Throwback Thursday: The Accidental Diva

The Accidental Diva by Tia Williams 2004
Putnam

Incredible Quote: "What he didn't tell Billie was how naive she sounded, telling him what hustling was about. In the fifth grade, he had more game in his size-five Adidas kicks than anyone at that party could ever hope to have. He hustled to survive. It was either get out there and sell the shit out of some crack, or eat grape jelly for dinner and hope the rat that bit you in your sleep wasn't carrying anything lethal. When Billie talked about hustling and playing the game, what she really meant was that she was ambitious. She was a go-getter. She set high goals for herself and met them, exceeded them. But the bottom line was that she had been born into a supportive, loving, comfortably middle-class family that took care of her and nurtured her and provided as security blanket. Jay came from nothing. Worse than nothing" (186).


One Sentence Review: A diverting read that is excellently paced and notable for both its now-outdated culture references and relevant social commentary on a number of topics ranging from class to fashion to race with a distinctive (in the best way possible) narrative voice.

I love this distinction Ms. Williams makes in her novel. I never realized that people describing themselves as "hustlers" bothered me until I read this passage and found myself nodding in agreement. Especially when celebrities use the term, I just find it ridiculous (excluding those who actually came up from nothing as opposed to those born to famous parents, etc etc) and Ms. Williams perfectly illustrates why. If you're thinking this quote is a bit heavy and shying away from this novel, never fear. This quote is expertly woven into a romp of a read that straddles the line between light and social commentary. It was exactly what I needed to end 2015, a lot of fun to read while making witty observations about being "the only" and exploring class issues that it managed to not only hold my attention but also cause me to pause and think after reading a passage. 

The only negative I can see is that it confirmed my fears about the beauty industry in terms of its shallowness. But it's a unique (for me) professional setting for a book so it kept me turning the pages. This book was published in 2004, 12 years later it's sad that we're still having the same conversations. Through Billie the author tackles cultural appropriation (which Bille calls "ethnic borrowing" in the beauty and fashion industry and maybe it's just because of the rise of the Internet and public intellectuals and blogging but it had honestly never occurred to me that people were having these conversations pre-Twitter. That demonstrates my ignorance and I was happy to be enlightened while also being sad that white gaze still has so much power over beauty standards. Although it is getting better because it is harder for beauty companies, fashion companies and magazines to ignore being called out when they "discover" some trend people of color have been naturally gifted with/been doing/wearing for years.

Aside from the pleasing depth of the novel, it's a quick paced read. I actually felt caught up in Billie's sweeping romance and just as intoxicated as she did, I didn't want to resurface from her studio apartment. Honestly I'd like a prequel so that we can live vicariously through Billie, Renee and Vida's college years. And I'm so happy her friends served more of a role than just providing advice at Sunday brunch. Also Billie's family dynamics were absolutely hilarious and unexpected. 

I dealt with similar issues to Billie and Jay although not on as large a scale, granted I'm not a professional (yet) but I can relate to the class issues that come up in a relationship with two different economic backgrounds. And not to be a cliche but especially when it's the woman who comes from the comfortable lifestyle and the preconceived notions that we have/that other have about us, difficulty is involved and so on a personal level I was able to really connect with Billie (and better understand Jay).

Opting Out: Losing the Potential of America's Young Black Elite

Opting Out: Losing the Potential of America's Young Black Elite by Maya Beasley 2011
U Chicago Press

IQ "Further, because racism is endemic and built into the structure and institutions of American life, attacking inequalities in a minimal number of areas via a small number of channels is limiting. [...] Radicalized occupations are neither ineffectual nor obsolete, but they are no longer sufficient to create the wide-ranging, long-term changes that are needed by the African American communities these students wish to serve. It is therefore imperative that black college students become better informed about the full spectrum of career opportunities that are compatible with their community service goals" (143).

One sentence review: A thought provoking read that greatly contrasted with my own personal experiences which was somewhat confusing but the author makes some extremely vital points in concise language that deserves to receive more attention.

I have no problem with the premise of this book as outlined in the quote, we need more people of color in STEM, business, films and law. I personally can attest to this "The emergent trend is that black students with segregated social networks are selecting occupations that directly target the black community and ones in which they will not feel isolated. In contrast, those with integrated networks are choosing a more varied set of careers which are generally higher-paying and higher status with less of a direct emphasis on African Americans" (73). HOWEVER to me there is a disconnect between that quote and Beasley's findings on stereotype threat. Her findings (after interviewing Black and white Stanford and Berkley students) found that stereotype threat affected Black students' career decisions. I do not completely buy this. I do not understand how she does not explore the possibility of a correlation between class, diverse social networks and stereotype threat. Granted I'm not sure the university I went to is considered "elite" but when I look at the Black people I know who had diverse friend groups and went to all white schools and participated in mostly white activities, they are entering field where Black people are not dominant. Myself included. It just does not make sense to me that someone who grew up in an environment like the one I just outlined would then resist entering predominantly white fields. Beasley notes that they are often discouraged by their parents who are in similar fields, my parents have never told me not to enter a career simply because of white people. Sure they prepared me as best as they could for the little comments that might come my way but they never took a warning or discouraging tone. I'm willing to chalk this up to generational differences. The book is published in 2011 but cites a lot of studies from the 90s/early 2000s so maybe things really have changed in the last few years. But I read this book and had no idea who she was talking about when discussing the patterns of upper middle class Blacks.

Now with that being said, her research backed up some of my personal experiences as well, such as the alienation some Black students feel when they chose not to fully immerse themselves in the on campus Black community. But I wish she had further explored why Black students from working class or lower middle class families are more active than those who come from a wealthier background (and yes I have a few thoughts on the matter but I won't get into it). The importance of connections and how that leaves marginalized groups behind is also well addressed. I do not want to give this book a bad review because it conflicts with my worldview; I thought it was an extremely interesting read that presented intriguing findings and analysis. However I think this would have been more effective if she surveyed a greater variety of students maybe waited a few years or talked to students at an Ivy League or liberal arts college in the East. I hope she does a follow up. I would love to hear other people's thoughts in the comments.

Mini Reviews: This Side of the Sky, Passing Love & Paris Noire

This Side of the Sky by Elyse Singleton 2002     
Bluehen Books/Penguin

IQ "Old people used to say there comes a time when you remember fifty, sixty years ago as if it were last week, but damn if you can remember last week at all. They were right. Every generation thinks their time is the time and talks about the resent as if it's some stable territory they can occupy indefinitely. Yet when we say now, by the time we get to the w sound, the n is in the past."  Lilian, pg. 8

Lilian Mayfield and Myraleen Chadham grew up in Nadir, Mississippi and they've been friends since they were babies. Nadir soon grows too stifling for both of them, Lilian wants a great education which she can't receive in the segregated South and Myraleen wants an adventure. Circumstances soon arrive that make it prudent for them to leave town and they travel about from Philadelphia to joining the Army and serving in England and then settling down in post WWII Paris for awhile. They struggle financially, learn about love and suffer through some trying times and tough losses, but they always, always, have each other.

  This book took sooo long to get started. I was hoping the girls would run away soon but it felt like it took them forever to decide to leave Mississippi and even then it wasn't really of their own free will. I also felt that parts of the story were implausible and while I was happy that some things occured, other events happened that seemed too coincidental so overall I'm going to say the book could have been more realistic to life. Furthermore I would have liked to get the perspective of August or some other guy to balance out the trio of Lilian, Myraleen and Kellner (a German POW).

 I loved the character of Myraleen, she's a spitfire uttering statements like "once I hate a bastard, I hate him forever. I guess I'm just loyal that way" (pg. 68), who wouldn't love a character like that? I also really liked Lilian, her quiet strength spoke volumes louder than Myraleen's tough dialogue. They have a beautiful friendship from the very beginning and the core of the book, the best part-next to the characters of the cities they pass through-is their enduring friendship that goes through some bumps but always heals. I also loved Mudear, Lilian's mother. Tough as nails but super sweet as well and even though she didn't finish her high school education she's still whip-smart. It's funny, one exchange between Mudear and Lilian stands out for me because it holds truths that still apply today. "Mudear read aloud anything she saw about colored people. 'See there', she'd say. 'Negro Holds Up Store. That's why we can't get anywhere. We don't know how to act.;

'But, Mudear,' I said. 'plenty of white people stick up stores, rob banks. And you don't see a headline saying 'White Man Robs Bank'.

'Got a point. [...] See, that's why I sent you to school, so you could think. Not too many folks can think. A lot can only talk. Better if it was the other way around" (pg. 81).

 The historical details were intriguing as well, especially learning about German POWs. I didn't know German POWs were lent out to farms in America and I didn't know how bad the Russians treated them. This book provided a more humane look and reminds readers not all Germans were Nazi, something that should strike people as obvious and yet it still bears repeating.

  This Side of the Sky is not overpowered by the strong personalities of the places Myraleen and Lilian visit, instead the dominant aspect is the friendship of the girls. They have different dreams but they also want the best for each other and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the other to ge a chance at her dreams, at her own sense of happiness. An attitude like that can only end in good things. The historical details about the treatment of German POWs and the discrimination Black women faced in America and while serving their country in the UK (of course the discrimination was from our own Army, not the English people) during WWII are vividly portrayed. The book is very thourgh in all its description, no detail is too small to be touched upon and while I didn't appreciate that quality in the beginning of the book, my patience paid off.

PS Another favorite quote that lightly touches on Paris aging too "Paris is changing. Pavement replaced cobblestones after students used them to pelt police in the '60s riots. McDonald's arrived in the '70s. Right-wing machinations and Third World immigration have strained the racial climate. Yet the core city is much the same. It's a comfort to grow old in a place that's so much older ,where even the light posts appear to understand. It must be so hard to age in America. A city block can be unrecognizable from one decade to the next, because the cheap plaster and plastic keep getting replaced by new cheap plastic and plaster." pg. 323. Food for thought, I'm going to retire somewhere like the Paris she describes, it may even be Paris!

Passing Love by Jacqueline E. Luckett 2012
Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group

IQ "But I will tell you this-adventure is only a word. Don't be so fixed on findng, live and in that the adventure will come." Ruby, pg. 296

Nicole-Marie Roxane Handy has a serious case of Francophilia but until the death of her dearest friend she hadn't had the courage to visit Paris on her own. The death of her beloved friend kicks her butt into gear and she heads to Paris, leaving behind her Alzheimers-ridden father, her mother who is now more of a caretaker than a wife, and the marriage proposal from a man who is married. While exploring Paris Nicole finds an old photo of her father, he never spoke about his time studying in Paris and he doesn't remember it anymore but the photo is inscribed to a beautiful young woman who is not Nicole's mother. Nicole grows determined to discover the identity of this young woman and her connection to Nicole's father.

   We learn that the young woman is Ruby and she alternates chapters with Nicole. Ruby lived in Paris in the 1950s and my-oh-my it was a glorious time. Jazz clubs were beginning to open and there was a solid community of Black Americans. Towards the end the book does drag a bit. But it's ok because I wasn't ready to leave Paris just yet anyway. It does start off slowly but again I was content to meander through Paris with Nicole, but I did get bored with all the Mississippi  parts (that's where Ruby was from. I feel like its always the same family issues with books set during the 1920s-40s about teenaged girls in small towns, they wanna go off and explore but their super-protective mothers stifle them until they runaway. Eh-yawn). Also while I loved Arnett, I didn't understand his relationship with Ruby. The author started off seeming like one way and then all of a sudden Ruby & Arnett were pledging eternal devotion to each other, it came out of the blue since I was convinced he was going to drop her any minute.

 I liked Ruby, I may be one of the few people who actually liked her. I didn't mind that she was selfish and at times downright unlikable, she had spirit and as Nicole observes "a flash of that young, willful woman who dared to change her destiny. Reality hadn't met Ruby's expectations; she took what she could and stayed with it" (pg. 286). I do not love Ruby due to her current lifestyle but I respect her attitude towards life and I admire her resilience, she was devoted to Paris and everything French. She learned the language and the mannerisms, she learned about the entire culture and that must have been very hard to do living on a shoestring budget and constantly having to work. Plus Ruby knew her flaws. She didn't try to change them but she didn't try to conceal them either, in her old age she is comfortable with who she is and she makes very few apologies. Ruby is quite a character and I would love to meet her. Her advice she gives that I included as my Incredible Quote is excellent and something that makes complete sense but I feel like many people don't know that little bit of wisdom. It's one of my favorite book quotes, hands down. Living life is an adventure, no need to go search one out (that's ok too but people shouldn't feel like failures if they haven't had some grand adventure as long as they still took risks). Nicole didn't have as much of a lasting impression on me as Ruby did but I didn't dislike Nicole. I found her a bit boring at first simply because I never understand why people are afraid to travel but I grew fond of her too. I thought it was a good choice for the author to make Nicole 56 and show that it's never too late to have romantic travel flings (or serious relationships ;) The details about Black people in Paris and life in Paris in general during the 1950s are exquisite.

  Passing Love features lovely romances with surprising twists and adds a fresh spin to the classic tale of discovering one's past. It becomes immediately clear that this is not the average coming-of-age-by-discovering-family-secrets story simply based on Nicole's age and the way she goes about her search. I loved the title, its deceptively simple. As the story develops so too does the title, taking on many different meanings. I firmly intend on buying this book as my own reminder to visit Paris, when I do I intend on visiting all the places mentioned, exploring Black Paris. A new favorite.

Paris Noire by Francine Thomas Howard 2009                       Amazon Encore

IQ "She lapsed into the patois that was Martinique because it allowed her to relax into herself. She could speak proper French if she took a mind to the task. It wasn't even difficult. After all, it was De Gaulle's French she spoke every time she left her apartment and strolled the winding streets of Montmarte. Even General LeClerc could speak no better French than she when she taught her sixth grade class. Not that those ruffians from Morocco, Senegal and Algiers would know the difference anyway. She sighed. Who was she to think such thoughts? Wasn't she born and bred in Martinique, herself?" Marie Therese pg. 2

It's the liberation of Paris! The year is 1944 and Marie-Therese Brillard and her children Collette and Christophe are swept up in its exciting aftermath. They each find romance but with very different people. Colette with a white Frenchman, Christophe with the married wife of a Free French fighter and Marie Therese with Monsieur Lieutenant, a Black American soldier. These romances will not all end in happily ever-after....

I chose that little paragraph as the Incredible Quote because its one of my favorite parts (obviously) because it provides some insight into the time period and Marie Therese's frame of mind without being direct. But it also illustrates a characteristic of this novel that I detested and that is "oversharing". The reader already knows based on the first sentence in that paragraph that Marie Therese has some connection to Martinique. There could have been a better way to make it clear that she was born and raised there then by having the speaker REMIND herself where she grew up. Something as simple as "Who was she to think such thoughts, she an immigrant herself?" And then obviously the reader would think 'huh since she speaks in the patois of MARTINIQUE than that's where she must be from'. Thus the awkward sentence that ends the paragraph in the IQ has been avoided. Sadly that happens a lot throughout this book, characters practically hurt themselves trying to show off their knowledge about WWII and the events occurring in their country. The problem is, they repeat things to other characters that they should have already known. I get extremely annoyed when authors use characters as history teachers, i.e. they spout off facts or ask dumb questions that HISTORICALLY they would have already known the answer to. Here's an example, "Collette. Maman. The sentries. The ones that always march by the boulangerie at least twice a night to make sure we're all inside the bakery and not sneaking out to help the Resistance. They...." (pg. 6). Why not just send at "The sentries"? Because Marie-Therese and Collette should already know what Christophe is talking about, the author should be able to find another way to explain what German sentries do in Paris than just carelessly insert it in Christophe's dialogue. 'Oversharing' (as I call it) like this happens throughout the duration of the book. Another issue I had with this book is Collette. I'm not sure why the author even included her. If you read the back cover. you would think the story is told in alternating points of view or that at least Collette gets some story time. Nope. She's simply a vehicle for the mother to wax on and on about the dangers of dating outside the race. BUT WE LEARN NOTHING ABOUT COLLETTE. This infuriated me because she was mentioned all the time but I finished this book unable to even tell you the name of her Frenchman. It would have been nice catch a glimpse of their romance. Especially since it was never clear to me if they would have faced prejudice, my guess is no but that's based on other books I've read about the French treatment of Black people (see above reviews) I wouldn't be able to back that guess up based on only reading this book.

 Even though the book did a terrible job of presenting historical information, I loved the scenes at Glovia Johnson's house. She's a beautiful, wealthy, glamours, seductive Black American woman living in France and she hosts salons at her homes, both Blacks and whites visit her legendary salons. They seemed like a lot of fun and Glovia Johnson was my favorite character because she was at least interesting. The rest of the characters were spineless, except for Marie-Therese who had some backbone but was drab. Glovia Johnson literally plays the field, as in she bed with German soldiers and influential French people depending on whose in power in order to keep up her luxe lifestyle. She has little shame but that's ok because she's very sweet and clever. I do not want to just complain about the IQ, I also chose it because it provides a glimpse at how people viewed Black immigrants which was a perspective I found fascinating since it is rarely discussed. Immigrants from the Caribbean looked down on Black Africans as did white French, but the white Frenchmen(and women) loved Black Americans. "Marie Therese struggled to hide her nervousness. Her French had to be correct even though this American spoke with the most atrocious accent. That is, when the chanteuse bothered to speak French at all. Still, she was one of them, and all Paris loved that accent coming out of the mouths of America's black emigres. If only it were so for the Africans and West Indians" (pg. 11), sentences such as those made me appreciate the book a little bit more.

 Paris Noire does a service to the world of historical fiction (and books as a whole) because it talks about a time period that most people are very familiar with but offers a perspective that has not been explored. The lives of Black people in France before, during and after WWI all the way to the 1950s has always intrigued me since they faced so little discrimination. But this book points out that French love for Black people only extended to Americans. The book was very disappointing but I had high hopes for this book and that was part of the problem. Perhaps if my hopes had not been so high I would have liked it better as fluffy-tragic romance novel. Instead I expected some intense, lightly romantic, in-depth historical fiction. The fact that the character of Collette was completely ignored bothered me immensely as did the tendency of the author to have her characters speak awkward dialogue simply to provide historical information. I wish it had been about Glovia Johnson instead. It was just ok.

Disclosure: Bought

Mini Reviews: Half of a Yellow Sun, Substitue Me, Till You Hear From Me

Till You Hear From Me by Pearl Cleage 2010
One World Books/Random House

"That was another thing he liked about Toni. She shared his ability to dismiss any claims of racial solidarity that conflicted with the interests of their clients. He thought of the two of them as part of the vanguard of post-racial African American professionals who were free at last to pimp the race without pretending they were trying to save it." Wes pg. 27

Ida B. Dunbar is a 30-something who loves politics. She poured her heart into President Obama's campaign and she's hoping that will pay off with a White House job. She never receives that phone call however and it doesn't help that her father, Rev. Horace Dunbar, a civil rights icon has a fiery, politically incorrect video up on YouTube that is not particularly flattening to say the least (think Jeremiah Wright). Ida's father's friends are concerned and they call her to ask her to come home to Atlanta's West End neighborhood to try and talk some sense into The Rev. Ida knows that it's a hopeless task but she decides that she might as well try while she hopes for a job in D.C., the city she loves. To her surprise, her old neighbor and son of her father's best friend, Wes Harper is also back in town. Ida had a crush on him as a kid but she hasn't seen him in years and he's shifty and it's well known that he isn't an Obama (or much of a Black-people) supporter. Ida needs to resist Wes, reconnect with her father and position herself to get the job she wants, but she needs to remember 'nothing changes but the changes.'

This book is advertised as an "Obama-era romance featuring a cast of unforgettable characters." The characters are good but they are forgettable except for Wes and that's merely because he's so ridiculously unlikable. The Incredible Quote resonated with me because there are many people who do think like that and to a certain extent I can understand why people do think that way. I do not believe we are in a post-racial society (well I don't agree with the statement at all but I'm not going to explain that here) but I had hoped that the author would have a less-biased approach towards Wes, Toni and any other characters like them. Instead the author makes them caricatures without really exploring what circumstances in their personal history makes them feel that they can/should 'pimp the race' so-to-speak. Also there is no romance. I don't even know where that came from but it's such a false advertisement. I didn't care, I picked up the book because it used the words "Obama-era" (I kid you not) and I had heard good things about Pearl Cleage. The most frustrating part of the boo however is that one of the most exciting confrontations occurs off the pages. To say I was annoyed is putting it mildly, this book crawls along but I had been anxiously awaiting the confrontation. And then it was basically ignored!

Till You Hear From Me has frustrating ending and a far-from neutral tone combined with slow pace which makes it hard to really like the book. I did enjoy reading about what it might be like to be the child of a civil rights legend and how that affects Ida's view of life. The Rev can be suffocating and very proud but he's also very loving and Ida is constantly inspired by him so it's interesting to read about her struggle to find a balance in their relationship so that The Rev no longer dominates her life. Also the author touches on discontent amongst some in the Black community who originally supported Pres. Obama but now want him to do more for Black people and her approach is more even concerning those characters. Fun fact: as much as The Poisonwood Bible annoyed me I was pleased that because of that book I knew who Fannie Lu Lumumba was named after (freedom fighter Patrice Lumumba of Congo). The storyline was original, the writing good but it did not wow me. The characters all resembled people I know so it felt like reading a book about the people I know all grown-up.

Disclosure: Bought

PS I did love this conversation between Flora and Ida

"'And I want to be part of that [changes in America] more than I ever wanted to be part of anything so that when I get old, I can look around and see the changes and say, Yeah I helped make that happen.'
We just sat there for a minute. I think I was talking to myself as much as I was talking to Flora.
'Well,' she said finally. 'I think you can stop worrying about looking for that real good man.'
'Why is that?'
'You just fell in love with your country, girlfriend, and nobody can compete with that." pg. 222 I LOVE that quote because I felt the same way right after then-Sen. Obama won the presidential campaign. It was definitely the moment I fell in love with my country (obviously I'd always loved America but this was the first conscious moment I remember really feeling proud).


Substitute Me by Lori Tharps 2010
Atria Paperback/Simon & Schuster

IQ "You make it sound like every White woman should be afraid that some Black hussy is going to seduce her husband. That's not what happened with Brad and me." Zora pg. 296

Zora Anderson is 30 years old and she has been an au pair in France for eight years. When she moves back to America she doesn't know what career she wants having not finished college because she wasn't interested in anything she studied. Fortunately for Zora she spots an ad for Brad and Kate Carter who are looking for a nanny, the exact wording that Mrs. Carter put in was "substitute me". As cliche as it sounds, Mrs. Carter will soon learn the very painful adage firsthand of being careful what you wish for especially when there are secrets in your household contained by every member of the family (except Ollie, the baby).

At first Zora sounded a little like me (or at least she had similar opportunities I have had and want to have, such as living in Europe or at least another country for awhile. We lost our connection whenever cooking was mentioned, haha) "she loved cooking, she loved traveling, and she liked kids. She liked feeling useful, and she liked being in beautiful spaces. She loved music and dancing and the taste of a foreign language rolling off her tongue. She loved reading literary fiction with multicultural characters and watching spoken-word poetry performances in intimate theaters. All of these things made her happy, but none of them fell under any job description she'd ever seen" (pg. 18). I could relate to that statement until I took a Comparative Government&Politics class and discovered I LOVE international politics so now I have a idea for a major (but of course that could change). So I was already fond of the book since I thought Zora was the embodiment of who I wanted to be. After reading the entire book I'm not so sure I would want her whole life but she gained some noteworthy experiences and while the route to her somewhat happy ending was rough, it wasn't depressing or anything. I wasn't enamored with the writing style, it didn't make me wince by being overly dramatic/too flowery but it didn't wow me with its beauty either. I was surprised at how long it took for the Brad&Zora storyline to take off and I didn't see it as a cliche since it's the first book I've ever read with a nanny/husband affair. while I was surprised by Kate and her friends, Brad was less surprising because I've met many liberal white people who can still be racially insensitive (unconsciously). He had a nice quote about love "[l]ove is such a crazy thing. Sometimes you can convince yourself it's not even real, that's just this elusive concept, yet when you fall in love, it can shake your world in ways you never dreamed possible" (pg. 319). It was bizarre to me as to why Kate disapproved so much about one of the career secrets Brad kept from her. I thought it was cute and nice that he got the chance to really follow his dreams.

I'm fairly naive when it comes to issues concerning working mothers and race relations and how competitive moms get over their kids. My mouth dropped open several times when conversations between Kate and Fiona (one of her white friends) were shared because they were so...not outrageously racist but very subtly prejudiced. I couldn't believe educated, so called 'modern' women still talked in a particular way. BUT I don't think the older generation would be that surprised. I also didn't realize mothers had such dilemmas about leaving their children with nannies. My mother has been working since I was born and I've never known anything else and I don't mind one bit. I felt a twang of sympathy for her if she agonized so much over her decision to leave my siblings and I with a babysitter. Working moms as a kid whose mom has always worked (still does), your kids will turn out fine and no they won't hold it against you (honestly I wouldn't like it if my mom was super-involved in my life, ugh). Anyway I digress, this book seems like an obvious bookclub pick because it addresses very accessible, universal issues. I really appreciated (and chuckled) over how often Zora bemoans how cliche her story is and she reiterates over and over that she wants to be more than just "Mammy". It sort of reminded me of all The Help controversy about Black women once again being regulated to "Mammy" roles/characterizations. To me she seemed to hint at the fact that there's nothing wrong with being nanny if you love being one and are treated with respect.

Disclosure: Bought from my closing Borders. Check out the AALit section people!

PS Fun tidbit: This story takes place in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. When I was in NYC I had lunch at an amazing Thai place in Fort Greene with Zetta Elliott, Lyn Miller Lachmann and Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich. It was a great lunch and much too short.

Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 2006
Anchor Books/Random House

IQ "The rawness of Edna's grief made her helpless, brought the urge to stretch her hand in the past and reverse history. Finally, Edna fell asleep. Olanna gently placed a pillow beneath her head and sat thinking about how a single act could reverberate over time and space and leave stains that could never be washed off. She thought about how ephemeral life was about not choosing misery." pg. 306

Set during the late 1960s during a tumultuous time in Nigeria's history; a time when the southwestern region of Biafra wanted to be independent from the rest of Nigeria. Through the characters of Ugwu a thirteen-year old houseboy, Richard a young Englishman in love with Kainene a dynamic woman from a wealthy Nigerian family, Olanna the beautiful twin sister of Kainene and Odenigbo, a revolutionary university professor who is dating Olanna, the war is brought to light from various perspectives.

Now here is a book that defines the word EPIC. At first I was impatient for the war to begin, but gradually I relaxed and soaked up all the conversations. I'm always fondly jealous when in books the characters attend not just parties but also gatherings where they discuss politics openly, this is quite a common theme when I read books not set in America. I don't think you can do that in the United States nowadays, it can be too violate, we've lost too much civility to be able to calmly discuss international affairs and domestic politics. Half a Yellow Sun is no exception, Olanna & Odenigbo host gatherings of intellectuals who are not all like minded but they are polite and their discussions range from politics to literature to religion but always come back to politics. These discussions create an opening for the author to showcase the various viewpoints of secondary characters who will remain relevant throughout the entirety of the novel. My favorite character was Kainene because she was so hard to read (pun intended). She was so cold towards other people and so difficult to understand but I loved her passion, her commitment to helping people throughout the world. Her ending made me very sad because I grown quite fond of her and Richard but their endings suit them and I can't always say that I feel that way after reading another book where the same end meets the characters but this book is different. Plus if you like romance this book is chockful of lovely (and harrowing) romantic tidbits.

I would be able to honestly use the word epic to describe this novel because while it is surrounded by grand, sweeping events, it is filled with small moments that if you blink you might miss the importance to the characters. For example, I might have overlooked the following quote had I not studied Nigeria in my Comparative Government & Politics class "but my point is that the only authentic identity for the African is the tribe,' Master said. 'I am Nigerian because a white man created Nigeria and gave me that identity. I am black because the white man constructed black to be as different as possible from his white. But I was Igbo before the white man came'" (pg. 25). From my class I knew that many Nigerians identify themselves by their tribe first, country second. Although some of my Nigerian friends say that is changing, their parents identify themselves first by tribe then Nigeria, but they (the younger generation) are content with simply calling themselves Nigerian. A small quote in the context of a longer discussion that I might not have picked up but it's an example of how careless the imperialistic powers were upon leaving Africa, just throwing together tribes with no thought to their warring history. Half A Yellow Sun is an epic and epic itself. The story does not take place across generations but it does span several years while managing to never lose the reader. It's epic because it completely immerses the reader in Nigerian culture as a whole but specifically in Igbo culture, it had me walking away thinking of words in Igbo (such as "biko" a term of endearment). There were also tiny bursts of feminism such as when Olanna resolutely decides after being cheated on that "[s]he would not let him make her feel that there was something wrong with her. It was her right to be upset, her right to choose not to brush her humiliation aside in the name of an overexalted intellectualism, and she would claim that right" (pg. 129). A mini review cannot do this book justice I don't think but I'll try in a sentence: Enrapturing tale with dynamic characters of various temperaments from various backgrounds, dense without being overwhelming. I loved Purple Hibiscus but I wouldn't want to re-read it, I would re-read Half A Yellow Sun.


Disclosure: As a sign that my mother does indeed love me she bought me this book (heehee)

Throwback Thursday: Angel's Grace

Angel's Grace by Tracey Baptiste 2005
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Rating: 2.5/5

Incredible Quote "I realized that not all secrets are the kind that turns your whole world upside down. Some of them are sweet little things that are simply too delicious to let slip." pg. 165

Grace has unruly red hair and a birthmark on her shoulder that no one else in her family shares. Her little sister Sally resembles her father and while Grace shares some physical and emotional characteristics with her mother, there are some unique parts of her that she would like to figure out who in the family she resembles. Grace's mother tells her that an angel left the mark on her shoulder as a sign of constant protection. She sends Grace and Sally from Brooklyn to Trinidad in order for them to spend time with their grandmother. As Grace flips through old family photo albums with Ma (her grandmother) and Aunt Jackie she discovers a blurred photo of a man with the exact same birthmark she has. Aunt Jackie can't identify him and neither can anyone else (or they simply aren't willing to) which leaves Grace with many questions. Grace is determined to figure out who the man in the photo is and if he might be her father.

Alright so the premise of this book is a cliche so I shouldn't complain....but I'm going to go ahead. The story crawls along at a snail's pace which is especially unsatisfactory when the book is so short and about a cliche topic. When there are 165 pages of large print the story cannot afford to move s-l-o-w-l-y unless it spends pages and pages describing the new (well new-to-readers) location. This book does not do that which was really disappointing because I've never gone to Trinidad and I'm not so sure if I ever will. The author only talks about the sunsets, beaches and makes a few mentions of the market. But there are very few details aside from the above and I would have at least liked to get more detail on the markets. Even better if the details were presented in an interesting manner or described in lush terms. And I was also annoyed at how long it took the main character to reach the conclusion that she was not living with her biological father. To make matters worse she describes her biological father in less-than-endearing terms (nothing too serious but he didn't seem like the gentlest father either) *spoiler: highlight to read* and yet by the end he's acting like he could win the Father-of-the-Year award or something. The change was too abrupt. *End of spoiler*

As much as the plot was a cliche, I did like reading about how Grace went about searching for her father. Trying to find the man in the photo wasn't the most original concept but the backstory was intriguing. The author used one of my favorite techniques by sprinkling words in Creole English and not explaining what all of them meant. The story has an emotional appeal to it, one that didn't affect me but could affect other readers (in a good way). I think the book would have been stronger if it continued into the next summer. The character of Raj was interesting enough but the author barely scratched the surface of his potential.

Angel's Grace had no effect on me which was disappointing, in fact I would probably say it bored me. I didn't fall in love with the setting of Trinidad (which is both good and bad. Good because I was starting to worry that if an author set the book in a 'foreign'-to-me country I would automatically adore it but that is clearly not the case. Bad because I want to love Trinidad through books since I can't travel to see it!). The other cliche in addition to finding a biological parent was instantly befriending a local boy. Their friendship was odd especially because the author left out some of their conversations so I was left wondering how her new friend (Raj) knew certain things that had just happened. Grace was a much better sister than I because Sally drove me insane! All in all this book fell flat for me and wasn't particularly 'quirky' except for the location.

Disclosure: From the libraryyy :)

Meme hosted by Take Me Away

Male Monday: The Door of No Return

The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi 2008
Margaret K. McEldery Books/Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Rating: 2/5

IQ "I'd remembered one of Pop's sayings: 'Where there's a will there's a way, and when there's no way there's always excuses.' I'd add 'and lazy old buggers.' We'd laugh." Zac pg. 64 (that quote made me smile)

Zac Baxter's grandfather drills into his head that he is the descendant of Ghanaian kings, whose treasure was stolen when Zac's ancestors were sold into slavery by the British. Zac doesn't believe his grandfather, after all he's elderly and living in the past but then his grandfather is murdered and their apartment is ransacked. Suddenly it's not just a tall tale anymore, the treasure becomes very real and very important. Zac is determined to get to Ghana to find not just the treasure but his roots. His grandfather's dying words had to do with Zac having the treasure map but Zac has no clue what that means, he hasn't seen one. He discovers clue after clue but the people who murdered his grandfather always seem to be a step ahead and quite influential with the government. Who can Zac trust?

I didn't realize this book was going to end up being about reparations for slavery. I think the reparations debate is completely silly (especially given the state of the economy these days, where is the government going to find the money to pay all the Black descendants of slaves in their country? AND how do you know if some of your ancestors were slaves, not everyone can afford to have their family history traced....) so that put a slight damper on my enjoyment of the book because I kept rolling my eyes. Aside from that I didn't like how this book was ALL ABOUT Zac. It was all in his head for the most part and the few dialogues in the book turned into monologues between characters. At times the dialogue/slang sounded stiff, thrown in just to sound 'cool' or something because otherwise it didn't make much sense (granted there was a lot of British slang I presume). The secondary characters provided background noise and help when needed (or violence) but little else, including the few people Zac decided to trust. And *spoiler: highlight to read* why did Zac take his friends on a shopping spree? They were BARELY mentioned! *End spoiler* Speaking of whom to trust, Zac goes on and on about how growing up in the streets he knows not to trust many people, especially after what happens to his grandfather and his home but then he trusts someone that it seemed (to me anyway) quite clear he shouldn't. He was extra careful about everyone except the one person he needed to be which made it seem too obvious as to who was going to betray Zac. I was even more disappointed in the long history of Ghana (provided in a monologue by a chauffeur) it should have been presented in a more interesting, varied way. Furthermore, Ghana wasn't described in great detail. In the end Zac talks about how Ghana is the best country in the world, I wanted to love it too but I didn't get a real sense of Ghana from this book. I hated how Zac kept saying "I regretted this" or "I shouldn't have done" that, to me that takes away an element of surprise.

Some elements of the story were well done. The history of Portuguese explorers, the British & Ghanaians was fascinating to read about, even if it was described in a long conversation. A small part of the story that I loved was the location of the treasure map. It was unrealistic definitely but a cool concept. While I did not get a strong feel for Ghana, I did get a through description of Gloucester, England, that city was one I could imagine as well as the hamlet of Syde (which might be fictional?). Since the story was all about Zac and his thoughts, the emotional intensity of the story was there. I was terrified for Zac, it would be very scary not being able to trust anyone because your life depends on it. He goes through a lot for a sixteen year old (seeing his grandfather murdered before his eyes, community home, court apperances) and I could literally taste the fear sometimes especially when he was in Ghana. I don't want to give too much away but Zac goes to Ghana on the ruse of doing community service and the place he ends up at would scare me to death. I was amazed that he kept it together. There was another quote that really resonated with me, "He [Pops] had a way of telling things; his voice pulled you into that mysterious place where the past burnt brighter than any pale present, and you hungered to be there, where 'brave deeds and terrible sacrifices' made life worth living" (pg. 60).I can totally relate to that, wanting to be swept up in a cause that's bigger than yourself, that you believe in so passionately (ending slavery, women's suffrage, civil rights). I think my (American) generation is looking for our 'big' cause but maybe that's a lot of 'little' causes (although I think it might be immigration).

The Door of No Return is not a peachy keen read which I appreciated, there are some really dark moments. I did not appreciate Zac's sloppy narration because while I liked how random it could be (after all I think most teenagers' thoughts are pretty random), the slang and his dramatics annoyed me. I really didn't like how Zac didn't interact much with other characters, basically the author used them for what they could give Zac (or hurt him for) and then disregarded them, bringing them up again when convenient. Certain parts of the story were well done such as the descriptions of Gloucester (not that I've been there), Black life in Gloucester, and the treasure map along with the story behind the treasure. At the same time, the pacing is incredibly uneven (fast moving-sloooowwwwwww-fastfast) and I wasn't completely satisfied with how convenient the mystery was solved. Ultimately it worked out that I ended up waiting two years to read this book, I didn't miss out on much.

Disclosure: Got it from the library

Akata Witch

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor 2011
Viking/Penguin Group

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "Having two lives is better than none." Orlu pg. 349

Sunny lives in Nigeria but she was born in America to Nigerian parents. She's never sure how to describe herself, she leaves that up to everyone else. Sunny looks West Africa, but she's also albino. She's unable to play soccer in the sun because she will burn, she doesn't fit in anywhere. She discovers a new sort of family when she meets Orlu and Chichi. Orlu is one of her classmates and at school he's shy, kids even say he's stupid because he's dyslexic. Chichi lives next door to Orlu and while Orlu and Chichi are good friends, Sunny and Orlu don't get along the very first time they meet (or even the second). Then Sunny finds out that Orlu and Chichi have magical abilities and so does she. Sunny is a 'free agent' which means that she has a lot of power but it doesn't run immediately in her blood (i.e. unlike Orlu and Chichi, Sunny's parents don't have magical abilities nor do they know about the world of juju and masquerades). Sunny is soon learning magical history, juju, spells, shapechanging but there is a dark side, a serial killer is running amok, killing children for more magical power. Sunny, Chichi and Orlu are going to have to stop Black Hat Otokoto, and they may die trying.

I loved 96% of this book, the only thing that really bothered me was that at times the author was obviously trying to make a point. Especially concerning the character of Sasha, it seemed like the author had an agenda. Sasha like Sunny was born in America to Nigerian parents. Unlike Sunny, Sahsa has not lived in Nigeria since he was nine and is more sensitive to how Africans treat Black Americans. Sasha moved to Nigeria without his parents as a punishment for using his magical powers irresponsibly. There were several moments where Sasha would bemoan the treatment of Black Americans not just by the police but also by Black Africans (after all the title of this novel, akata means 'bush animal' in Igbo, which is a word used to refer to American born or other foreign-born Blacks). Considering that Sasha was fourteen and a guy, I found his mini-rants random at best, annoying at worst. Continuing on with how young I found the characters to be, the love element seems forced. As if it was like 'ok two boys, two girls, obviously they will be attracted to each other'. Granted we don't know how old Chichi is, but Sasha is the oldest at fourteen. Orlu is thirteen and Sunny is twelve. I wish they could have remained friends but I do know that fourteen-year olds have little relationships so I'm going to try and be more forgiving. The thing that bothered me the most was how vague some of the magic was especially at the end. I couldn't describe to you what occurred because I'm still not sure.

It's funny maybe because there's been an over saturation of Harry Potter commercials/TV specials/interviews/etc that I had HP on the brain (I'm skeptical though because I haven't read those books or seen those movies in years) but I found a lot of magic/places similar to HP. For example, Leopard Knocks reminded me of Diagon Alley (I think that's what it's called, haha. Correct me if I'm wrong). The 'using magic responsibly' rule also reminded me of the 'no magic rule during the summer' in HP. I think that's a good thing, in fact I thought it was wonderful that all the magical elements, products, etc had a certain Nigerian flavor to it (if I may call it that). And of course, props to the author for using Igbo words and not translating them. Some of them I couldn't figure out, but others were easy to discern based on context (look at that, basic elementary school skills in use ;). I was enthralled by how the author described sounds, places and people, like so "It was a haunting tune that made her want to tear off in the other direction screaming. It was the tune of nightmares. It was fast and melodious and full of warning, like the song of a sweet-throated bird happily leading the devil into the room" (pg. 325). Deliciously gritty and creepy!

Akata Witch is the enthralling start of what will surely turn out to be a fantastic series. I want to learn more about the Oha coven (Orlu, Chichi, Sasha and Sunny), more about juju, Leopard Knocks, Ekwensu, etc. Sunny is a wonderful heroine, a bit unsure, willing to learn, able to stand up for herself worried about her parents and a great football (as in soccer!) player. I especially loved that Sunny constantly was worried about checking in with her mother, her parents weren't absent. They didn't just accept her random disappearances, she had to account for herself and work within THEIR boundaries, which I found realistic. The world of Leopard Knocks is described in ample, elaborate detail and I hung on every word. The author manages to completely describe every inflection, every little thing that distinguishes how people speak, specifically Nigerians. The subtleties of the different cultural groups are not explained in long summaries, instead through simple bursts of dialogue and observations. The only things I would want to see change is the ages of the character (why not make them teenagers? I know that can't actually be changed though) and better descriptions of the magical action. I love the celebration of differences, all the characters are unique and even though they are all Black, this novel effectively showcases how Black people/Africans really can't be put into a box (as if you need reminding). A rich tale overflowing with magic and friendship, I can't wait for more!

Disclosure: From Tricia, thank you!

*I will be in D.C. at the Young Women's Political Leadership Conference from July 18-July 24

Male Monday: Coram Boy

Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin 2000
Egmont UK Unlimited

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Sometimes it was if Mercy had eyes everywhere that could see except the two in her head." pg. 231

Two cities, four main characters. The story takes place in both Gloucester and London, detailing the lives of Alexander, Toby, Aaron and Thomas. Toby was saved from an African slave ship, but his salvation comes at a price. Aaron is the illegitimate son of the heir to a wealthy estate. Both boys were saved by Otis, a man who accepts money for children and sells them into slavery (girls are usually sent to the harems of Turkey and North Africa), apprentices them to people around London, or sends them to America to become servants. Otis 'kindly' takes unwanted children off the hands of their parents, especially wealthy young mothers who have had illegitimate children. He tells these young mothers that he will take their children to the Coram Hospital. The Coram Hospital was started by Captain Thomas Coram, a place for unwanted children to be fed and educated and to be in a loving environment. Every mother who couldn't care for her own child wanted their child to end up there, Otis promised they would but his word was not always bond. Alexander is the heir of Ashbrook a wealthy estate, disinherited because he wants to pursue a career in music which his father doesn't understand and will not support. Thomas is Alexander's devoted friend since their childhood days in the cathedral choir.

Ok long summary I know but I wish I had had more information going into reading this book. The summary was too vague for my taste. But that's not really all that important, something that did really bother me about the book was how slow the plot dragged and how simplistic the plot was. It does not end 100% happily which was realistic but most characters were seen clearly in black or white. The few who had some 'gray' areas remained an unsatisfactory mystery, the reason as to why characters acted the way they did sometimes out of the blue, was never explained through dialogue or observation. *Spoiler: highlight to read* For example: why did Otis never get rid of Meshak? Was Otis a false 'Coram man' while his wife was still alive? If so, did she approve? If not, why did he start doing that? *End Spoiler* I think there needs to be a whole 'nother book on Otis, although that would be hard to stomach. There's SO MUCH going on this novel and unfortunately I didn't think the author was able to juggle everything. In the end while it may not have been happy, it was still very neat and convenient. Speaking of convenient, the magical/religious/fairy tale/what-have-you aspect of it made certain events more convenient but added nothing to the story. In fact I was confused more than anything. Oh and the AGES of the CHILDREN. I may be showing some ignorance/naivete but I had a really hard time believing two fourteen year olds as innocent as Melissa and Alexander could have sex. I would have believed it if they showed maturity. And I had a hard time picturing such daring eight year olds as Toby and Aaron....

