Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Memphis

Set largely in the eponymous Memphis and flashing between the 1950s and 1990s, this book follows the women of the North family as they navigate life and hardship.

I’ll admit that I went in with some trepidation after seeing some lukewarm reviews and the abrasive behavior from the author towards critical discussions. However, I tried to read with openness, especially considering the longlist recognition. I’m grateful I did because I found it very engaging and rich. The women centered in the narrative face impossible choices thanks to the racist society where they live and the unhealthy men in their orbits. The writing is descriptive and honest, offering complex characters with dreams, shortcomings, successes, and heartbreaks. You could come away from the book feeling like the North women faced and excessive amount of trauma, but I believe Stringfellow presents their story in such a way as to communicate that their lot was due in large part to the world they inhabited and their own personal convictions of self-worth.

My two main criticisms are mostly around Joan. I found that the parts from her perspective, especially in her youth, used language that was too mature and complex. Additionally, she was the only character written from first person and I found that a little disorienting, especially since her story doesn’t really feel like the central one (I’d argue that August is the “main” character).

Content Warnings

mmilligan94's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Like the main characters, I grew up in Memphis. I lived in a slightly less dangerous but equally poor area of town known as nutbush. Despite the common ground if it weren’t for the Pappy Van Winkles 23, I would have forgotten about this book the second i finished the last page. It’s a standard generational trauma story that unsuccessfully tries to bring hope in the end. The men are abusers and the women keep the children in situations where they are abused.

I move from to 2.5 stars to 3 because I unironically like the author’s pretentious brand dropping at odd moments. It as baffling as it is amusing. My favorite brand drop though circles us back back to Pappy Van Winkles. One of the characters casually pulls out a bottle of Pappy Van Winkles 23 and pours herself a drink. Hold up…I’m intrigued. This lady, relying on food stamps and living in the hood, just gonna open her kitchen cabinet on a Tuesday night and bust out a $5000 bottle of whiskey? Does she know it’s a rare whiskey? How did she come to own a whiskey that is notoriously difficult to find? What else does she have in that cabinet that renders Pappys a drink for any ol’ day? Why didn’t her son sell it? I have so many questions. Don’t get me started on the off hand mention of vintage Chanel...

Content Warnings

kelsielovesbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

Content Warnings

smallsurvivor's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Content Warnings

tiasreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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