Phyllis

• Rated 5 stars

“With this being an Amazon Vine choice, I admittedly had very little background on this novel aside from a few snippets of praise from its publisher. It is seemingly marketed with references and comparisons to Katheryn Stockett’s The Help which I find unfair and inaccurate. Aside from both authors being Mississippi-born, it is my opinion that The Healing excels and celebrates where The Help failed and insulted me. In short, while I realize I am in the minority by disliking The Help, I thoroughly enjoyed The Healing and will pick up Mr. Odell’s other works (past and future).

The essence of memory serves as a balm in The Healing. The story opens with a black woman and her young daughter (Violet) being rushed by a white man to an old woman’s (Granada) backwoods home in the middle of the night for medical attention. Having seen the adults weeks earlier for a “cure” for an unwanted “problem,” the woman succumbs to her injuries leaving a traumatized Violet in the care of Granada (Gran Gran). As we soon learn, everything happens for a reason - Violet and Gran Gran have more in common than either could ever imagine. Gran Gran, who feels the “gift” of sight has abandoned her, slowly reclaims it and her strength as Violet’s gentle probing and questions awaken a lifetime of suppressed memories. Granada recounts her life on the nearby Satterfield plantation in the Civil War era South and it is in this retelling the reader meets the eccentric laudanum-dazed mistress whose madness sets the course of Granada’s life and introduces us to the unforgettable Polly Shine, the “gifted” daughter of weavers and a wise and formidable midwife/healer, who teaches Granada the invaluable lessons of a lifetime.

The storytelling and pacing is great - I was pulled into the story from the opening pages and stayed engaged until the end; I was vested to see how it was all going to play out and was not disappointed. The atmosphere/setting is vivid, the characters are rich and realistic in their actions and motivations -- simply put -- we have it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly; some are flawed, misguided, but all are wonderfully drawn. Polly Shine instantly became one of my favorite fictional characters -- I love her and wish I could have experienced more of her life’s journey. Bottom line, this book pays homage to power of the story and memory and its ability to heal a people/community and individuals; it is in the remembering of the beloved ancestors that propel and empower the living. It is one of my favorites for the year.
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Phyllis wrote this review Tuesday, January 10, 2012. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Martha Southgate's The Taste of Salt is a sensitive story centered on a woman attempting to save herself from her family and the serious repercussions that develop from her self-imposed separation. Josie is an accomplished marine biologist from Cleveland, Ohio raised modestly in a hard-working middle-class family; her father is largely a self-taught retired auto worker, her nurse mother is the daughter of a doctor. She and her younger, good-looking and popular brother (Tick) bonded in early childhood as their father slowly surrendered to alcoholism. Josie, the child, immerses herself in books and extra-curricular activities to avoid a miserable home life. It is no wonder, that the same pattern of escapism continues into adulthood as Josie pursues a successful career, a myriad of lovers and continually distances herself from her family - physically, emotionally, and mentally. Unfortunately, Tick, having succumbed to alcoholism in his early teens, battles his demons and loses, hitting rock bottom (again). Worlds collide when Tick shows up unexpectedly at his sister's door forcing Josie to deal with her issues up close and personal.

At its core, The Taste of Salt, examines the effects that alcoholism has on any family. Its venom makes all loved ones victims destroying each relationship at various speeds. Although initially Josie seems to be the protagonist, the author tells the story in shifting first-person narratives from other key characters to provide insight into their heads and hearts. It is here in these snippets of memory we learn of difficult childhoods, broken dreams and disappointments and the never-ending hopes for healing. Despite Josie being African American, this could be anyone's story because pain and dysfunction are not bound by race; however, there are unique perspectives from an African-American viewpoint that are skillfully rendered and factored into the story: their father's migration North from the Deep South, Josie and Tick's experiences at an all-white prep school, Josie's demand for respect and recognition in a profession dominated by white males and her interracial marriage.

Southgate's clever use of metaphors and similes tying the title and the aquatic themes into the story is clever and refreshing in this deliberate, solemn and well-written tale. Recommended for those interested in literary novels dealing with familial dysfunction, alcoholism, drug abuse, Alcoholics Anonymous/rehab and urban decay.

This novel was purchased by the reviewer.

Reviewed by Phyllis Rhodes
APOOO Literary Book Reviews”

Phyllis wrote this review Friday, August 19, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Before opening I Dreamt I Was In Heaven, I admittedly knew nothing of The Rufus Buck Gang; my knowlege of Wild West outlaws was limited to more popular and celebrated villians along the lines of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Butch Cassidy and the like. Thus Leonce Gaines's latest offering into the badlands of the wild, wild West was a enlightening yet tragic history lesson.

The novel opens with a frenzied mob seeking revenge toward the recently captured gang entering town under the protection of marshals. Then via a series of alternating flashbacks that continue throughout the book, the reader settles comfortably into the 1880s Indian Territory. The era's political and social issues and injustices are rendered via the intersecting experiences and philosopies of four key colorful characters Rufus Buck, Cherokee Bill, Dapper Henry Starr and "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker. ''Both Rufus and the Judge are on conflicting missions of sorts -- Rufus, a wayward teen of Native- and African-American descent, and his multi-racial gang, wanted to instill fear into the hearts of whites and chase them from the Territory while the Judge practiced the law (a blend of God's, Natural (a la Darwin), and man's) in an attempt to bring order and civility to the region simultaneously weeding out the undesirable elements.

Inspired by Cherokee Bill's legacy, Rufus and his teen friends set out on a misguided rampage erroneously believing their antics would ignite an Indian uprising to reclaim their land. For nearly two weeks during the summer of 1895, the gang committed multiple acts of murder, rape, assault, thievery and arson; and they were quite successful at instilling fear amid the settlers. The gang was eventually captured and despite all the mayhem and crimes they committed, they were convicted on a single charge of (gang) raping a white woman - sadly in a bigoted, unforgiving era this was the most heinous of crimes (especially for men of color) and were sentenced to hang for it.

The book is based on actual events and persons. It is wonderfully imagined -- Gaiter dives into the psyches of Rufus, the Judge and offers believeable, whole and wounded primary and supporting characters. It reveals the harsh realities of the times including the violence and injustice that shaped America's westward expansion. This book is recommended for history buffs with an interest in the Wild West, Native- and African-American History.

The book was provided by the author for review.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO Literary Reviews”

Phyllis wrote this review Monday, August 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Kwei Quartey's latest novel returns to Ghana, where there is an estimated 60,000 children roaming the streets of Accra and someone is killing them and mutilating their bodies. Detective Darko Dawson is on the case capturing the readers' hearts with his selfless acts of compassion and dedication, caring and sharing when and where many others would not. Children of the Street hones in on an actual, persistent problem of youth from all regions of Ghana converging on its capital in search of jobs and a better life. They are homeless, poor, malnourished, often abused and under-educated -- to many they are a blight, a nuisance, unwelcome and unwanted; to others they are prey waiting to be exploited often falling victim to prostitution, drugs, disease, thievery and ultimately death. As Darko methodically works through the clues, asks favors and uses every resource available to find the serial killer, the reader resonates with the underlying truth that their daily plights and nightly fights for survival as described in the book only scratches the surface of their bleak reality.

As with Wife of the Gods (which I enjoyed), this novel was not only an enjoyable read for the police procedural/suspense genre, but from a cultural one as well. As an American/Western reader, Quartey's rendering of everyday life in Ghana brings forth an acute awareness of the subtle and overt differences in lifestyle, access to information, health care, and resource availability (human, hard/software, etc), public works, public safety, etc., which I found equally (if not more) interesting than the mystery. Recommended to those interested in cross-cultural reads, crime fiction and solid detective-oriented novels.

This book was purchased by the reviewer.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO Literary Reviews”

Phyllis wrote this review Monday, August 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“The social satire within the pages of Mat Johnson’s latest offering, Pym, is nothing short of brilliant and extremely hilarious -- I found it to be a seriously and literally “laugh out loud” funny novel! Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, Pym’s protagonist is a recently dismissed, professor Chris Jaynes, who is frustrated with his former employer’s decision to deny him tenure for what he views as insubordination. His act of defiance is refusing to join the Diversity Committee and pursuing non-African American literary interest many of which explore theories of racist pathology in popular American literature. As the title implies, Jaynes's interest lies with Poe’s only novel which contains stereotypical depictions of non-whites and a fantastic, seafaring journey.

If you are unfamiliar with Poe’s work, worry not, because the author, through Jaynes, summarizes the story quite nicely, pointing out the inconsistencies, social relevance of key passages, and cleverly ties in Jaynes’ driving passion to rediscover, Tsalal, the mythical island of blacks cited near the end of Poe’s book. Once Jaynes is convinced that Poe’s work is truly authentic (despite its many holes, flaws, and inaccuracies), the adventure begins with Jaynes’s contacting his deep-sea diving, boat-owning cousin, Booker, as captain of a motley crew which consists of Jaynes’s ex-girlfriend and her new husband (both attorneys), his unemployed best friend, and a gay thrill-seeking, documentary-making couple. Everyone has their own agenda regarding the re-discovery of Tsalal: Jayne’s being anthropological/academic in nature, the couple’s being social networking fame/reality show publicity, and Booker and the attorney’s desires are rooted in profit-making (exploitative) purposes.

Sounds humdrum, right? Wrong! The strength of the book is its quirky characters, their absurd trek to discover an unknown land/people, and the endless uncanny situations where America’s racial views, fears, stereotypes and archetypes are subtly (and sometimes overtly) reanimated on the frozen tundra. There are so many facets to this rich novel, for example, an ironic point that resurfaces repeatedly in the novel is that Jaynes is of mixed heritage. Using an antiquated term, he is a self-described “octoroon”; however, he identifies as African American, but can “pass” as white and this often puts a different spin on many of the zany, precarious situations he finds himself in.

It is highly recommended for those who enjoy satire or for anyone who wants to sample something different. No doubt, Pym is my first five-star read of 2011! I truly enjoyed every page and am looking forward to whatever Mat Johnson releases next.

This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.
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Phyllis wrote this review Sunday, March 27, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“I became an instant fan of Andrea Levy years ago after reading Small Island when it was short-listed for the Orange Prize. Since then, I purchased all of her work and have worked my way through her entire collection with the exception of one early piece. Her latest novel, The Long Song, returns to a familiar genre (historical fiction), theme (African Diaspora), and setting (Jamaica). However, a fresh voice emerges in the form of an elderly, former slave who is encouraged to pen her autobiography when her learned and esteemed son is too busy running a successful printing business to do the deed for her. He provides her with pen, ink and occasional editorial "suggestions" that usually end in an argument of sorts. We soon learn that this spry mother and seemingly pompous son's constant bickering is the rule rather than the exception and both are quite fond and proud of each other.

This unnamed matriarch has a memory like a trap and a witty, sensible mannerism that sometimes sways toward exaggeration. The reader samples this flair immediately when reading her narration regarding the birth of July, a girl born to a slave woman and fathered by the Scottish overseer. However, even with this underlying sense of humor (which is persistent throughout the book), the cruelties and inhumanity of the trade is made clear in the scenes depicting the separation of mother from child, the torture of the punishments, the dangerous and back-breaking manual labor associated with processing sugar cane, the endless hours of servitude, and the yearning for freedom. Even Levy emulates the narrator to pull on irony to evoke the `beauty' of freedom in a physically unattractive freedman, Nimrod, and again in painting an unruly, abandoned wasteland as an Eden in the eyes of escaping slaves from the ill-named plantation, Amity, which proved to be a hellacious existence for both slaves and owners rather than the peaceful serenity its name should conjure.

The novel is rooted in factual historical events surrounding the emancipation of slaves on the island. July's life as a servant in the master's home, at the cusp of long-awaited freedom, allows the reader to glimpse the ramifications of this order and the struggles that both whites and blacks faced during this transition period. Having read a lot of historical fiction, some issues were expected and Levy's depictions were on point and reinforced with depth the unfairness and injustice of the owner's retaliation against former slaves. Her focus on the application of Christian principles with the Kinsman and Goodwin characters was particularly refreshing and eye-opening for me. It was interesting to read how these two men rationalized and justified their actions via Christian morals with two very different outcomes. Goodwin's dilemma and resolved "solution" reflected the commonly accepted beliefs of the era which a modern reader would find contradictory.

