Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
3.75-
I loved Yellow Crocus so I was tickled to see it was the first of a trio. Mustard Seeds begins about 10 years after Yellow Crocus ends and brings Mattie and Lisbeth together again as they both set out for Richmond to deal with family issues.
I found this to be a fascinating read in the sense that I’ve only read a handful of books that take place immediately after the Civil War. Seeing how the black people were still treated was infuriating. I loved that things that I learned about in The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate were mentioned here and I loved the message of people with whom you share blood aren’t necessarily your family.
This is truly a great follow up for Yellow Crocus and provides an impressive history lesson at the same time.
I loved Yellow Crocus so I was tickled to see it was the first of a trio. Mustard Seeds begins about 10 years after Yellow Crocus ends and brings Mattie and Lisbeth together again as they both set out for Richmond to deal with family issues.
I found this to be a fascinating read in the sense that I’ve only read a handful of books that take place immediately after the Civil War. Seeing how the black people were still treated was infuriating. I loved that things that I learned about in The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate were mentioned here and I loved the message of people with whom you share blood aren’t necessarily your family.
This is truly a great follow up for Yellow Crocus and provides an impressive history lesson at the same time.
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I found the historical aspects of the story about the transitions after the Civil War. However, the dialogue and the characters are rarely very believable. Still, I'll probably read the 3rd book in the series.
A really positive story. Unfortunately, it seemed almost too positive. Especially for it's time. With all that's going on now, I found it hard to believe anything like this could happen back in the 1800s.
This is the second book in a three-novel series about the lives of White and Black Americans in the 19th century, following the American Civil War. For me, It is the final book of the series, since I regrettably did not read the series in order. But I strongly recommend the entire series and I encourage you to read them in sequence, so you can follow the relationships develop and change among the central characters. I awarded four stars on Goodreads to the entire series.
In MUSTARD SEED, once again two strong and closely connected women and their families take center stage. Mattie, a former slave, practices midwifery in Oberlin, Ohio -- living with her husband, son, and daughter. Nearby, is Lisbeth Johnson, the daughter of Mattie's former owner for whom Mattie served as wet nurse.. Lisbeth, who has rejected the slave system of the Old South, also lives with her husband, son, and daughter.
In this novel, circumstances force both women to return to their homes in Virginia, for different reasons; Lisbeth to make peace with her dying father, Mattie to collect a close friend's daughter and move her north. Once each arrives, however, life during Reconstruction interferes in their carefully planned visits. And once again Mattie and Lisbeth find themselves relying on one another to navigate their respective crises.
Through the stories of these women, we as readers get to emotionally experience how little the Civil War changed the lives off Black Americans. The injustices may have been given new names, but the same vulnerability existed. Parents and children separated, men randomly grabbed off the streets and forced to work the fields of wealthy Whites, and pervasive and intense brutality and. deprivation.
In the climate of Black Lives Matter and its potential to foster a deeper understanding of slavery in America, Laila Ibrahim's series provides a realistic, deeply human, and sobering exploration of life in America from the mid 1800s into the early 1900s. It is guaranteed to give you a better understanding of the shameful economic institution of slavery and its legacy of racism we all still struggle with today.
In MUSTARD SEED, once again two strong and closely connected women and their families take center stage. Mattie, a former slave, practices midwifery in Oberlin, Ohio -- living with her husband, son, and daughter. Nearby, is Lisbeth Johnson, the daughter of Mattie's former owner for whom Mattie served as wet nurse.. Lisbeth, who has rejected the slave system of the Old South, also lives with her husband, son, and daughter.
In this novel, circumstances force both women to return to their homes in Virginia, for different reasons; Lisbeth to make peace with her dying father, Mattie to collect a close friend's daughter and move her north. Once each arrives, however, life during Reconstruction interferes in their carefully planned visits. And once again Mattie and Lisbeth find themselves relying on one another to navigate their respective crises.
Through the stories of these women, we as readers get to emotionally experience how little the Civil War changed the lives off Black Americans. The injustices may have been given new names, but the same vulnerability existed. Parents and children separated, men randomly grabbed off the streets and forced to work the fields of wealthy Whites, and pervasive and intense brutality and. deprivation.
In the climate of Black Lives Matter and its potential to foster a deeper understanding of slavery in America, Laila Ibrahim's series provides a realistic, deeply human, and sobering exploration of life in America from the mid 1800s into the early 1900s. It is guaranteed to give you a better understanding of the shameful economic institution of slavery and its legacy of racism we all still struggle with today.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
fast-paced
I read the Yellow crocus way back in 2015 and i fell in love with the characters. 8 years later i still remember that book and i have only just heard there are two more books added to make this a series so i have to read them.
Mustard Seed continues the story of the author's previous book, Yellow Crocus. While that book was pre civil war The Mustard Seed waz after the civil war.
This was an emotional, captivating story about faith,family and love. Three brave, strong women who left the South before the war began,who believed that conditions had improved in Virginia, especially for the former slaves; but were wrong when they returned.
These women and their families captured my heart, evoking emotions on every page.
This was a hard read but a must read for any historical fiction lover.
Mustard Seed continues the story of the author's previous book, Yellow Crocus. While that book was pre civil war The Mustard Seed waz after the civil war.
This was an emotional, captivating story about faith,family and love. Three brave, strong women who left the South before the war began,who believed that conditions had improved in Virginia, especially for the former slaves; but were wrong when they returned.
These women and their families captured my heart, evoking emotions on every page.
This was a hard read but a must read for any historical fiction lover.
It was slow going in the beginning for me, but once I learned about the characters a bit more and started noticing their stories intertwine I couldnt put it down. The juxtapose of how the two families are treated by the same ppl is both heartbreaking and intriguing. It was easy to love every member of the Johnson and Freedman families. I just really enjoyed it.
It had a bit of a slow start, but a fantastic sequel to The Yellow Crocus.