I lapped up so much knowledge from this book about London in the 1750s, specifically concerning children's welfare. They were treated TERRIBLY especially the poor orphans. Even the wealthier children were still beaten or punished in some way into submission and they had little say in their future. Instead of parents being motivated by their terrible childhoods to change the way they raised their children, they continued the same awful traditions, sending them to the horrible Eton College or other harsh boarding schools (for boys). Girls were doomed to a life of monotony, if they were fortunate enough to be born welathy they could attend parties and art events, working class girls' lives were filled with work, work and more work. I couldn't believe it took so long for a Captain Coram to come along and try and start to change the way children were treated. He wanted to nurture them and make them self-sufficient. Furthermore, the way young Black children were treated! Toby is 'given' as a servant for life to the man who sponsored his stay at the Coram Hospital. This man, Mr. Gaddarn, dresses Toby up "like a miniature prince, in silk trousers and embroidered jacket with curling slippers and a bejewelled turban on his head. He would be given a silver platter laden with sweetmeats which he had to hand round to all the guests. The ladies adored him, and loved to bounce him on their knees, feed him sweets, and push their fingers under his turban to feel his extraordinarily crinkly hair" (pgs. 213-214). While I knew Black people were treated like animals back then, I had no idea that young boys (no mention was made of how young Black girls were treated but I can imagine *shudder*) were treated as 'pets' or 'playthings.' It was appalling to say the least.

Coram Boy received a high rating for me because I love history so I found all the historical details enthralling to read about. The author covers a diverse aspect of perspectives in 18th century London, from the mentally ill Meshak to the former-slave Toby, each portrayal is respectful and eye-opening. At times the tales are gruesome, after all, Otis and Meshak bury BABIES ALIVE and the author describes their pitiful cries in great detail. It's tough to read about but it is rewarding to truly see how far we've come concerning children's welfare and yet, how far we still have to go. The plot and characters could have been more complex, the various story lines more deftly handled with a messier, authentic ending. The children acted more mature than their actual age in some regards but in others they were so naive (14 year olds having sex, the 14 year old girl freaking out about 'getting fat'). A most excellent read for delving into (and comparing) life in London and an English hamlet and how people dressed, spoke, acted and were treated. An interesting tidbit: the book was adapted into a play.


*I am currently in D.C. on a one week women in high school political leadership conference! I will be back July 24

Disclosure: Received with many thanks from Tricia!

Mini Reviews: In Full Bloom, The Ice Cream Girls, and The World in Half

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson 2010
Sphere/Hachette Book Group

IQ "Silence is the best way forward, I've found. I do not have to say anything, at least I didn't the last few times I was arrested, and I'm going to exercise that right. Even if it makes me look as guilty as sin, I'd rather not say anything that can't be taken back. Silence can always be explained away, erased almost with a single world; the wrong words in the wrong combination at the wrong time can damn you to hell. Or, at least, to prison." Serena pg. 48

When Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe were teenagers they were the sole witnesses to a tragic event that ended in death. The death of a male, relatively young, teacher who told both girls he was in love with them. The teacher (Marcus) quickly became abusive both physically and emotionally. After his death the girls were discovered to have been the last ones to see him alive and they are nicknamed "The Ice Cream Girls" after a racy photo of them licking ice cream is discovered by the press. Poppy is found guilty and spends years in jail, Serena is the happily married mother of two. Poppy is determined to make Serena confess because she's convinced Serena killed Marcus. Serena does not want her family to know about her past, she changed her name to avoid that very thing but she knows she didn't do it and she wants Poppy to leave her alone. Ultimately both of them just want to forget their past and move on.

I really did not like reading this book. As an American I found it hard to believe because the press, in fact the whole case was ridiculous. I'm no expert on the American justice system but USUALLY what happens over here is in a case where an adult is sleeping with a teenager (minor), it's considered rape. People do not immediately jump to the conclusion that the teenager SEDUCED the GROWN MAN/WOMAN. And yet that is exactly what happens in The Ice Cream Girls. The press is slimy and the courts are insanely harsh, judges and jury members being rude and just plain unprofessional. I was so angry at how unfairly the girls were treated that I really couldn't see much past that. I did however take note of how engaging the plot was and that it was so difficult to choose who killed Marcus, Serena or Poppy. Likewise my sympathies lay with different characters at different times, I was equally angry with them both but I closed the book admiring both girls for finally saying NO to Marcus in the past and in their present (he haunts both of them). The girls recall the events from 1987-1989 during which they met Marcus, 'fell in love' with him and were severely hurt by him, he kept them terrified of telling their family, friends, etc about him. These recollections back to the past however were choppy, it was never clear when the narration of past events ended and the present day started (their was a date that showed what year it was for the past but not the present).

The Ice Cream Girls is a chilling tale because it's so real, because there are so many women in situations where they are victims of domestic abuse because there are so many women who don't see a way out. THERE IS A WAY OUT and while this book takes a bit of an extreme approach, the lessons are extremely relevant and I really hope this book left an impact on the right people. Both girls were fifteen when Marcus took advantage of them, at first he didn't force himself on them but he paid attention to them. A handsome older man being nice to two young girls who were vulnerable. Of course they would think they were in love with them and then be too afraid to leave. This situation is sadly real, my only hope is that if anyone ends up in the same spot and takes the same way out, the press and the courts are much more sympathetic. The parents too, that was probably the second most painful thing to read about, the parents believing their daughters were killers and being unable to forgive them. I understand too that the author was just presenting the facts about the UK newspapers, tabloids and legal system but these facts ruined my enjoyment of the story. But the author tells a good story, one that is sad and yet hopeful, a fast-paced tale that will haunt you. I hope the next book I read by the author is much lighter but just as intriguing.

Disclosure: From Tricia, thank you =)

PS I really liked this quote from Poppy as well the imagery is well portrayed "Bella slips her hand in mine and Logan wraps his arms around my shoulders and we head back into the house, so close that every step we take is a step in time, a step that sews up the years we were apart, pulling the seams together until they can barely be seen, and we can pretend that they never really existed." (Poppy, pg. 455). Oh and Serena is Black, Poppy white, just a FYI.


The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez 2009
Riverhead Books/Penguin


IQ "It's more Spanish than I've ever spoken with anyone. But with limitations comes freedom. I don't have the luxury of relying on the automatic expressions I have at my disposal when I'm speaking in English. There's no default mode of communication, few standby phrases and ready-made sayings. I have to think about how to express myself. I have to be creative and take roundabout routes to get across what I want to convey. Which means that I say things I never would in English. Ideas occur to me in ways they never have before." Miraflores pg. 153

Miraflores doesn't know her Panamanian father, her mother raised her in their suburban Chicago home and never mentioned him. Mira always assumed her father didn't want to know her after all she was the product of an affair her mother had while married and stationed to her then husband in Panama. Her perspective changes however when she returns from college to take care of her mother who has succumbed to Alzheimer's disease. Upon her return home she discovers letters from her father to her mother, showing the great devotion her father had to her mother and his NEED to know his baby girl. Miraflores decides to travel to Panama to find her father who she hopes will want to meet her and can even fill in some of the missing pieces of herself. She tells her mother she is going to Washington to study volcanoes, and heads off to find herself and in the process learns not just about herself, but also about her parents, Danilo and her country.