Overall, Levy delivers, as I expected she would. I think her fans would also agree with me. The only (slight) disappointment lies with the unknown fate of a secondary character. I can only hope the author offers a "second verse" to this song to offer this reader some closure in the very near future.

Reviewed by Phyllis
July 31, 2010
APOOO BookClub (Online)
Nubian Circle Book Club (Orlando, FL)”

Phyllis wrote this review Sunday, August 8, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Quite simply -- I loved the novel and I have placed it on my 2010 Top Reads list.

I had high expectations for this novel because the early reviews, press releases, and critics had praised it, the author, and much of her earlier works. I really wanted to explore it as a recent addition to the historical fiction genre (which is one of my favorite genres), but my interest was deepened even more with the novel's Saint Dominque (Haiti) colonial setting prior to and during its bloody, fervid quest for independence from France. Factor in the gorgeous cover depicting a beautiful, young girl of color, and my curiosity was fueled to learn the enslaved girl's story and fate. Needless to say, I was hooked from the opening passages and remained vested in the saga's outcome and each of the characters until the very end.

At its core, the author took a slice of history and rendered it tenderly and meticulously. Coming full circle with the interconnecting plots and intertwining character story lines, she covers so many complex facets during their odyssey: French, Spanish, American, and English politics (and how it affected the colony), the mindset of the slaves, the passion and violence of the overthrow, race relations between owners, courtesans, slave women and their offspring, religion (Catholicism and Voudou), the fallacies, lust, pride, and greed of human nature, etc. She craftily transitions locales from Haiti to the port cities of the Louisiana Territory; where most of the French survivors migrated after fleeing Saint Dominque with little more than their lives. It is in the burgeoning New Orleans of old where the author delves deeply into cultural blending and social decadence to expose the ugliness, heartlessness, and cruelty of racism, colorism, classism, sexism, institutionalized slavery, societal traditions, and regional politics in plantation-era South.

Besides being entertained (as well as one could be considering certain themes of the book), I was inspired and educated -- I learned a lot and jotted down notes to further research people, places, events, and folklore mentioned therein. I would recommend to historical fiction fans with an interest in the Haitian Revolution, French colonialism, and the African Diaspora.

This book was purchased by the reviewer via Amazon.com.

Reviewed by Phyllis
June 30, 2010
APOOO BookClub (Online)
Nubian Circle Book Club (Orlando, FL)”

Phyllis wrote this review Thursday, July 1, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Nalo Hopkinson's The Salt Roads centers on the spirit, Ezili's (a goddess of love and seduction) emergence in three women throughout time. The reader gets a glimpse of her in Mer, a lesbian slave woman healer, in the early 1800's on the Caribbean island of St. Domingue (Haiti) during a burial of a stillborn child. The second appearance is in the 1880's within Jeanne, a mulatto Parisian dancer and mistress to a white poet whose purse strings are controlled by his domineering mother. The third woman, Meritet, is a prostitute in an ancient (340's A.D.) Egyptian brothel.
Although these women exist during different time periods, Ezili seems to emerge, exist, and influence each woman simultaneously. With Jeanne, she appears in dreams, and wants to live, act, and breathe through her until Jeanne is physically scarred and disabled from the ravages of a sexually transmitted disease. Mer receives her awakening during a riverside burial ceremony of a stillborn child and Meritet has an instance of self-awareness that allows her to experience the independence of Ezili.

Aside from the Ezili storyline, each main character has her fair share of drama, heartbreak, and intrigue. Each are a victim of circumstance; in worlds that were cruel to the black woman. Mer deals with the harsh reality of plantation life and the impending slave revolt that secured Haiti its freedom from colonial rule. The author expertly embeds regional history and folklore into Mer's story. An aging Jeanne struggles with securing her future as a courtesan in a world in which her skin color places her at a disadvantage and Meritet journeys from whoredom to sainthood.

