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mrsloudlibrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Infertility and Pregnancy
awbuford's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry
rachelkreadsbookz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Infertility and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
torlee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Author: Sadeqa Johnson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: February 7, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Redemptive • Haunting • Luminous
📖 S Y N O P S I S
1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.
Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done.
With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As a lover of historical fiction, it will come as no surprise that The House of Eve was one of my most anticipated 2023 winter releases, so when it was chosen as an Aardvark selection for February, it was an easy choice. I went in without having read the synopsis, and I was blown away by this novel.
The writing provides everything the reader needs to know without being excessively detailed, making this novel highly readable. I honestly could not put it down! Sadeqa Johnson managed to bring the story to life through her memorable characters, and by hooking my attention from the very first page, straight through to the satisfying end. She explores many themes - womanhood and women's rights, motherhood and ambition, poverty and classism, race and colourism, as well as a snippet of wealthy Black history. And she does all of it with great knowledge and care.
Historical fiction is genre I typically gravitate towards because learning about new aspects of the past while reading is something I absolutely love. And this book certainly opened my eyes (and my mind) to an area of Black history I have very seldom encountered in my reading life. Even though it is a more of fiction, it's very important to read the author's note at the end. Sadeqa details her family history and the authenticity of the content.
I must say The House of Eve was the historical fiction novel I needed to get out of a streak of mediocre reads. Ruby and Eleanor, combined with the exploration of the price women pay for love, completely enraptured me, and I know this story will stay with me for a long time. It was a book that reminded me why I love reading so much - to find stories that need telling, to learn and have my perspectives broadened. I've definitely moved Yellow Wife up my priority list, and am already anticipating whatever Sadeqa publishes next.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of dual timeline/dual perspective
• readers looking for women's right historical fiction
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Knowing about racism and being abused by its wrath were two different things."
"And this trip downtown had shown me that we even had to fight for what should have been free: our dignity."
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Abortion
colourism, adoption, povertycozy_pnw_bibliophile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The House of Eve tells the story of two Black women in 1950s America, Ruby, and Eleanor. Ruby, whose story we experience from a first-person narrative, is a teenage girl growing up in Philadelphia. Born to a teenage mother, Inez, and raised by her grandmother, Ruby is fighting to earn a coveted scholarship and fulfill her dream of going to college and becoming an optometrist. When Inez kicks Ruby out of her house, Ruby finds a home with her aunt and soon meets her aunt's landlord's son, Shimmy, a white Jewish teenager, who she falls in love with even though she is told not to. In between Ruby's chapters, we learn about Eleanor's story, from a third-person narrative. Eleanor, a student at Howard University, comes from a small town in Ohio and has loving parents who had to work and save for years to help pay for her education. Eleanor has a passion for history and works in the library as an archivist. In the library, Eleanor meets a medical student, Howard Pride, who comes from a wealthy Black family. Despite his mother's dislike of Eleanor, the two fall in love, and get married with dreams of growing their family, a dream that is heartbreakingly torn apart and derailed by infertility.
In general, I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and the voices, stories, and themes in The House of Eve are powerful and needed. I highly recommend putting this on your TBR if it's not already.
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Abortion
odifranco23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
shawnna_reads2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Rape, Sexism, and Alcohol
maddiet425's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual assault
lindsayerin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy