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agnela's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Empowering, healing, female centric with cozy desmiticy. But. I absolutely do not agree with one of the themes of this book. Aggressors, violence perpetrators do not get or need to be emphasised with, they do not get to tell their sad stories why they end up doing what they do. Women in this story had it bad, but they did not end up tormenting or abusing people. And yet somehow the only good man in this book ends up being a dead grandfather.
I loved this matriarchal family, it's dynamics, uhh, I loved it so much. There were also trauma, racism, abuse, and yet this is a healing story rather than just telling the reader about an open wound and deepening it more.
I loved this matriarchal family, it's dynamics, uhh, I loved it so much. There were also trauma, racism, abuse, and yet this is a healing story rather than just telling the reader about an open wound and deepening it more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, War, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
gabichatslit's review against another edition
3.75
“You have a gift from God. Thank Him, then get to work.” And Ms. Stringfellow, thank you for listening to your mother’s advice. Memphis is a book that sunk its teeth in and did not let go until the very moment I finished the last chapter. I laughed and cried and bristled at the raw truth in these pages. In these characters who I loved and at times could not stand. The anger I felt towards Miriam and August for not doing more to protect Joan in adolescence. My own issues with my father, whom my relationship with I saw mirrored in Joan and Jax but who shares a name with Hazel’s great love. But the love between sisters— the way My would go to war for Joan in a heartbeat. No questions asked. The abundance of love and community— Stanley giving Hazel away, Ms Dawn hosting the wedding, The neighborhood watching over the house. August hair shop and the abundance of love and laughter. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and earnest and honest and painful. I’m so glad I picked it up and I’m glad I stuck it out, even when it hurt to get through the pages.
More thoughts:
- I think it was important that Miriam didn’t allow Jax to soften her with his apologies and stories. And remained steadfast in her leaving him/their divorce. It emphasized to Joan, who understood the nitty-gritty parts of her parents relationship better than My, that there was nothing that would make up for the abuse that Miriam had endured and that Joan saw her dad inflict firsthand. Like go seek counseling my guy but do it away from me.
- I wish Hazel had confirmed who August dad was in her later chapters even though I have an inkling as to who it was.
- I wish we got more of what went down between August and Bird, like did he leave the next morning with Jax? August had quite a few thoughts about the possibility of living and dying alone, like her mom, so how did she navigate that as Joan went off to college and My finishing school, etc.
- I think the book would’ve been enhanced a bit more by the inclusion of chapters from My’s point of view possibly. Even though I think she was mainly a comedic presence amidst the heavier moments.
- Also interlude’s maybe a page or two in length from Ms. Dawn’s perspective as she was a considerable supporting character in the narrative of the North women and had been around since Hazel had been a teenager— what did she know about the North women? how did she know what she knew? added commentary on the nature of these women. Etc
- Also Also, I think an epilogue from Joan’s perspective once she got to RCA would’ve been the cherry on top. To see her in a space of true freedom, using her craft/strengthening her gift amongst other amazing similarly focused individuals would’ve really tied it all together for me
- Also x3 I think a conversation between Miriam and Joan was needed. There were moments when Miriam (and August) were like I pray she don’t remember what happened and it’s clear she did and for years had to live with her trauma physically present in her space and they would just be tense and ignore it. So I think Miriam and her definitely needed to talk about how that affected her and Miriam apologize to her daughter for how disorienting her childhood had become. And that she was sorry that in her quest to provide for the family and get away from Jax, at times she didn’t see the weight of what her decisions did to her daughter’s wellbeing. And why it was easier for Joan to throw herself into her passion and her art as a means to escape a world she couldn’t control, whereas her art was always her domain. like I can’t get past what she said to August in the kitchen that day— “what can he do to me? Sorry, what else can he do to me?”
- Also x4, Derek needed to apologize. And maybe he did at the end and we didn’t see it bc we didn’t know that Joan agreed to send him art until My confirmed it while consoling her in the car but it should’ve been on page. And honestly I think she could’ve forgiven him without needing to be in correspondence with him. Like these were the consequences of his actions, not hers. That’s just me. I think unearthing the comb and attempting to get closure was the end all of what Ms Dawn’s instructions for her. Again that’s just me
Still, for a debut, this was a mighty book. Extremely well done.
More thoughts:
- I think it was important that Miriam didn’t allow Jax to soften her with his apologies and stories. And remained steadfast in her leaving him/their divorce. It emphasized to Joan, who understood the nitty-gritty parts of her parents relationship better than My, that there was nothing that would make up for the abuse that Miriam had endured and that Joan saw her dad inflict firsthand. Like go seek counseling my guy but do it away from me.
- I wish Hazel had confirmed who August dad was in her later chapters even though I have an inkling as to who it was.
- I wish we got more of what went down between August and Bird, like did he leave the next morning with Jax? August had quite a few thoughts about the possibility of living and dying alone, like her mom, so how did she navigate that as Joan went off to college and My finishing school, etc.
- I think the book would’ve been enhanced a bit more by the inclusion of chapters from My’s point of view possibly. Even though I think she was mainly a comedic presence amidst the heavier moments.
- Also interlude’s maybe a page or two in length from Ms. Dawn’s perspective as she was a considerable supporting character in the narrative of the North women and had been around since Hazel had been a teenager— what did she know about the North women? how did she know what she knew? added commentary on the nature of these women. Etc
- Also Also, I think an epilogue from Joan’s perspective once she got to RCA would’ve been the cherry on top. To see her in a space of true freedom, using her craft/strengthening her gift amongst other amazing similarly focused individuals would’ve really tied it all together for me
- Also x3 I think a conversation between Miriam and Joan was needed. There were moments when Miriam (and August) were like I pray she don’t remember what happened and it’s clear she did and for years had to live with her trauma physically present in her space and they would just be tense and ignore it. So I think Miriam and her definitely needed to talk about how that affected her and Miriam apologize to her daughter for how disorienting her childhood had become. And that she was sorry that in her quest to provide for the family and get away from Jax, at times she didn’t see the weight of what her decisions did to her daughter’s wellbeing. And why it was easier for Joan to throw herself into her passion and her art as a means to escape a world she couldn’t control, whereas her art was always her domain. like I can’t get past what she said to August in the kitchen that day— “what can he do to me? Sorry, what else can he do to me?”
- Also x4, Derek needed to apologize. And maybe he did at the end and we didn’t see it bc we didn’t know that Joan agreed to send him art until My confirmed it while consoling her in the car but it should’ve been on page. And honestly I think she could’ve forgiven him without needing to be in correspondence with him. Like these were the consequences of his actions, not hers. That’s just me. I think unearthing the comb and attempting to get closure was the end all of what Ms Dawn’s instructions for her. Again that’s just me
Still, for a debut, this was a mighty book. Extremely well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Hate crime
Moderate: Racial slurs, War, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, and Racism
Minor: Sexual content
clairew97's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Racism, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Racial slurs, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, and Sexual content
katiewhocanread's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-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
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Rape, Murder, Death of parent, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Hate crime, Child death, Racism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Grief, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
solaria's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Racial slurs, Murder, Abandonment, Police brutality, and Gun violence
Minor: Medical content and Sexual content
flashandoutbreak's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Death, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Rape, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Violence
arwenauthor's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
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