This book is full of symbolism (the incorporation of the value, taste, and healing power of salt, etc. throughout the novel is superb). It also has a mystical and esoteric feel to it; the stories are heart wrenching and the characters are memorable. The author embellished a bit at times with the transcendental themes causing lapses that were very vague and abstract; however for those who enjoy heavy, lyrical prose and surreal themes, it is worth picking up. Overall, it is a wonderfully imagined story that dabbles with the supernatural and issues of self-worth, survival, and redemption.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club”

Phyllis wrote this review Wednesday, October 7, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Victor Lavalle's The Ecstatic left me feeling ambivalent. I found the novel to be well written, original, and crafty; but at times I also felt lost and confused. Perhaps the latter is intentional since the story is narrated by Anthony Jones, an obese schizophrenic, who lives with his equally schizophrenic relatives. Anthony is rapidly deteriorating and although he seems relatively in control at the beginning of the novel, it is quite clear that he has lost all of his mental faculties at the end.

The book is divided into three sections. In "The Whale" segment, Lavelle opens with Anthony's younger sister, mother, and grandmother rescuing him from Cornell University. He has not attended classes in a couple of years, is living in squalor, and has supported himself with menial jobs. He returns home to live in the basement and reacquaint himself with the old neighborhood. It is in this section that we learn about Anthony's atrocious eating habits, his mother's mental disorder, and his family's relationship with the neighbors. He tries to reinsert himself into society by losing weight, dating, and getting a job. Sadly, he is exploited by his employers and neighborhood thugs, fails at weight loss, and is jilted by his love interest. In the "Miss Innocence" segment, a family road trip to the sister's beauty pageant goes awry, largely due to Anthony's worsening condition. They meet a few questionable characters along the way that seem equally insane as the Jones clan. The last segment, "The Hounds" is Anthony's final descent into dementia where he becomes a danger to himself and others. He is literally trapped physically in his neighborhood by the patrolling dogs and mentally in his weakened mind.

At most, The Ecstatic is entertaining. As mentioned earlier, Lavalle lost me on a few twists and turns, but I continued reading to see how it would end. I think the pacing of the story was solid, but character development was somewhat lacking. Anthony's character was the most developed and that is putting it mildly; the other characters were lightly sketched and void of any real definition. There were plenty of dark comedic episodes sprinkled throughout that caused me to laugh aloud, but more importantly, I felt pity for the central character as he surrendered to his illness. I would not recommend this novel to everyone, only those who are curious and courageous enough to venture down a dark and disheartening literary side street.

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club ”

Phyllis wrote this review Sunday, September 6, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“Sag Harbor, Colson Whitehead's last novel, is a delightful romp down memory lane; specifically, his adolescent summers at Sag Harbor, NY -- a beachfront retreat from the city where his brother and he broke out of their "Cosby Kid" existence for a few carefree months. On the surface, it is a reflection of the coming-of-age awkwardness and dilemmas that come with a boy's life: dating/girls, clothing, fitting in, parties (particularly getting into them), and establishing his own identity amid the pursuit of "coolness." Benji, the protagonist, and his brother, Reggie, were left at the beach home virtually all summer where for the most part, they fended for themselves; surprisingly there was minimal adult supervision. Their guardian angels were working overtime because despite the obvious recipe for disaster there were only a few close calls (one involving a BB gun) and no major calamities. Being close in age to the author, I reminisced and enjoyed the 1980's pop culture flashbacks in his references to music, language, television shows, clothing fashion, etc. I also enjoyed that he delved into deeper themes on race, class, and identity, providing interesting and sometimes painful perspectives as one of the few Blacks in his private school, encounters with an abusive, angry father, and a seemingly submissive, non-confrontational mother. These extremely personal, often funny, and thoughtful episodes no doubt shape the man he eventually becomes.

While well-written and wonderfully rendered, my rating is 3.5 because there were some rambling passages in a book that ends as abruptly as it starts; perhaps this is only "Volume 1" with more to follow? Recommended for the author's fans and those interested in another perspective of the African-American experience.”

Phyllis wrote this review Sunday, June 21, 2009. ( reply | permalink )