I am completely biased in my love for this book. I am unapologetic about the fact that this is one of my favorite books of the year. First I'm biased because Miraflores is half Panamanian as am I. Then her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a disease my grandfather had. Coincidence? I don't believe in them but it was very cool to read about. Plus the feelings Mira describes upon visiting Panama and wanting to belong to that country as well as the culture shock are feelings I could relate to as someone who is half-non American (haha I don't know the proper term for it, I would have said half Panamanian but I think anyone who is half something not American can relate especially well to Mira's thoughts) as well as because I had just returned from Guatemala, which reminded me a bit of Panama. "The first thing I notice when I get off the plane is what relief it is to hear English again, to understand immediately everything someone says, to eavesdrop without concentrating, to decipher signs at a glance. I'm struck, too, by how contained everything is: lanes of traffic are perfectly orderly, grass grows in even plots, trees thrive in mounds of mulch, building faces are austere. The air smells cleaner." (pg. 260). How did she (she meaning the author) know? Haha this is precisely what I was thinking when I returned from Guatemala except I didn't notice the change in how the air smelled, although now that I think about it, I don't smell water like I did in Guatemala (the town we lived in was next to a lake). It was a shock to land in the Atlanta airport and not immediately try to start grasping for words in Spanish (I was once again accustomed to all things American by the time we arrived in Chicago). That's why I chose that Incredible Quote because I could identify so deeply with it. Trying to express yourself in another language can be excruciating because if you have to choose your words with great care and I found that it wasn't always easy to get my point across but everyone I met in Guatemala was so patient with my broken Spanish. Furthermore, anyone who has ever visited or wants to visit the country where their heritage lies or just wants to be acknowledged as having a claim on their heritage must be able to relate to the following "I'm not sure why, but I want them to know that. I want them to know that I'm not just any tourist visiting their country, that I have a claim to this place and a reason for being here, that I belong to them, at least a little bit. I wonder whether, or how, they treat me differently if they knew" (pg. 34).

The World in Half got me out of my reading rut. I was bored with what I'd been reading at worst unimpressed at best. The World in Half made me remember why I love books so much, because of the personal connections, because of their ability to transport a reader around the world. The writing flows, the characters are solid and the setting is as real and memorable as the Earth itself(heehee cheesy geological references). I cried while reading this book which is rare for me. Not just because of the Alzheimer's but also because I really understood romantic love, reading Gatun's letters to Catarina's mom....I'm speechless. They were the most heartbreaking, passionate, sweetest love letters I've ever read (not that I've read any in real life just in books but whatever). Miraflores is the name of the locks of the Panama canal, Gatun is another name for the locks and also the name of her father. I thought that was really sweet and a bit clever of Mira's mother, it was one of the few things that made me like her because for the most part I was resentful towards Mira's mother (I was making up for Mira's refusal to get truly upset at her mother which was both loving and frustrating). While Mira's mother irked me she also brought me to tears. Or at least the author did. Having seen fairly firsthand the effects Alzheimer's has on people (I believe my grandfather died from its effects, I'm not 100% sure because I don't want to ask, too painful) I could painfully relate to everything Mira described about the memory loss, and the fear she felt as she watched her mother forget basic, small things. While the parts featuring Mira's mother were sad, I enjoyed every minute Miraa (and I, the reader) spent with Danilo, a guy her age who sold flowers outside her hotel and was the nephew of the doorkeeper, Hernan. Danilo only spoke Spanish but Mira's Spanish is excellent so they didn't have a problem communicating (I'm jealous), he helps her search for her father. I'll let Mira explain the effect of Danilo on her "he teases me, fishing me out of myself, casting and recasting his line, tugging gently, holding on tight, reeling until he dredges up something real. I love his inclination for rebellion and how flippantly he uses language, as if words are something to be tossed around like confetti rather than laid out like a stone path" (pg. 154). Speaking of words, this author has quite an exceptional way with them as I think is exemplified in that quote. I also loved her connections to geology, which is what Mira is studying in college. Sometimes Mira states the 'obvious' connection between her life's events and geological terms/events, other times the author leaves it up to the reader to draw the connection. It's always fun to read about a country you have ties to, especially a country that is rarely written about. Every time Danilo or another character said something about Panama, I would ask my dad if he thought that was true or knew what they were talking about. Sometimes he agreed (Panama La Vieja is what tourists call Panama Viejo), other times he didn't (he'd never heard of Que xopa instead of Que pasa, a phrase I'm curious about. Anyone use it?). I love love love this book, my only regret is that I didn't buy it (which will have to be remedied because it's going to be my unofficial Panama guidebook). I've left so much out of this review but it is adult fiction and my rule on that is only a mini-review so I'm going to try and stop gushing (I already did on Twitter :D)

Disclosure: From the library. For me it's a must-buy.


In Full Bloom by Caroline Hwang 2003
Dutton/Penguin Group

IQ "I wasn't vehement American Ginger and I wasn't traditional Korean Lee. I was the collision of the names-the accidental adverb resulting from the clash of two worlds, gingerly, how I was meant to go through life. I was the space in between the names. I occupied the shirt pause between them, the breach between the two states, like a ghost who was neither alive nor sufficiently dead." Ginger pg. 99


Ginger Lee has moved to New York in order to further her career, to be someone. Not to be with someone, a Korean someone, which is what her mother wants. Her mother wants Ginger to put marriage before her career and she moves in with Ginger for three weeks to find her a suitable husband. Ginger goes along with it, vowing to sabotage her mother's dates and work harder to win a promotion at A la Mode fashion magazine. At 27 years old, Ginger is considered too old to be merely a fashion assistant and her mother is constantly telling her that her bloom is fading. To Ginger's bemusement, the Korean men her mother sets her up with reject Ginger before she can reject them and her mother's career advice may actually be worth listening to...


Ginger claims she wants complete independence from her mother, but it's easy to see that she's very dependent on her. She admires her mother and is more forgiving of her mother's actions than others might be, but it also sounds like Ginger's mom is not the traditional strict Korean mother. Ginger's mother disowned Ginger's brother, George after he married a white American woman and so Ginger is all she has left. She is determined to see Ginger marry a Korean man and is convinced Ginger needs her help to 'get a man.' (unbeknownst to her Ginger dated throughout college and grad school, just not Korean men). In describing her mother Ginger says"It was really something how in less than a week she'd leapt from coercing me to look for her future son-in-law to saying she wanted a namesake. Such great strides in so little time. It was a shame she wasn't involved in a greater, less hopeless cause than her daughter, like world hunger or female illiteracy." (pg. 69). I liked Ginger's narration, she was determined to be a feminist, but sometimes it backfired on her. She narrates her life story with a good sense of humor and it's touching how she's so willing to go along with whatever her mom wants while still engaging in small acts of rebellion.


In Full Bloom is a surprising, much-needed (says the non-chick lit expert) addition to the chick lit canon. I was really happy with the ending because I thought it was most unusual. I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that homophobia was brought up and when Ginger tells off a certain someone for assuming she and all her Asians are 'the help' it's a fabulous moment. I especially appreciated that Ginger's mother does not fall prey to the immigrant mother stereotype. Perhaps the best part is when Ginger realizes that she's prejudiced against Koreans, I think many people of color and immigrants are reluctant to acknowledge that they look down on their culture at times or are too eager to forget where they came from. A charming, merry tale with an unconventional ending and a diverse cast.


Disclosure: Library

*I do mini-reviews of all adult fiction books I read and want to review.