By Tara M Stringfellow
This is a brilliant novel that depicts both racism and sexism, particularly the culmination of the two (discrimination against black women). Tara details the lives of about 5 women – 3 generations of women. She talks about their love stories, the racism they suffer, domestic violence and sexual violence. She draws from historical events and weaves these into the story.
Tara treats the rape of a child with a good level of validation. The father of the girl who was raped embraces his daughter and tries to comfort her, as does her mother as well. But the rape actually drives the parents’ marriage apart. A doctor says the child won’t remember the event, but Tara makes it perfectly clear that our bodies keep the score, even if we are too young to understand what has happened.
Some of the characters experience different levels of reconciliation with each other, some defy their parents, their husbands, the stories they’ve been told about their own futures, and work hard to follow their dreams and become more themselves. I was crying by the end of it.
Entertaining, well written & pertinent to our world as we learn and practice anti-discrimination.