with fathers. We see good fathers, like Roma Jean’s dad and James, biological father to Henry (the boy that Maddie and Syd are raising). However, we also see abominable fathers like Charlie’s and the trauma that can be left behind even when a terrible father is long dead. Given the way the patriarchy is so bound up in white supremacy, Evangelicalism, and all of our systems, the story’s interrogation of the idea of fatherhood—both what it should be and the consequences of what it too often is—is necessary and its importance can’t be understated.
Covenant’s narrative structure is also brilliant. Most chapters begin with one of the locals being interviewed by the police. We only get the voice of the individual being interviewed, never the interviewer. However, from the responses, we can tell what they’re being asked. What really makes these passages sing is that they alternate between what is said out loud with what each person is thinking at the same time. While these passages give us a sense of each person’s anxieties, they also show the tension between what people choose to conceal and reveal. I especially love that, collectively, the passages also demonstrate the heart of the town and how most people are ready to move on and cocreate a better, Watson-free, future.
For anyone wondering about the audio version, Christine Williams does a fabulous job, as always. I can’t imagine anyone else narrating this series and it was wonderful revisiting one of my favourite narrators as she performs some of my favourite characters.
Cons And Heads Up
No cons here. Only a heads up.
As you might be guessing, Covenant is not always an easy book to read. As a person living with religious trauma, I occasionally had to put it down and walk away for a bit, especially during homophobic proselytizing. It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t come back, though. Evangelical conversion therapy also comes up, but I didn’t find that triggering (if you’ve experienced conversion therapy, your mileage may vary on that, but it’s only referenced, not discussed in detail).
The story tackles domestic violence, too. We don’t see much directly on the page, but previous physical abuse and sexual violence is discussed for multiple characters. Both types of violence are handled incredibly carefully and no details are provided.
The Conclusion
I waited four years for Covenant and, damn, was it ever worth waiting for. I don’t know whether we’ll get more stories with these characters, but I’ll be okay if it ends here. All the loose ends I needed tied up are taken care of.
Covenant is an important book. It’s the opposite of escapism because it presents the world as it is, without shying away from the tough stuff. However, it offers hope and a resolution that says we might just be okay if we hold close to the people most important to us and stand up for what’s right. So do yourself a favour and pick it up. Let’s all get a little cathartic together, because we have work to do.
Excerpt from Covenant by Ann McMan
Maddie left the kitchen and crossed the foyer to peek into the living room.
Dorothy heard her approach and looked up from the piano. She’d been flipping pages of sheet music. “Hey, Maddie.” She pushed the stool back and stood up. “Are you here for dinner? Byron’s coming, too.” Her tone was hopeful.
“Um. No. Was that you playing when I got here?”
Dorothy dropped her eyes. “I know it wasn’t right. I’ve been trying to practice.”
“Are you kidding me? It was perfect. I thought it was Mom.”
Dorothy’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Maddie could tell the girl was trying hard not to smile. “You’re a natural.”
“There’s nothing ‘natural’ about it,” Celine’s voice carried across from the kitchen. “It’s hard work and determination.”
Maddie raised her eyes to take in the ceiling before bending toward Dorothy and lowering her voice. “This is the bane of my existence.”
Dorothy did smile now. Maddie was moved by how the simple action drained the years from her young face. Dorothy didn’t smile much these days. She didn’t have a lot of reason to. Maddie was confident that her coming to live with Celine would change that.
“Come on, kiddo.” She held out a hand. “Let’s go to the kitchen and liberate some cherries.”
Dorothy crossed toward her and only hesitated a second before taking her hand.
Progress, Maddie thought. She tightened her hold and led Dorothy back to the kitchen.
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Series
Covenant
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 9781612941912
Publisher: Bywater Books
Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios
Narrator: Christine Williams
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