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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
One of the most poignant and sometimes painful fictional reads taking place in the period just after the Civil War South.
While I say and it is fictional, Ibrahim really delved deeply into the history and some of the facts were new me, sending me down Google Rabbit Holes to learn more.
It is so hard for me and even more so the main character Lisbeth to see what the war wrought and how the attitudes of her youth in Virginia hadn't changed. Her attitude, having basically eloped prewar to near Oberon College has changed in ways that her mother and Southern neighbors would never understand and she struggles with explaining the vast differences and prejudices to her young children.
Usually, I read a ton of nonfiction about sociology and race, dealing with mostly the Jim Crow Laws and to today. This was supposed to be a break of sorts and while making my skin crawl, emphasized many of the problems that we still deal with today, while at the same time giving a lot of voice to the extreme (and almost continuing) vehemence the losers AKA the Confederacy felt. The "Cult of the Lost Cause" started then, was ugly, and I'm far from sure that we've come as far as we think we have.
Great book about an era and showing a juxtaposition in perspective that was unique and important.
While I say and it is fictional, Ibrahim really delved deeply into the history and some of the facts were new me, sending me down Google Rabbit Holes to learn more.
It is so hard for me and even more so the main character Lisbeth to see what the war wrought and how the attitudes of her youth in Virginia hadn't changed. Her attitude, having basically eloped prewar to near Oberon College has changed in ways that her mother and Southern neighbors would never understand and she struggles with explaining the vast differences and prejudices to her young children.
Usually, I read a ton of nonfiction about sociology and race, dealing with mostly the Jim Crow Laws and to today. This was supposed to be a break of sorts and while making my skin crawl, emphasized many of the problems that we still deal with today, while at the same time giving a lot of voice to the extreme (and almost continuing) vehemence the losers AKA the Confederacy felt. The "Cult of the Lost Cause" started then, was ugly, and I'm far from sure that we've come as far as we think we have.
Great book about an era and showing a juxtaposition in perspective that was unique and important.
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
I wanted to know the rest of Lisbeth and Mattie’s stories. Mustard Seed is not nearly as good as Yellow Crocus and it’s an even more outright white savior story—which is very problematic. I appreciate a piece of fiction exploring Reconstruction, but there is so much here that is shallow (in story, characters, and writing). Again, despite all that, it’s a feel-good story so I suppose that’s why we all get drawn-in.
A confusing story Of a white family who moved to Ohio when she didn’t agree to marry the man her parents chose for her in Virginia. Meanwhile a black family who knew her in Virginia is in the same Ohio town. The period is right after the Civil War but many of the people in the states were still fighting the war in their minds.
It seems that every thing about this book the author had to make “over the top”for coincidences. My book Club chose this for our April meeting and I want to finish it just for that reason but it was a horrible book to read.
It seems that every thing about this book the author had to make “over the top”for coincidences. My book Club chose this for our April meeting and I want to finish it just for that reason but it was a horrible book to read.
I first read Yellow Crocus a few years ago, and it was phenomenal. But I had no idea it was the beginning of a series. If you've read Yellow Crocus, it's 100% worth continuing the story with Mustard Seed. Laila Ibraham has a way of bringing the reader right into the story, and the audio narration by Bahni Turpin brought the story even more to life. I cannot recommend this series enough!
Having loved Yellow Crocus so much I was apprehensive to read the sequel. I was worried it wouldn’t be as good as the first and then tarnish my original enjoyment.
I needn’t have been concerned. It is another great book!
I needn’t have been concerned. It is another great book!
The Yellow Crocus series is my absolute favorite of all time. However, when I read Yellow Crocus in December of 2019, I had no clue it was a series. I was delighted to find out there was more to Lisbeth and Matties stories. Mustard Seed absolutely lived up to what I needed from their stories. I adored it and dived right into boom k 3, Golden Poppies. Do yourself a favor and read Yellow Crocus first.
Loved the first book, Yellow Crocus. Mustard Seed is a continuation of the story but didn’t grab me in the same way.