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anywiebs's review against another edition
2.0
I struggled with this book, for various reasons.
1. The main character was unbearable at times.
2. The writing felt choppy at times and didn't appeal to me.
3. The happenings were exhausting at times and meh at others.
But I also liked things about it.
1. Mainly the development of the main character, she really improved and became a lot less unbearable towards the end.
2. How informative and in depth it was about the Black Panther movement in the late 1960s and the events in the San Francisco area at that time.
1. The main character was unbearable at times.
2. The writing felt choppy at times and didn't appeal to me.
3. The happenings were exhausting at times and meh at others.
But I also liked things about it.
1. Mainly the development of the main character, she really improved and became a lot less unbearable towards the end.
2. How informative and in depth it was about the Black Panther movement in the late 1960s and the events in the San Francisco area at that time.
serenaac's review against another edition
3.0
The rhythm of Virgin Soul by Judy Juanita’s narrative is reminiscent of scat singing, but with a street-based undertone, jumping from moment to moment creating an atmosphere that resembles the turbulent nature of the 1960s. In this way, she captures the atmosphere, especially among African-Americans in California at that time, really well. The protagonist Geniece Hightower has always felt like an outsider since her mother died and her father skipped out, but when she heads off to college, she thinks that she’s finally found a place to fit in. She meets some people engaged in the civil rights movement, and falls in love with Allwood, who becomes her lover and teacher. She falls in and out of relationships, but at her heart Allwood is her first love.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2013/06/virgin-soul-by-judy-juanita.html
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2013/06/virgin-soul-by-judy-juanita.html
mkat303's review against another edition
3.0
A young woman from Oakland goes to Oakland City College, then SF State, and gets involved in the Black Panthers. The story is broken into 4 parts, corresponding to her 4 years of college. Interesting historical tidbits here. I liked the book overall, but I felt like it was missing something. Maybe character development, as one reviewer suggested. Some good writing in here, though.
kjfalk's review against another edition
4.0
I've been on something of a reading jag lately reading books set in my home region (Berkeley/Oakland). The previous book I read was Michael Chabon's Telegraph Avenue, which sadly annoyed the heck out of me. This one felt much more authentic; the author less pleased with every cutesy turn of phrase. It brought the time period and place to life vividly.
Sadly, it was less successful at bringing to life the main character, even though it felt autobiographical. Geniece, for all her striving for agency, seems to let things happen to her so much of the time, it seems. She seems most alive when she starts looking after two girls that she met through an inner city tutoring/volunteer program - and their fate is a turning point for her.
Still, overall, a worthwhile read.
Sadly, it was less successful at bringing to life the main character, even though it felt autobiographical. Geniece, for all her striving for agency, seems to let things happen to her so much of the time, it seems. She seems most alive when she starts looking after two girls that she met through an inner city tutoring/volunteer program - and their fate is a turning point for her.
Still, overall, a worthwhile read.
arisbookcorner's review against another edition
3.0
IQ "Sure, I had fancied myself militant. That fit my naturally rebellious nature. But to bea militant was frightful. Yet intriguing." (199)
This is one of those rare books I stumbled upon, not physically in a library (because covid) but via Twitter when Kaitlyn Greenidge recommended it in response to her Twitter thread asking for books about Black women forming a political consciousness. I immediately bookmarked the thread and in that one regard in particular this book more than delivers, we witness Geniece gradually become more and more radical and it's a delightful journey. What I didn't love is how much of her radicalization comes from men, especially the men she's interested in, "I wanted to say intelligent but Allwood was an intellectual. I was neither" (32). I really wanted her growing political consciousness to come from female friends as well or even a professor or two so it felt slightly less condescending. And what makes it harder to stomach is that Geniece rarely interacts with the famous real life women in the Black Panther Party, we learn more about Huey Newton and Bobby Seale than we do Kathleen Cleaver. The author makes it clear that the BPP is sexist but she also reinforces their habit of ignoring women by not giving them equal or close to equal attention in her own novel. In addition to discussing the sexism of the Panthers Juanita also discusses colorism within the Black community writ large but also more specifically within the Black Panther Party. Geniece is dark skinned and treated even worse than other women who are light skinned. The other issue I had is the overly ambitious tone of the book, Geniece comes to embody the experience of every Black woman. SO MUCH happens to her and those she knows that it reads like the author tried to cram as many experiences as possible into a select few characters and the sole main character.
The book structure is somewhat confusing, each section is divided by school year but she bounces around a lot in the stories she tells and it's hard to keep the characters and chronology straight. There's also lot of slang specific to the time which is often funny but can be tough to follow even with context clues. The ending was also very disappointing, it felt predictable and too neat. I wanted to see Geniece learn how to be radical even outside of college and that's not the ending we get. Geniece herself is very naive which leads to some hilarious encounters and her voice is also quite distinctive and amusing. At the same time she is also refreshingly clear eyed about what she does and doesn't know which helps make the book feel more accurate and real as she goes from being a sheltered middle class child to a working class student enamored with the Black Panthers. The author doesn't shy away from the controversy around the Black Panthers either, aside from the sexism some of the characters do hard drugs and some own guns. Gun ownership as self defense and militant civil disobedience are topics the author unflinchingly addresses but she also talks about the breakfast program and newspaper and how they were run and really revolutionary in their very existence. FBI surveillance of Black militants is also matter of factly discussed although more could have been done with that storyline.
