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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
The author gives the readers a poignant story, undoubtedly well written and fraught with intense highly emotional moments. There are several narrators to the story but the one character that stands out is JoJo, a youth who resides with his grandparents, baby sister and a drug addict mother when the work begins. As more of the story comes to light, we find JoJo trying to cope with death, parents who aren't responsible, protecting sister and uncovering the truth of his grandfather's past. With a touch of the paranormal and a dash of Voodoo we are given a read that well deserves the National Book Award for Fiction 2017. I highly recommend this novel.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Words fail me, except that Jesmyn Ward may be one of our most influential writers in the States. This novel has ties to Beloved but maintains her own unique style. The book is haunted by two ghosts: Leonie's brother Given; and Richie, a young boy who Pap cared for in prison. Jojo and Kayla may only be children, but they are tough and sympathetic. Even Leonie, who is haunted by Given, her addictions, and her love for Michael, makes me feel a wringing sense of pity. Certainly in my contenders for Book of 2017.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Popsugar 2022: An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner
This book tells you what you're in for from the very first page. A thirteen year old boy helps his grandfather kill, skin and drain the blood from one of the goats on their farm. The violence, blood and death continue on through the whole book.
And that's why I ended up skimming it. Jojo and his little sister Kayla live with their grandparents along with their mother Leonie ( a lioness who has given up her teeth). Leonie uses drugs and "is no natural mother" according to her own mother Philomene. The childrens' father is in prison.
Leonie has no natural instinct for her kids; doesn't notice if they are hungry, sick or scared. She is quick to slap them if they annoy her. Leonie lives for the father of her children, Michael. Since she is Black and Michael is white and his parents are hideous bigots, this is complicated. It's more complicated because Michael's cousin shot Leonie's brother Given because Given was a little too good at something for Michael's cousin's liking.
Leonie sees Given when she's high. He never speaks to her. Philomene has tried to give Leonie some knowledge of root magic and has asked if Leonie has any Sight for the dead but Leonie refuses to tell her anything and actively tries not to learn any herbalism.
Jojo has the Sight too, it turns out, but he doesn't say anything to anyone because he's got a great-uncle who's not right in the head and Jojo doesn't want to give anyone cause to think that he's not normal.
There are a lot of ghosts in this book. The ghost of the past is with these people always. The ghosts of their past mistakes, regrets and sins of their own or of others who have abused them hover too. Everyone is alone in their pain. There's a lot of symbolism about pain and wrongness, whether you take it into yourself or push it out. It's a bleak bleak book that sings of pain and while it may have something brilliant to say, I couldn't read it right now. I rated it a 3 because I can appreciate it but I don't like it.
This book tells you what you're in for from the very first page. A thirteen year old boy helps his grandfather kill, skin and drain the blood from one of the goats on their farm. The violence, blood and death continue on through the whole book.
And that's why I ended up skimming it. Jojo and his little sister Kayla live with their grandparents along with their mother Leonie ( a lioness who has given up her teeth). Leonie uses drugs and "is no natural mother" according to her own mother Philomene. The childrens' father is in prison.
Leonie has no natural instinct for her kids; doesn't notice if they are hungry, sick or scared. She is quick to slap them if they annoy her. Leonie lives for the father of her children, Michael. Since she is Black and Michael is white and his parents are hideous bigots, this is complicated. It's more complicated because Michael's cousin shot Leonie's brother Given because Given was a little too good at something for Michael's cousin's liking.
Leonie sees Given when she's high. He never speaks to her. Philomene has tried to give Leonie some knowledge of root magic and has asked if Leonie has any Sight for the dead but Leonie refuses to tell her anything and actively tries not to learn any herbalism.
Jojo has the Sight too, it turns out, but he doesn't say anything to anyone because he's got a great-uncle who's not right in the head and Jojo doesn't want to give anyone cause to think that he's not normal.
There are a lot of ghosts in this book. The ghost of the past is with these people always. The ghosts of their past mistakes, regrets and sins of their own or of others who have abused them hover too. Everyone is alone in their pain. There's a lot of symbolism about pain and wrongness, whether you take it into yourself or push it out. It's a bleak bleak book that sings of pain and while it may have something brilliant to say, I couldn't read it right now. I rated it a 3 because I can appreciate it but I don't like it.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
A searing, eviscerating, story presented in gorgeous writing, Sing, Unburied, Sing was a hard book to read. The characters’ pasts and present lives are filled with pain and longing, addiction, racism, and the prison system shattering lives.
The young boy JoJo emerges as a quiet hero, his little sister Kayla’s refuge. Their father is in prison, their mother self-involved and addicted to meth. Their grandparents nurtured them, but Mam is dying of cancer and Pop is struggling with her dying.
When JoJo’s father is to be released from prison, his mother takes the children on a road trip to meet him at the prison. Kayla is ill the entire trip, clinging to her older brother, thie children’s’ needs are not only unmet but irritating to the adults.
At the prison, the spirit of a boy, Richie, who died there joins the family; he seeks JoJo’s grandfather who had protected the him while in prison. He believes that if Pop can tell him how he died, he will be released from this world.
Richie realizes how little life has changed since he was alive. “Sometimes I think it done changed. And then I sleep and wake up, and it ain’t changed none.” Black boys and men are still targeted, still end up in prison for minor crimes.
The climax reveals a horrendous choice Pop had to make. Yet, JoJo takes his Pop’s strength and dignity as a mantle, learns to live with the ghosts, and we hope that he can transcend the past, taking Kayla with him, into a better future.
Now available in paperback.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
The young boy JoJo emerges as a quiet hero, his little sister Kayla’s refuge. Their father is in prison, their mother self-involved and addicted to meth. Their grandparents nurtured them, but Mam is dying of cancer and Pop is struggling with her dying.
When JoJo’s father is to be released from prison, his mother takes the children on a road trip to meet him at the prison. Kayla is ill the entire trip, clinging to her older brother, thie children’s’ needs are not only unmet but irritating to the adults.
At the prison, the spirit of a boy, Richie, who died there joins the family; he seeks JoJo’s grandfather who had protected the him while in prison. He believes that if Pop can tell him how he died, he will be released from this world.
Richie realizes how little life has changed since he was alive. “Sometimes I think it done changed. And then I sleep and wake up, and it ain’t changed none.” Black boys and men are still targeted, still end up in prison for minor crimes.
The climax reveals a horrendous choice Pop had to make. Yet, JoJo takes his Pop’s strength and dignity as a mantle, learns to live with the ghosts, and we hope that he can transcend the past, taking Kayla with him, into a better future.
Now available in paperback.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes