Reviews with content warning for War - Memphis

I went the audiobook route with this one, minimal physical reading. I was in awe at the flow of the different POV’s that intermingle throughout this debut. I liked how even though this wasn’t told in a chronological, linear timeline, the events that took place connected with the plot. Each women had their own struggles and heartbreaks, showcasing that black women really don’t have the privilege of falling back on what their cis male counterparts do. Hazel’s POV I wanted a little more of, I think that one was the lowest in terms of perspective on the totem pole. I can only speak for me but I also wish there had been a heads up or content warning for the book. It didn’t deter me from reading but listening about what Joan went through at a young age felt a little abrupt / startling.

Content Warnings

chaptersofchase's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Here's another March read that struck me right in the heart. 💙 Thank you, The Dial Press, for the gifted book! {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Trope: Historical
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 4.5.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"Perhaps I should have known all along. Perhaps this was always in us: this gift. Maybe each of us had always carried it around, unknowingly, like a lost coin in a deep pocket."

Memphis follows four black women from the same family as they navigate through the complicated history of our country; the deaths of Emmett Till, Martin Luther King, Echol Cole, and Robert Walker, the 16th Street Baptist Church Burning, WWII, and 9/11. There is so much history packed into this 245-page debut that I had to take several moments to reflect on Stringfellow's writing.

There are some difficult incidents to process throughout the book — ones that I did not see coming and made me feel sick to my stomach. (See triggers below)

While I did feel some attachment to Joan, Miriam, and August, something about Hazel drew me in. She was my favorite character in the story, and I could have read an entire book dedicated to her life. Her love for her husband and their deep appreciation for one another moved me to tears on several occasions. When it came time to say goodbye to Hazel's character, I honestly wasn't ready. Hazel had such a fierceness about her; horrendous things happened to her during her lifetime, but she still remained strong for her family.

👩🏾Multiple Perspectives (Joan, Miriam, August, and Hazel)
🗓 Multiple Timelines (1937 - 2003)
🌳 Family Tree provided
❤️ Stanley
✨Debut novel

❌- Domestic violence, war, rape of a child, child abuse, 9/11 details

Memphis is also an April Read with Jenna pick! #readwithjenna

Tell me a recent fictional character that you became attached to 👇🏼

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Content Warnings

ktdakotareads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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