VIRGIN SOUL is a much needed new spin on historical fiction that is set in the Bay Area during the height of counterculture and Black liberation that explores the nuances of the Black Panther Party that is thoughtfully paired with an offbeat coming of awareness and shedding of naïveté. It is about Black identity and the many themes/movements during this specific point in time; Black is Beautiful, Black Power and Black Love but also sexual freedom and tangentially the second wave of feminism. It is also very honest about the issues with the Black Panthers; drugs, the split over gun ownership, the chauvinism and misogynoir. I can only name one other historical fiction book set during the 60s/70s and about the Black Panthers, we need more of these stories told. However I wish the tone had been less didactic and that Geniece's experience more singular and specific. Along with a better ending.
This is one of those rare books I stumbled upon, not physically in a library (because covid) but via Twitter when Kaitlyn Greenidge recommended it in response to her Twitter thread asking for books about Black women forming a political consciousness. I immediately bookmarked the thread and in that one regard in particular this book more than delivers, we witness Geniece gradually become more and more radical and it's a delightful journey. What I didn't love is how much of her radicalization comes from men, especially the men she's interested in, "I wanted to say intelligent but Allwood was an intellectual. I was neither" (32). I really wanted her growing political consciousness to come from female friends as well or even a professor or two so it felt slightly less condescending. And what makes it harder to stomach is that Geniece rarely interacts with the famous real life women in the Black Panther Party, we learn more about Huey Newton and Bobby Seale than we do Kathleen Cleaver. The author makes it clear that the BPP is sexist but she also reinforces their habit of ignoring women by not giving them equal or close to equal attention in her own novel. In addition to discussing the sexism of the Panthers Juanita also discusses colorism within the Black community writ large but also more specifically within the Black Panther Party. Geniece is dark skinned and treated even worse than other women who are light skinned. The other issue I had is the overly ambitious tone of the book, Geniece comes to embody the experience of every Black woman. SO MUCH happens to her and those she knows that it reads like the author tried to cram as many experiences as possible into a select few characters and the sole main character.
The book structure is somewhat confusing, each section is divided by school year but she bounces around a lot in the stories she tells and it's hard to keep the characters and chronology straight. There's also lot of slang specific to the time which is often funny but can be tough to follow even with context clues. The ending was also very disappointing, it felt predictable and too neat. I wanted to see Geniece learn how to be radical even outside of college and that's not the ending we get. Geniece herself is very naive which leads to some hilarious encounters and her voice is also quite distinctive and amusing. At the same time she is also refreshingly clear eyed about what she does and doesn't know which helps make the book feel more accurate and real as she goes from being a sheltered middle class child to a working class student enamored with the Black Panthers. The author doesn't shy away from the controversy around the Black Panthers either, aside from the sexism some of the characters do hard drugs and some own guns. Gun ownership as self defense and militant civil disobedience are topics the author unflinchingly addresses but she also talks about the breakfast program and newspaper and how they were run and really revolutionary in their very existence. FBI surveillance of Black militants is also matter of factly discussed although more could have been done with that storyline.
VIRGIN SOUL is a much needed new spin on historical fiction that is set in the Bay Area during the height of counterculture and Black liberation that explores the nuances of the Black Panther Party that is thoughtfully paired with an offbeat coming of awareness and shedding of naïveté. It is about Black identity and the many themes/movements during this specific point in time; Black is Beautiful, Black Power and Black Love but also sexual freedom and tangentially the second wave of feminism. It is also very honest about the issues with the Black Panthers; drugs, the split over gun ownership, the chauvinism and misogynoir. I can only name one other historical fiction book set during the 60s/70s and about the Black Panthers, we need more of these stories told. However I wish the tone had been less didactic and that Geniece's experience more singular and specific. Along with a better ending.
vegebrarian's review
3.0
Geniece is growing up, moving out, dating, going to college and trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. The backdrop for her life is San Francisco in the 1960s. It's a tumultuous, racially charged time of self exploration and she finds herself in the midst of the Black Panthers. Her passion for writing is blossoming but she feels restrained by rules and expectations that outside forces put on her. Although the story was interesting I never really liked Geniece or felt like I got to know her character. She is a lens through which we see the world and not much more.
slowreadingjohn's review
3.0
In summary, this is the journey of how a young black woman is radicalized in the late 1960s and becomes a Black Panther. It is very informative of the inner workings of the Black Panther Party and the name dropping is great for those who may be unfamiliar with many key radicals of the time. It’s rare to hear from the perspective of a non-famous young person in the thick of the Black Power movement. I gave this book three stars because many aspects of the main character’s life don’t add up for me or are unclear. The main character takes on many responsibilities/activities throughout the novel. She’s a full time student, has a job, a boyfriend/boyfriends, and working for her student newspaper. But, the book doesn’t make it clear how she balances all this. They’re all mentioned so sparingly that I forgot she was involved in some of these activities or had previously mentioned friends. Some of her “friends” pop up so randomly and rarely you forget them but when they appear, she speaks of them as if they’re very close. The novel feels poorly edited. The writer doesn’t do a good job of making you understand some of her relationships or her choices regarding relationships. There is so much randomness. I think it’s a missed opportunity for a 4 or 5 star novel.
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