Jed is trouble from the beginning, and he causes headaches, heartache and even a couple of broken bones for various Strong women throughout the book. At his core, he longs to be a part of the Strong family and the moonshine business. When circumstances create the opportunity for him to join in at last, how does he handle it? Do you feel sorry for him? Are his feelings of being used and discarded valid? Or is the world—at least the Strongs’ world—truly better off without him?
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Jed is a spoiled, smug young man who basically almost destroyed the Strong family. He discloses information to the Feds about Hiram’s moonshine business, he marries into the family and is such a jerk to his new bride, he almost kills Rebekah and eventually deserts the family when they could use his help. Lidy had that boy’s number from the very beginning, but she wants her granddaughter to be happy, so Lidy stays silent. Sorry, no way, he’s a self-centered jerk. He wanted to be part of the family, to be the big man he thought he was, but when he had to step up and help, he wasn’t as smart as he thought. As for discarded, he was an unfaithful husband and a drunk, what good was he to the Strong family.
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Jed has a need for validation and he’s insecure. He’s his own worst enemy and he often makes choices that hurt others I don’t feel sorry for him. The Strong family are survival driven and Jed isn’t fully trusted. He needs to earn the trust and he needs to not act entitled. I think the Strong family would be better without him. He is more of a risk to them and he acts in an unpredictable manner. The women trust and know how to work with each other and he just adds emotional strain to the hierarchy they’ve built.
Ok, can we all agree, we love the fact that these are the “Strong” women! Jed is self-centered, spoiled, egotistical, and wants to be in charge and not do any work. He is violent and abusive. I did not feel sorry for him because he did not change and grow into being the “man” he could have been.
I’m with Team Strong here! Jed is awful and had chance after chance to redeem himself. I wanted him to become a better man, even if he didn’t end up staying with Elsie, but some people never change.